Bar Event Ideas for Your Trivia Night

A good trivia night engages people. Not just the teams playing through rounds of quizzes. But also the onlookers clamoring for the extra pint of craft beer or wine while cheering their chosen victor on. Your audience is not only looking for an atmosphere of competition but also a community that grows with each nerve-racking answer to a challenging trivia question. Many will try to capture this ambiance, but few will achieve it. And those that do probably read this guide. Here’s some strategies we’ve outlined to make your bar trivia event a success.

Focus On Building Hype:

Trivia nights are definitely a case of the more, the merrier, which means starting the hype early for your bar and/or restaurant is crucial to its success. You don’t want to start giving off signals too early, but typically two weeks or more is the standard amount of effort you should put into promoting any new event for your local denizens. Start by approaching your regular patrons and asking if they’ll stick around for the trivia happening later in the month. Tell your staff to tell their friends to come out. Word of mouth is a powerful way to get the message across– which could be especially meaningful coming from loyal patrons.

 The Writing On the Wall

Over 25% of quizzers hear about trivia nights from posters or promotional materials inside your venue. You have the ideal foundation for the most potent marketing tool you can have- a poster! Create a poster personalized to your establishment – name, event date, time, etc., and send it to you to display wherever you like. Position these in high-traffic areas like bathrooms, behind the bar, or outdoor smoking sections. Posters are efficient because they’re advertising to customers who have already visited your bar, so they’ll likely return. Hello, fresh new customers! If you need more ideas, let us help you get started.

Connect with your customers

A themed trivia night is the best way to connect with your audience. Do you run a local sports bar? Have a crowd with focused interests? All of this information helps set the tone for not only the trivia night but also the nights before. Think about other events you can use to entice people to show up. Maybe having a music night related to the upcoming trivia night or thematic coasters with general knowledge themes to get people interested in answering trivia questions. It’s all about connecting with your customers’ interests. 

Teamwork makes the “Dream” work

Sometimes, a personal touch is needed, which is why your staff is so essential in spreading the word about any upcoming trivia nights. Make sure they’re familiar with your trivia game rules and details. Whether it starts (perhaps on a Monday night or Wednesday night), how long it lasts, the music for the setting, a host for the night (or round). When they can paint a full picture of what a trivia event looks like, they can convince potential trivia-goers about how fun the night is. Your staff will have creative ideas on how to extend the life of your trivia night and be essential in ensuring materials are available for your customers, while pushing any daily specials you have to promote your trivia night.  While points might be important to your patron, service needs to firmly be the responsibility of your staff. 

Whether they’re there for the prizes, or just to enjoy the food, camaraderie, and the joy of a successful trivia night, each player deserves to be treated like a loyal guest.  Remember, at Geeks Who Drink, every guest’s experience plays a valuable role in getting more patrons through your door. Let us help you make those nights special.