Do I just walk in or do I email first or what?

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Hello. New here.

Just need some advice from people who have done this sort of thing before.
I'm 28 years old and my job is killing me. I've always wanted to start my own business but money has been an issue as well as anxiety about the whole process and a tendency to overthink everything.

Anyway. I think I have come up with a great idea (as all business start as I guess). Basically doing pub quizzes. I've MCed before, I did a quizz at a pub for my work Christmas thing (which is where the idea stemmed from). In school my best topics were doing speeches (seem to be the only person in the world capable of public speaking >< ) and random knowledge. It's a perfect fit.

The other perfect thing is if I can secure regular spots at pubs/restaurants I can start doing it after work and slowly drop shifts and work and phase work out as this grows. Eventually I can hire people and grow naturally etc.. It's far less risky than spending like $20,000, quiting my job and jumping into it.

SO my question. What's the best way to approach pub/restaurant owners? Email of introduction? Just go in and talk to them? Take out a small advertisement in the local paper?

 

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[Champion]

I would try a combination of 3 different things:

- For those bars/pubs close to where you live, go there personally, just walk in and tell them about your idea
- For pubs/bars that are further than 5-10 km away from you, give them a call on the phone and pitch your idea
- For pubs/bars that are 10-50km away, send them an email.

 

[BellaPippin]

Hello. New here.

Just need some advice from people who have done this sort of thing before.
I'm 28 years old and my job is killing me. I've always wanted to start my own business but money has been an issue as well as anxiety about the whole process and a tendency to overthink everything.

Anyway. I think I have come up with a great idea (as all business start as I guess). Basically doing pub quizzes. I've MCed before, I did a quizz at a pub for my work Christmas thing (which is where the idea stemmed from). In school my best topics were doing speeches (seem to be the only person in the world capable of public speaking >< ) and random knowledge. It's a perfect fit.

The other perfect thing is if I can secure regular spots at pubs/restaurants I can start doing it after work and slowly drop shifts and work and phase work out as this grows. Eventually I can hire people and grow naturally etc.. It's far less risky than spending like $20,000, quiting my job and jumping into it.

SO my question. What's the best way to approach pub/restaurant owners? Email of introduction? Just go in and talk to them? Take out a small advertisement in the local paper?

What is a pub quiz? like Trivia night? So you would be selling the content, or a performance?

 

[Stargazer]

Walk in.

You only need 4 for Sun, Mon, Tue,Wed. Thu is usually first busy night if you are in UK which you may be by your language.

You want a pub that is busy on Fri and Sat but quiet on the nights above. Eyeballs for the promotion of it on chalkboards, table flyers, FB etc to kick it off.

A pub that is dead on those nights has got issues you aren't going to fix.

As you have done a Quiz before use the numbers you had. No need to mention it was a Christmas work thing.

I would use a little bit of Theater but that's just me. ie I would get my phone out and have the countdown timer set to 30 seconds pointing towards him as I say the first line.

Go up to the manager and say something like 'Hi. I just want 30 seconds to run a quick idea by you. Couple of months ago I put on a Pub Quiz at The Dog & Duck in Dongleberry. We did it on a Tuesday night and it brought in 50 people. A couple of drinks each and the odd bowl of chips is around £500 in revenue. If I organise everything would you be interested?'

If yes outline what you do more ie promotion plus handling everything, money split etc and if no say thanks and move on. If you are in UK you wont have to walk far.

Dan

 

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[SEBASTlAN]

What's the best way to approach pub/restaurant owners? Email of introduction? Just go in and talk to them? Take out a small advertisement in the local paper?

Try all of them.

 

[Roli]

Hello. New here.

Just need some advice from people who have done this sort of thing before.
I'm 28 years old and my job is killing me. I've always wanted to start my own business but money has been an issue as well as anxiety about the whole process and a tendency to overthink everything.

Anyway. I think I have come up with a great idea (as all business start as I guess). Basically doing pub quizzes. I've MCed before, I did a quizz at a pub for my work Christmas thing (which is where the idea stemmed from). In school my best topics were doing speeches (seem to be the only person in the world capable of public speaking >< ) and random knowledge. It's a perfect fit.

The other perfect thing is if I can secure regular spots at pubs/restaurants I can start doing it after work and slowly drop shifts and work and phase work out as this grows. Eventually I can hire people and grow naturally etc.. It's far less risky than spending like $20,000, quiting my job and jumping into it.

SO my question. What's the best way to approach pub/restaurant owners? Email of introduction? Just go in and talk to them? Take out a small advertisement in the local paper?

The reason for a pub to do a quiz, is to get business going on an otherwise quiet night. So just walk in, ask the owner/landlord what their quiet nights are, and if they're up for having a quiz night. Most will probably say yes if it doesn't cost them any extra.

Just remember, to make it a business, you have to make the quizzes unique and have other people running them for you. Otherwise you're just swapping selling your time to your boss, for selling it to pubs and restaurants.

So yeah, get out there and start pressing the flesh and talking to some people!

Good luck!

 

[BizyDad]

Go to a pub quiz or two. Talk to the people running it. Ask them how they got started. Ask them if they want to expand and why or why not. Ask them if they pay for the prizes or the pub does.

Do some fact finding first.

Then, when you feel a little more ready, approach the local pubs first. This kind of thing is best done in person, and not at their busy times. Use the tips others gave. Focus on signing up one pub. Then run it for a little while to get a feel for the business. Then decide if it is something you really want to do.

You can get good experience doing this, but I'm not sure it's your end-all be all business. But everybody has to start somewhere and you can meet a lot of people and make a lot of new friends this way.

 

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[sparechange]

Walk in like a boss with no F's given and tell them how you will help them increase their profits.
I've learned in life you should never ask for permission.

If anxiety is a big issue with you I'd recomend you practicing in the mirror your pitch to the biz owner, just so you don't fumble up. Good luck!

 

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What is a pub quiz? like Trivia night? So you would be selling the content, or a performance?

Yea, trivia night. Basically I would supply the content and the performance. I'd write the quizz, I'd show up and run it, I'd provide the paper/pens etc.., I'd count the scores and award winners all that. In return the pub pays me a fee and possibly provides a bar tab (or cash) as a reward for the winners.

The idea is that a pub would attract business on their slow nights and the revenue trivia nights brings in would benefit the pub greater than the cost of paying me to run the whole thing. Win - win.

The reason for a pub to do a quiz, is to get business going on an otherwise quiet night. So just walk in, ask the owner/landlord what their quiet nights are, and if they're up for having a quiz night. Most will probably say yes if it doesn't cost them any extra.

Just remember, to make it a business, you have to make the quizzes unique and have other people running them for you. Otherwise you're just swapping selling your time to your boss, for selling it to pubs and restaurants.

So yeah, get out there and start pressing the flesh and talking to some people!

Good luck!

Yea I definitely want to transition into having staff (probably independent contractors over employees??). I do have a plan to get there. I think this leads well to easy natural growth. The bonus is I will always be capped out at only needing to do 5 quizzes a week. Noones going to want to do one on the weekend, and if I have multiply quizzes running at different pubs at the same time and night, they can just use the same quizz. Eventually the goal would be to hire someone to make the quizzes too and my role would naturally progress to basically being a 'manager'/owner. Maybe progress into an event business from there or grow into other cities etc.. Getting a little ahead of myself though.

To be honest, I hate my current job so much. I'd happily swap my current job for this.



Thanks for the great advice everyone. I did not expect such good feedback. It's much appreciated.
I live in New Zealand btw, not the UK. (good guess though). I think I'm going to have to dust off the ol' dress shirt, waistcoat and bow tie.