Today's post is going to be about the weather! What's more fun than talking about strip clubs? Talking about WEATHER and strip clubs!
Weather is important because it's the biggest since variable factoring into your club's traffic, aside from time of day, day of the week, and season. Pre-scheduled events like holiday parties are predictable because they're usually anticipated in advance, and while most weather is predictable to some extent, many club managers do not understand how small variables like a few days of snowfall can add up and have a big impact over time.
Instead of resigning a bad night to the unpredictability of the business, it is a good idea to understand as much as possible about how your industry operates, all the way down to the basics. In other words, you can be leveraging the weather to your advantage for maximum efficiency. Contrary to what you might think, you can take advantage of unfavorable conditions and you can be reactive by adjusting elements that you do control to bring talent and customers in.
The ideal conditions in the nightlife industry are dry, warm weekend evenings. These conditions are common in places with mild climates like Southern California, Phoenix, and Las Vegas, of course. But for those of us living in areas with more extreme climates, such as in the Midwest, we don't have the luxury of comfortable weather most of the time. Ironically, the reverse is also true--a summer thunderstorm or extreme temperatures in the Midwest don't really affect club traffic as much as they would in a milder climate, since those events are to be expected depending on what season it is.
Nothing does as much damage to the vitality of your club, however, as a fresh snowfall of several inches or more. In places that experience heavy snowfall, such as in the Great Lakes region, traffic can fall to virtually zero on a night with bad roads even though snowfall is expected in the winter and snow events are forecasted well in advance. How do you get people in the door? Do you close early anticipating the conditions? After all, managers know all too well the headaches of trying to call girls in on slow nights.
Take advantage of the winter weather by offering discounted tipouts to your talent. You can adjust the tipout discount depending on the type of conditions. For example, if your staff is reduced by 50 percent because of the weather, offer a 25 percent discount on the tipout. If you only have a handful of dancers, offer a bigger discount, perhaps 50 percent or so. This may sway the decision between your girls staying home and coming in and they will appreciate you for anticipating their needs.
You can also offer discounted cover charges to your guests as well. This is where real-time social media channels like Twitter really punch above their weight. Discounted cover charges give guests an incentive to come to your club, even if they weren't planning on going that particular evening. Some places will waive cover and booth fees entirely if traffic is significantly less than expected. Doing so creates a favorable impression in the customer's mind, and he'll be more likely to remember that generosity on a night with more typical traffic.
Finally, you can arrange for alternative transportation options. Many clubs are located near airports, and many taxi and limousine operators have contracts with clubs that utilize their services frequently. You may want to encourage taxi drivers and shuttles to ferry in customers on nights with inclement weather, perhaps by providing a small incentive to them or by other means.
The good thing about these techniques is that they can all be used at the same time. Obviously, good judgement fares best here and you should only advise people to come in if it's safe to do so. But an empty club is a club that's losing money! So embrace living in a winter wonderland--your talent and guests will appreciate you for doing so. A little snow should never stop the best show in town!
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