Meet the Owner
Cosmo is a staple in the local nightlife scene in Chorley, standing tall under Reg’s ownership for 15 years (and counting) - seeing other places open and close around him. The thing that allowed him to stay open so long? Adaptability, his passion for service paired with experience on The QE2 Cruise Ship allowed him to turn his passion into a business, but with a constantly changing environment and core customers, was struggling to keep profitable consistently.
The Problem:
During such long ownership, Reg faced significant challenges:
“Since covid, the nightlife industry hasn't been the same - before lockdown we were booming, 5 years later it was an entirely new generation of drinkers - we had to figure out a way to capture their attention FAST to give them the proper Cosmo experience they deserved!”
Stressed weekends (suspense pre shift) :
“Most Fridays I would stand nervously outside, looking up and down the road to see if customers were going to come and fill my bar, most saw it was empty and walked straight past”
Unforgiving staff wages (pressure to pay) :
“I’d look at my team standing ready for action behind the bar and see money draining from my bank with each hour that passed - there was no reliable way to know if this weekend would make enough to pay for their own wages.”
Lack of consistent growth (up and down weeks):
“Each week felt like I was starting back at 0, trying to figure out what was missing to get Cosmo back to the level it once was. Where the business should have been growing each month, I was cutting costs and sending people home just to keep the doors open.”
The Turning Point:
In June 2023, Max introduced Custom Cocktails.
We added 30% to our revenue on launch night (verified) - we made posts leading up to the launch, had physical marketing materials made (provided by CC) and had groups flocking in to see what we were launching.
We sold each Custom Cocktail for £10 (20% MORE than our usual cocktails) and people were happy to pay for the experience - it was personal to them: it was a cocktail they could call their own, post on socials and tell their friends about: something they could bring new people to try each week that ACTUALLY stood out from other places menus.
The Results:
Business Transformation:
- Customers flooding in on Launch Night
- Each of those customers were worth 2x, 3x or 4x as much.
- Resulted in an EXTRA 30% in revenue on launch night.
- Social media boost from customers content
- Customers had a reason to visit.
- Staff received a bonus from the extra revenue
- AOV jumped as customers found THEIR drink
Personal Transformation:
- The weight of responsibility eased as the cash injection gave the owner room to breathe
- Able to provide a better environment for customers and staff with less stress
- No longer waiting nervously outside scanning for customers, they had a reason to come
- Free to enjoy my nights in my bar again without looking over my shoulder to see if we were busy enough.
Key Moment they realised it actually made a difference:
Actual words from the staff member on shift (verified):
‘I remember I was working behind the bar, mid-day on a normal Saturday - we were launching CC later that night. A group of middle aged men walked in (“finally some customers to sell to” I thought) - I greeted them with an enthusiastic hello and asked to take their order.
Then it came: “ 4 bottles of Corona pal, we don't do cocktails. We’re on a bar crawl: one beer and bounce”.
Any other week I would've accepted my defeat and obliged, but then I realised - I have an even better offer for them.
“Were testing out a new cocktail - if you answer 9 questions it'll create a bespoke recipe based on your personality”
A few skeptical looks later, they had all scanned the QR, ready to take the plunge. The recipes popped through one by one, they reminded me of Zombie / Rum Punch style cocktails. All similar (matched their similar personalities). I served their cocktail, £10 each.
They loved it, but don't just take my word for it - number dont lie - they all ordered another 3 rounds!!’
Let's follow the math from this example. A round of customers who originally wanted “4 bottles of corona”
£3.20 became £96 and more importantly:
The customers were happier with their new found favourite drink than a boring beer.
They stayed 3x longer than they would have done
Left MORE satisfied and remembering (vaguely - they were strong cocktails) our bar and menu.
Imagine what that could be worth to you and your team over a year. That is how the best bars are winning in this new environment.
If Cosmo was able to see this result, could your bar produce something similar with the same tools?
Apply for FREE set up below.