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Bartending for Dummy: 5 Keys to Success Behind a Bar
By Ben Ehinger

Have you always wondered how it would be to make an extra few hundred dollars behind a bar each week? I have spent the last 5 years living as a bartender as I attend and finish college, and I must say it is going to be hard to give up the money. I am here to help you get behind a bar and make a generous CASH salary like I have, and may continue to do.

HERE is my Bartending for Dummy keys to success.

Key #1: You must learn to be a people person

This is a skill that is not taught, but more or less learned with experience. You have to become a real people person behind a bar. It is important to sustain a great income on slower nights. You will make bigger tips when you show a general interest in your customer, and when there are only a few of them it is a great way to squeeze the maximum tips out of each one of them.

Key #2: Learn how to go from conversationalist to drink maker

When you start a bartending shift and it happens to be slow you can get to know your customers and converse with them a little, but when it picks up you have to know how to shut that off, nicely, and become a drink maker. This is the one thing I have seen over and over that average bartenders lack. Learn to do the balancing act and your regulars will love you along with everybody else, which means bigger tips.

Key #3: Become as fast as possible by ignoring the idiots

This can include servers, other bartender, managers, and customers; you cannot allow them to get to you. When someone gets in your way go around then. When someone complains fix it and move on. Most importantly when that ignorant manager tries to help, let them pour beer or pop open beers, but make sure they are not doing any more than they can handle.

You have to balance this and keep a smile on your face or you will become aggravated and your income will suffer. It is so important that you ignore comments and keep moving when it is busy. Remember, the more drinks you make the more money your pocket will be filled with at the end of the night.

Key #4: Learn what your regulars drink

There is nothing more impressive than walking into a bar for the third or forth time and the bartender already has my drink in front of me. Even if I switch it up and don’t always drink the same thing, I appreciate it and I will drink it. When a person is remembered they feel important and closer to the person that remembered them. This will gain you friends and tips, I guarantee it.

Key #5: Know how to fake a drink

If you get an order for something weird, but you know what the color is suppose to be or kind of what it is, fake it. Throw something together that is close and most likely the customer will love it and thank you for knowing the drink they ordered. This happens a lot and maybe one out of a hundred ever complain.

There you have it future bartenders, my 5 secrets to success behind a bar. I have made a handsome income over the past 5 years bartending and you can too. I have paid my tuition, books, housing, and been able to do my fair share of partying, all from bartending. There is a lot of money to be made all you have to do is get the training and get to work.

Learn how to become one of your area’s finest bartenders. Follow the link below to earn bigger tips, learn all the tricks of bartending, and for more secrets to increasing your income with bartending by landing that perfect job.

How To Guide to bartending

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