BCA Insider - 2016 Spring Edition

Spring Issue | May 1, 2016

COOK UP SOME NEW BUSINESS WITH GRILLS REDEFINING THE

MAN CAVE THE FACE VALUE OF FACEBOOK ADS BCA Insider—A BCA Member Publication Dedicated to Businesses in the Billiard and Home Leisure Industry.

Keith Loria

Redefining The Man Cave

IN THIS ISSUE 12 6 Working With Stagers and Home Shows Charles S. Donnavan

Kathryn Van Druff

The Face Value Of Facebook Ads

20 Anthony Stoeckert

Cook Up Some New Business with Grills

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16 25 28 40 42 48

Who's Minding The Store?

Merry Wise Member Profile: Kinney Billiards Anthony Stoeckert Diversifying Products Keith Loria The Power Of Blogging For Business Alexia P. Bullard Game On Joe Dyton Retailers Speak

ON THE COVER

Photo By Kirk Fitzek of KF Studios

EDITORIAL EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Keith Loria billiardskeith@gmail.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Alexia P. Bullard Charles S. Donnavan Joe Dyton Anthony Stoeckert Kathryn Van Druff Merry Wise

ADVERTISING MEMBERSHIP MANAGER Shane Tyree shane@bca-pool.com (303) 243-5070 x23

DESIGN/LAYOUT ART DIRECTOR Julie Snee julie.snee@gmail.com

BCA BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIRMAN Mike Serra, Championship Cloth VICE-CHAIRMAN

OPENING LETTER

After reflecting on our inaugural edition of BCA Insider a year ago, I can proudly say that this members-only publication has come a long way. When we started this endeavor we wanted to provide BCA members with tangible tips and ideas for additional business success. But, we had no idea how positive the reception would be. The feedback from our members has exceeded our wildest dreams!

As BCA Board Chairman, I am proud of the original content and information we are creating for our members to read, learn from and enjoy. Our BCA Insider staff is dedicated to making this a true BCA members-only publication. As you read the articles, take note that all stories are catered to your business and in many instances the writers reference our BCA members in an effort to make the features relatable to you.

As we continue the BCA Insider, please let us know your ideas for an article. We want to provide you with the information you want. Besides, if we keep allowing Shane Tyree in the BCA office to come up with topics, I’m pretty sure he’ll just keep pushing articles on us about social media marketing…

On another note, the BCA Expo is right around the corner. If you haven’t already registered please register today, as it’s still FREE for all BCA members to attend.

We’re very excited to be going back to the Renaissance in Chicago/Schaumburg as this has been a very popular destination for attendees and exhibitors. Please remember this event takes place during the same week as the Casual Furniture Preview Show in downtown Chicago – so make it a double successful week!

For this year’s Expo there is already a lot of discussion about extracurricular activities taking place during the event. There will be the always popular BCA Industry Social, two different junior tournaments, a McDermott Factory tour, and I’ve even heard about a group of industry honchos putting together a motorcycle ride for charity (contact me for more information). If you’re in this industry and you not only want to be successful but also want to have fun – the BCA Expo will be the place for you!

Here’s to a great Spring and future success,

Chance Pack, Champion Shuffleboard

SECRETARY Jonathan Goudeau, Indoor Recreation

TREASURER Tony Stick, The Billiard Factory

BOARD MEMBERS Dave Barry, Legacy Billiards Carl Galante, Classic Cue Ivan Lee, Iwan Simonis Brain Rosselli, Olhausen Mfg

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BCA CHAIRMAN, MIKE SERRA BCA Insider is published by Billiard Congress of America © 2016 bcainsider.com

WORKING WITH STAGERS AND HOME SHOWS

By Charles S. Donnavan Sometimes to be successful in retail, you have to think outside the box. Several savvy retailers have been making some extra money by supplying tables for local home shows or working with real estate stagers to display tables in homes for sale. Both methods not only do a great job in promoting the store, and bringing some rental fees in, but can also lead to new customers and multiple sales.

Home shows are held in just about every major city and provide exhibitors the opportunity to showcase their products and services, and to meet face to face with qualified homeowners, reaching those who are eager to learn and ready to buy. Many companies exhibiting will want to add some fun

6 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2016

and interaction to their booths, so they rent a table or other gaming equipment for the event.

Thousands upon thousands of consumers flock to home shows each weekend and it’s a great opportunity for retailers to get their tables in front of the masses.

Some retailers even get their own booth. Judy and Don Kucera, owners of Cedar Rapids Billiards, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, have been exhibiting at their local home show for more than 25 years.

“We attended a home show as spectators and thought that it would be a great idea to exhibit in one, so we found out who was in charge of the show and spoke to them during that show and our name

was put on a waiting list,” Judy Kucera says. “We were called the next year and we were told that they had a spot for us. We’ve done the local home show every year since 1990.”

The pros of exhibiting in a home show include letting people meet you and giving prospective customers knowledge about what you do and sell.

Plus, since most shows are three days, it gives retailers a chance to talk to a wide range of clients all in one place.

“We usually take a pool table, spectator chairs and poker table to display,” Judy Kucera says. “We hand out our business card magnets and have information about what we do on display for attendees to look at. It has worked very

well for us to get our name out and it’s always nice to see past customers that always attend these types of shows.”

in that event,” he says. “They feel no pressure as they might while sitting in an exhibitor’s showroom.”

Ciarra McIntire of Universal Billiards, Inc., in Dallas, Texas agrees that participating in home shows is a great way to promote a store’s products and company in new markets.

The homes are usually new or recently renovated, and in close proximity to one another (within a 10- to 20-minute ride) and there are hundreds of companies taking part.

“Research and planning are important for participation in these types of events to be a successful venture for your company,” she says. “Not all home shows are created equal, and you need to ask for demographics on the attendees to make sure the visitors to the show are in line with your target market.”

“We work with a number of interior designers who invite us to some of these. They give us an idea of what they want in a particular space, cloth color, etc., and we will provide the pool table and some peripherals to accent the room,” Baron says. “The table and other items are loaned for the event, not a gift. We are given space to offer brochures and business cards to anyone that wants one.”

If you choose to exhibit, keep in mind that booths can be expensive, so careful negotiations are necessary to keep the project within one’s budget.

“There’s a lot to think about when planning these events—what products will you showcase? What are the schedules for setting up your space?

Who can help you design, set up, and work the event?” McIntire says. “But one of the most important things to think about is how you will draw people to your booth and how you will create some way to gather potential customer information to follow up later on.”

CHARITABLE ENDEAVOR For the past 10 years, Mike Baron, of Baron’s Billiards in Laconia, New Hampshire, has had good luck setting up in show-house scenarios, like the annual fundraiser events that are called “Parade of Homes.”

Photos provided by Universal Billiards 8 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2016

“Basically, a potential homebuyer/ renovator (or just anyone interested in seeing new ideas) can go to a Parade of Homes event and see the work of many, many interior designers, architects, and contractors, all for only about $20, which covers seeing all the homes

Baron notes that the table will not be played on, and the business adds a small information and pricing tent on the table. Sometimes this will feature a “show special” price, and he has sold a few show-house displays this way as well.

Sometimes there are only a few homes in an event, but sometimes there can be as many as a dozen.

“It’s an enjoyable way to spend a few hours on a weekend afternoon, and you can pick up many ideas for your particular home project,” Baron says.

“We don’t even have to attend, or provide personnel, although sometimes we will stop by for a few hours when it’s busy to greet potential customers and answer questions.

The tables are usually in new condition when the event ends and Baron and his team will come to dismantle it, with no problems with damage or abuse.

“We have sold many tables this way, and they are mostly high-end pieces with some custom features,” he says.

“Although it is a labor-intensive way to market, the goodwill generated by participating in the fundraiser leads to more sales referrals down the road

BCAINSIDER.COM | 9

through other companies that were exhibiting at the same event. Helping out a charity is always a good idea.

And a higher profile in your local community never hurts, either.”

“

THOUSANDS OF CONSUMERS FLOCK TO HOME SHOWS EACH WEEKEND...”

STAGING TIME

Andrea Braund, principal for Andrea Braund Home Staging & Design, Seattle, Washington, has worked with several retailers in her area to rent tables to show in homes that were for sale and needed something to round out a game room or bonus space.

“We staged a $6 million new construction in Clyde Hill recently and the large game room in the lower level called for a quality pool table and it made all the difference in the room,” she says.

“When you can add that one touch to a home that makes it stand out above the others on the market, it can really make a difference.”

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Since Braund deals mostly with highend homes, she finds that clients often want to purchase all the amenities that are part of the staging, which leads to an easy sale for the retailer. Plus, with a new table, the new homeowner is going to need to buy accessories as well, and they will most likely shop at the store where the table came from.

Barb Schwarz, known in the real estate industry as “The Creator of Home Staging,” says pool tables and shuffleboard tables are both great additions to recreation rooms in homes that she is called on to stage.

“They appeal to both men and women,” she says. “And they don’t have to be just in a game room, they can be used in a family room, den, up above the garage, in the basement or any area of the home with enough room. Having it in the right place makes it a great conversation starter when people first enter the room.”

Schwarz even had one customer who had a table put in the dining room and they put a piece of plywood over it and created a dining room table, with antique barstools all around. When the room isn’t in use, the couple can play pool simply by taking off the top.

Homebuyers are attracted to pool tables and game tables for numerous reasons. They could be fans of the games, they may work from home and

want something to do to take a little break in the day, or they might just want something to enjoy with their new neighbors.

“A pool table can be a really social place in the home, and not just for men, but for women, too,” Schwarz says.

“Sometimes we will bring in a bar and some stools for staging and those look really great alongside the table.”

She gets most of her tables and equipment from local stores near the home that’s for sale. Schwarz says that she rents them by the month, but that sometimes a retailer may even give it to her to use for free.

“There are many benefits to a retailer in doing this,” she says. “I would say around 20 percent of my home buyers want to buy the table and so it’s an easy sale for them. Plus, they can put a sign on the table so anyone who comes in to look at the home will learn about their store. Something like this has to be seen for it to work the magic.”

BELOW LEFT: Before | BELOW RIGHT: After This table was moved to a better place in the room, and green was added to brighten the room. Photo provided by: Stagedhomes.com®

PHOTO CREDIT: California House

REDEFINING THE MAN CAVE

By Keith Loria

Originally, the Man Cave was a private oasis where a man could hang out with his buddies and display all those collectables, posters and toys that his wife would refer to as “junk.” It was a space for a man to call his own, and the sanctuary was a place where he could watch sports, play music, and challenge his friends to a game of pool, play some poker or even a round of shuffleboard.

They were so popular at the turn of the 21st century that it was estimated by Jeff Wilser, co-author of “The Man Cave Book,” that Man Caves were in 40 percent of all U.S. homes.

Savvy billiard retailers took advantage of the trend and started marketing directly to the Man Cave audience. Not only were they advertising tables and gaming furniture that would fit perfectly in any Man Cave, but they offered lighting, wall 12 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2016

hangings and other accessories that would make any Man Cave owner the talk of the neighborhood.

But something happened a few years ago that changed the way Man Caves would forever be viewed. No longer were customers coming in with the old Little Rascals’ philosophy of the “He Man Women Haters Club,” but men were actually bringing their wives to shop with them and opening up their sanctuaries to them.

“In our region, the Man Cave has evolved into the Family Cave, which is a place where the whole family can hang out, entertain friends, and relax,” says Ciarra McIntire, president of Universal Billiards, Inc., Dallas,Texas. “Many of our customers want to find ways to make the room multi-functional and full of variety—darts, billiards, shuffleboard, arcades, etc.”

At the store, customers tell McIntire that they like these spaces to maintain consistent design with the rest of their home, and the most popular aesthetics are currently rustic and transitional.

“To help our customers design their perfect home entertainment space, we help customers map and measure the space, in addition to offering customized products to match their interests and design,” she says. “Building relationships and trust with clients helps our sales team up-sell accessories and other custom options tailored to the customer.”

Perfectmancave.com, considered one of the top message boards for discussions about decorating ideas and unique rooms, has seen its membership grow from 25,000 to more than 80,000 in the last few years, and the increase can be attributed to the rise of women visiting the site. Those who run it reveal that at one point, men comprised close to 95 percent of all visitors but that number has dwarfed to 65 percent.

“

IN OUR REGION, THE MAN CAVE HAS EVOLVED INTO THE FAMILY CAVE, WHICH IS A PLACE WHERE THE WHOLE FAMILY CAN HANG OUT, ENTERTAIN FRIENDS, AND RELAX.”

Even the last few episodes of the popular “Man Caves” show on the DIY Network last year had women featured more prominently in the Man Cave discussions. It’s just a changing of the Man Cave landscape that retailers need to keep up with.

“Shuffleboard has gone berserk. Olhausen has come out with a matching shuffleboard, air hockey and ping-pong table, and when customers come in to buy a table, we let them know immediately what their other options are,” he says. “We have found that women tend not to play pool when there are social gatherings but they will play shuffleboard, and that makes the room right for everyone.”

One tip Orner has for improving Man Cave-related sales is to show the matching tables and accessories in the store.

“Unless they have been to our website, I would say that not one customer has come in here in the last five years knowing a lot of this was available,” he says. “You have to show it or they won’t buy it. It’s tough to see off a picture.

If you want them to buy a jukebox or theater seating for their Man Cave, you better have them in your showroom.

And you should have different finishes and options of the gaming tables.”

When displaying merchandise in the store, when possible, show your products as a completed Man Cave room. This allows customers to get a better idea of what their finished room would look like instead of just a single item sitting alone on the floor. The excitement of being surrounded in a display that is set up like it would be in a home often sells more product and creates happier customers.

THE RIGHT THEME While Man Caves used to revolve around sports teams, Star Wars, mobster movies and heavy metal guitarists, now that women are involved more, popular themes are TV shows both husband and wife enjoy like “Game of Thrones,” “The Walking Dead” or “Doctor Who.” Not that women can’t enjoy the traditional themes as well, it’s just more about sharing and compromising now.

Steve Orner, co-owner of Orner Billiards, Indianapolis, Indiana, notes that many people don’t even refer to the room as a “Man Cave” anymore, opting instead to call it a Family Cave.

As owner of Randy Now’s Man Cave & Consignment Shop in Bordentown, New Jersey, Randy Ellis often chats with customers about their Man Caves and the items that should go in them.

“There’s still a lot of talk in the store about the cave, but it could be a Woman’s Cave, a Kid’s Cave, or anything. It’s all about the family now,” he says. “Many of the manufacturers have really played to the trend, and there are more options than ever before with different pieces that match and fit in the room nicely.”

“Things that are good for Man Caves are neon bar signs, beer trays, old cool vinyl records, 1960s board games, shot glasses and matchbox cars,” he says. “Sports fans can go with baseball bats, autographed photos and Wheaties boxes with sports figures on the covers.”

For example, Orner says someone could buy a pool table from Olhausen and get a game table from California House in a matching finish or style. In fact, 50 percent of sales at the store are combinations, and that’s directly tied to Man Caves he believes.

Other popular items to build a room around include themes of bobbleheads, Pez, old action figures, cartoons or super heroes.

One of Ellis’ customers, who is a movie nut, decorated his Man Cave with old movie props and posters.

BCAINSIDER.COM | 13

“He has the badge of courage given to the Lion by the Wizard of Oz from the movie, the actual real enchilada,” he says.

“People like to get that one item that makes a room really stand out to their friends.”

Chris Kuntz, vice president of RAM Game Room, Milton, Ontario, notes that while consumers are trending to spend more time in the home, most in the industry know that not all spaces lend themselves to having a pool table inside the Man Cave due to space restrictions. That’s why other games such as shuffleboard, darts, card/game tables and furniture pieces such as bars and pub sets are popular staples when designing a Man Cave.

For Kuntz, doing thorough research and seeing what products are out there to put in a space gives him the best opportunity to design the space that customers are most happy with.

“We sell a lot of Man Cave-related décor and I have always liked the look and feel of vignettes and accessorizing our décor accessories within the vignette,” he says. “I believe it gives the customer a good idea of what the space might look like in their home and potentially help trigger additional accessory sales that wouldn’t have otherwise happened.

Vignettes are not always possible due to space and in that case I recommend utilizing as much empty wall space as possible.”

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION Cris Gould, vice president sales & marketing for Legacy Billiards, Collierville, Tennessee, says that traditionally, the Man Cave referred to a specific room or place where the man of the household could surround himself with his manly items to bask in the solitude of his manliness. Women were typically not allowed or, as defined by the décor, strongly discouraged to dwell in this environment.

Often this room was in an isolated part of the house or even in a separate building in order to not in any way blend into the main residence or be seen by invited family guests.

This has changed as well. Since homes are now smaller and, thanks to the changes in the housing markets, budgets to afford separate buildings to escape into are more difficult to BELOW: Some fun Man Cave ideas

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find, many Man Caves have become a place for the whole family to dwell and enjoy.

“Since the ‘New Man Cave’ is more for the whole family, Legacy is focused on offering a larger variety of games and additional furniture pieces that all match and coordinate with each other,” Gould says. “Furniture items like barstools, or spectator benches that are styled to match shuffleboards, air hockey tables, or foosball tables are popular items in the Legacy line required to complete the perfect Man Cave.”

FINAL THOUGHTS Man Caves or the more politically correct “Family Caves” are popular as they are a great place in the home for families to socialize, play games, and interact with each other in that no other room can. Usually, the better the Family Cave is set up, the more time your family will spend in it, and do things together.

“A proper Man Cave should have multiple games with ample seating to accommodate a large group. Often having a pool table in the center of the room is not the best way to set up a Man Cave,” Gould says. “This takes up too much space and leaves little space for anything else. Placing a shuffleboard along a wall, a foosball in the middle, a dart board and cabinet on the wall, and a bar with barstools in front and TV in back make a better Man Cave that a large number of people of all ages can enjoy.”

Remember, customers are always looking for a “good deal,” especially when it comes to buying discretional items.

“Offering a good deal does not always mean dealers have to drop their price,” Gould says. “Many times the ‘added value’ of adding a matching spectator chair or matching dart board cabinet (at retail dollars) is a better deal for the customer and costs the dealer less in margin.”

The décor and style of the product will usually play an extremely large part in the success of obtaining the products to outfit a proper Man Cave. Let’s face it, as long as men can get a room full of games and have a few friends over to enjoy a few adult beverages, they’re not really going to mind the women being inside, and life will be good in the Cave.

WHO’S MINDING THE STORE?

By MerryWise Once upon a time, young people learned skills at their mama’s knee that were somewhat taken for granted in our culture.

Manners, phone-answering skills, the basics of service to be expected in a business setting, proper dress, etc., were what most young employees came to the work world equipped with from home and school experience, even when they had not worked before.

However, an employer can no longer expect a new hire to automatically know these things, and if you want the person minding your store to represent you and your business well, you may need to train employees to do so.

Now may be just the time to shine up those diamonds in the rough in your store!

A good way to introduce expectations in a pleasant and positive way might be to ask the new hire how he or she likes to be treated in a retail store. Does he or she want a clerk stocking merchandise, back turned to the customer, texting, or chatting with coworkers, ignoring the customer’s arrival?

Or do they prefer a clerk to engage in a friendly greeting, and ask customers what they might be interested in seeing in the store—something the person may actually want to buy?

Explain where that paycheck they expect to get regularly comes from. That it does not miraculously appear from heaven, but is only going to be the result of sales. Make it clear the person working for you is vital to that process, and when a customer is in the store, his or her focus should be on sales to that person, service to that person, and making that customer feel like “the boss”—because, he or she is the boss.

Make sure you serve as an excellent role model yourself for your employees. No matter how “busy” everybody is, show 16 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2016

that when a customer enters the store, at least look up and greet the person, and assure them “we’ll be right with you.”

Then finish up what you are doing, or do whatever it takes and be right with them.

Even if you or your employees are having a bad day, have personal issues you are dealing with or maybe don’t feel well for whatever reason, smile and put on a happy face for the customers. Do not whine, complain, or share your pain.

Nobody wants to be around negativity, and your customer is not there to hear about your complaints or troubles. Do, however, be sympathetic to theirs, and willing to lend a friendly ear to whatever they choose to share. Maybe you are there that day not only to sell, but to put a smile on somebody else’s face and “make their day” with a cheerful word.

The person who enjoys the positive atmosphere you and your employees create in your store will be back. And they will bring their friends. And they will bring money. Create a happy place, and they will come. Decor, product, and fun items, all play a role, but so does the attitude of you and your employees.

Smile. Serve refreshments.Tell jokes. Have funny signs around.

Whatever you can think of to have a ball in the store, do it. And train the employees to create this fun environment, but make sure they understand that although it makes their workplace more pleasant, the fun focus should be on the customer.

In some cases the first contact anyone has with your store might be over the telephone. It is very important that everyone who works for you knows how to properly answer the phone, and while you may assume everybody does, you know what “they” say about assuming. So, it is a good idea to role play specific phone-answering skills and expectations just to make sure you are being properly represented when somebody calls.

Make sure the person answering the phone understands and follows these steps: Announce the store and who is answering, “Joe’s Billiards and Games, Sarah speaking,” for example.

Make sure they know how to listen.This may seem self-evident, but all too often the person answering the phone tends to butt in and cut off the customer before he or she can fully explain what is wanted. Role play this and emphasize how important “listening” is to a customer’s perception of your service.

Respond to the question accurately and helpfully, and write down what the customer wants. If you do not know the answer to a question the customer has, write it down and offer to find out and call the person back or have someone do it, and make sure to follow through and call back promptly.

Realize that your job is to make it easier, not harder, to do business with the company. Therefore, offer to take their number and call or have someone call, and do not leave it up to the customer to call back. Get their name. Get their number. Do not tell your manager “somebody called.” It is your job to know who called, where they can be reached, and what they wanted. Make sure somebody follows up.

“

MAKE SURE YOU SERVE AS AN EXCELLENT ROLE MODEL FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES.”

Write it down. Write it down. Write it down! Messaging is everything.

Despite your best efforts, your happy place, the excellent phone answering skills of yourself and your employees, your super service, at some point in time even you will have to deal with a complaint from a customer. This is one of the hardest things for a new/younger employee to handle correctly, but is also vital to your business. This is also an important skill to role play in training an employee before actually facing the unfriendly fire from an actual customer.

There are specific steps in handling complaints that will almost always turn the Customer from Hell into, if not an angel, at least a happier mortal, and sometimes, if you handle it right and are lucky, your biggest cheerleader.

Again, listen. Let the customer vent. Often, fully being able to express his or her frustration over whatever is perceived to be wrong defuses much of the problem right there. Resist the urge to interrupt and justify, and do not get defensive.

Sympathize, even if you think the customer is being unreasonable, but never admit fault, or blame another employee or the company. Why is this, you (or the employee) may ask? First, you can acknowledge how they feel and sympathize with the fact they are unhappy without admitting any wrongdoing on the company’s part. We live in a lawsuit-happy society, unfortunately, so that is why you want to defuse, but not end up having to defend in some court of law, a complaint.

Teach the employee to say something like, “Gee, I am so sorry you feel unhappy and upset about this. Let me find out more about what happened and get back with you and see what we can do to help you.”

Offer to investigate the issue and get back with them. Unless it is a simple and obvious fix, find out first all the facts before committing to a solution.

Investigate the problem and get back promptly with the customer to solve it. Err on the side of generosity. For example, if something is wrong with a product that is slightly out of warranty, go ahead and replace or fix it, if it isn’t a huge amount of money. Consider this an “advertising expense” because it will be the best advertising you ever do.

Make sure the customer knows you are extending the warranty just for him, because his business is so important, and he is one of your very favorite customers. The customer will then tell all his friends, cousins, and brothers and sisters, and the world will know how great your company is.

When something unfortunate has happened, do your best to make it right and then perhaps do something special, such as sending flowers or offering a gift certificate, free dinner at a nice place, etc., to sweeten the sour feeling a customer might have. This will also make you and your company be seen as a hero rather than a villain even if there has been a problem you had to solve. Help your employees understand how to finesse and when to make these judgment calls, or at least when to bring management into the problem to do it.

Finally, it is a very good idea to codify your company policies, tips and training into a good employee handbook to use as a written resource. When a person first goes to work for you, make sure they get one, but also make sure they read it, and go over it in detail with them as well.

And when that slow day arrives, gather the troops, especially the younger ones, order in pizza and show and tell, train and practice, role play and review those skills that will set your store above and apart in a class by itself. And make it high class!

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THE FACE VALUE OF FACEBOOK ADS

By KathrynVan Druff For some, Facebook ads may seem like an exciting, unchartered marketing territory that is filled with potential.

For others, the advertising opportunity may seem like a money-making scheme by the social media giant as it holds your business page’s posts hostage rather than showing them to all the people who’ve voluntarily “liked” your page. For most, the truth falls somewhere in the middle.

Social media offers a direct and personal link to your customers and others who may find your brand appealing.

This marketing channel makes sense for the billiard and home leisure industry as most Facebook users take to the social network to connect with their friends and share information about their own favorite hobbies, vacations, and activities. Running an ad on Facebook can put your brand one step closer to your target market, often through the fingertips of your existing customers—and sometimes that one step is all you need.

FACEBOOK ADVERTISING AT A GLANCE Facebook offers a variety of advertising opportunities for businesses of all sizes, all with a specialized focus and a targeted result. “Page Like Ads” may come to mind first, with their helpful campaign to increase the number of fans

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you have on your page. Facebook also offers ads designed to improve user engagement—for example, increasing the number of people who see your posts, and in turn, the number of likes, comments, and shares a particular post receives. Ads on Facebook can also increase click-throughs to any page of your website, with detailed tracking on website conversions provided by Facebook. The ads can encourage more app installs and interactions, greater event responses, and more claimed offers for discounts you may be running.

When you choose to allocate some of your marketing dollars toward Facebook advertising, you also have control over the ad format. Facebook offers standard ads, video ads, slideshow ads, carousel ads, and more. You can target your ideal customers by their own demographics, and quite significantly, by their location. The criteria you set for the ads allow you to zero-in on the people who are most likely to be interested in your products and services, and for brick-andmortar shops, it allows you to reach out to customers in your own backyard.

FACEBOOK ADVANTAGES Businesses continue to see varying degrees of success within the world of Facebook as they introduce products, share company news, and work to strengthen relationships with their customers. Generally speaking, a social presence

www.californiahouse.com 1-800-251-3597

Original Designs Made To Order in the United States of America Game Tables . Pool Tables . Shuffleboard Tables . Bars . Stools . Game Chairs

benefits businesses in a number of ways, from increasing awareness to building customer loyalty and capturing feedback firsthand from clients and prospects, to name just a few. Facebook ads tend to amplify your existing efforts. An ad campaign can kick things up a notch, bringing in more followers, generating more brand visibility, and sometimes even inspiring greater user engagement.

“Retail is the next big frontier for Facebook—so there’s huge opportunity in the industry to seize upon this, even if they have only a dollar a day,” says Dennis Yu, chief technology officer at BlitzMetrics. “There is so much that manufacturers (and distributors to a lesser degree) can do to activate consumer interest—driving traffic and leads—with Facebook profitably.”

It doesn’t take a lot of time or money to get started with Facebook ads. You can spend as little as a dollar or two per day, or as much as you’d like once you start seeing results.

“Facebook ads are very inexpensive—usually less than a dollar per click,” says Dan Janal, president of PR Leads. “That’s much less expensive than print advertising or advertising on Google.”

“In terms of ad numbers, I use $500 as a number, though it’s not precise,” adds Dan Farkas, lecturer of strategic communication at Ohio University. “I think the key is helping people feel comfortable with the process. If I spend $2 a day and can prove that leads to X conversions, I think it helps justify spending more. That dipping of the toe into the digital water, I think, helps overcome pushback for those nervous about the approach.”

Setting up an ad campaign on the social site is a relatively user-friendly process. Whether you choose to do it yourself or prefer to turn to a social marketing company for help, Facebook offers a variety of flexible options to customize your ad with your precise audience in mind.

“

RETAIL IS THE NEXT BIG FRONTIER FOR FACEBOOK..."

“Facebook’s ad platform is one of the most robust, allowing you to be extremely targeted in your ad campaigns,” says Dana Bakich, senior digital strategist at the digital media marketing firm DKC Connect. “Within the home and leisure space, you can target an audience based on not only their age and geographic location, but like-minded interests, and recent events (first-time homeowners, getting married, etc.). You also have 20 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2016

the ability to utilize different ad campaigns specific to pushing content, clicks to your website, lead generation, and more.”

Facebook’s flexible ad program seems to offer something for everyone and all budgets. Besides budget, your main limitation tends to be your own creativity.

“The beauty of Facebook ads is the ability to test,” says Farkas.

“You can run the same photo and copy, and test three different headlines. You can test different types of photos as well. This allows a brand to use data to make better decisions on ad quality, and maximizes the ad buy.”

Yet another benefit of these ads is the immediate nature of the ads and their effectiveness. As a social site, Facebook fosters friendships and facilitates friendly gatherings. Your prospective customers can find you exactly when they need you, particularly when you start running an ad campaign.

GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR FACEBOOK ADS Initially, most companies should expect and allow for a little trial and error when it comes to getting started with a new ad campaign. A bit of science may come into play as you wait to see which type of ad and message catch on for the people you are trying to reach.

Here are a few suggestions on how you can make the most of your Facebook ad efforts.

Drill Down to the Right People: “Facebook ads allow you to be extremely targeted when it comes to audience,” Farkas says. “You can reach as few as 1,000 people, and even target (an audience) based on people a mile away from your business.

This helps brands cut clutter and reduces costs. It’s efficient for brands who have a good grasp of their potential customers.”

Focus on Content: Strong, effective copy is paramount when you are crafting ads for your target audience. Speak in a language your customers understand and tell a meaningful story.

Keep It Consistent: “One of the biggest problems you can have is changing your ad too much,” Bakich says. “Facebook has a back-end algorithm that, each time you go in and adjust the audience or content, it has to review it and start all over again. We always recommend stopping that current ad and creating a new one with the updated information.”

Try and Try Again: “It’s different for every business,” Janal says. “The good news is you can test various times and then select to deliver ads only at those times, like weekends or after work hours.You have complete control.”

Bakich agrees and suggests doing some tests. “Putting $20 against a piece of content can boost it significantly depending on how broad your audience is.”

Get Your Money’s Worth: “Pay only for clicks, not for impressions,” advises Janal. “That means you are paying Facebook only when someone actually sees your ad and then clicks to see more information. In other advertising channels, you pay for each impression, that is, when a person sees your ad. You pay even if they don’t do anything to further the conversation.”

Monitor Your Results: Past ad performance can be especially valuable in helping you to plan future ad designs and messaging. Keep track of your most successful ads and what about them seemed to be the most effective. Fall back on these styles or keep them in your back pocket for when you’ve finished testing other ads.

Another point to consider is that Facebook displays posts from your business’ page to more of your followers when you advertise or pay to boost a particular post. Just because a particular person clicks that “Like” button to follow your page in no way means they are going to see everything you post.

“Bottom line, you need to spend at least a dollar a day,” says Yu. “Social became a ‘pay to play’ game three years ago.”

WHAT TO EXPECT Can you guarantee ROI on a Facebook ad campaign?

“Nobody can,” says Farkas. “Can you directly track a person seeing the ad, going to a website, and possibly buying a product? Absolutely. In this field, smart storytelling will create sales and nurture the sales funnel.

“The key to Facebook ads involves having a clear path to a conversion or sale,” he adds. “So if I create an ad, how do I continue the conversation? Maybe register for an e-newsletter or like a page or download a product. My point is a brand has to know what it wants from an ad. That brand also needs to know how that step leads to a sale. So if I register for an e-newsletter, can I track when that person who registered decides to buy a product? You have to know what that path is.”

Most marketers agree that a return on your investment is very likely when you know your audience well. Work to cut through the fluff and speak directly to your market about what really matters to them.

“If you figure out the correct formula for your audience and insert good content, usually yes, you’ll see a good response,” says Bakich.

Understanding the true face value of Facebook ads may prove a bit challenging. The returns will vary from one business to the next based on a slew of factors ranging from the amount spent to the type of business, customer demographics, market saturation, ad messaging, and so many other points.

Some businesses may find they get at least as much out as what they put in, while others may see even greater dividends on a well-orchestrated social ad campaign.

It’s almost impossible to predict and even harder to guarantee results in most types of advertising. But with 1.4 billion Facebook users signed up and roughly 900 million users on the site daily, Facebook ads are at the very least a shot worth considering in your marketing plan.

ABOUT THE EXPERTS: DANA BAKICH

is senior digital strategist at the digital media marketing firm DKC Connect.

DKCNEWS.COM/DKC-CONNECT

DAN FARKAS

is a lecturer of Strategic Communication at Ohio University.

DAN JANAL

is president of PR Leads.

PRLEADSTOPROFITS.COM

DENNIS YU is chief technology

officer at BlitzMetrics BLITZMETRICS.COM

BCAINSIDER.COM | 21

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ABOVE: Kelly Kinney Lee, Emily Kinney Carroll, Donna Kinney and Ron Kinney (provided by Kinney Billiards)

MEMBER PROFILE: KINNEY BILLIARDS

By Anthony Stoeckert Kinney Billiards’ customers are getting more than a pool table when they make a purchase from the store in Springfield, Missouri—they’re also getting three generations of experience, knowledge, and customer service. The store offers billiard equipment, shuffleboards, arcade games, air hockey, darts, and foosball for purchase, and also has a thriving party rental business.

ENTERING THE HOME MARKET Part of their business was selling tables from that route for home use, and in the early 1980s, the Kinneys entered the home retail market by selling Playmaster home tables.

In 1948, Art and Lorena Kinney bought a restaurant in Missouri, and in that restaurant were a pinball machine and a jukebox.

“That evolved into quite a big deal, and then we became Olhausen dealers, and Brunswick dealers and Legacy dealers,” Ron says, adding that they also added a line of cues. “The whole gamut of cues and accessories, and ping-pong tables and air hockeys and foosballs.”

“Those machines really started earning more than the little diner did,” says Ron Kinney, son of Art and Lorena, and one of the current owners of the business.

“They ended up buying more pinballs and more jukeboxes. They evolved into shuffleboards and pool tables and a fullblown amusement route.”

By 2006, Kinney was doing business in a 2,000-square-foot building, which it expanded, adding 7,000 square feet.

Today, the business is owned by Donna and Ron Kinney; their daughters, Kelly Kinney Lee and Emily Kinney Carroll; and Patrick Murphy, Ron and Donna’s nephew. Ron and Donna

And it all started with a diner.

oversee all aspects of all companies.

Emily Kinney Carroll and Jeff Lee run the vending department, and Patrick Murphy and Kelly Kinney Lee run the retail showroom.

“We had the 2,000-square-foot space in the early 1980s, and we didn’t have a lot of room there to really display our full product line,” says Kelly. “We really just had pool tables on display.

And then in 2006, we added on the 7,000 square feet, and we could really display our full line. So we’ve not only got pool tables on our showroom floor, but we have video games, multi-cades, shuffleboard, air hockey, table tennis, foosball, darts and all the accessories to go along with that.”

GROWING AND THRIVING On the surface, expanding in 2006 might seem like bad timing because BCAINSIDER.COM | 23

of the recession that came a few years later. But the growth actually helped Kinney thrive during tough times.

“It helped being diversified,” Patrick says. “When one thing is down, another part of the business is up, and I think it was a savvy business decision on what we had and what we were able to sell.”

Kelly says their diversification allowed Kinney to make decisions such as sending a crew from the billiard store, where they weren’t needed, to the Kinney Amusements division, which handles the coin-operation aspect for the company.

“We never had to lay anybody off, we’re very happy about that,” she says. “We didn’t hire anybody during that time, if people quit or moved on to other opportunities, we just didn’t rehire, we shuffled people around.”

Other companies responded to the recession by adding shuffleboards or air hockey tables to their line. Kinney was already doing that when the economy slumped. That put them in a position to take advantage of that demand when the billiard sales slowed.

“What we found during that time is, we stopped selling our bread-and-butter Photo Credit: All photos provided by Kinney Billiards

$2,000 pool table,” Kelly says. “People who the economy didn’t affect would buy the high-end tables, so that helped, so we were doing less business with the lower-end stuff.”

The service arm of the business also did well during that time, and Kinney found other ways to make sales and benefit their customers.

“We came across some really good deals from places that went out of business and were selling off their stock,” Kelly says. “So we got some pool tables at a really, really good price, and were able to pass those savings onto customers.

That helped us a lot during that time.”

IT’S FOR RENT Another key for Kinney has been its rental business, where it rents pool tables and other amusement games for parties.

“We just started pushing that this year,” Kelly says. “We saw a niche for that and started advertising it, and it’s worked out really well. People will have birthday parties or Christmas parties for friends and family, and just order one table or two tables for these events.

We’re also seeing it on the corporate

level, where companies are having their company holiday parties or other events, and they’re getting several items for just the night.”

She adds that the rental aspect of the business is fairly new, while Ron notes that the rental tables come from the coin-op part of the business because those are made with one-piece slate and can be moved in one piece, unlike a home table that has three slates and takes a couple of hours to put together.

“We do mostly companies and corporations that are renting for events, but we do have customers who are renting for their grandson’s birthday party of Christmas party or annual family reunion,” Kelly says.

The rental aspect not only brings in revenue directly; it also leads to sales when people go to a party or event with a pool table or other game, and decide they like it so much that they decide to purchase something for the home. A few weeks ago, Kelly says, a customer rented a shuffleboard and liked it so much that they bought it.

And Kinney offers various games for these parties, with Kelly saying one popular option being “multi-cades,” which are video games with 60 classic video games in them, such as Pac-Man, Donkey Kong and Frogger.

“That’s always popular,” she says.

“Oftentimes, they want a driving game or a hunting game. And they’ve really been interested in things like shuffleboard and air hockey and foosball and table tennis. And those are ready to deliver one night and pick up the next day.”

Offering both product and services has been a big benefit to Kinney, but another key to success has been a result of the business being owned by the same family.

“Diversification has been helpful for us,” Kelly says, “but I also think that the com-

26 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2016

bination of two generations in here at the same time has been a big factor. You get the marriage of the old-school generation and the new-school generation together, and it works really well.”

Another important step is keeping up with the times, and keeping the product line in step with what customers want.

“We’ve been seeing more of an interest in the rustic look,” she says. “I think all of the manufacturers have seen that and they have their rustic line of pool tables and shuffleboard tables.”

Another arm of the business is selling used tables. “We also sell a lot of used tables.We buy used tables inexpensively and we put them on consignment,” she says. “We go through a lot of them, people like the pricing.”

IT’S ALL ABOUT SERVICE A business can diversify, offer quality products at good prices and keep up with the times, but without a dedicated staff and top-notch customer service, you can’t be truly successful.

Kelly says customer service is probably the most important part of what Kinney does, and Ron notes that there are signs on doors in the store that read “service, service, service.”

“What we want to convey to our customers – and it sounds so cliché – is that we are going to be here before the sale, during the sale and, most importantly, after the sale,” Kelly says.

“We are not a fly-by-night company that wants a quick buck. We want to really find out what it is that they want for their home and show them what we have to offer.”

And Kinney also wants to maintain relationships with customers after the sale, both in terms of service and selling accessories.

“We want to be here to move the table, if the customer moves from one house to another, to recover it, or perform any kind of service they’ll need,” Kelly says.

“We treat them the way we want to be treated when we go out shopping. You can get so frustrated by companies that don’t treat you like a person and take care of you. It’s so frustrating, and I want to set our company apart as the one that when you call us, you get a person on a line, and you know our name and reputation. We want our customers to tell everybody how great we are.”

they’re doing, and also getting the word out about what they offer.

“

ANOTHER IMPORTANT STEP IS KEEPING UP WITH THE TIMES...”

“We are continuing to push the rental and see how that goes,” Kelly says. “It’s going great so far. We’re still keeping our consistent product line with our pool tables, and we’re also focusing part of our advertising on our efforts to let people know we’re not just pool tables, that we’re all these other great game tables ourselves. We want to differentiate what we have from the kind of cheap-o stuff that you find at big box stores. That what we sell is maybe a little more expensive, but it’s quality. It’s going to last as long as you want it to.”

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

Kelly says that Kinney is primed for a bright future. Low gas prices are putting more money in people’s pockets, and construction of new houses is on the rise. When people buy new homes, it means they’re buying more pool tables, and other games for recreation rooms.

When asked about plans for the future, the folks behind Kinney Billiards say they are looking to continue what

“It’s been good lately,” she says. “Sales have been good, I feel like everything is back up.”

BCAINSIDER.COM | 27

DIVERSIFYING PRODUCTS

By Keith Loria

There’s only so much room in a retail store, and with billiard tables occupying a great percentage of that space, it’s tough for a storeowner to consider adding less-popular tables, such as those for snooker, carom or Russian pyramid.

It’s almost a chicken or the egg type of scenario. Are these games not popular in the U.S. because billiard retailers aren’t doing enough to sell them, or are they not selling because they are not in demand?

Since a miniscule amount of retailers are actually trying to cater to players of these games, we may never know.

Diversifying product offerings beyond popular billiard games is something 28 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2016

that not a lot of retailers give a lot of thought to, but for those shops that are in areas where there is a clientele for such products—especially those with high immigrant populations who play the games in their home countries— owners need to think about the best way to up their sales.

“Having 20-plus years experience servicing dealers, I do not see enough volume to support taking up floor space for these categories,” says Roger Blank, director of national accounts at Brunswick Corporation. “There are ways to show what is available without putting an actual model on their floor.”

Many think that simply having a photo or catalog of these type of tables is enough, since let’s face it, these gaming tables range from 10 to 12 feet (larger than the standard pool table) so it’s not likely they will want to devote any space to them in the store. But people like to see, and be able to touch, tables they’re considering buying, so that might not be the best way to increase sales.

In Blank’s opinion, to better market these items, retailers would need to partner with either a manufacturer or a promoter to get snooker or carom on TV, otherwise it will be hit-or-miss in terms of interest.

“While Brunswick looked into the demand of snooker in the past few years, the U.S. demand for the game

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and associated products is just too low to put resources into it,” Blank says.

larger crowds at major conferences and expos than ever before.”

A CASE FOR 3-CUSHION

For more than 16 years Frankel’s publication has been the leading voice of the cue sports in America, and the only publication devoted to promoting both pocket and carom billiards.

Paul Frankel, publisher of ProfessorQ-Ball and 3-Cushion Billiard News, is one of the leading authorities of 3-cushion in North America. He notes that there are more pool, snooker and carom players in the states and Canada than at any other time in history.

“Snooker is up-and-coming in the Americas with a big push now in Canada,” he says. “Carom is exploding in Asia, and the Korean and Vietnamese communities throughout the U.S. reflect that interest. There are more pool tournaments with larger prizes, more pocket billiard league play and

30 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2016

“We advertise all the latest products and feature articles and information that help gamers stay on top of the latest trends,” he says.

the market. Players are always looking for the next great thing, and the manufacturers continue to respond.”

Smart retailers who recognize the early signals of these games need to stock and sell the new and popular items in order to get in early and catch the upward trend. Building a reputation of having the latest products fosters loyalty and repeat customers.

From what he’s seen of late, more manufacturers in different segments have entered these diverse markets and have introduced new and competitive products.

As the exclusive representative of table manufacturer Gabriels of the Netherlands in Europe, Frankel’s company sells all of its tables through trade shows, major events, its website and word of mouth.

“New tables, cloth, cues and other accessories are available from businesses all around the world,” Frankel says.

“Innovative designs and new products have been introduced and embraced by

“Since the trend for niche retailers is to promote through event marketing coupled with online sales, the best opportunities for organizations and retailers is to mutually support each

other in furtherance of the sport with a combination of live event demonstration coupled with magazine and Internet advertising,” he says.

Bob Jewett, a PBIA Instructor, has a good understanding of the health of cue sports in the U.S., but hasn’t seen a strong demand with either carom or snooker of late.

Mazin Shooni, interim president of USBA (the 3-Cushion Carom Association of USA) and president of Amazin Billiards, holds the record for the USBA National Championship tournament high run and best game.

“I’ve been an official for both carom and snooker and unfortunately, both seem to be in something of a holding pattern,” he says. “Most of the players these days are largely recent immigrants and that’s where any growth is going to begin.”

According to Shooni, the trend in 3-cushion billiards in this country is and has been one of peaks and valleys for the past 20 years. Just when the fraternity seems to be growing there’ll be a lull in tournament play. That said, he and the rest of the USBA board is determined to not only keep the game going but keep it growing.

These expats do need tables and equipment, however, and Jewett would like to see more retailers promoting these sorts of games. After all, both snooker and carom continue to have national championships, and thousands of people still play both regularly.

“I have high hopes and dreams and I’ll be doing my best to bring this game to the pinnacle of where I believe it deserves to be,” he says. “If more people in this country knew of the game of 3-cushion billiards you’d see a rise in play, competition and ultimately in sales of related products. This isn’t about the money for me, this is a passion I share with thousands of players around the country. It’s something I’ll always do as long as I’m physically able and so many players carry the same motto.”

In his mind, it isn’t that people should consider buying a carom table, it’s that they would consider it if they had access to, and were involved in, the game.

That’s obviously been the case in places like Miami, San Diego, Los Angeles, Houston and New York, where carom is gaining traction among players, and is rising in popularity.

“I understand that they’re not going to want to make the huge investment of space but I think it’s still useful for them, and important to the sports, to have information about how to get a snooker or carom table,” he says. “I think manufacturers will even work with retailers to provide programs and materials that will help in sales.”

RUSSIAN PYRAMID While popular overseas, Russian pyramid has not left the impression that snooker or carom has in the U.S., although some pool halls in the states— such as Boardwalk Billiards in Brooklyn, N.Y.—will cater to their Russian population with the larger tables and the collection of 15 white-numbered balls and a red cue ball.

“It’s not always easy to find a place to play pyramid, which is why I enjoy going there,” says Stanislav Alterman,

a Boardwalk Billiards patron. “It may not be popular to many, but the table is almost always full and people are constantly coming by and watching and asking questions. Many of these people I’ll see playing later on.”

Alterman believes that if more people knew about the game, it could be just as popular as any table game.

Vision Billiards, Chicago, Illinois, is the only distributor in the U.S. and Canada that currently sells Russian pyramid tables certified by both the International Pyramid Committee and European Pyramid Committee. While a company spokesperson notes that sales have been pretty stable over the last few years, it still lags way behind the normal-sized billiard tables.

Retailers understand that buying a table is a large investment for anyone and they need to cater their products that sell best, which is why snooker, carom and Russian pyramid tables are probably not going to be featured at too many shops anytime soon.

However, a savvy retailer who still offers these tables and creates multimedia displays highlighting them (saving space in the store but still creating a “wow” factor) may find they have a whole new area to invest in. After all, once the tables are sold, cues, balls and other products will follow.

In other words, there are many different niche games and game tables out there and retailers should be encouraged to research their market’s demographics to see if there is an untapped potential waiting for them.

BCAINSIDER.COM | 31

COOK UP SOME NEW BUSINESS WITH GRILLS HOW GRILLS, OUTDOOR KITCHENS AND ACCESSORIES CAN HELP BRING NEW CUSTOMERS TO BILLIARD STORES

By Anthony Stoeckert Billiard retailers who are looking for a potential new revenue stream might find the answer right in their own backyards.

Grills, outdoor kitchen supplies, and various accessories can be a perfect complement to the billiard business because both involve home recreation and entertaining guests. A customer who’s buying a pool table (or air hockey, arcade game or shuffleboard) is likely to be enticed by grills on display in your store. Conversely, adding grills to your showroom can bring in customers who are specifically shopping for a grill.

32 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2016

That can attract non-billiard consumers to your store, and some of those are sure to take an interest in the tables and accessories you carry.

And when we say grills, we’re talking about a lot more than a hibachi or basic gas grill.

“It seems that consumers are starting to wake up to the idea that what you cook on is almost as important as what you’re cooking,” says Matt Osterman of Memphis Wood Fire Grills

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(memphisgrills.com), which cook, smoke and bake foods with natural hardwood pellets. “A lot of our customers are coming from high-end gas grills that offer convenience, but offer zero flavor to the finished product. Add in the fact that the technology being incorporated into grills (remote monitoring, etc.) is increasing exponentially and it’s a really fun time to be in the industry. I think we’re going to see pellet grills become the dominant form of grilling and smoking in the near future.”

Osterman adds that grills offer billiard retailers an opportunity to bring something new and fresh to their stores, leading to new customers, and new sales. “It makes a lot of sense when you consider the consumer demographics are virtually the same,” he says.

and distributes grills and other outdoor kitchen products throughout the country, notes that one reason billiards and grills go together is the social component.

“

CONSUMERS ARE USING THEIR GRILLS AND SMOKERS IN EXTREMELY INVENTIVE WAYS."

GRILLS AND BILLIARDS, PERFECT TOGETHER

“Billiards isn’t a one-person game,” Stepanyan says. “You’re entertaining, hanging out with friends and family, having a couple of beers and having a good time. It’s a natural fit. If somebody has an outdoor kitchen that’s right next door to an indoor playroom and they connect, it all ties together. When you barbecue, when you play pool, you’re with friends and family.”

People in the grill business are quick to point out that billiards and grills go hand-in-hand, and are ready to work together.

Osterman agrees that billiards and barbecues are made for each other.

“We believe there’s a huge opportunity for billiard retailers to freshen their assortment and add sales that fall through the door,” Osterman says.

“Food and fun go hand in hand, right? Plus if someone is looking to offer the premiere entertaining experience at their home, it only makes sense that these two industries cross-pollinate,” he says. “There’s also a really nice counterseasonal benefit that works for a lot of our billiard and leisure partners.”

Henrik Stepanyan, CEO of Barbecues Galore (bbqgalore. com), which has 20 stores in California, Arizona and Texas,

BCAINSIDER.COM | 33

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LEFT & BELOW: Barbeques Galore

SURVIVING THE RECESSION The grill business is one that has proven to withstand—or even thrive—during the recession.

That’s because of the “stay-cation” trend, defined by elaborate outdoor kitchens and living spaces.

The spaces include such amenities as full bars, kitchen islands, pizza ovens, sofas, televisions, refrigerators, just about anything you can find inside the home in a model designed for outdoor use.

During the recession, a lot of homeowners, instead of spending money on trips, invested in their backyards because they offer a space to relax all year long, and because the onetime expenditure was more cost-effective than going on costly trips once or more each year. Also adding an outdoor space has the potential of being a wise investment as it can increase a home’s value.

“People said to themselves, ‘I’m going to stay home, and I’m not going to go on vacation,’” says Frank Mello, vice president of sales and marketing for Bull Outdoor Products (bullbbq. com). “I’m going to do something that will still allow me to have a great time with my friends and family in my backyard.

That’s led to a lot of business for us.”

Stepanyan says outdoor kitchens have been hot for a while, but have really taken off recently.

“We’ve been doing it for many years because that’s our business, but we’ve seen more in the last few years with people getting more extravagant,” he says. “Those extravagances can even include an ice maker, a Kegerator (a refrigerator for a keg to keep drinks fresh and carbonated), fire pits, fireplaces, or a dishwasher.”

The trend, he says, started increasing about five years ago, and has gotten even bigger over the past three years. He adds that people are spending upwards of $20,000 to $30,000.

“It makes the whole backyard an oasis,” he says.

FITTING THE FOODIE TREND Another factor in the growth of these grills is America’s love of cooking. A barbecue party these days can mean all sorts of food beyond the usual backyard fare.

36 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2016

“I think with the explosion of Food Network and all the barbecue shows, they have gone away from throwing a burger or hot dog on the grill,” Stepanyan says. “It’s more about, let me show you what I can do.”

Osterman says the growth of the grill industry can be tied to two sources: the foodie culture and advances in technology.

“Consumers are so much more sophisticated these days when it comes to flavor, and the old ‘overcook your burgers on a cheap gas grill’ just doesn’t cut it anymore,” he says.

“Consumers are using their grills and smokers in extremely inventive ways, all in the effort to increase flavor. Woodburning grills and smokers have been around forever, but it’s only recently that the technology has been perfected to make it incredibly easy, convenient, and nearly labor free.”

Jodi Burson is the director of brand enhancement for the Big Green Egg (biggreenegg.com), a ceramic cooking system for cooking, baking, grilling, stewing, and smoking. Burson says it can be used to cook meals that fit the foodie craze.

“People are very passionate about the versatility of the Egg and the quality of the Egg,” Burson says. “Dealers are appreciative of the quality because it’s such an easy product for them to carry because there are so few issues with them. Consumers love them because it’s so easy to use.”

She adds that ease of use applies to novice cooks. With going in a draft door at the bottom, and out of a cap at the top, cooks control the cooking temperature by controlling the airflow. If someone wants to cook something at 600 degrees, the vent cap would be left open wider than if someone wants to slow cook something for 12 to 13 hours where the cap would be more closed.

SELLING MORE THAN THE GRILLS When you expand your business to include grills, you also create the opportunity to add supplies and accessories.

Burson notes that the fuel source for Big Green Egg is natural lump coal as opposed to briquettes. She says the coal is all-natural with no chemicals and doesn’t use lighter fluid. It also doesn’t ash away the way briquettes do.

“When you’re done cooking, you shut off the airflow, and the

Mello has seen some success in working with billiard retailers.

He says Bull has had one of its customers, a large store in the Midwest that has been selling billiard tables, for a long time.

“They have a huge setup in each of their stores,” Mello says.

“What I’ve heard from them is that their billiard business has gone down, and the outdoor kitchen business is becoming a big part of their total offering.”

fire goes out and you use the charcoal later,” Burson says. “It’s very fuel efficient, you just top of the charcoal the next time you cook. It’s very easy to use.”

He adds that while people can get elaborate setups that cost tens of thousands of dollars, the outdoor kitchen concept isn’t only for the rich or the upper middle class.

“People can get an outdoor kitchen with a grill, fridge, side burner and counter space for $4,000,” he says.

In addition to being a fuel source, that charcoal also is a source for revenue. In addition to selling grills, your store can offer supplies beyond grills themselves.

And as the outdoor kitchen concept continues to grow, so will your grill business, as more models and accessories become available.

“A big part of their business is the accessories and the charcoal,” Burson says. “They’re crazy not to carry the full line because people come back to the store for all those tools. And once someone starts cooking on the Egg, they get hooked, and they want to try to make paella, so they need the paella pan, and they need the baking stone for pizza, the rib rack for ribs. All these different toys, basically, to go along with the Egg.”

“I think the correlation is incredibly strong, especially when you’re talking about high-end grills and smokers,” Osterman says. “If a family is investing in a really nice outdoor kitchen, it only makes sense that they match it with a high-quality grill. Memphis also makes a built-in model, which has been immensely popular with new outdoor kitchen builds as it offers a sleek, seamless look, without sacrificing any of the bells, whistles, or horsepower.”

In fact, if you see success with grills, you might want to consider other aspects of the outdoor living space craze.

Mello says his company can help get your store into the outdoor kitchen business.

“We are one of the only manufacturers in the country that builds the actual kitchens and we’ll deliver them to dealers, or to homeowners, and we manufacture the equipment that goes in those kitchens as well — the grills, the doors, the drawers the side burners and all that stuff, and we’ve been doing it for 23 years,” he says.

TEAMING UP WITH BILLIARD STORES Billiard stores across the country are seeing the benefits of adding grills and accessories to their showrooms.

“We have a dozen or so billiard stores across the country that are carrying the grills and it’s actually the fastest-growing segment of all our dealer sub-categories,” Osterman says.

“Feedback has been phenomenal thus far. The dealers love how easy it is to work with us and how we help push a whole new audience through their doors.”

38 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2016

Stepanyan says that customers in billiard stores are also people looking for other things for the house, and that Barbecues Galore can help retailers find the right offerings that would sell in a store.

“If there’s somebody in there looking for something for the house, for the backyard or the inside, or they could be buying an outdoor table, we can come with the experience for each market about what kind of grill would sell and what the customer base is,” he says. “We can go into that store and together we can come up with a nice lineup for them to offer.”

And he’s seen first-hand evidence that billiards and barbecues share a customer base.

“We’ve had customers who have asked if we carry any kind of outdoor gaming, whether it’s RIGHT & ABOVE: Big Green Egg

billiards or air hockey, anything for an outdoor playroom.”

He adds that he’s met billiard store owners at trade shows who ask about grills, and people in other home recreation businesses (such as the pool and spa industry) who inquire about pool tables.

“

...THE OUTDOOR KITCHEN CONCEPT ISN’T ONLY FOR THE RICH OR THE UPPER MIDDLE CLASS.”

“With more and more people using their backyard as their stay-cation place,” he says, “they are investing more in their backyard, whether it’s the pool or a barbecue island or an outdoor game room. There’s definitely an opportunity.”

ER ST Y! I G A R E TO D

U RG /SCHAUMB O G A IC H C CE R RENAIS SAN ION CENTE T N E V N O C H OT E L A N D 5, 2016 JULY 13 - 1

BCA

Billiard & Home Leisure Expo

Mello says the demand for grills isn’t going away.

“The outdoor kitchen and barbecuing is not a fad, it’s not a trend that’s going to fizzle out and go away. So building a solid business in the category is a smart thing long term.”

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BCAINSIDER.COM | 39

THE POWER OF BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS

By Alexia P. Bullard Blogs have been around for years, but very few billiard retailers have utilized this powerful approach to increasing website traffic. Most businesses operate under the assumption that search engine optimization (commonly referred to as “SEO”) is all they need to boost their online presence. While SEO does play a key role in online marketing, blogging for your business is an important, cost-effective way to engage potential customers and maintain customer loyalty.

Blogging provides solutions to issues many billiard retailers face:

LIMITED BUDGET Because it is so cost-effective, blogging gives you the most bang for your proverbial marketing buck. Hiring a freelance writer to deliver quality, value-driven blog posts will generate content your business needs to get those outbound links that are so important for search engine optimization. This regular updating of your blog causes your website to change, which means your page will be crawled over and over to note those changes. This will bring your business more traffic and, ultimately, more links. By sharing your blog throughout your social media networks, and putting those streams on your site, your content will change even more. Social media will expose your business to a new audience.With just a couple of clicks, your message is regularly shown to thousands—if not millions—of people.

WANTING TO STAND APART FROM COMPETITION Blogging will establish your authority, setting you apart from other businesses within the billiard retail industry.

Having a blog that provides answers to customers’ questions and common problems will demonstrate your business’ knowledge and value. Billiard enthusiasts love learning new tips and tricks to help them improve their game. If you write useful, informative posts (or opt to hire a freelance writer), customers and prospects will read those posts and pass them on.When you pair this authority with the increased traffic and 40 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2016

leads that comes from blogging, it becomes clear blogging is a powerful marketing strategy.

NOT BEING TECH-SAVVY Maintaining a blog doesn’t always require a lot of technical know-how. It’s actually easier than it seems, provided you are offering quality content. This content can consist of anything: regular written content, podcasts, videos, photos, eBooks, digital pamphlets, case studies, white papers, press releases, news updates (sales, promotions, new inventory, etc.), and more.

CUSTOMER ENGAGEMENT Blogging creates a personal connection with your customers, allowing them to get to know your business from the comfort of their own home or when they are on the go. Since you are a source for the information they need, customers will be far more likely to trust your brand. Consumers like to be informed about their purchases, and they will appreciate the fact that their favorite billiard retailer is providing them with the information and guidance they need to make those decisions.

STRONGER ONLINE PRESENCE Regularly updating and maintaining a blog—especially one that uses a domain that is the same name as your business— will increase your online presence. The more your site is updated, the more search engines crawl your site to make note of those changes.The more content you produce and promote, the more it will spread across various social media networks, thereby increasing the number of people who will see it.

Blogging can take some time, since it does take commitment (you need to provide quality content at least once a week).

However, blogs increase your business’ online presence, providing a way to interact with your clientele, brings in new customers, and helps promote your product and services for low cost, or even free. So, now all you have to do is get started!

Photo Credit: All photos by Randy Sartin

GAME ON

GAMES & THINGS OWNER LISA MELLON’S CHARITY FUNDRAISER HELPS BRING BRAND AWARENESS TO HER STORE, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY HELPS PATIENTS IN NEED

By Joe Dyton If you’re ever looking for an example of someone who took a bad situation and turned it into something super positive, look no further than Games & Things owner Lisa Mellon.

Twelve years ago, Mellon suffered a stroke that was brought on by the autoimmune disease lupus. Other health issues landed her in the Thompson Cancer Survival Center in Knoxville, Tennessee, where she got to talk to other patients who had cancer or autoimmune diseases, too. Spending six to eight hours at a time in an infusion chair, Mellon became very close to her fellow patients and was impressed with everyone’s upbeat attitude.

42 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2016

“We’d sit around and talk about normal things,” Mellon says. “We didn’t say, ‘Oh poor me.’ There wasn’t a lot of gloom and doom; everyone talked about their families and what they were going to do for the day when they got out of there.

It gave me a whole different perspective, and that drove me to help them.

“I went to my oncology doctor, Daniel Ibach, and I asked, ‘What if we had a fundraiser for our patients?’ And he said, ‘I think that’s a great idea. Let me know what you’re going to do.’”

What Mellon decided to do was create the “Game On Against Cancer” fundraiser, which was held for the fifth

time back in March. She figured it was a great opportunity to not only help people, but also raise brand awareness for Games & Things. Mellon worked closely with the director of the Thompson Cancer Survival Center Foundation and they came up with the idea to host a game night at the Knoxville store.

Guests could play shuffleboard, table tennis, cornhole, blackjack, air hockey, darts, and of course, pool.

“I’m just really passionate about it because I have a lot of family that has had cancer, and friends and family that have passed with cancer,” Mellon says.

“That’s the part that hits home with me; being able to help.”

One person couldn’t take on an undertaking this large alone, and Mellon got plenty of help. Her reps from Cumulus Radio, Jeff and Sheree Jacoby, have been instrumental in getting the word out about the event every year. Promotional efforts included recorded promos, an online presence, e-blasts to their VIP database, on-air interviews and streaming public service announcements. Cumulus also did two to three remote broadcasts at the store, including one after the event. Cumulus’ sister station WIVK also provided a significant amount of advertising revenue to the cause.

Knoxville’s local ABC affiliate asked if it could be one of the sponsors, and sent some of its local personalities to the fundraiser so guests could try their hand against the celebrity of their choice at a variety of games.

“Basically I said, ‘I have this idea. What do you guys think about it?’” Mellon says. “We got all of those people behind us and things started to fall into place.

We had the billboard people, Lamar Advertising came on board, many local businesses did cash sponsorships at various levels, then the papers, so it’s grown pretty well.”

The awareness of the event is not the only thing that’s grown over the last five years; the money raised has, too. According to Mellon, in its inaugural year, “Game On Against Cancer” raised about $36,000. That figure has grown every year since: $42,000 in 2013, $47,000 in 2014 and $72,000 last year. The 2016

44 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2016

“

MELLON ESTIMATES SINCE THE EVENT STARTED, MORE THAN $305,000 HAS BEEN RAISED FOR PATIENTS.”

event will be its most successful year yet, with more than $100,000 raised.

The money goes to Thompson Cares, a program that helps people in need pay for things they might not otherwise be able to afford, whether it’s gas to help them get to and from treatments, a wig for patients going through chemotherapy, utility bills or medication. The Thompson Center qualifies each patient for the financial aid he or she might need.

“I have insurance and it’s very costly, however, I have insurance, some people don’t,” Mellon says. “It’s very gratifying and I think a lot of people get a lot out of it. Something that was really cool this year is our ABC affiliate made a video and posted it online as well, building up to the event. It was comical training for the individual games the celebrities were playing the night of the event. The foundation director, along with the radio personalities and my husband and I, will do radio and TV interviews just to bring awareness to the event and the awareness to the patients.”

As for this year’s fundraiser, for $50 (presale or at the door), guests received a ticket that was good for one free play with a celebrity of their choice at any game, and a free drink token. The local

restaurant chain Calhoun’s provided numerous appetizers. Along with the games, there was a silent auction with a lot of sports memorabilia like signed footballs, basketballs, and gear from nearby University of Tennessee. Mellon also saw a few professional athletes and coaches stop in who were willing to take part in the festivities.

Other items that were up for auction were a Big Green Egg grill from Hearth and Patio, and trips to Harrah’s Casino.

A former employee of Mellon’s has a daughter who sells Girl Scout cookies.

So every year, Mellon buys a basket and lets her and her troop decorate the basket and stuff it with cookies as another auction item. Mellon estimates the silent auction helped bring in $21,000 this year.

“The fact that people feel they can hobnob with some of the celebrities, and then both mayors come (city and county) and they’ve been involved almost ever year is fantastic,” Mellon says. “That’s what is so interesting; how the community comes together and helps raise this money.”

With the amount of success Mellon has seen her store have, she’s encouraging other retailers and businesses to do something similar. Starting an event

like “Game On Against Cancer” begins with finding your passion, according to Mellon. She suggests finding an organization or non-profit that’s close to your heart; it could be a local food bank, church, children’s hospital, Boys and Girls Club or a cancer treatment center in your area. Once you meet with the organization, you can get a feel for what their needs are.

Along with passion, you’ll need patience, too.

“It took approximately a year and half of planning before we got ‘Game On 2012’ as an official event in Knoxville,” Mellon says. “This is why it should be a passion, because you’ll want to take the time to partner with the right media groups in your market. Radio, TV, cable, newspapers, magazines and billboards can all be great assets in your market.”

Retailers will also need a hand from vendors and volunteers.Vendors can go a long way in getting things to auction off. Games & Things has benefited from the generosity of Olhausen Billiards and Brunswick, both of whom donated air hockey and ping-pong tables, as well as local sports radio host Jeff Jacoby, who used his collegiate and pro sports connections to get sports memorabilia for the silent auction.

Mellon adds that an event this big can’t be done without volunteers. “Game On Against Cancer” had close to 80 volunteers helping with the event, taking care of such duties as selling

tickets at the door, cleaning up, dealing cards, and keeping track of all of the games and winners. It takes a lot of work and planning to hold an event like this, but it’s worth it at the end.

“It’s a really good thing, and anybody can do this,” Mellon says. “You just have to have the right media people and sponsors with a great committee behind you. I think it’s been a bit overwhelming for me because I’m a patient myself, but at the same time, (being a patient) allowed me to see people who really need the help.”

Of course, the big benefit of doing a fundraiser is helping others. The secondary benefit is big too though; raising brand awareness for your store.

It’s certainly played a significant role in letting more people know about Games & Things.

“Game On exposes past customers, potential customers, medical professionals, and many businesses and other professionals to our fun store,” Mellon says. “What a cool way to show everyone what your store’s all about and help people raise money at the same time! There’s an increase of loyalty to the vendors that get behind your passion for helping others.”

With “Game On Against Cancer” reaching the six-figure mark in fundraising dollars this year, it’s probably a safe bet this event will continue to go on for a long time. In its brief existence, it’s been a winner for everyone: the community loves it, it brings more people to Games

& Things, and most importantly, it helps raise money for patients in need. In fact, in just five years “Game On Against Cancer” will have helped more than 800 local and surrounding counties’ patients with housing, transportation, insurance, medication, medical supplies and more to let them continue to receive treatments. Mellon estimates since the event started, more than $305,000 has been raised for patients.

The event has gotten so big that Mellon’s even considered moving it to another location, but the hope is to keep it on premises so guests can see what Games & Things can offer them for their homes—game rooms in particular.

“I think it’s turned out to be a really great thing for the patients and there is a plus, it does expose our store to people that haven’t been here before, but that’s not the motivation behind it,” Mellon says. “The motivation is to actually help the patients.”

Mellon adds that any billiard dealer that wants to be part of their community can do something similar, on a big or large scale.

“Even room operators, they can have a tournament to raise money for a great cause,” she says. “I would think any dealer could pick their own thing; they could help the Boys and Girls Club.

This day and time, everybody is so stretched for money and dollars. Any type of organization that any billiard dealer can connect themselves with, I think would be awesome.”

BCAINSIDER.COM | 45

THE ATLANTIC CHALLENGE CUP

Team USA vs. Team Europe  July 8-11 2016  Chicago, Illinois Contact the Billiard Congress of America for Details

COMING NEXT ISSUE...

6

BCA EXPO PREVIEW THE ATLANTIC CHALLENGE CUP *SPECIAL THANKS TO KIM MORRISON-HEACOCK OF INTERNATIONAL BILLIARDS IN HOUSTON FOR SHARING A DAY IN HER LIFE

46 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2016

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THE RETAILERS SPEAK Each edition BCA Insider will pose a question to BCA members to get their insights on trends and issues affecting the industry.

Q

HOW DO YOU ENSURE YOUR STAFF IS EDUCATED AND READY FOR CUSTOMERS’ QUESTIONS?

A SHANE BOUCHARD

Maine Home Recreation, Lewiston, Maine

“We read all of the catalogs and manuals, attend trade shows like the BCA Expo and test our own knowledge regularly. One of the most important things we do is research brands we do not sell on the Internet, as knowing our competition’s product is just as important as knowing our own. Being able to speak about a competitor’s product really helps highlight differences without being negative. We often hear from customers that we told them more about a certain product than our competition did. And it’s their product! People get very comfortable when it is obvious that you know your stuff.”

A STEVE ORNER

Orner Billiards, Indianapolis, Indiana

“We are all family here, so everyone has been around the business for a long time, and know and understand the products we sell. The warehouse guys and our installers have also been around the business a long time. When anything new does come in, we go over how it’s made, where it comes from and all its benefits. It’s important that all employees have the answers, which is why if we change manufacturers or add new products, we make sure everyone knows.”

48 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2016

A ALBERT TRUJILLO

Fort Worth Billiard Supply, Fort Worth, Texas

“It’s crucial to make sure your employees have the knowledge and experience to educate the consumer, whether it’s knowing the difference of a $45 versus $200 set of pool balls or knowing what’s the difference between a layered tip versus a solid lather tip. Preparing and educating your employees could be the difference of winning the customer over and keeping them for life. My first hires start in the back (receiving dept.) and work their way to the front in sales.

This allows the employee to observe the products coming into the store first-hand. It is imperative to learn the product before you release an employee to the sales floor. I personally spend 50 hours a week at my store and work directly with my customers, so all employees see my demeanor, presentation and sales tactics.”

A DON & JUDY KUCERA

Cedar Rapids Billiards, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

“We have been educated by hands-on experience, reading articles, calling other people in our industry and attending the BCA Expo. We may not always have all the answers for our customers’ questions, but we know who to contact to give our customer an answer.”

If you’d like to be part of next issue’s The Retailer Speaks survey, please send a reply to the following question to billiardskeith@gmail.com by June 1.

Q

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO PREPARE FOR THIS YEAR’S BCA EXPO?