While many people view craft beer as a free-spirited version of its large commercial counterparts, the microbrewery industry is highly competitive. Growing and maintaining your business requires a thoughtful approach to running your brewery and connecting with others. Follow these five tips for improving your microbrewery business.
1. Offer Something Unique
At the heart of the success of microbreweries lies the public’s interest in flavorful beers and a desire to discover more. While large commercial brewers remain industry giants, a way to improve your business is to deliver unique beers.
One of the beer industry trends of 2022 is expanding craft brew selections beyond IPAs. While IPAs remain popular, consider releasing your own stouts, porters, or lagers to diversify your offerings and stand out from the competition. And, of course, don’t sacrifice quality for quantity.
2. Improve Your Documentation Practices
The more you know about your business’s brewing practices, the more you understand about your product and how to improve or change your beers. Any time you experiment, document all the steps you take. It’ll make it easier to determine which techniques work and which ones don’t.
Consider using software to help you keep track of data, such as the length of time different processes take, carbonation levels, and details about ingredients. Taking an analytical approach can make your flavors consistent, improve your efficiency, and help you meet your strategic business goals.
3. Build Your Brand
The next tip for improving your microbrewery business is to build your brand. Branding communicates your business’s values, promotes recognition of your business, and creates loyal customers.
You can use your website design, brand colors, logo, tone of voice, and mission statement, to reinforce your brand and differentiate yourself from competitors. While some processes take extensive time, such as altering packaging design, the payoff is worth it, both in terms of establishing your business identity and connecting with customers.
4. Engage With the Community
Engaging with your community in person and through digital channels increases awareness of your brewery and helps you build meaningful relationships with your customer base. Outdoor festivals and food truck events give you the opportunity to step out and sell your beverages to a wide audience.
Or you can allow people to host music and art shows, private events and parties, corporate meetings, and non-profit charity events at your brewery. Details like your event space square footage, sitting and standing capacity, and amenities can help event planners decide if your brewery is the right venue for them.
5. Improve Your Marketing
Finally, improve your digital presence and outreach through social media, your website, and email marketing. These digital tools allow you to advertise products, promote events, and share limited-time offers. You can reach new customers and encourage repeat business.
Each of these modes of marketing requires unique techniques to reach your audience and hold their attention. Your email marketing campaign should include attention-grabbing subject lines and a call to action. A website can build credibility for your business, highlight your awards and certifications, and boost your ranking in search results. And social media is a great way to share updates, live stream events, and answer questions.