An upcoming bar crawl is enough to get a socialite’s skin tingling. The festive spirit, unlimited drinks, and lots of cheerful people are just some of the things that one should anticipate. If you’ve been on a bar crawl, you probably get the idea.
While any bar crawl has the potential to be an explosive display of pure human happiness, it can go wrong in a jiffy.
So, just like in any other event, bar crawl organizers must set important ground rules for attendees. Whether you’re planning for a bar crawl or participating in one, you need a handbook of rules and basic limitations to follow.
Check out these essential do’s and don’ts for every bar crawl:
The Do’s
1. Include Fun Gifts, Items, and Souvenirs
A bar crawl without any giveaway items or souvenirs is considered lame. While the focus of the crawl is a fun experience, having giveaways is a sign that you actually care about the partygoers and understand people like takeaways.
Remember, people are natural collectors. If they can take home something from an event, they’ll be able to connect it to the positive experience they had. They can even show off these giveaways to their friends; instant marketing on the spot!
You don’t need to go overboard or over think your selected giveaway items. Consider what may be the best fit for your crawl: t-shirts, colorful caps, novelty shot glasses, stickers & brand logos, are just some creative options.
Be creative in planning your giveaways!
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2. Keep the Crawl Distances Short
Here’s a catch: bar crawls don’t necessarily mean that you have to crawl to the respective venues. After all, crawling and drinking liquor doesn’t seem like a nice blend right?
The distance from one venue to another is important. We can't stress it enough: distance is important! A distance of one to a few blocks is acceptable since crawlers don’t need to and may not want to travel too far. You definitely want attendees to look forward to the next venue without getting tired.
If the next venue is a mile or more away, then crawlers might lose their spirit and trail off to the next burger joint, a spot not on the designated side of destinations, this is a big no-no!
3. Inform the Venues of Your Arrival
It may seem like an obvious idea, but bar crawlers are like a rising wave of positive nationalism – they arrive in force, ready to bring down the roof of any venue. Within minutes, a jovial crew can turn any silent bar into a wonderful celebratory hub!
But what if you arrived to the venue unannounced? It’s very likely that the venue management won’t throw you and your crew out. That’s bad for business, but what you may experience is poor and rushed service. If the staff still manages to handle your crew properly (as if no mishap occurs), then hat’s off to the venue, but better safe than sorry, right?
As a bar crawl organizer, you must inform the venue of your arrival, ahead of time, with enough lead time for necessary planning. Doing so will make all the difference. Not to mention, this will get the balls rolling and will help the staff prepare for your arrival.
4. Select The Most Interesting Venues
For a bar crawl, you wouldn’t dare to pick an orphanage or a car dealership yard. What you need is a thriving bar, club, or any social place that handles events. Nowadays, you can find many nearby areas with a refined Google search.
Once you have a list of venues, you need to pick the best options. You can check out the venue’s website or a bar/pub review directory. Analyze how a venue can fit your bar crawl’s goals and specifications. You should also determine if the venue has some restrictions or other complex policies.
Picking the most interesting venues will ensure the success of your bar crawl event!
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5. Hire DJs and Live Bands for the Crawl
DJs are the focal points of every party or bar crawl. At a venue, there might be small gatherings and fun clique-based discussions. Party promoters will also do everything to keep the crowd entertained. But without a DJ, there’s no unifying ground. There will be no huge spark to look forward to, thus causing the enjoyment to fizzle.
As much as you can, you should hire a DJ. He/she will get the beats started, fueling the bar crawl throughout the night. Live bands are also necessary because they extend the flow of the music vibe up to the last hour. If you have a second DJ, that’s even better!
Just prepare – DJs tend to be expensive, especially the best ones!
6. Get the Party Vibe Going
No matter how many DJs and live bands perform on a bar crawl, the party vibe will decline if you don’t take action. Instead of being a mere night owl, you must be keen enough to see if people are getting bored. Find the ‘silent souls’ and talk to them about the crawl. Hand them drinks if possible. Drop ice-breakers to restore the mood and ensure that the crawl is lively.
One great way to liven up the party is to run a mini-drinking contest. Anyone interested can participate and have a great time. Really, games are ideal to use to keep the crowd engaged.
And the reward for the drinking contest? More drinks!
Join us in a variety of cities for our New Year's Eve Bar Crawl. Save 20% with code DWF (drink with friends) and see all the perks of the event and great venues by clicking below.
7. Learn Key Insights for Future Bar Crawls
Once the bar crawl is over, you should gather some key insights from attendees. This sounds like work, but it’s necessary for the success of future bar crawls. Think of your current successful bar crawl as a performance benchmark.
A short interview of selected crawlers will do the job. To save time, you can leave a short questionnaire to be filled out by chosen crawlers. Give them additional rewards like a keychain or something small.
Insight gathering is beneficial for all. Your company will gain more exposure and sales, and bar hoppers will have a remarkable experience for the coming months. Win-win.
The Don’ts
1. Select an Event-filled Day
A successful bar crawl organizer knows how to pick the right day for the event. Practically, you shouldn’t pick a day that’s jam-packed with other events.
There are several reasons for this. First, the venue might not have enough resources to accommodate your crew – especially if your crawl is on the last slot. Second, people’s attention might be divided. Attendees of the first few events might stay longer in the venue, sapping the spirit of the bar crawl. And lastly, if your event is the first in line, your time will be extremely limited, and you don't want that to happen!
2. Create a Free-for-all Scenario
Bar crawls are known for their free stuff – free drinks, free gifts, and a free ticket to a night of happiness! Who wouldn’t love that, right?
Unfortunately, a free-for-all scenario will deplete your company’s resources as fast as you can shout “Patron!” Does this mean you have to remove all of your free offers? Not at all! You just need to limit the free stuff and add fair promos instead.
A great example: Buy one drink, get one free! This is a popular promo in so many bar crawls today. There are lots of promo ideas – you just need to be creative enough!
3. Let Attendees Worry About Transportation
Whenever liquor is involved, you can’t ignore potential security issues. If an attendee has too many drinks, he or she might have troubles returning home. To avoid unnecessary risky situations, you need to think ahead.
Partner up with reputable transportation companies – like Uber or Lyft. These companies are more than happy to work with events and social functions.
Learn how to produce your own Bar Crawl. Sign up Below!
4. Be a Downer David or a Sad Sally
Whether you’re a bar crawl organizer or a willing participant, you shouldn’t be a Downer David or a Sad Sally. In short: don’t spread a wave of sadness or negativity!
A bar crawl must be a positive event where camaraderie occurs. Everyone must contribute a smile, a cheer, or a leap of joy. You should leave your troubles and anxieties behind!
5. Forget About the Whole Experience
Bar crawls are destined to be memorable. They must create an impact for all attendees so they won’t hesitate to be on the next crawl event.
If you happen to forget about the experience, you’re doing it wrong! As a responsible crawler, you must share the experience with your friends and colleagues. Tell them about the free drinks, giveaways, promos, and other wonderful stuff. Once your friends are satisfied with your bar crawl suggestions, they will always consider you as a fun-loving socialite!
About Social Scene
Social Scene creates a “scene” an environment to connect people, build relationships and create memories through online campaigns and on-premise social events; focusing on providing exposure to our partnering brands, venues and clients to connect with a great social audience - Experiential Marketing. Social Scene builds brand awareness for partnering venues and brands, connecting them with a targeted audience to build relationships and create memories.
Visit BeSocialScene.com for the most up to date events and to partner on an upcoming experience. Want to build a live or online experience around your company’s brand or venue? Email info@besocialscene.com or send a message directly at BeSocialScene.com. Be Social. Be Seen.
Ivan Junatas
Professional Content Writer
Social Scene
