Taking on a small business venture in relation to bars. CP Ideas\Input?

|Zach| · 10-26-2004, 01:57 PM

Me and a buddy of mine have been looking to do something to make a little bit of extra cash. I came up with the idea of making a website. We already own the domain. It is going to be called www.DrinkSpringfield.net it will be targeted for Springfield, MO (where I live if some of you dont know) Springfield has a major university and a very large number of smaller colleges. We are basically going to make this website to give out information on the Bar scene in Springfield. You will be able to search by "bar" or search by "day of the week" Its main function will be to show everyone what the specials are around town. So if you are hanging out and you want to go out drinking with some friends you can look at whatever night it is and see all of the specials around town. That will be the main function of the site. Bar information and special information. If it seems to take off we would expand to more of a review and showcase type site.

I think if we can do this the right way we can get a lot of people to check out this site and make some money off advertising. Normal affiliate type ads at first but maybe if the site grew local bars would like to get their name on the place. As far as getting our name out we are gonna get the website name out of course through word of mouth but also on all the campus public posting type places...we are also going to make some shirts and hoodies for some of our friends that are cute little girlies to wear around campus....

I am posting this because of all the good ideas planateers seem to come up with. Is this the kind of thing you would be interested in to check out? Is there anything else I could add to a site like that, that could improve it alot?

tk13 · 10-26-2004, 02:05 PM

There goes Zach, just spamming the board again.

jspchief · 10-26-2004, 02:06 PM

I'm not sure how many people would really use a website to find good bars. Typically you hear about good bars via word of mouth. And sites like these that I've seen in the past seem to always be outdated, why should I assume this one will be any different? (devils's advocate).

The anserws to my skepticism are the same answers you'll need to generate customers. I don't know what types of bars you're targeting, but some bars have a minimal advertising budget. I suppose if you made it reasonable, they might consider it. Another problem "selling" the site is convincing bar owners that it's actually working. Even if you could show that it gets so many hits, how do they know that their bar is gaining business from it? Coupons probably won't fly with the bar crowd.

**Bowser** · 10-26-2004, 02:07 PM

Link to some porn. Traffic will go through the roof!!

**Bowser** · 10-26-2004, 02:08 PM

On a serious note, have date/schedules of what is happening around town. Or maybe at certain bars, so we'll know when to come heckle Jenny Gump and Jimnasium on karaoke night!

10-26-2004, 02:11 PM

Nobody from Springfield ever shows up for anything anyway.

|Zach| · 10-26-2004, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jspchief

I'm not sure how many people would really use a website to find good bars. Typically you hear about good bars via word of mouth. And sites like these that I've seen in the past seem to always be outdated, why should I assume this one will be any different? (devils's advocate).

The anserws to my skepticism are the same answers you'll need to generate customers. I don't know what types of bars you're targeting, but some bars have a minimal advertising budget. I suppose if you made it reasonable, they might consider it. Another problem "selling" the site is convincing bar owners that it's actually working. Even if you could show that it gets so many hits, how do they know that their bar is gaining business from it? Coupons probably won't fly with the bar crowd.

I think the thing that will really draw in people will be the listing of specials. People do go to bars based on word of mouth but there are also a very large group of college kids who go where ever the great drink special is and they are always searching for different ones. Having good updated information of course is going to be an important part of this. That is the main reason we are going to try to pull this off becuase like you all of the other sites I have seen that are anything like this is "outdated"

With you other point...I would like to have the bars support in wanting to maybe to advertising or go out of their way to support the site but the bars help are not NEEDED aside from just getting enough information to list on the site. The advertising that will be on their in start will basically be generic stuff that seems to sell well with a college crowd seeing a website. I.E. "Busted Tee's" is a site that makes funny tshirts aimed at college kids. You 4 dollars if someone buys a tshirt through your ad. I have made a fair amount of money with this just through my personal site. So like I said...bar owner participation would be great and I will be working for it...but its not needed in the beginning.

**Skip Towne** · 10-26-2004, 02:12 PM

Damn! I had exactly the same idea. Only I'm not going to charge anything for my ads.

|Zach| · 10-26-2004, 02:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skip Towne

Damn! I had exactly the same idea. Only I'm not going to charge anything for my ads.

I am not charging for ads. I am putting ads of other companies on the site that people will be able to click and I will be able to make money from.

Hopefully the site could do well enough where I could charge for ads but it wont start out that way.

shaneo69 · 10-26-2004, 02:16 PM

Other info to put on site.......

When I was away at college, we drank as much at our apartment as we did at the bars. As a result, we were always trying to find the campus newspaper with the beer ads, so that we could buy the most beer (however crappy it was) for the cheapest price. So if you put the liquor stores' specials on the site each week, you may be able to get advertising from them as well.

Now don't be giving me anymore negative rep, you little uber-douchebag.

chiefz · 10-26-2004, 02:18 PM

I know I try to checkout sites like that prior to business travel (has to be a sizeable place, but Springfield MO would probably do).

Lots of people would likely look at something like that for personal travel as well, although I am not sure how big Springfield MO tourism market is.

As far as doing something locally, I am not sure you would get much traffic for the reasons stated above by jspchief.

I actually had a friend try something similar in Springfield IL and it was a major flop because 95% of people seemed to get the local bar scene news from the local radio and or radio websites and a local rag paper that was designed specifically for that.

Not saying it won't work there but you might want to broaden that to include travelers information, not only on the bar scene but also local tourist information like Hotels and attractions.

|Zach| · 10-26-2004, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shaneo69

Other info to put on site.......

When I was away at college, we drank as much at our apartment as we did at the bars. As a result, we were always trying to find the campus newspaper with the beer ads, so that we could buy the most beer (however crappy it was) for the cheapest price. So if you put the liquor stores' specials on the site each week, you may be able to get advertising from them as well.

Now don't be giving me anymore negative rep, you little uber-douchebag.

Thats a good idea...maybe listing the lowest prices for beer and what not. That would be a tough undertaking though. So many places... I am not sure if we have the resources for such an under taking.

Interstingly enough in all of my time at Chiefs Planet that is the only instance I have ever negative repped anyone.

chiefz · 10-26-2004, 02:20 PM

On another note you might consider adding local bar live band activity as a category of its own.

I do know someone that runs a site like that and seems to be doing fairly well, although I think it is a bitch to constantly update it.

**Iowanian** · 10-26-2004, 02:23 PM

Zach.....

My idea(r)[fah tha chowdah heads on the bahrd]........get bars having "events"...or maybe bands etc, to have your site post Coupons for less or free cover charge, or a free drink or something.

If they know they can get something cheaper, as well as information.........financially challenged college students would be all over it.

a springfieldgirlsgonewild link might help too.........challenge users to post vids of local contests etc.

I was also going to suggest contacting liqor stores for ads and specials/sales/coupons.........as well as other related business.

drunk college kids eat alot of Pizza delivery...for example.

jspchief · 10-26-2004, 02:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZachKC

I am not charging for ads. I am putting ads of other companies on the site that people will be able to click and I will be able to make money from.

Hopefully the site could do well enough where I could charge for ads but it wont start out that way.

The "specials" service will be the big draw. And I like the idea of generating the revenue from outside sources. That way you could say whatever you want about the bars and if you did start doing reviews it wouldn't seem influenced. Maybe rather than you charging the bars, you could basically have them advertise your site. Put up a Tee or a hoodie with you website name, or a "as seen on drinkspringfield.net" sign. Something that would help generate hits in payment for you listing their bar.

10-26-2004, 01:57 PM
\|Zach\| For The Glory Of The City Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $5276768	Taking on a small business venture in relation to bars. CP Ideas\Input? Me and a buddy of mine have been looking to do something to make a little bit of extra cash. I came up with the idea of making a website. We already own the domain. It is going to be called www.DrinkSpringfield.net it will be targeted for Springfield, MO (where I live if some of you dont know) Springfield has a major university and a very large number of smaller colleges. We are basically going to make this website to give out information on the Bar scene in Springfield. You will be able to search by "bar" or search by "day of the week" Its main function will be to show everyone what the specials are around town. So if you are hanging out and you want to go out drinking with some friends you can look at whatever night it is and see all of the specials around town. That will be the main function of the site. Bar information and special information. If it seems to take off we would expand to more of a review and showcase type site. I think if we can do this the right way we can get a lot of people to check out this site and make some money off advertising. Normal affiliate type ads at first but maybe if the site grew local bars would like to get their name on the place. As far as getting our name out we are gonna get the website name out of course through word of mouth but also on all the campus public posting type places...we are also going to make some shirts and hoodies for some of our friends that are cute little girlies to wear around campus.... I am posting this because of all the good ideas planateers seem to come up with. Is this the kind of thing you would be interested in to check out? Is there anything else I could add to a site like that, that could improve it alot?
Posts: 53,446

10-26-2004, 02:05 PM	#2
tk13 ... Join Date: Nov 2001 Casino cash: $1912500	There goes Zach, just spamming the board again.
Posts: 54,966

10-26-2004, 02:06 PM	#3
jspchief BAMF Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Your Face Casino cash: $9998710	I'm not sure how many people would really use a website to find good bars. Typically you hear about good bars via word of mouth. And sites like these that I've seen in the past seem to always be outdated, why should I assume this one will be any different? (devils's advocate). The anserws to my skepticism are the same answers you'll need to generate customers. I don't know what types of bars you're targeting, but some bars have a minimal advertising budget. I suppose if you made it reasonable, they might consider it. Another problem "selling" the site is convincing bar owners that it's actually working. Even if you could show that it gets so many hits, how do they know that their bar is gaining business from it? Coupons probably won't fly with the bar crowd. __________________ Courage is not the absence of fear but rather the judgment that something is more important than fear. The brave may not live forever but the cautious do not live at all.
Posts: 27,207

10-26-2004, 02:07 PM	#4
Bowser sorta mod-ish Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: KC North Casino cash: $3371616	Link to some porn. Traffic will go through the roof!!
Posts: 100,810

10-26-2004, 02:08 PM	#5
Bowser sorta mod-ish Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: KC North Casino cash: $3371616	On a serious note, have date/schedules of what is happening around town. Or maybe at certain bars, so we'll know when to come heckle Jenny Gump and Jimnasium on karaoke night!
Posts: 100,810

10-26-2004, 02:11 PM	#6
Phobia Guest Casino cash: $	Nobody from Springfield ever shows up for anything anyway.
Posts: n/a

10-26-2004, 02:12 PM	#8
Skip Towne Supporter Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: T-Town Casino cash: $10004900	Damn! I had exactly the same idea. Only I'm not going to charge anything for my ads.
Posts: 69,689

10-26-2004, 02:16 PM	#10
shaneo69 Smug Weasel Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Bleachers at Busch Casino cash: $10004900	Other info to put on site....... When I was away at college, we drank as much at our apartment as we did at the bars. As a result, we were always trying to find the campus newspaper with the beer ads, so that we could buy the most beer (however crappy it was) for the cheapest price. So if you put the liquor stores' specials on the site each week, you may be able to get advertising from them as well. Now don't be giving me anymore negative rep, you little uber-douchebag.
Posts: 4,910

10-26-2004, 02:18 PM	#11
chiefz Plummer Sucks! Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Central IL Casino cash: $10004900	I know I try to checkout sites like that prior to business travel (has to be a sizeable place, but Springfield MO would probably do). Lots of people would likely look at something like that for personal travel as well, although I am not sure how big Springfield MO tourism market is. As far as doing something locally, I am not sure you would get much traffic for the reasons stated above by jspchief. I actually had a friend try something similar in Springfield IL and it was a major flop because 95% of people seemed to get the local bar scene news from the local radio and or radio websites and a local rag paper that was designed specifically for that. Not saying it won't work there but you might want to broaden that to include travelers information, not only on the bar scene but also local tourist information like Hotels and attractions. __________________
Posts: 514

10-26-2004, 02:20 PM	#13
chiefz Plummer Sucks! Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Central IL Casino cash: $10004900	On another note you might consider adding local bar live band activity as a category of its own. I do know someone that runs a site like that and seems to be doing fairly well, although I think it is a bitch to constantly update it. __________________
Posts: 514

10-26-2004, 02:23 PM	#14
Iowanian Supporter Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Utopia Casino cash: $4718454	Zach..... My idea(r)[fah tha chowdah heads on the bahrd]........get bars having "events"...or maybe bands etc, to have your site post Coupons for less or free cover charge, or a free drink or something. If they know they can get something cheaper, as well as information.........financially challenged college students would be all over it. a springfieldgirlsgonewild link might help too.........challenge users to post vids of local contests etc. I was also going to suggest contacting liqor stores for ads and specials/sales/coupons.........as well as other related business. drunk college kids eat alot of Pizza delivery...for example.
Posts: 61,539