Whether you self-distribute to a few neighborhood bars or work with a distributor to serve many more across your state or region, bar accounts are more than just customers—they’re de facto ambassadors for your beer.
A bar can serve up any ol’ brewery’s beer to any guest. But if a bar is particularly excited about a brewery—possibly thanks to a nurtured relationship—staff are often more likely to hand-sell patrons on that beer.
“People will see our product at a cool corner bar and the bartender says, ‘Oh, yeah, they’re just down the street, you should check them out,’ and they come in,” says Mo Stubbs, sales director at Philadelphia’s Love City Brewing. “We see it all the time.”
Steady bar accounts can be an extension of your taproom—one that can actually get people into your taproom. It’s worthwhile to take care of your bar customers, work together on everything from troubleshooting to events, and take advantage of opportunities—such as being able to provide branded coasters and glassware, to keep your brewery’s name as front-and-center as possible.
Here are some insights into how to foster those mutually profitable relationships.