Do you want to boost beer sales? If YES, here is a sample microbrewery business marketing plan template to help you attract and retain customers.
Okay, so we have considered all the requirements for starting a microbrewery. We also took it further by providing an in-depth sample microbrewery business plan template. In this article, we will be analyzing and drafting a sample microbrewery marketing plan backed up by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for microbreweries. So put on your marketing hat and let’s proceed.
A Sample Microbrewery Marketing Plan Template
1. Our Present Business Situation
Our microbrewery business “Green Life” has been legally registered and we have acquired the required business license and all the necessary permits to run this type of business in the united states of America. Presently, we have acquired a facility that has the capacity to accommodate about 25 tables and a minimum of 100 seats. It also has enough space to accommodate our back office operations, storage room and microbrewery.
All the employees that are needed to kick start the business has been duly employed and trained to effectively handle their roles and help build the company. We have been able to secure all the needed equipment (malt mills / grinders, self – cooled fermentation & maturation tanks, cylindrical – conical fermentation tanks, and steam generators – electric et al) and accessories (stainless steel vessels; pressure tanks, jacketed refrigerated containers, vessels with agitators, containers for yeast growing)for a standard microbrewery.
2. Our Product and Services
Green Life Micro Brewery Company is established with the sole aim of selling locally brewed beer in different flavor to our highly esteemed customers in Las Vegas and environs. In essence, beer is what we sell, but we sell them in different flavor (taste) and in different sizes. Any beer lover who visits our pub is sure going to find the following types of beer;
- Pale Beers
- Amber Beers
- Dark Beers
- Hebrew Beers
- Gluten Free
- Organic Brews
- Cider
3. Our Mission and Vision Statement
Our vision is to establish a microbrewery in Las Vegas business that will be the melting pot of all lovers of locally brewed beer.
Our mission is to establish a microbrewery business that will make available assorted locally brewed beer for lovers of locally brewed beer in Las Vegas and in all the areas where our beers will be distributed.
Our Market Goals
Our marketing goal as a microbrewery company as clearly stated in our business plan is to establish a microbrewery business that will be the melting pot of all lovers of locally brewed beer. We want to become the number one choice for locally brewed beer in the United States of America.
In view of that, we are set out to achieve the following market goals:
- Sell a minimum of 100 Cups of beer Per Day (off peak period)
- Sell a minimum of 300 Cups of beer Per Day (peak period – weekends, and holidays)
- Make a monthly sale of our locally brewed beer to about $20,000 and about $240,000 for the first year and double the amount for the second year and the possibility to keep doubling our annual sale going forward.
- Increase the numbers of people that patronizes our locally brewed beer by 10 percent quarterly
What we aim to achieve from our market efforts are as follows:
- To compete favorable with the leading local microbreweries in the whole of the United States of America
- Build a self – sustaining business that will contribute towards the growth of the economy of the United States of America.
4. Our Marketing Budget
Basically, microbreweries are designed to serve a community which is why there are few microbrewery companies that are nationally recognized. No doubt, it is cheaper to market microbrewery beers simply because of the nature of the business.
As a result of that we have dedicated 15,000 US Dollars as our marketing budget for the first year of our operation. This is so because we intend engaging in aggressive marketing promotion of our locally brewed beers in the whole of the community where our microbrewery is established.
Going forward, we will budget between 5 percent and 10 percent of our annual income towards marketing and promoting our microbrewery business. Please note that we are likely going to increase this budget when the need arises especially if we have to explore a more expensive but efficient marketing approach as directed by our marketing consultant.
5. MARKET ANALYSIS
- Industry Overview
According to statistics made available by the Brewers Association of America, the overall sale of beer in the United States grew by 0.5 percent, the volume sale of craft beer grew by 17.6 percent, and the sale of import beer grew by 6.8 percent, while the export of craft beer from the U.S. to other countries grew by 39 percent. The overall beer market in the United States is worth $101.5 Billion in 2014 and the overall craft beer market is worth $19.6 Billion (experiencing about 22 percent sales growth).
- Interesting Statistics About the Beer Brewing Industry
Statistics has it that The United States of America is the second leading country in global beer production with an amount of about 224 million hectoliters of beer. For instance, in 2011, the United States of America was ranked 15th in the world in per capita beer consumption. The total numbers of registered breweries in the United States is 3,464.
A standard brewery plant is expected to brew well over 15,000 barrels of beer annually and should have at least a region presence. In other words, any brewery that has the capacity to produce less than 15,000 barrels of beer annual is considered a microbrewery in the United States of America and in most parts of the world.
This is why most people who venture into the beer production business start microbreweries because it requires very minimal startup costs than when compared to a standard brewery.
Records have it that loads of entrepreneurs started making money from microbrewery business as far back as 1970s. It started in the united kingdom before spreading to other parts of the world. Owners of microbreweries became more creative and they were able to brewery their own unique beer and sell them in their own pub or restaurant. With that, they were able to increase their productions and maximize profits.
Ever since the introduction of microbrewery in the United States in 1982, there has been a tremendous growth in the industry so much so that the Brewers Association of America reported that in 2012 there were 2,075 regional craft breweries, microbreweries and brewpubs in the U.S. and they are indeed contributing their own quarter in the growth of the U.S. economy.
Despite the fact that there are well over 3,000 registered breweries in the United States the industry can’t be said to be saturated, as there are rooms for entrepreneurs and investors who are interested in the industry to still start their own breweries in the United States. Although starting a new brewery in the United States may require aggressive marketing, because there are well established breweries you will be contending with for the available market.
Some of the factors that motivates and encourage entrepreneurs to venture into brewery business is the fact that there is a vast market for beers and of course the business is profitable especially if you are able to penetrate the existing market within the region you intend launching your brewery plant.
6. Our Target Market
When it comes to selling locally brewed beer, there is indeed a wide range of available customers. In essence, our target market can’t be restricted to just a group of people, but all those who love locally brewed beer and those who would want to try it out. One thing is certain; our locally brewed beer will not be sold to people who are under aged as stated in the law of the United States of America.
In view of that, we will market our locally brewed beer to the following people;
- Corporate Executives
- Business People
- People in the entertainment industry
- Artisans
- Sports Men and Women
- Government Officials
- College Students who are above 18 years
- Locals
- Tourists
that we have what it takes to run a microbrewery business in Las Vegas and perhaps even build a nationally recognized microbrewery brand. Here is a summary of the result from the SWOT Analysis that was conducted on behalf of Green Life Microbrewery Company;
- Strengths:
Our strength as a company is, excellent and detailed customer service. Neatly brewed local beer in a variety of flavor. Excellent facility, excellent ambience and perfect location for a microbrewery
- Weaknesses:
The perceived weakness for our business could be that we are starting on a small scale; just one outlet. Also perhaps because we have a limited space to expand the pub if the need arises. Other weakness could be lack of customized CRM software and limited finance.
- Opportunities:
The fact that we are going to be operating our microbrewery and pub in one of the busiest streets in Las Vegas provides us with unlimited opportunities to sell our locally brewed beers. The positioning of our microbrewery will sure make it possible for us not to struggle to sell our products. Lastly, the introduction of new technologies will allow us improve beer quality
- Threat:
One of the threats that is likely going to confront us is the government policies, downturn in the economy which is likely going to affect sales and perhaps the emergence of new competitors (microbrewery) in Las Vegas.
- Our competitive advantage
Green Life Microbrewery Company is perhaps one of the few microbrewery companies in Las Vegas with a pub large enough to contain over 100 people per – time. That is definitely one of the competitive advantage we have. People can host parties in our pub, and by all standards our pub will become the melting pot for locally brewed beer lovers in Las Vegas and environs.
The fact that our beers are going to be handmade from an all-malt mash in our uniquely built copper brew house will definitely give us an edge in the market place. Another factor that will serve as a positive for us is that our brewery process is going to be a combination of the time-honored art of classical craft brewing and carefully applied state-of-the-art modern methods.
7. SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY
- Sources of Income
The major source of income for Green Life Microbrewery Company is the sale of different flavors of our locally brewed beers and in the nearest future we hope to generate revenue from the sale of our franchise all over the United States of America.
8. Sales Forecast
It is important to state that our sales forecast is based on the data gathered during our feasibility studies and also some of the assumptions readily available on the field. Below is the sales projection based on the location of our pub?
Various flavors of locally brewed beer
- 100 Cups of beer Per Day (off peak period)
- 300 Cups of beer Per Day (peak periods– weekends, and holidays)
In view of the above, we have estimated a monthly sale of our locally brewed beer to about $20,000 and about $240,000 for the first year and double the amount for the second year and the possibility to keep doubling our annual sale going forward.
9. Our Pricing Strategy
When it comes to fixing pricing for the different flavors of locally brewed beer that we have for sale, we are going to ensure that we set price in line with what is available in the locally brewed beer (microbrewery) industry. The bottom line is that our customers will derive real satisfaction when they consume our locally brewed beer and they will sure get value for their money. We also have plans in place to have some discount sales our coffees once in a while and also to reward our loyal customers with free cups of coffees.
Our Unique Selling Point; What Makes Our Microbrewery Superior to Our Competitions
We are quite aware of the competition that exist amongst microbreweries in the United States, of America, which is why we have decided to craft out a unique selling strategies that will help us attract our target market and of course outperformed our competitors.
The fact that our beer is going to be handmade from an all-malt mash, in our uniquely built copper brew house will definitely give us an edge in the market place. Another factor that will serve as a positive for us is that our brewery process is going to be a combination of the time-honored art of classical craft brewing and carefully applied state-of-the-art modern methods.
Part of our unique selling strategy is to ensure that we have assorted locally brewed beer in our pub / microbrewery at all times. This will give our customers and potential customers the options to make their choice whenever they want to buy locally brewed beer from us.
As part of what we intend doing to outperform our competitors and build a sold microbrewery business with loads of loyal customers, we will work towards ensuring that our microbrewery is designed and constructed in such a way that it will meet the expected standard required by the authority and in such a way that it will be relaxing and conducive for networking and socializing.
We will also ensure that at all times, good music (live band, karaoke and jazz et al) will be played at the background to create the ambience that our customers will cherish while consuming their locally brewed beer in our pub / microbrewery.
The Benefits Our Client Stand to Gain When They Patronize Our Foods and Drinks
We are quite aware of the competitions that exist in the microbrewery industry in the United States of America, hence we were able to conduct a thorough feasibility studies and market survey so as to enable us penetrate the market and also generate the required daily sales that will guarantee that will grow our business as projected in our business plan.
In view of that, here are the benefits our customers and potential customers’ stands to benefits when they purchase our locally brewed beers:
- Good quality and healthy locally brewed beers
- A relaxing and conducive environment for networking and socializing not ignoring the fact that at all times good music (live band, karaoke and jazz et al) will be played at the background to create the ambience that our customers will cherish.
- The best price / deal they can get per bottle / cup in the whole of the United States of America
- Opportunity to choose from a wide range of assorted locally brewed beer. As a matter of fact, any beer lover who visit our pub is sure going to find the following types of beer; Pale Beers, Amber Beers, Dark Beers, Hebrew Beers, Gluten Free, Organic Brews and Cider et al
- Availability of neatly bottled locally brewed beer.
- Excellent customer service experience from our highly trained employees
10. Strategic Marketing Alliance with Our Competitors in the Microbrewery Industry
Forming strategic marketing alliance with a competitor in the microbrewery industry is a bit difficult, simply because every microbrewery out there is positioned to attract as many customers that are available in the locations where their microbrewery / pub are situated.
Be that as it may, there are rare occasions where microbrewery companies can form strategic marketing alliance amongst themselves.
For example; if a microbrewery company does not have the skills required to produce a particular flavor / type of locally brewed beer, they can get supply of such locally brewed beer from their partner (another microbrewery company) and sell to their customers.
But the truth is that most microbreweries would rather go all the way out to learn how to brew any flavor (locally brewed beer) that is always demanded by their customers as against getting supplies from their competitors.
11. Our Customer Retention Strategies (Ways to Improve Our Customer Experience)
When it comes to retaining your customers in any business, you must work hard to continue to meet and even surpass their expectations whenever they buy your goods and services. The success of any business is directly proportional to the numbers of repeated business they are able to generate.
If a company is able to achieve over 60 percent retention the company will sure experience huge turn over. We have perfected plans on how to improve our customer experience from time to time whenever they patronize our locally brewed beers.
These are the ways we intend utilizing when it comes to improving our customer experience so that we can create a good impression and generate repeated sales from them:
- Ensures that our locally brewed beers taste good at all times
- Ensure we get feedback from our customers at all times
- Give our customers the flexibility to choose from a wide range of assorted locally brewed beer.
- Give our customers to order for our locally brewed beers and get them delivered in any location of their choice within the area that we cover
- Make use of effective customer relationship management (CRM) software to effectively manage our clientele base.
- Ensures that we carry our clients along when making decisions that directly affect them.
Possible Ways We Intend Offering Incentives to Our Customers / Clients (Bonus, Discounts, etc)
Part of our marketing strategies which is clearly stated in our business plans is to ensure that we offer our customers incentives in order for us to retain them and of course continue to generate repeated sales from them and also to attract new customers. We know that if we are going to win our own fair share of the existing market, then we must be willing to outsmart our competitors.
In view of that, we will ensure that we sell our locally brewed beers a little bit below the average price in the industry while. We will regularly give discount (different percentage) to our customers based on the total amount of beer they purchased from us any time they visit our pub / microbrewery.
We will create a loyalty plan that will enable us reward our loyal customers especially those who are able to helps successfully market our locally brewed beers to their family members, friends and colleagues. Rewarding them could be giving them discounts on every purchase they make and also giving the gifts during special occasions
12. After Sales Service and Customer Support
Well the nature of our business does not warrant that we offer after sales services or customer supports but we will ensure that we try as much as possible to always get feedbacks from everyone that purchase our locally brewed beers. With that we will be able to know how to meet their needs and improve on the quality of our beer if need be.
We will ensure that we open several communications channels such as email, telephone and social media platforms so as to enable our customers communicate to us or lodge their complaints.
Possible Questions We Intend Asking Our Customers during Our Market Survey
These are the 10 possible questions we are going to put forward when conducting marketing survey on our customers/clients:
- Are you satisfied with the taste and quality of our locally brewed beers?
- If you are not satisfied with the taste and quality of our locally brewed, what areas would you want us to improve on going forward?
- Which of our assorted locally brewed beer flavor do you prefer?
- How would you want us to communicate with to you when our promo or guest artist performing live in our pub? Text messages, e – mail, or via mobile apps (BBM, twitter, WhatsApp et al)
- How much are you willing to pay for a glass of locally brewed beer / bottle of locally brewed beer?
- Is there any flavor of locally brewed beer that you would prefer that is not in our menu? If yes please list them.
- Are you comfortable with the security setting in our pub / microbrewery? If no, in what area would you want us to improve on?
- If you are to change one thing in our pub what would that be?
- Can you comfortably recommend our locally brewed beers to your family members, friends and colleagues?
- Are you satisfied with our customer service delivery? If not what areas would you want us to improve on?