As the owner of a liquor store, chances are you have a loyal set of customers.  In order to continue to grow and draw in new customers, it’s important that you adapt to trends and take steps to boost liquor store sales.  Transforming your liquor store into an upscale shop can be a challenge.  There are many different ways you can increase the appeal of your store.  Combining convenience with superior customer service and product offerings can help your liquor store give off a great first impression and allow you to expand your existing customer base.  In order to grow, you’ll need to make some changes.  This will involve an investment, but the increase in revenue will be well worth it.  Here we’ve outlined some of the best ways to make your liquor store more appealing.

Beer Cave

Annually, Americans drink 7.6 billion dollars’ worth of beer.  Convenience stores have begun to take a big chunk of this business, mostly due to their large selection of cold offerings.  An enclosed cooler with easy access for customers to view and select from a variety of cold brews will help you to compete with convenience stores.  A beer cave not only helps you to offer a larger selection of cold beer, it provides a unique shopping experience for your customers.  Being able to display a wide variety of ready to drink products will make your liquor store a 'go to' destination and provide you with repeat business.

Tasting Parties

Tasting parties have become one of the biggest trends in the liquor store industry.  This can come in the form of organized events where people sign up to learn how to mix drinks, or simply having a host or hostess serving up samples of new or featured items.  This offers a new experience for patrons and drives customer engagement.  It also allows customers to try new products which, in turn, could increase your sales on those products.  Tasting parties also offer an opportunity for customers to get to know the owners of the store and become educated on different products.  Promoting these parties through different marketing channels such as social media and others is a great way to bring in new customers.

Holiday Events

Events have long been a great way to promote a small business.  Liquor stores are no exception.  Holding holiday events is a great way to bring in new customers and improve the image of your store.  Signing live entertainment and organizing taste tests for new and exotic products will help your event to be successful. 

Local Brews

The craft beer industry has exploded over the last decade and liquor stores have started to take advantage of this trend.  Developing partnerships with local breweries to distribute their products can be a profitable venture for both sides.  Cross promotions where you advertise each other’s businesses can bring in a whole new customer base for each of you.  This is particularly effective when it comes to joint events and advertising at industry festivals.

High End Wines

There is an enormous community of wine connoisseur’s and many liquor stores forget to target this market.  Updating your wine selection and offering high end imported wines will help you to bring in these customers and can increase revenue dramatically.  The profit margins on imported wines can be significant and will also help the image of your liquor store.  This also allows you to hold wine tastings and bring in experts on wine pairings to help customers choose the perfect vintage.

How To Fund Your Improvements

In order for your liquor store to flourish in the future it will be necessary to make improvements.  While coming up with the funds to make these changes can be difficult, you do have options.  Quikstone Capital Solutions specializes in helping liquor store owners maintain, improve and expand their businesses. Consider a merchant cash advance to improve the image and appeal of your liquor store.

Download our Free Investment Guide below for more ways to boost your liquor store sales.