Marketing Your Craft Beer

In the modern world, marketing is almost as important as your product itself. This is especially true for small businesses that rely on word of mouth and reputation to drive sales instead of expensive advertising campaigns. If you're planning on selling your home-brewed beer to the general public instead of just friends and family, it's crucial that you create a marketing strategy. Without one, you'll likely find that your business fails before it even gets off the ground.

Whether you’re just starting out with a small batch or want to expand into other markets, these tips will help get your beer ready for the masses. These useful strategies can be adapted for almost any situation, no matter how much funding or experience you currently have. Read on to learn more...

Come up with a plan before you start investing

Before you spend a single penny on marketing, come up with a plan. Don't just think of your ideal customers and start throwing money at them. By first creating a marketing plan, you can avoid costly mistakes and keep your marketing efforts effective. What is your ideal customer? Where do they hang out? How are you going to reach them? What are you going to offer them? Keep in mind that marketing is a long-term strategy. It takes time for customers to notice your brand and for word to spread. Don’t expect to see results immediately.

Host an event to build hype

If you’re a newcomer to the craft beer scene, you might have a tough time getting noticed. However, hosting a launch or other special event can help you get a lot of attention, while still being relatively inexpensive. If you have the capital, consider running a crowdfunding campaign. This is a one-time investment that will help you get the word out and build a customer base. Go online and start posting about your business on social media websites, such as Facebook and Instagram. If you don’t have the funds, you can still host an event and invite the press. Think about what makes your beer special and invite reporters to sample it at an event. Alternatively, invite a blogger to your brewery and give them a sample. If they like what they taste, they can write about your beer.

Partner with local businesses

You might not realize it, but there are tons of local businesses that are interested in partnering with craft beer breweries, either for marketing or for discounts on their products. If you’re interested in partnering with another business, then you should be asking for a discount or offering to trade your time or services for theirs. You can offer to let a local coffee shop put your logo on their cups or tables, or have a special deal at a bar.

Send out press releases and blogger emails

Press releases are a tried and true method for getting attention for your product. If you want to get noticed, send out a press release to local newspapers and online media outlets.

Put out a press release on the first batch you brew, detailing where the beer is made, the ingredients, and who you are. Many newspapers still prefer receiving press releases on actual paper, so send one out as soon as you get started.

By sending out press releases, you can get the attention of newspapers and bloggers that might not have ever heard of you. Similarly, bloggers are a great source of traffic for brewers. To get their attention, send an email to various beer bloggers announcing your beer and offering free samples. Keep in mind that bloggers often get a lot of emails offering free samples, so make yours stand out. Make sure you include things like your brewing process and recipe, as well as information about your business.

Create an ad campaign

If you have some cash to put into your marketing efforts, consider creating an ad campaign. You can do this by purchasing ad space on websites that cater to your target audience, such as social media websites, news websites, and more. By using the services of a suitable advertising agency, you’re putting your brand in front of the public without any effort on your part. This is a great option if you don’t have any experience creating or designing your own materials.

If you have the funds, you should try to create consistent ads for your product. Consistency breeds recognition, and consistent ads will put your brand in front of customers without getting annoying.

Avoid putting your logo on too many items, as this can be seen as desperate.

Conclusion

When you're ready to bring your beer to the masses, you'll have to be prepared to put in some work. The best way to build buzz is to create a unique product and make sure the world knows about it.

There are many ways to promote your beer. The best way to make sure that people know about your product is to focus on the quality of the product itself. If people love your beer, they will tell others about it. The best marketing strategy is to make a product that is so good that people can't help but talk about it.

It's okay to be nervous when going into business, and the process may be a bit overwhelming at first. But with a little bit of research and a lot of confidence, you can make it through.