Are you looking to add some fun and excitement to your bar? Hosting a trivia night at your bar can help create a vibrant social atmosphere that will help you attract new customers and keep the previous ones coming back for more.
In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to successfully plan and promote a trivia night.
Set a day and time
Start by identifying a suitable day and time for the trivia night. We recommend hosting your trivia on a weekday night during a time slot when the footfall in your bar is the lowest. This way you can benefit from the traffic brought by the trivia night.
If you host the trivia night on a weekend, you run the risk of your bar getting overcrowded.
Choose a Theme
Consider having themed trivia nights to add excitement. The theme will also help you determine what type of materials and decorations to get for the trivia.
While deciding the theme of the trivia night, factor in the interests of the people you want to attract to your bar. If you want people in their 20s or 30s to attend the trivia night, you can select a music, sports, or pop culture theme, but if you’re targeting older people, you should choose more mature themes such as general knowledge or history to encourage them to show up.
You can also alternate between different themes across the month to draw in as many people as possible.
Arrange the materials
You don’t have to break the bank when organizing a thrilling trivia night at your bar. Here is all you need for trivia nights a success:
- A whiteboard or a score sheet for keeping the score.
- A projector and screen to show the questions to your audience. This way the host won’t have to repeat questions multiple times.
- Answer sheets.
- Sound equipment, including a mic and speaker.
- Question sets, preferably with questions of varying degrees of difficulty. Bonus round structures and a tiebreaker question.
Offer exciting prizes
The prizes that you offer can make or break your trivia night. Don’t think that the trivia night experience itself will be enough to pull the crowds. You offer good prizes, you draw in more people- it truly is that simple.
If you’re planning a team-based trivia, you should either get separate prizes for each team member, such as gift cards and free drinks, or one thing of high value that the team can share, such as an expensive bottle of wine or a cash prize.
Build hype on social media
Social media provides ample opportunities for spreading the word about your event far and wide. Here are some essential steps you should take to get started on promoting your bar’s trivia night on social media:
- Create informative posts about the day, date, timings, and topic of your trivia night, along with your contact details. Mention the prizes for winners in bold colors and fonts.
- Create reminder posts and stories with countdown timers leading up to the trivia. You can also include polls in your stories to ask people if they will be attending, which can have a bandwagon effect on people.
- Share behind-the-scenes content to show people your preparations and excitement for the event.
- Make a Facebook event so that customers can RSVP and send the information to their friends.
Pursue print marketing
Print marketing is still one of the most effective ways to promote a local event; so, make generous use of posters and flyers to promote your trivia night.
You don’t have to hire a professional designer to create print material for your event. With PosterMyWall, you can design eye-catching posters, flyers, and more for your bar’s trivia night at a very low cost. Browse through trivia poster templates, select the ones that closely match your bar’s personality, and customize them to showcase the details of your trivia night Then you just have to download and get your designs printed.
Put up posters inside your bar at prominent locations, such as windows or entryways, bathrooms, behind the bar counter, etc. to maximize visibility such as bathrooms.
Consider partnering with local businesses (e.g., restaurants and cafes) to display posters in their establishments, reaching a wider audience within your community. Also, ask them to include your trivia flyers in their takeout orders.
Make sure to put up your posters in community centers or on any public bulletin boards in your area.
Advertise in local media
While it’s true that not many people read newspapers these days they are still enjoyed by a large chunk of the population.
Additionally, advertise your trivia night on your local radio stations and TV channels, because the more coverage you get, the better.
Ads in local media are not heavy on the pocket, so do make use of them. These ads are mutually beneficial for you and the local media outlets, as they get content for their publications or channels, while you get publicity for your event.
Final thoughts
In conclusion, hosting a trivia night at your bar can be a fantastic way to draw in crowds and boost revenue. Make sure to promote your event well in advance, and create a welcoming atmosphere that encourages participation and fun.
By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can effectively plan and promote a trivia night that will leave people eagerly anticipating the next event.
