VIP Host Las Vegas The Ultimate Guide
The word VIP gets thrown around quite often in Las Vegas, but what does it really mean? By definition, a VIP is a “very important person” but to Hosts in Las Vegas, VIP means a customer. As with any business, without customers, you don't have a business, therefore, customers are very important people.
One question we often get asked is, "What is the advantage of working with an Independent Host?" In my Ultimate Guide to VIP Hosts in Las Vegas, I will break down the advantages and disadvantages of Independent Hosts vs. Internal Club Hosts for Bottle Service.
Who is Brian Pfeiffer and Surreal?
So that you know I'm credible, please check out my “About Section” on Brian Pfeiffer and Surreal Nightlife. I've been in the Club business for 20 years. I started as a door guy in Chicago throwing one party a month, then one party a week, then almost every night for many years. In 2011, I was voted, “Promoter of the Year” by Chicago Scene Magazine.
My run in Chicago was amazing - from 2002 until 2013. In 2013, the Hakkasan Group moved me to Vegas as their Promotions Manager for the opening of Hakkasan Nightclub and the Pool at Wet Republic. I was the only person in the entire company who received compensation for the guest list and commission on Bottle Service Tables. As Unicorn in Vegas, I was an internal VIP Host and an Internal Promotion Manager for the largest nightclub operator in Vegas where I learned all the systems of the operation inside and out in a very short amount of time. After working for the HK Group for a little over a year, I decided to give it a go on my own and it has been the best decision I ever made. I structured my business in Vegas similar to my business in Chicago and every year my company has realized tremendous growth and it continues to impress.
What is an Internal VIP Host?
Let's set the record straight on the difference between an Independent Host and an Internal Club Host. An Internal Club Host works directly for one management group and generally focuses on one venue. They may work for a management group that operates a couple of venues, but for the most part, they have one primary place to focus. Since I worked as a VIP Host for over a year, I know how they think and the things that are important to them. Your primary focus is hitting your revenue goals and not having a crappy performance in front of your co-workers. Nothing is worse than being in a room full of co-worker hosts and getting called out by the manager for having a miserable performance weekend. Hitting numbers and reaching and even exceeding your revenue goals makes a lot of sense since that is what drives your income.
The environment is hugely numbers driven. The club operators will generally post the numbers to the internal team, and just like any competitive commission type structure, you don't want to have a bad showing. Also, the way it works in Vegas, when you have a customer at your venue, and that customer wants to go to another pool or club, as an Internal Host you can only trade with other Internal Hosts.
Bottle Service customers are currency in Las Vegas, and if you send another Internal Host a customer, then reciprocation should be a customer for them at some point. It's an unwritten rule in Vegas that an Internal Host should not send any customer of theirs to Independent Hosts.
What is an Independent Host?
An Independent Host is an individual or company that works independently from the nightclubs as a separate business. In 2016, the Nevada Gaming Commission stepped in and tried to clean up the nightclub and party scene in Las Vegas. Their mission was simply to make sure the customers weren't getting ripped off and to clean up the drugs and prostitution. You might ask the question, did it work? It's easy to find if a hosting company is legit or not, but let's be honest about the drugs and prostitution, it's still around.
The Nevada Gaming Commission or NGB has a website where you can see all the companies that are licensed to do business with the nightclubs in Las Vegas. You will notice Brian Pfeiffer and Surreal LLC is on there, and this listing is the parent company to this website. The license was not easy to get, you had to go through a hair / drug test and a thorough FBI background check to qualify, not to mention the hefty $2,000 fee which is good for five years.
Independent Hosts or Independent Host companies typically have a website, employees, and a legit business operation. Some of us have been around for over 20 years!
What are The Advantages to Working with One or the Other?
One might think I'm a little biased when it comes to Independent Hosts compared to the Internal Host, but I've worked on both sides of the fence so I know the business very well. If I felt being an Internal Host was the best solution for my customers, then I would still be working at a club. We've heard the argument many times that if you work as an Indy Host, you are going to pay more money, but that's simply not the case 99 percent of the time. A lot of the nightclubs and pools list their pricing on their websites. So, if you book online, you will be assigned an Internal Host and you will be paying full retail prices. Check with us before you do that, we might have an opportunity for a better deal.
On some high demand pool and big DJ nightclubs, the price is the price for the Independent hosts and the Internal Hosts. If you want a particular table, then you pay the full retail price. As a licensed Indy Host, just like an Internal Host, we make a commission based on the minimum spend. A couple of examples of this would be Encore Beach on just about any weekend, and XS and Drai’s on big nights with DJs like the Chainsmokers and Migos. Because of our relationships and buying power, we pool our buying resources with a couple of other large Indy companies to drive a large amount of revenue and get the same pricing as the Internal Hosts. Some smaller Indy Hosts will not get the same prices as we do. We talk more about the differences between Indy Hosts below.
One advantage, Internal Hosts have access to the internal booking system so they can see what's going on with the reservations. Fortunately for the large Indys like us, we mostly deal with the managers so they tell us what's going on. On mega nights like fight and holiday weekends, this can be an advantage at one or two of the big EDM Clubs. But let's set the record straight, this is one or two weekends out of the year and only at one or two clubs and pools so, I don't consider it that big of an advantage. Since we spread our business over 15 nightclubs, 12 pools and 5-6 gentlemen's clubs, these one or two clubs on one or two weekends are insignificant.
As we mentioned earlier, the customer is the focal point of our business. We're not saying the Internal Hosts don't care about the customers, they do; the fact is, if they don't have customers, they don't make a commission. But you'll find that the Club Host is working at the club and typically will not be able to hang out with their customers. I used to hate this as an Internal Host. Every once in a while, when they get off, you might see them with a customer or a group, but not that often. Guys like us, we go above and beyond and bring girls and walk-in customers, and personally spend a little time making sure the evening is perfect. Again, our main focus is the customer, not the revenue.
Another huge advantage of the Indys is we can book everywhere. Most groups, when they come to Vegas, tend to book multiple events. Instead of trying to deal with four or five different people throughout a weekend, having an Indy Host who books everything, can make things a lot easier and smoother for your vacation. Dealing with one responsive person who makes an effort to ensure you arrive at all your events can be a huge plus. Independent Hosts will make sure you have a person at the VIP ropes who will get you in VIP style. On one final note, we offer a lot of package deals since we work with clubs, pools, shows, activities, and gentlemen's clubs. We also deal with a substantial amount of customers on any given weekend. We can negotiate incredible deals, and we pass that savings along to our customers. On top of that, we do a lot of volume and we are not concerned about making a ton of money on one or two customers. Of course, we have to make some kind of profit to stay in business but, on any given weekend, we might be working with 30 or 40 groups so there's no need to price gouge. We would much rather hook a customer up and get an excellent review and a referral, which we do, rather than trying to push it for a few extra bucks.
Independent Hosts are not Created Equal
Las Vegas is full of Independent Hosts, but there's a big difference between the best and the rest. Take note of the big websites that pop up on every keyword that's related to Las Vegas and you'll find the top Independent Hosts. These are real companies with employees, LLC's, and automated systems. Guys like me are passionate about this business and we put a lot of time and effort into search engine optimization, pay-per-click advertising, and relationships with the venues.
One thing's for sure in this City, if you do a lot of volume, people respect you for your work ethic and your business, not to mention the clubs who want to do business with you because you bring them a bunch of revenue. A lot of volume means volume discounts, and the pick of the prime inventory, a.k.a. the best tables. Nowadays, it's very easy to look at Yelp, Google, or Facebook and check reviews. If an "Independent Host" doesn't have legit reviews or a legit website, then I would strongly encourage you to walk away.
The Nevada Gaming Commission has made it so real Independent Host Companies need a license to do business with the clubs. Legit companies will also need to carry insurance and have a Clark County Professional Promoter's License. So, make sure you do your homework before you work with any old host or company. When you work with a real brand like Surreal, you get to leverage our relationships, our network of ladies and customers, and our buying power to make your Vegas Vacation a better experience.
FINAL WORD
I didn't write this article to convince you to work with me or to bag on Internal Hosts. I work with a lot of Internal Hosts, and many are personal friends. There is absolutely nothing wrong with being an Internal Host; it's just a different mindset. Their mindset is numbers-driven, based on performance and revenue; the environment is extremely competitive and there's a great deal of pressure on them to hit numbers. Think about the movie, “Boiler Room”. I know this with 100% certainty because I've been in those meetings. Once you get out of that environment and you own your own company, you start to realize that the customer is the most important thing, not your weekend revenue numbers. Without customers, we don't have a business. We are running a legit 7-figure business.
As a business owner, you have a couple of main objectives, and that is to deliver an exceptional service that warrants an excellent review, and the other is to build a business for an eventual exit to retirement. Small business owners have to generate leads, build websites, media buy their traffic, and define their unique selling proposition to succeed in an ultra-competitive environment. I have found over the years, I sometimes work twice as hard for half as much, but at the end of the day, I know the light at the end of the tunnel is a sellable asset. I pride myself on hundreds of 5-star reviews, my rock-solid websites, my cutting-edge video and pay-per-click strategies, and the many amazing friends and customers I've acquired along the way that keeps me passionate about the business. There is still no better feeling than to see that smile on a friend's face when they've had an unparalleled experience working with me, the relationships that I have built, some of which have turned into marriage with kids. People can't believe I've been in this industry for nearly 20 years, but when you love what you do it doesn't feel like work. I like to say I've been on spring break for the last 20 years so why stop now?
If you'd like to work with me and my company, please fill out a form and let us know when you're coming to Las Vegas and we will make your vacation amazing.
I am Brian Pfeiffer a.k.a "The Marketing Meathead" a well known online marketer and creator of multiple 7-figure businesses. My passion is marketing online and creating money-making systems. I am here to serve you and if you would like me to post a blog or shoot a video on something then please let me know.
I am Brian Pfeiffer a.k.a "The Marketing Meathead" a well known online marketer and creator of multiple 7-figure businesses. My passion is marketing online and creating money-making systems. I am here to serve you and if you would like me to post a blog or shoot a video on something then please let me know.