7 Tips To Manage A Brewery Opening

7 Tips To Manage A Brewery Opening

Brand Yourself has handled a range social media campaigns and launches. We’ve hosted Instagram contests and Facebook giveaways. We’ve launched Instagram campaigns and branded Twitter profiles. One thing we had never done: seen a client through their official opening.

Forager Brewery found us in the early days of their business. We designed their logo, built their brand, created their website, and launched their social media campaign. It really was quite the adventure with their dynamic team!

After months of progress photos and fielding the public’s excited questions, the gastro-brewery finally opened. The event was bigger than we could have imagined! After all the work, we’ve come out with a few tips for you:

1. Prepare people for the opening. We shared humorous and authentic blogs about why the brewery wasn’t open quite yet. Facebook posts were written and tweets were sent to give a vague idea of the approaching open date without committing to a hard date. That way, if inspections fell through or tap lines broke, we were in the clear.
2. Schedule posts regarding the opening. In the chaos of a grand opening, you might forget to post. It’s totally normal. That’s what scheduling is for! Get the message out with a blog inviting the public to finally come in. Follow up with some general posts about the opening, and be sure to pair them with a quality images of the beer or your space.
3. Update your online presence. Make sure your signage is very clear regarding your hours and open dates! Update your hours on Google+, Facebook, Yelp, and your website. Change any text that says “Opening Soon,” etc. Additionally, tweet your hours for the first few days. Beer people love twitter and will often turn to it for your updates.
4. Create new online presences. Claim your Yelp profile and create your Brewery page on Untappd. You’ll have to check in on these profiles several times to ensure they are developing properly.
5. Schedule follow-up posts to maintain excitement. We chose to post branded images with quotes from each employee about why they were excited to be open. The community knows and loves all the people behind the Forager brand, so we decided to leverage it!
6. Take photos. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for you/your client’s business! Capture the chaotic memories as best you can. If necessary, hire a photographer for the event. Luckily for Brand Yourself, we have two professional photographers on our team.
7. Manage social media. Set up a schedule with your team to manage social media comments, reviews, etc. Take shifts to avoid confusion and maintain your sanity!