How To Expand Into New Markets With The Help Of Your Brewery POS System

The success of any business often depends on growing and expanding into new markets. But growth can be, well, a challenge. With inventory to stock, sales to complete, employees to train, payroll to do, and the day-to-day minutia of keeping your business running, it can feel downright impossible to find the time to add yet another task. 

Fortunately, with the right tools at your disposal, expanding into new areas of growth with your business doesn’t have to be something that detracts from your current operations. In fact, the right brewery POS system can actually support you in not only keeping the day-to-day requirements of your business running, but it can also help you expand into new markets. 

Experimenting with new ways to enhance your business and serve your guests can help strengthen your operations and of course, keep your community happy. Here are some suggestions for how to use a brewery POS system to help you try out new markets and drive traffic in innovative ways to your business. 

Consider mixing up your space

You have space, you have products to offer, and you have guests that are looking to invest in something more valuable than just something to drink: community. One innovative way some breweries are looking to mix up their spaces is in a quite literal way, with mixed-use spaces. 

Have empty space you could turn into a golf simulator, rage room, ax-throwing venue, meeting rooms, artistic venues, fundraising options, or community rentals? 

What about getting creative in off-hours? Could you monetize outside space or bring in foot traffic for pop-up shops? Many small businesses are now getting behind the trend of mixed-use spaces, which offer increased income potential, as well as eco-friendly and community-building benefits. 

But how can a brewery POS system help with a mixed-use space? Let’s count the ways: 

• Fundraising made easy: The right brewery POS system can elevate events such as community benefits, fundraisers, and more with a seamless donation at checkout feature. Allowing guests to donate whole dollar amounts or round up their tab takes the pressure off of donation and keeps the focus on community-building and the event at hand. 
• Automatic event deposits: Mixed-use space means that you will need to manage staff and inventory differently when events are happening. Therefore, it’s necessary for your brewery POS system to be able to streamline event deposit collection so you can prepare staff and perform other behind-the-scenes hosting duties. 
• What about will call? Ticketed events can help bring in more exclusive clientele for private venues. Your brewery POS system should allow attendees to purchase tickets ahead of time and check in. From your end, POS should keep track of ticket sales, push remaining tickets, and assess performance reports post-event. 

Get online

Odds are, your business is already well-connected to keep the day-to-day operations going, but what about expanding into an online storefront? 

Your business should consider experimenting with an online storefront to sell branded favorites, ship to new markets, test out new products, or offer exclusive sales and incentives. A brewery POS system with the built-in ability to help you create an online store that blends seamlessly with in-person sales is the cherry on top of this opportunity cake!

Some businesses have even found success selling different products online to new markets, while in-person favorites remain consistent. So this can help you move products that may not sell as well in-person, but do in other areas. 

Become a super host

If your brewery is located on land with substantial acreage, some businesses have found success hosting travelers using creative collaborations such as Harvest Hosts. Harvest Hosts connects traveling RVers with farms, museums, breweries, etc. willing to let them park overnight in exchange for supporting their business. 

All that RV traveling makes adventurers hungry—and your brewery could help with those cravings with a POS system that makes ordering easy. For instance, online menus, timed menus for instances like Happy Hour, and mobile ordering can help you expand your market as a superhost. 

One happy Arryved customer who found success as a Harvest Host is Pals Brewing Co. They’re a Nebraska brewery that serves beers, food, and fun on their 2-acres packed with plenty of outdoor entertainment options. 

Pals offers playgrounds, volleyball courts, cornhole boards, picnic tables, outdoor patios, and live music. Plus, RV guests are able to stay right on-site and order food and drinks from the comfort of their campfires. Staff can even get involved in the fun by mingling among guests and keeping orders and tabs open through Arryved’s mobile devices. From serving up drinks on the patio to making sure those volleyball players stay well-hydrated, the right brewery POS system can help you host travelers from all over the country. 

“Arryved has truly been a strategic and important business partner for us,” owner and head Brewer Paul Oettinger said. “We were the first mobile ordering restaurant in our town and everyone has tried to duplicate it because of how much the customers love it.”

Finesse the fun

Maybe you don’t have the acreage to host RV travelers, but what else could you do with your space that could serve your guests and create some fun in the process? Here are some ideas made possible by built-in tools from the best brewery POS system:

• Create a children’s area. Perhaps you could build a comfortable and safe area for children to play—provide games, a playground, or even just coloring. The best part about a family-friendly atmosphere, other than the fact that it helps bring people together, is that a relaxed parent = a happy guest. And a happy and relaxed guest is more likely to stay and enjoy another beverage, order that dessert, and of course, return back to your establishment with more families who feel comfortable and welcome.
• Host a community-building event. What kind of activity do your guests enjoy? What are you passionate about? Maybe it’s a sip-and-paint, karaoke, trivia or game night, or a good old-fashioned sock hop—Hey, you could be the one to bring it back! Whatever it is, getting the community involved in something they can look forward to week after week is a great way to build engagement and inspire repeat customers. 
• Bring in some live music. Music speaks to all souls—and gets the good times rolling. Create more excitement with weekly live entertainment that your guests can look forward to, or invite local musicians to share their talent as well. And don’t forget to set up timed menus using your brewery POS system so guests can take advantage of special offers during entertainment. Timed menus are a set-it-and-forget-it tool that communicates changes in prices instantly based on your decided settings, so staff don’t have to worry about confused guests.

Bring more to the table

…And we do mean bring more to the table in a very literal way. If your establishment currently offers brewing goods only, consider experimenting with food or small plate offerings. 

You can start small, serving pre-made, no-cook dishes like hummus plates and charcuterie boards, or try out different items with easy-to-update digital menus. 

Cloud-based software with the right brewery POS system even allows for fully-integrated to-go and pickup options. Off-site orders are instantly sent to staff devices, and assembled as needed, with no loss in flow or productivity. 

Buckstin Brewing Company in Nederland, TX, added food to their menu, taking inspiration from the food truck trend to design their kitchen. Their secret? Limiting the amount of ingredients and keeping things strictly baked. 

A savvy Fresh KDS integration even connects kitchen display systems with your POS devices, so communicating from the floor with the kitchen is fast and easy. 

Arryved’s data shows that guests keep their tabs open for longer when food is available for purchase and expanding menu offerings helps build community, partnerships, and builds a safety net for your profits. 

On the flip side, if you already offer food and beverage services, what else could you bring to the table? Here are some ideas:

• Weekend brunch in addition to dinner options
• To-go coffee service for working patrons
• Juice bar for guests who frequent the yoga and cycling classes next door
• Herbal tea station to bring some zen into those busy corporate workers’ lives 

The point is, with a little creativity, elbow grease, and the right brewery POS system to support you, you can improve guest experiences and boost your bottom line. Be sure to request your free, custom demo with Arryved POS to see how thoughtful technology can help you expand into new markets.