How to Sell like a Bartender

Have you ever walked into a bar and left without knowing how much you spent? One drink after another and you’ve gone past weekday happy hour to multiple $10+ drinks. The tab adds up quickly – and your wallet feels that much thinner when you go to pay for your Monday morning coffee.

How does this happen?

Bartenders are sales people. In fact, they’re some of the best salespeople out there because they use these sales techniques:

1. They’re Personable

Bartenders know how to strike up a conversation. You take a seat at a bar and you’ll inevitably exchange a few sentences with the bartender. Bartenders are great at building rapport with their customers, they create a personal connection with everyone they speak to.

Taking the time to relate to your prospects is the difference between a good salesman and a great one. Ask non-work related questions with your client to build a more personal relationship that results in a more positive experience on both sides. By connecting on a personal level you become more than just another salesman. You create loyal customers. Your clients will be able to put a face and a story to your name, and they’ll be much more likely to remember you (and your product) when you come around again.

2. They’re Knowledgeable

Bartenders know their drinks and their ingredients. They don’t see a bar full of liquor bottles, they see a hundreds of potential drinks, and they’re able to recall the right one at a moment’s notice when a customers orders it. In sales, this translates to product knowledge. Everyone has their own unique problem that needs solving, so you need to know everything about your product. Only then will you be prepared to mix the right drink for your customer.

Why do people love personalized solutions so much, you ask? Because it makes us feel special. Is that Jack Daniels there at the bar for you? No! But that Jack Daniels mixed with a little bit of vodka, a splash of soda and dressed up with a quarter of a lemon slice? Now that has your name written on its bubbles. Personalizing your sales pitch makes your product seem unique and appealing to the client. 

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3. They’re Hyper-Aware

Knowing how to approach and when to offer up another drink, when to approach a group, and what to say is an art that many bartenders have perfected. Being able to make this decision means going beyond tunnel visioning on your client—it’s about assessing the environment and the situation. Customers don’t want to be disturbed when they’re deep in conversation but they also don’t want to feel like they’re being ignored. There’s a fine line to walk between taking care of customers to them feeling like you’re intruding or not paying attention to them. Bartenders are all about assessing the situation and acting accordingly. They think on their feet and are flexible—as any salesperson should be.

As a salesperson, this could be something as small as taking into consideration the situation of the company or the individuals around your client. Never forget the effect exterior factors can have on a person. Allow yourself to see beyond the client to just being aware of the situation. A bartender wouldn’t offer champagne to someone sitting gloomily in the corner of the bar. Likewise, you shouldn’t be emailing someone and expecting a response when your client is sick or on personal leave. It’s all about flexing those soft skill muscles. You can read more about body language in Saleshere.

4. They’re efficient and keep their cool

Although it’s important to spend time with each customer building rapport and making them feel as if they’re receiving personalized treatment, bartenders also can’t afford to be doing this at the expense of other customers. It’s a fine juggling trick managing everything at the bar at once: memorizing and mixing multiple drinks, chatting personably to each customer, all the while keeping an eye on everything else. At the end of the day, bartenders are there to sell drinks and they’ll harness their wealth of sales techniques to do so.

Much like bartenders, as a salesperson you’re constantly trying to manage all your appointments, your messages, your clients…the list goes on and on. To add to the challenge, you should never seem overwhelmed. You wouldn’t trust a bartender to know and make your order if he’s followed up with you twice in ten minutes about it. In sales, you need to be efficient without being stressed and work fast without seeming rushed. Take this to heart when you’re in the field. Everyone is busy and a little distracted and your clients will feed off the tone of the environment, set by your own condition. If you’re visibly frazzled or constantly checking your email, they will sense it and respond in kind. Work efficiently but never forget the emotions and impressions you’re projecting to your client. Here a few tips for dealing with stress on your sales team.

With those in mind, here’s a little homework for you: Next time you’re at a bar, observe and chat up the bartender to witness these seasoned salespeople in action.

Did I just frame a trip to the bar around education and developing sales techniques?