BCA Insider - 2017 Spring Edition

Spring Issue | May 2017

HIT A BULL’S EYE WITH DARTS

THE ART OF UPSELLING SUCCEEDING AT TRADE SHOWS BCA Insider – A BCA Member Publication Dedicated to Businesses in the Billiard and Home Leisure Industry

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Francis Edward

SUCCEEDING AT TRADE SHOWS

8 Anthony Stoeckert

HIT A BULL’S EYE WITH DARTS

14 Joe Dyton

THE ART OF THE UPSELL

22 2 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2017

IN THIS ISSUE 28 36 40 46 48

Member Profile: Fort Worth Billiards Al Williams Advice to Improve Sales BCA Staff The Family Business Keith Loria Is Your Billiard Business Social?

Lynn Switanowski-Barrett Get The Most Out Of SMS Marketing Ramon Mejia

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

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Joe Dyton Francis Edward Keith Loria Ramon Mejia Anthony Stoeckert Lynn Switanowski-Barrett Al Williams

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 Chance Pack, Champion Shuffleboard/ Connelly Billiards/Valley-Dynamo

The mission of the Billiard Congress of America is to enhance the success of our members and promote the game of billiards. Following this overarching statement provides a roadmap for our board of directors and staff as we look toward opportunities to better our association and promote the industry. I’d like to take this opportunity to highlight some aspects of the BCA that may be unfamiliar to you.

This year is the 25th anniversary of the Professional Billiard Instructors Association (formerly called the BCA Instructors Program).We are very proud that we have seen tremendous growth in the number of new instructors over the past five years. To celebrate this silver anniversary, all instructors are invited to the BCA Expo for a special celebration.

This is also the 51st year of the Billiard Congress of America Hall of Fame. Considered the most prestigious hall of fame in the industry, the cost the BCA endures for the banquet and permanent inductee gifts is well worth the expense for the history we help preserve.

This is also our 30th year as the North American representative to the World PoolBilliard Association. As such, we select the players to compete in WPA World Championships, as well as this year’s World Games in Wroclaw, Poland. The selection process is something we take very seriously as we want to send the best American players to represent our country.

Three years ago, we partnered with the European Pocket Billiard Federation to create the Atlantic Challenge Cup. This event provides top junior players from both Europe and America an additional opportunity to showcase their talent. This year, the event will be held in Austria and we will look to bring the Cup home to America.

So, while you may not be familiar with all our initiatives, don’t feel bad as we know you have a business to run. But, know that we are working every day to deliver on our mission. We hope you enjoy this edition of BCA Insider, and sincerely hope we see you this August in Las Vegas for the 34th annual BCA Billiard and Home Leisure Expo.

VICE-CHAIRMAN Ivan Lee, Iwan Simonis

SECRETARY Jonathan Goudeau, Indoor Recreation

TREASURER Brian Rosselli, Olhausen Mfg

BOARD MEMBERS Wes Bond, Cue & Case Sales Kim Morrison-Heacock, International Billiards Brian Igielski, GLD Products Ozzy Reynolds, Cuesports International Michael Serra, Championship Cloth

4 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2017

SHANE TYREE,

MEMBERSHIP MANAGER BCA Insider is published by Billiard Congress of America © 2017 bcainsider.com

SUCCEEDING AT TRADE SHOWS

By Francis Edward

They’re a huge investment. They’re a big opportunity, a creative challenge, a fatiguing endeavor, a social engagement and – if you want to become or remain a key player in the billiard industry – a necessity.

Trade shows, including the upcoming BCA Billiard & Home Leisure Expo (Aug. 2-4 at the South Point Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas), are vital for business. But to do them right, and make the most of your investment, you’ve got to plan, work the show with energy and focus, and follow through.

“At a trade show, you have two objectives: generating new business and being visible within your industry,” says Christine Hilgert, vice president of Meeting Expectations in Atlanta. “You want to be available to current clients and to prospects.”

And you want to have some fun while doing it.

Here are 14 tips for trade-show success from Hilgert:

1. LOOK FOR MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES IN ADVANCE Many trade shows offer you opportunities – paid ones, of course – to stand out. These include pre-mailings, web banners, extra signage at the show, and the opportunity to sponsor or host a session or social hour. Depending on your budget and goals for the show, these may be a good investment.

8 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2017

2. INVEST IN YOUR DISPLAY And not just financially. Designing a booth can be crazily expensive; you can hire display companies that will charge tens of thousands to create an elaborate, enticing, and easily packed 10-by-10-foot booth.

If you can afford that, do it.

But if not, get creative.

Ask yourself: How can you draw people? Do you want an open design where people walk in? What is the flow of your booth? What information will people see first? What comes after that? How do you “close” the deal – whether that closing is actually selling a product, or simply capturing the prospect’s information to follow up later?

3. KNOW THE FINE PRINT Every event is different on this, but at many trade events, your rental fee gets you only the space on the floor – and nothing else. At other shows, you may get a table and backdrop – but anything else, from electricity to carpeting to lighting, you have to order. Plan ahead on this, and be sure to double check the details.

If you are indeed filling in the parts by ordering backdrops and lighting and flooring, be creative.

“

YOUR SALES OPPORTUNITY EXTENDS BEYOND 10-BY-10 SPACE ON THE FLOOR.”

Hilgert, for example, has seen an artsy replacement for rugs.

“A cool thing now is chalk art,” she says. “Some people don’t even get carpet.”

Make a detailed list heading into the event of prospects to meet, as well as competitors to check out and potential partners to scout. Decide who on your staff will be responsible for each.

4. ENTICE CUSTOMERS WITH GIVEAWAYS

6. TRAIN YOUR STAFF

Here’s where you can get creative: People love giveaways, so what can you give them that will imprint your company in their mind? Product samples, when possible, are always good. So are always-useful items, like flash drives and notepads (the latter of which is a fairly affordable choice if you’re on a budget).

But think, too, in terms of senses: What can you give prospective customers that will hit more than their eyes?

Tactile gifts like stress balls may do the trick. So can scented products, like room sprays.

Or, in a nod to the long and grueling days of a trade fair, provide food and drink. Think coffee and pastries in the morning; or beer or wine and appetizers in the afternoon or evening.

5. CREATE A GAME PLAN Most trade shows will provide a list of exhibitors and attendees, often in advance. This list contains gold, so dig deep: Who do you know? Who do you want to know? Who are your competitors? Who could you potentially collaborate with in the future?

If you have a skilled, experienced team of outside salespeople, you may be able to skip this step. Or, if your team is loaded with extroverted people who are naturally curious and good listeners, you can get away without this one, too.

If that’s you, consider yourself lucky.

But most company leaders need to train their trade-show staff on effective methods for working the floor – especially if those workers have never done it before.

“Managing the floor is not rocket science, but it’s also not that easy,” Hilgert says. “You’re basically creating your storefront for three or four days. If you’re going to put that on someone who’s never done it before, you’re putting a lot on them.”

Some pointers: When someone comes to your booth and stops to look at your offerings, introduce yourself and ask their name. Then, use their first name when addressing them. This personalizes the encounter and shows that you’re interested.

Ask the visitor questions: What is his or her business? What else have they done at the show that’s interesting? What are BCAINSIDER.COM | 9

they looking for? If your products can address their needs, steer the conversation in that direction.

7. MEET YOUR CURRENT CLIENTS Putting your current customers first is a steadfast, year-round rule of business – and it applies at trade shows, too. Make sure to connect with your clients and deepen the relationships.

8. CONNECT WITH INDUSTRY VIPS Trade shows are a gathering place for the top people in the industry: CEOs, buyers, designers, pro players and more.

Be sure to connect with them – they come to these events to network.

9. GENERATE A RANKED LIST OF PROSPECTS Trade shows offer a prime opportunity to expand your business. Cull through the list of participants to determine whom your best prospects are. Be sure to rank them, too.

When a top prospect visits your booth, you want to be sure he or she gets the full attention of whomever is working.

10 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2017

10. STAFF YOUR BOOTH STRATEGICALLY Trade-show days are enormously long – often 12 hours or more. Which means fatigue will kick in on your staff if you don’t give them ample breaks. Plan the schedule ahead, giving your team members time not only to work the booth, but also peruse the floor, attend sessions, and of course give them ample breaks to keep their energy – and interest – high.

11. HAVE A NO-PHONES RULE FOR WORKERS AT YOUR BOOTH Imagine this:You’re walking the floor of a trade show. A booth captures your attention. The display is vibrant and open; the product is interesting.You wander over, skim the signage, eye the product. Meanwhile, the worker in the booth has his head down, eyes and thumbs locked on his phone. He doesn’t even know you’re there. Soon, you’re not there. Why stick around when the staff doesn’t care?

“The biggest problem I see now at shows is the phones,” Hilgert says. “You walk by and people are looking at their phones rather than engaging. It’s such a distractor.”

12. ATTEND SESSIONS Trade shows extend beyond the exhibition floor. They also include keynotes, seminars and other informative sessions. Attend these, ask questions – or, if you’re able, participate on a panel.

“Your sales opportunity extends beyond the 10-by-10 space on the floor,” Hilgert says. “Sit in on some sessions and hear what topics are about, hear people ask questions and approach them afterwards.”

13. GET SOCIAL Work isn’t done when the trade-show day ends. Chatting at the bar, over dinner or – depending on the location – heading to a casino, sporting event or show are all part of the scene.

“You’re there for a few days – make the most of it,” Hilgert says. “It’s a huge investment to fly people there and book hotels for a few days. These are the things that can translate into a quicker sales pipeline.”

14. IT’S NOT OVER WHEN IT’S OVER Directly after the show – meaning as soon as you get home – solidify your new connections. Send thank-you emails and – even better – handwritten notes, especially to your top prospects. Find them on LinkedIn and Twitter, and if you feel it appropriate, other social networks like Facebook.

HOW TO CAPTIVATE In his book Captivology:The Science of Capturing People’s Attention, author Ben Parr identifies seven “triggers” that capture our attention and keep it. Here’s how to apply them to a trade show:

AUTOMATICITY

Parr describes this as how we react to stimuli like sights and sounds. Each of the triggers that follow play into this, so view automaticity as a guide to designing or improving your trade booth display: How can you use visuals and, if possible, sound and the other sense to create an enticing, memorable atmosphere in your 10-by-10-foot area?

FRAMING

How does your business or product differ from your competitors? How does your brand stand out? Is it quality? Service? History? Affordability? Whatever the hallmark of your brand is, make sure it’s immediately apparent at your booth.

REPUTATION

What makes you reliable or noteworthy? Are you the largest? Best? Oldest? Have you been recognized by an outside entity? What do your customers say?

Incorporate testimonials, distinctions and awards into your booth presentation.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The obvious strategy is simple: When people visit your booth, talk to them. Ask them questions. Listen to them and learn what they want before you start talking about how great your product or business is.

Beyond that, though, get them involved: Have them try a product, leave feedback, or interact in some other way. Make them feel involved.

BCAINSIDER.COM | 11

What Happens In Vegas?

South Point Casino, Hotel & Convention Center

BCA

Billiard & Home Leisure Expo

Viva Las Vegas!

August 2–4, 2017 bcaexpo.com

HIT A BULL’S EYE WITH DARTS

By Anthony Stoeckert

Peanut butter and jelly, Bert and Ernie, Abbot and Costello… billiards and darts!

The two classic games go together perfectly, and billiard retailers who want to bring in new customers, and also offer something new to their regulars, should start looking into adding darts to their store’s offerings.

“Darts and billiards have long been bedfellows,” says Brian Igielski of GDL Products in Muskego, Wisconsin. “Fans of either will find them together in taverns and pool halls around the world. Billiard retailers are well served to carry darts and dartboards.”

Terri Balderama, of the Bottelsen Dart Company, says darts has wide appeal because it’s both a family game, and one played by adults in bars. It also appeals to people around the world.

“Darts, like billiards, is both a wholesome family game as well as a game played in bars and taverns, and can therefore appeal to a wide audience that includes both genders and all ages,” Balderama says.

It’s also a game that can bring the family together, and can even make players smarter.

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“Like billiards, retailers can point out that darts is an ‘un-video’ game,” Balderama says. “As such, it is capable of prying young people and adults away from their digital screens to join in with family and friends in a three-dimensional game that improves hand-eye coordination and math skills (one must be able to add quickly in one’s head to play smart) and is social in an important way that is being lost in a digital age.”

But while darts may look like a simple game, adding darts to your line will take some work and effort.

THE PERFECT FIT Todd Murdoch is the marketing manager of Shot!, a New Zealand-based company. Shot! got into the dart business in 1970.

“Driven to try new things, we set out to make the game of darts more accessible, accurate and fun,” Murdoch says.

“Running almost as soon as we could walk, we started designing products with a distinct difference, like the world’s first bladed dartboard. Nowadays a lot of our energy goes into creating the perfect dart.”

Sinister Soft-Tip Darts by GLD Products

He says that darts are an ideal item for billiard retailers.

“It’s as simple as when consumers think about creating their game room or den, they typically think of creating a space where they can relax with family and friends,” he says. “So, in order to offer a total solution, darts shouldn’t be looked over.”

of fulfilling consumers’ dreams. A knowledgeable retailer can help the consumer create their home game room with all the accoutrements they need and wish for.”

WHAT’S HOT IN DARTS

GLD Products started as Great Lake Darts, and has been in the business since the early 1980s. It has a reputation for selling quality products at competitive prices, and its base includes online retailers, big-box sporting goods stores, specialty retailers and premium incentive groups.

Murdoch says Shot!’s Bandit board is a perennial top seller.

The company offers a variety of products, including steeltip and soft-tip darts, dartboards, replacement parts, billiard cues and accessories, and home casino equipment. It also offers dominoes, chess, checkers, backgammon, cribbage boards, and miniature versions of foosball, air hockey, pocket billiards and bag toss.

When it comes to the latest in darts, Murdoch says softtip darts, which are made of plastic as opposed to steel, are growing in popularity.

“Dartboards and pool tables have become the backbone of the ‘man cave,’” Igielski says. “Our products offer good margins and promote foot traffic for the retailer as well.

Successful retailers know they need to diversify, and darts is a positive way to build a ticket. Retailers have the privilege

“(It’s) known as the standard by which all others are measured, and after 20 years arguably remains the finest and longestlasting bristle board on the market still today,” he says.

“Without a doubt the biggest growth we have seen in darts in the past while is the growth of soft-tip darts,” he says. “It’s a format of the game that lends itself to new players coming into darts and captures the youth.”

Balderama says Bottelsen focuses on accurate, precisiontooled darts of the highest American-made quality, with all of its darts manufactured in Santa Maria, California. “We BCAINSIDER.COM | 15

are recognized for our professional-level quality even in our more affordable darts, and our knurls are considered the best in the industry,” she says.

The company’s flagship product is its Hammer Head No Bounce dart, invented by Walt Bottelsen to solve bounce outs.

In 1976, Walt was competing in an exhibition tournament in Santa Barbara with world champion Allen Evans. In the final round, three bounced darts cost him the match. He then set out to design a dart that would not bounce out.

“Offered in a wide variety of styles and weights, the Hammer Head is still considered by many to be the gold standard of quality and functionality in professional darts,” Balderama says. “And this is despite the many moveable point darts that have entered the market since Mr. Bottelsen introduced the concept to the darting world in 1976, and the newer generation dartboards with thinner wires that have been designed, but unfortunately fail, to eliminate bounce outs.”

Balderama adds that Bottelsen avoids fads like flamboyant knur designs, or outrageous-looking flights that don’t help with accuracy. Instead it focuses on elements of darts that can improve game play.

“Our focus is always on precision, accuracy and quality,” Balderama says. “Recently, Walt Bottelsen introduced the SharkSkins sandpaper grip, which is unique in the industry and is becoming quite popular because it vastly improves the sureness of grip. We have added this finish to many of our best-selling darts. In addition, since we are a manufacturer, Bottelsen can offer something other vendors cannot: custom colors. Our customers can customize any style dart in our catalog with their choice of one of 10 colors, with no need to order in quantity.

We add custom color to even one set of darts.”

“Many traditional players prefer the sisal boards for steel tip darts, much like the boards you’d find in Europe,” he says.

“GLD Products manufactures some of the highest-quality sisal boards on the market, while still offering competitively priced quality sisal boards for the casual player.”

Igielski notes that soft-tip boards bring electronics to the game, which makes it fast and exciting for the whole family.

He adds that plastic tips are safer for children.

GLD’s new option is its Vtooth 1000 electronic dartboard.

“The Vtooth features Bluetooth Smart wireless technology,” Igielski says. “GLD offers a free downloadable app for Android and iOS mobile devices and smartphones, which allows you to keep score and stats remotely on your device. Create a player profile and compare stats with your friends and hone your skills as you track your own progress.”

DARTING ACCESSORIES Wesley Bond, vice president of Cue & Case, St. Augustine, Florida, has seen a big uptick in high-quality dart cabinets that could house either a bristle board or electronic softtip boards.

A PERSONAL TOUCH Similar to cue sticks, dart players have preferences for darts in terms of features and style.

“While many dart barrels are still constructed with brass, many of the higher-end darts today incorporate the use of Tungsten in their construction,” Igielski says. “Tungsten is more dense and heavier than brass, and offers the ability to create a thinner barrel while maintaining the necessary weight. Many players feel it’s a more comfortable dart to throw. It also gives the player the ability to acquire a tighter grouping of their throws.”

He adds that GLD offers dartboards for a range of customers, so whether a potential customer is a serious player, or someone who is seeking relaxing nights of social games with friends, there’s a dartboard for everyone.

16 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2017

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“We actually created two dartboard cabinets that have been doing extraordinarily well for us, because there’s really a hole in the market,” he says. “People were asking for these and we listened to our customers this past year and delivered two price points that have been successful.”

Another accessory that is selling well for Cue & Case is a dart-stop for steel-tip boards, so people can better protect their walls.

“We have a round version and an octagon version, both in upgraded, heavy-duty carpet,” he says. “They look nice in the home but also protect the wall. Wholesale, they are $36, and you can retail for $100-plus so there’s good margins for the retailer.”

INVESTING IN DART MACHINES Also on the market for home use are dart machines, which offer electronic scoring and are programmed so that they can score a variety of games.

“Many leagues and tournaments have also formed around electronic boards, which helps spur the home market,” Bond says. “The electronic boards give you the convenience of automatically scoring multiple players at once, and include many different versions of the game, including the more popular Cricket, 501 and 301.”

Bond says that people are looking for higher-quality, commercial-grade dartboards in their homes, and the Spider 360 has been a popular seller.

“This is the same unit that you’ll see in a bar and pump quarters into, but it doesn’t have the quarter mechanism for home use,” he says. “We were surprised that this has taken off so big.”

“

“It’s done extremely well,” he says. “It’s a little more expensive piece, I guess it could be in the same caliber as a really nice pool table people put in a home, or a hot tub or Jacuzzi.These retail around the $4,000 price tag, so because of that, it’s a niche marketplace, which does extremely well in the pool and spa market, and at the BCA shows.”

He adds that the machine is appealing to a variety of customers. Passionate dart players buy it because of their love of darts and recognition of the Spider/Arachnid name.

“Arachnid was the originator and innovator of soft-tip darts, prior to Arachnid, that never existed,” Beall says, adding that the machine also is being purchased by people who are putting together a game room, and others who are seeking to invest in a fun game for family and friends.

“It’s great for the avid dart player, because the dartboard plays with exactly the same sound and feel they’re used to with leagues when they’re playing in pubs and bars,” he says.

“They want that same feel, just like when you play baseball with your favorite glove, and you don’t play well without that baseball glove, it’s the same as playing on a dart machine.”

The other market is people with game rooms that feature a billiard table, pinball or air hockey table.

“On the other hand, you’ll find dart players who buy it because they simply want the piece in their house for the game room or their man cave,” says Sam Zammuto of Spider 360. “What they see in the bar, they want in their house. They want to have the best piece in the house so that the can enjoy it with their friends and family they invite over for parties.”

adds that the dart maSIMILAR TO CUE STICKS, DART He chine is free-standing, as opposed to a wall-mounted PLAYERS HAVE PREFERENCES dartboard. And with more than 17 million people playFOR DARTS...” ing darts on an annual basis, according to the National Sporting Goods Association, there is a definite demand for darts.

Chris Beall of Spider 360 in Loves Park, Illinois, which manufactures the Galaxy3 electronic dartboard for home use (the Arachnid 360 division makes coin-operated machines for commercial use), says the machine scores more than 40 games and has more than 200 options. That, of course, includes cricket, which Beall says is the most popular dart game. The machine keeps score and also tracks stats.

“It’s another niche market for billiard retailers,” Zammuto says. “Just about any retailer is always looking for something that’s unique for the home, something that brings customers coming back to their store. It’s a great market. It lends itself to the BCA because it’s a growing sport.”

“Everybody who sees that game in a bar always wants that same look, feel and sound in a unit or game they want to put in their home,” he says.

Also, the machine is durable. Zammuto notes the company’s commercial dart machines have been played for 10 to 15 years and have never needed a service call. And while soft-tip still require players to keep safety in mind, they are safer than steel-tipped.

Spider 360 is in its second year of selling the machine to the home market, and Beall notes it’s been popular.

“It’s a relatively new twist for the home market,” Zammuto says, “but just like pool players, dart players want to play on the best.”

18 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2017

MAKING THE MOST OUT OF DARTS Good billiard retailers know their stuff. Not only do they know which tables are of the highest quality, they also know about things like cost and design, so that they can help customers find the right table. They also possess knowledge of equipment such as sticks, balls, chalk, and cloth.

So it makes sense that if you want to sell darts, you have to become educated about the game.

“You need to ‘look like you’re in the business’ and become an expert,” Igielski says. “Commit the space to offer a variety of dartboards. Show them in cabinets to help the consumer envision them in their homes.”

He also recommends offering entry-level and high-end darts.

“It is often a good idea to keep the more expensive darts behind the counter or in a glass display case,” he says. “Include accessories such as dart cases, extra tips and shafts, etc. Just as with pool tables and furniture, lighting is an important component of darts too. A well-lit darts display makes the darts pop, like jewelry.”

Murdoch suggests maintaining a fresh stock of darts as a way to keep sales strong.

“Customers may not need a new set of darts but if you showcase the latest and greatest you are likely to spark their desire,” he says.

He suggests carrying a range of consumables, including flights, which are wing-like ends of a dart; shafts, to which the flights are mounted; and points, the part of the dart that goes into a board. Points can be steel-tipped or plastic.

“These are items dart players need to regularly replace,” Murdoch says.

In regard to dart machines, Zammuto says the best way to increase sales is to have a model on display in the store.

“People want to see what they are getting for their money,” he says. “And they want to be able to touch it, feel it, play it.

That’s the best way to sell our dart machines. To sell it off a brochure doesn’t do it justice.You need to have one there so people see they’re getting quality for their money.”

Balderama suggests offering discounts for leagues and firsttime customers. “It is also important to have a dartboard

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and a variety of darts very visible and easily accessible for customers to try, as well as point-of-purchase displays, brochures and catalogs.”

WHO’S BUYING DARTS? Murdoch says people of all ages are discovering darts. Older generations are re-discovering the game because of coverage on TV, or finding out about it through websites and social media platforms, and want to return to playing a game they played in their younger days. Meanwhile, young people are finding out how much fun darts can be because they may go to bar or pub with a dartboard, or they know someone with a game room that includes darts.

“Our experience shows if someone has a game room, they are highly receptive to considering some kind of dart setup, and what appeals to them is often a cabinet set, or a lot more people are now opting for a simple board and surround setup as that is what they see the pros play on,” he says. “And that’s the thing with darts, you don’t need to have a game room to have your own setup at home, and this fact means that you are increasing your customer base by including darts. And just like at home, darts doesn’t need to take up a huge amount of space in your store.”

BCAINSIDER.COM | 19

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IT’S ABOUT MORE THAN JUST PROFITS

By Joe Dyton

Let’s face it; selling can be tough. Especially when it comes to selling a “luxury item” like a pool table and its accompanying accessories.

To keep the lights on at your store, it has to be done.

Sometimes those initial sales aren’t enough; it’s the additional items you get customers to go home with that can be the difference between a mediocre or robust financial year.

Welcome to the art of the upsell.

Yes, “upsell” can be an ugly word, to retailers and consumers alike. If it’s done the right way though, the act can feel less like an upsell and more like a retailer simply making sure his or her customers are getting the best value for their hardearned dollars.

“Upselling in retail is really ‘upgrading quality,’” says Brenda Sanford of Billiards Plus in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. “When you sell a customer more expensive products it is because it is a better-quality product.”

“Your team should have the mindset that every customer deserves to see the best,” said McMillan Doolittle consulting associate Alyson Fischer. “If you don’t show them the best, you never know what their price value equation really is. If you don’t ask, someone else will.”

22 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2017

It’s one thing to know that upselling is important, but it’s even more important to know how to do it. For starters, you need to know what you’re talking about. If you can’t clearly explain the benefit of the product you are trying to sell, why would a customer buy it after having already spent money buying something else from you? So, if you want to have success getting customers to buy additional goods, know your inventory backward and forward – that goes for your staff, too.

“Upselling can be a challenge if you’re not confident or knowledgeable of the products you’re selling,” Albert Trujillo, manager of operations for Fort Worth Billiards, says.

“My advice is to know and understand your products you’re selling so that it makes sense to the customer. Listen to your customer, then make your recommendations.”

For example, Trujillo mentioned if a retailer wanted to upsell a pool cue, he or she could recommend a customer go with one with a low deflection shaft rather than a standard shaft because it would provide multiple playing characteristics. If you’re not successful in selling a customer a higher-priced version of the item they’re shopping for, you can always try to sell accessories instead. “It’s just as essential as upselling by suggesting a cue case, scuffer or chalk,” Trujillo said.

So, you know the importance of the upsell and some strategy behind it, but the real key is to appear as if you’re not trying

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to do it at all. Most consumers can sense when a retailer has morphed into a pushy sales person, so even though you’re trying to make an additional sale, your best course of action is keep the interaction as conversational as possible – and let the customer do more of the talking. Jim Kane of Billings, MT K2 Spas & Sports tries to avoid the term upselling altogether, as it implies an attempt to pad the sale with overpriced items to increase sales margins. Instead, he suggests approaching things from a customer-friendly perspective.

“For example, after you assist a player purchase an appropriate table, he’s probably going to need a play package,” Kane says. “After spending time with your customer during the table sale process, who knows more about this play level and needs than you? Your customer walks out with both a table he wanted to purchase and a play package.

(The transaction led to) better equipment for the player and additional profit for the store.”

“

“It all comes back to that first sales contact,” Kane says. “A little customer education and then back it up with service and you will have a customer shopping in your store for life.”

UPSELLING IS NOT ABOUT OVERSELLING...”

“Don’t make the customer feel like a transaction,” Fisher adds. “Spend time getting to know them and building the foundation for an ongoing relationship. Be honest; nothing erodes integrity faster than a lie.”

When it is your turn to talk, use the opportunity to educate your customer and not just rattle off your sales pitch.

According to Sanford, many customers will buy based on brand recognition, hearsay, what brands their friends suggest or the advertisements they see. This is the time you can talk to your customer about the different brand pool tables, cues, cases and other accessories your store has available.

“That is what will keep a customer for life, not just for one sale,” Sanford says. “Customer service is what keeps a customer coming back, when they know that you take the time to educate them, explain products and/or procedures they now have a comfort level with you and will return for future purchases.”

Getting a customer to return could be a deterrent for some retailers to upsell, but it shouldn’t be. Some might think that if a customer is upsold into buying everything he or she needs in one shot, the chance of additional sales are slim. However, if their experience with you was a pleasant one, there’s a good chance they will find their way back for something else – even if it’s just to replace an item they bought from you originally. That’s why having a conversation with customers, and not offering a sales pitch, is so important during that first interaction.

24 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2017

At K2 Spas & Sports, the store is loaded with everything from tip tools, ball sets, cues, table covers, dart supplies and bigger ticket items like shuffleboard, foosball and bar sets, so there’s always something the store can help its customers place in their game rooms.

“Deliver a meaningful experience that is serviceoriented and genuine, leaving the customer totally satisfied and willing and eager to return for more,” Fischer said. “Don’t underestimate the power of a, ‘thank you.’”

In addition to great customer service, there are other ways you can entice customers to come back to your store.

Trujillo and his team offer a coupon of some sort after a new table has been installed or service work is completed. For example, when a table is delivered to a customer, place an advertising tent on the table, including your company’s artwork, and a thankyou. Consider adding a coupon for a 10 percent discount for any future accessories the customer may need.

“The key to success with this method is to get the consumer back into your store, so give them a reason to return and make suggestions such as ball polish, cloth cleaners or chalk,” he said.

As simple as it might sound, another essential part of mastering the upsell is to remember to do it. Sometimes retailers can get so caught up in the sale they are about to make; they forget to ask the customer if there’s anything else they need while they’re at the store. Trujillo believes it’s up to the store manager to put the upsell policy in place and lead by example for the rest of his or her team.

“Whether it’s a pool table, shuffleboard or air hockey table, I don’t believe there is any secret to cross selling; I’ve concluded it’s the manager’s responsibility to initiate the process and make it a habitual routine,” he says. “You can address cross selling to your employees, but they have a tendency to forget unless they are on a commission basis. I make it a common practice to mention additional products and my salespeople have a tendency to emulate this practice, and it’s effective for us.”

If the customer says something along the lines of, “Maybe next time I’ll come back and get that,” that’s all right. You don’t have to get pushy at this point; you’ve already made

the initial sale. This is just about seeing if they’d like to buy anything else. The last thing you want to do is upset customers to the point that they don’t want to come back, or even worse be so put off that they cancel the sale you worked so hard to get.

“Upselling is not about overselling, so don’t push the customer to a point of discomfort, but do listen closely to see if you can pinpoint where their hesitation is coming from so that you can work to address their concerns,” Fischer says.

Sometimes, sales go just beyond the product you’re trying to get someone to purchase. You can explain how great a pool cue, table or chalk is all day long, but what can turn prospects into customers is selling them on the experience they’ll have with your gear. For example, Kane and his team sell game room furniture along with billiard equipment, so part of his pitch is painting a picture of how much fun a family can have by adding different components to their home.

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“A game room is fun and we should offer as much of an overthe-top experience as possible,” he says. “A billiard table draws many into the family time, why not add a table tennis conversion top and that extra appeal? Seating, whether that’s a players chair or pub table, keeps the action centered on the table. A novelty set of billiard balls can add a new dimension to the game, and a table cover, while not exciting itself, can add protection to the table and cloth.”

As you can see, there wasn’t a mention of how great any particular product was, but it’s easy to see why Kane’s “pitch” would make any family consider purchasing all of the items he mentioned. Every single one of them serves a purpose in enhancing their family room.

The next time you’re ready to upsell a customer, remember to put what’s best for him or her ahead of the additional profit you could gain if you’re successful in your approach. Even if you aren’t successful in making the upsell, your customers will remember how you treated them, and if they decide later they could use that extra product you were trying to get them to buy, you’ll most likely be their first stop to get it. In terms of upselling a more expensive product than the one a customer is eyeing, remember to explain that while they may be spending more money now, they’ll save in the long run because it’ll last longer.

“By educating our customers in regards to price and value I think most times, the customer makes the correct choice to go with higher-quality accessories, which typically have higher profit margins,” Kane said.

“Upselling in retail is really ‘upgrading quality,’” Sanford says.

“When you sell a customer more expensive products it is because it is a better-quality product.”

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THE PERFECT PARTNERS

By Al Williams Two men, 20 years apart in age, neither lifelong pool players, jointly running a single, successful storied billiard store.

in an employee. Eventually he would become the owner – but first, came his future partner.

It’s quite the story.

In 1978, when he was still in high school, Albert Trujillo was asked by a close friend if he’d like to come by for the day and unload a truck of pool tables.

In 1957, when he was still in high school, Ernest Lazo was hired as a helper and pool table mechanic at Forth Worth Billiards Supply Co. He quickly became a key assistant to owner Lloyd N. Miles, who founded the business in 1952. He traveled hundreds of miles around Texas – especially after the state allowed alcohol in pool halls, a major boon for business – and became adept at installing snooker tables on his own.

He even learned how to convert a carom table into a snooker table.

Put another way: Lazo had every technical skill an owner would want 28 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2017

“Sure, why not?” he said at the time.

That was his introduction to one-piece slate Fisher pool tables. The backbreaking day began at 7 a.m. It ended at 5 p.m.

“I will never forget looking at my paycheck at the end of the day – $15 total,” Trujillo says. “I said to myself, ‘I won’t do this again.’”

Yeah, he would.

Shortly after that introductory gig, Trujillo was told the company was looking for part-time help. For $2.10 an hour, he stocked product, mopped bathrooms and vacuumed a 3,000-square-foot showroom. He grew quickly to enjoy the job, eager to head over at the end of the school day, stay till 6 p.m., then go to the company’s satellite store, where he repeated his duties until 9 o’clock at night.

When Trujillo graduated from high school in 1980, he was offered a full-time job. By age 20, he was in management.

Lazo, meanwhile, had already built a career loaded with experience. He was skilled at working on snooker tables, antique tables, and commercial tables, including those found on military

bases. He was loaded with stories, too. Take this one: On his first job as a billiard mechanic, in 1957, a raid was about to take place in a gambling room. Lazo was dispatched to remove a 9-foot table down a fire escape. (The detectives were parked in front of the building, out of view.) The next day, with the raid over, he was back, hauling the table up the wobbly fire escape and reinstalling it.

In 1989, Fort Worth Billiards founder Miles passed away. His death was unexpected, and plans were not in place for the business’ future. As Miles’ estate was settled over the following months, Lazo and Trujillo continued running the business, which remained healthy and operating as normal.

“

has won several Top 10 awards from Brunswick Billiards, and a few years ago received number-one honors. For that distinction, the company received a high-end Brunswick Isabella table, which it sold for the full $40,000 retail.

“We are fortunate to have generations shop with us,” Trujillo says. “Clients have said their great-grandparents and grandparents had bought from Fort Worth Billiards, so the tradition continues with their loyalty to us.”

Today,Trujillo still operates the store on a basic lesson he learned from another employee, named Miles, while working there as a teenager: “Always keep the store clean, stocked and straightened at all times,” he says. “This was instilled in

WE HAVE TO STAY IN A CREATIVE MODE, WHETHER IT’S RUNNING A SPECIAL SALES EVENT OR BEING CONSISTENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA...”

“The estate had no interest in the company since there was no family involved in the business,” Trujillo says.

“We convinced the estate that we could continue to operate the business and pay off the estate with a promissory note.”

That is what happened. Lazo and Trujillo combined their by-then significant amount of experience and took over the company. Lazo focused on the mechanical side of the business, while Trujillo handled the managerial aspects.

“Our age difference is 20 years,” Trujillo says, “but that’s what makes us click. You hear different stories about partnerships, but for us it works.”

Today, at 75, Lazo is semi-retired and focusing on passing his knowledge to the company’s mechanics. Trujillo oversees their staff of nine employees as the company celebrates its 65th year in business. Fort Worth Billiards

my mind… You can have a hole-in-thewall restaurant with good food and as long as you have a clean kitchen, dining room and bathroom, they’ll keep coming back.”

Forth Worth Billiards’ retail store is a former office building converted to a showroom, with several rooms packed with products that accentuate the company’s slogan: “More Than Just Billiards.” Along with the wide array of pool equipment, the company offers a full line of furniture that can outfit any customer’s game room.

“As we grew, we knocked out walls and offices to make room for more floor space,” Trujillo says. “We even enclosed a porch to add more floor space. Our store is deceiving from outside, but once you’re inside, it’s actually larger than expected. Every square foot of our showroom is taken up with products, but it’s done tastefully.”

BCAINSIDER.COM | 29

Service is an emphasis: Pool tables can be installed in two days; cue repairs are done on the spot.

“The benefit of having one location is having control of your business and that’s important to me,” Trujillo says.

“I like to interact with customers and make sure all of their questions are answered. I’m truly blessed to have such a phenomenal group of employees that are dedicated to their hard work and it shows.”

Trujillo’s pride in Fort Worth Billiards’ employees is rooted in his own beginnings in the business. Remember, he showed up for that first day of work, hauling a full truck’s worth of backcracking slate pool tables, simply as a “Why not?” proposition. He came back for a couple bucks an hour to do menial bathroom-mopping tasks. But he grew from there, and grew to love it, because he was mentored and become 30 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2017

connected with both his employer and the company’s customers.

“I’ve learned to pass on my knowledge and skills to my employees as my predecessor did for me,” he says.

“Dealing with customers with a smile consistently and having a love of dealing with people is important for me. If a customer feels tension or some form of barrier, that’s not good, so I make a point not to expose any underlying personal or work issues that can disturb a sale.”

He also teaches his employees a lesson he learned back at the beginning, in 1980.

One of Trujillo’s mentors ushered him to the front of the showroom – “Quickly, son!” he said – and instructed Trujillo to call the waiting customer by name.

Which he did: “Good morning, Dr. Pugh,” Trujillo says, remembering.

“The look in his eyes was like he was staring at a million dollars. He was very

impressed that I knew his name, so I will never forget how important it was to greet customers.”

Trujillo learned other lessons, too: keep a strict and high standard for customer service. Keep the store clean, products stocked, displayed and straightened.

“This has been instilled in me forever,” he says. “I have never stopped doing what he taught me: Treat every customer with respect and as though they have a million dollars in their pocket. Whether they buy today or next year, make an experience and impression they will never forget.”

Trujillo credits this focus on taking care of the customer with helping Fort Worth Billiards persevere through the inevitable tougher times.

“We’ve struggled like all businesses, but we believe hard work paid off by

providing excellent customer service during good and bad times,” he says.

“Customer service is paramount and is taken seriously in our establishment, all of our employees know how important and vital this is in our business.”

box stores. At a local furniture store, for example, he noticed price tags that caught his eye. “I had been buying pre-made ‘SALE’ tags, but I thought, ‘Why can’t we do that and have a more custom look?’”

Trujillo is always on the lookout for sales ideas, too – even in unexpected places. When he’s shopping with his wife, for example, she may be looking for merchandise.

Two weeks later, Fort Worth Billiards had custom-made tags.

He’s “shopping for ideas to make my store even better.”

“We have to stay in a creative mode,” Trujillo says, “whether its running a special sales event or being consistent on social media, I think it’s imperative to keep your name and products in front of people.”

Many of Trujillo’s best ideas come from furniture shops, small retailers and big

Another lesson: Five years ago, Trujillo received a phone call reminding him that a refrigerator he purchased was about to be delivered. For big retailers, these types of delivery calls are the norm. But for a small shop like his own, they aren’t.

“I thought, ‘Why can’t we provide this service and call our customers one day prior to the service date, as a courtesy and personal touch?’” Trujillo says.

“Today, we religiously do that.”

“It has saved us time and money,” Trujillo says. “There are times people forget to cancel or postpone and we’re able to catch it prior to arrival.”

Together, Trujillo and Lazo have 98 years of experience in the billiard industry, and they’re looking to a future that will soon stack that number into triple digits.

“We have our own ways of running our business, and it works for us,” says Trujillo, openly acknowledging that neither partner is a regular pool player.

“But we love to play,” he says, “and have the passion to be surrounded by pool players.”

And a passion for their customers – which, of course, are one and the same.

That small move has even had a bottomline benefit.

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GENERATION Y ADVICE TO IMPROVE SALES

By BCA Insider Staff Don’t be jealous of successful retailers – they aren’t any more talented or intelligent than you are – they simply have learned to do things in a different (often better) way and earn more money in the process. Here are a dozen steps you can take to improve your retail sales, simplify your efforts, maximize profits and increase the odds of success.

KNOW YOURSELF Owning your own business is more than just creating a job for yourself. Your basic roles are in marketing, finance, administration and the responsibility of personnel. To get the best results, it is rare for one person to play all these roles equally well. You must know which parts you can handle yourself and which parts you’re going to need help with.

PLAN AHEAD Many stores and pool rooms are run by people with good intentions, but who do not have all the information they need to do their job properly. This includes a clear idea of market segment, target markets, customer service, product selection, marketing mix, promotional activities and pricing tactics. If you want to succeed, you need a well-thought-out business plan that helps you make correct decisions.

KNOW THE INDUSTRY You can gain the greatest competitive edge if you have an intimate knowledge of your business. To thrive and prosper, you must be committed to learn and have the desire and energy to accomplish your goals. Businesses 36 | BCA INSIDER • NEW YEAR 2017

fail for many reasons, including a lack of industry knowledge; lack of vision; poor marketing strategy; failure to establish goals; and inadequate capitalization.

UNDERSTAND YOUR CUSTOMER Make it your business to give your customers what they want, and they will do business and buy from you. The products and services you provide should reflect your customers’ needs and wants.Think in their terms; buy, show, sell, and say things that interest them, not just what interests you. Remember, it is the customer who determines whether or not you succeed.

KEEP GOOD FINANCIAL RECORDS If you don’t know where your money is going, it will soon be gone.The 21st-century “game of business” is played with computers, and the score is evaluated in dollars and cents. Good financial records are like the instruments on an airplane, they keep you posted of your height, direction, and speed.

Without them you’re flying blind with no controls to guide you to your destination.

MANAGE YOUR CASH It doesn’t matter how unique and wonderful your store is, your business can’t survive without cash flow. Money coming into your store is the vital component that keeps your business financially healthy. If you budget wisely and know the interval of your monthly income and expenses, you won’t have to worry about running out of money.

USE SOUND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES As a store or pool room owner, you are also a manager. You have to make decisions, offer customer service, manage time and resources and know how to merchandise and run the business better than anyone working for you. Give your employees the opportunity for growth, treat them fairly, pay them what they’re worth and they will help make your business successful.

DEVELOP A DISTINCTIVE IMAGE Your image is important and is a function of your marketing efforts and materials.

Customers create their perceptions of your business from your name, website appearance, store location, products, prices, visual merchandising, signs, displays, business cards, newsletters, advertising material, customer service and anything else that relates to your business. When a customer thinks of your business, what do you want them to think?

CONTROL YOUR INVENTORY All businesses need to manage inventory. It is your money sitting on a shelf, and it represents a large portion of your business investment. The retailer who merely watches

the store’s shelves can’t maintain a proper balance between the right amount of merchandise and probable customer demand.

Without adequate control, slow-moving inventory becomes dated and very costly.

BUY AND PRICE FOR PROFIT To understand retailing, one must start with the concept that the price of your merchandise is nothing more than a temporary estimate of what the customer is willing to spend.

In devising your overall pricing strategy, a practical approach can be based on the function of supply and demand. To be more competitive, join buying groups and seek out manufacturer discounts that allow you to purchase merchandise below wholesale prices. By offering better values, you’ll be able to attract more customers, and offer more opportunities to shop at your store.

LEARN FROM THE PROS In today’s explosive markets, making the right moves is absolutely essential. There is little room for error. Without knowing how to navigate through these fast-moving times, it can be a tricky and even a self-destructive experience. Because of the emotional and sometimes difficult decisions that must be made, the crucial difference is having fresh ideas with an impartial business position.

ASK FOR HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT Remember, getting results is what counts!

Don’t be too proud to ask for help, we all need help sometimes. It is important to recognize that what you don’t know can end up costing you money, hurt the odds of success and greatly reduce the chance of achieving your business goals. Hiring an expert with specialized skills can be the most profitable decision you can make to protect both your business and financial future.

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THE FAMILY BUSINESS

By Keith Loria

A business philosopher once said that “working in business with family will either end the business or end the family.”

Obviously, this guy never worked in the billiard industry because there are dozens of successful companies that rely on family to make them a success.

Universal Billiards is our family,” Ciarra says. “That stated, it is possible to care too much. So, we have to keep each other in check if we’re taking this whole thing a little too seriously. Don’t get me wrong – we work hard – but we always want to keep it fun.”

There’s been plenty of data to support the theory that working with family is a smart decision. Research has shown that retention at family-run businesses is better than that at comparison companies because family members care more about their coworkers and the mission at hand. When you work with family, no one is punching a time clock and there are no corporate political games.

Mark Brother, Ciarra’s fiancé, has been managing the marketing department since 2008, and he now serves on the team full time as vice president. Daniel is still an active part of the company as owner, and he oversees the installation and delivery crews.

Daniel McIntire started Universal Billiards, Inc., Dallas, Texas in the mid-1990s. His passion for excellence, extraordinary work ethic, and creative vision are the foundation of the familyowned-and-operated company. His daughter, Ciarra McIntire, took over as acting president in 2014.

“The very nature of a family-ownedand-operated company is personal.

This isn’t just a job or just our work; 40 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2017

“In our specific scenario, our strengths and weaknesses complement each other well. Where one of us lacks, the others pick up the slack,” Ciarra says. “As a team, Daniel, Mark, and I have a synergy and heightened level of mutual respect and trust that cannot be compared to a collegial relationship.

Our family unit is the crux of why our company thrives.”

The motto of the company has been the same since the beginning – serve its customers, serve each other, and serve its community the best it can.

“We believe that the act of serving others builds a unified team that is providing more than just gameroom products and services or a paycheck,” she says. “We are building an extended family that cares about one another and continues to support each other even when the deal is closed or the employee moves on to another occupation.”

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SONS Tony Stick, president of The Billiard Factory, knew early in life that he wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps in the billiard biz. An initial store was founded in Houston in 1975 by his dad, Larry, and over the last 32 years, it’s flourished into one of the country’s largest billiard and game room furniture retailers.

Tony first joined the company out of college in 1989 and his brother Ryan began about 10 years later.

“My dad (who retired about 15 years ago) taught my brother and me early on

that when working with family, trust is the biggest benefit,” he says. “That and the fact that we know we’ll always be there for each other.”

The second generation of Sticks remains committed to offering customers a large, diverse product line from the top manufacturers in the home game room furnishing industry.

“This has been our family’s livelihood for many years. Giving customers the best service possible is a mainstay in our core company values,” Tony says. “A family business usually sends a message that customers will be taken care of. We’ve always tried to treat them as we would want to be treated if we were a customer.”

GENERATIONS OF KINNEYS Customers who walk into Kinney Billiards in Springfield, Missouri, are treated to three generations of experience, knowledge, and customer service. The store offers billiard equipment, shuffleboards, arcade games, air hockey, darts, and foosball, among other products.

The genesis of the store dates back to 1948 when Art and Lorena Kinney purchased a restaurant which housed both a pinball machine and a jukebox.

Those machines ended up making more money than the food, so the couple invested in more pinballs and jukeboxes, and also other amusement-type games like pool tables and shuffleboards.

“That evolved into quite a big deal, and then we became Olhausen dealers, and Brunswick dealers and Legacy dealers,” says Ron Kinney, son of Art and Lorena, and one of the current owners of the business. “Now, we stock the whole gamut of cues, and game room accessories.”

Today, the store 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 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.

“One of the things that I think helps our business is that we have different

generations working side-by-side so you get the best of both worlds – the old-school technique married with the new school technology,” Kelly Kinney Lee says. “The only challenge of working with family is when we get together for holidays or parties, and the conversation turns to work as it inevitably does. Those not in the business probably get a little sick of hearing about it.”

LIGHTING THE WAY Toltec Lighting, Burnsville, Missouri, was established in 1975 by Hugh and Margie Gregory and the company has remained family-run ever since, with their sons William and Tom now leading the way.

Daniel and Ciarra McIntire

Tony, Connie, Ryan, and Larry Stick

Joe and Jerry Pechauer BCAINSIDER.COM | 41

“My parents started the business as my brother was graduating high school.

He ended up being our plant manager during the day and going to college at night,” William says. “I worked after school and summer and winter breaks.

Now it’s me, my brother and my wife.

We will see what the future holds for future generations.”

The company is dedicated to creating quality and competitively priced lighting fixtures and Tom notes both brothers take pride in introducing new concepts and ideas while maintaining a close eye on tradition.

“We support our families and our employees’ families from this business.

We also feel we are helping our customers make money by providing a product they need and is profitable to them,” William says. “A family business is someone who stands behind their product. Whether that’s taking care of a problem or making sure the product is made correctly.”

END OF AN ERA? Eastern Billiards first opened its doors 55 years ago when Paul Lucchesi, Sr. set up shop in Boston, Massachusetts.

Over his career, he served as president of the Bowling and Billiards Institute of America and the Billiard Congress of America. He even manufactured his own pool tables and used slate from his own mine in Italy.

Lucchesi had four sons and they were all involved in the billiard business at one time or another. Gary, now 65, is the only one still alive, and runs the company from Kissimmee, Florida.

“I was 8 years old when I first started learning how to put tips on pool cues, and I would come to the shop every day and my dad taught us all how to work,” Gary says. “We were all hard workers and knew how to do everything there was to do. Pops always said, ‘you could be a brain surgeon

or whatever you want’ but after four years in the service (on the famed Intrepid), I wanted to go back to working on pool tables. That’s what I was groomed to do.”

Today, Gary works with his wife Ruth, their daughters Maria and Amanda, and nephew Allan also helps out. All used to be full-time, but in recent years only Gary and Ruth really draw a full-time salary today.

But Gary isn’t sure the family business is going to survive another generation.

“If you look around, I really think this could be the end of the dynasties, the end of the family-operated businesses because people are going to the Internet and younger generations can’t make the money that we once did,” he says. Still, it’s a life he’s happy he was a part of. “We were considered billiard royalty at one time in New England.

We were well respected and we all enjoyed a lot of great memories.”

Kelly Kinney Lee, Emily Kinney Carroll, Donna Kinney and Ron Kinney

42 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2017

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BCA is proud to bring its members valuable discounts on products and services you need, and is excited to announce the UPS® Savings Program! Plus get 50%* off select services for up to four weeks after you enroll!* Make the most out of your membership and take advantage of competitive rates on UPS® shipping services. Whether you need your documents or packages to arrive the next day or are looking for an affordable shipping option, UPS understands the importance of speed, reliability, and cost.

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44 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2017

Donny and Butch Olhausen

Olhausen Billiards Manufacturing transferred its company from San Diego, California to Portland, Tennessee in 2006, and while things didn’t go entirely as planned when brothers Donny and Butch arrived, the two have managed to keep the 40-plus-year-old company thriving.

Donny was only 12 when he started helping his father’s table-covering business in New Mexico, and his brother was even younger.

“My dad had a side business while he was in the Air Force, and that was covering tables because his dad owned a pool hall, and he learned how to put cloth on the table,” he says. “He was the oldest son, so when the cloth needed replacing, he was the one chosen to do it.”

Donny and Butch started as helpers, and eventually learned to cover tables by themselves. Working for their father gave the brothers lots of insights into pool tables, and one big benefit was that they worked on every type of table imaginable: different brands, different levels of quality, and all of those tables were cared for differently by their owners.

So, when the two opened up the familyrun store in San Diego in the early ’70s, they knew what they were doing.

“Our father taught us a lot and gave us the room to grow,” Donny says. “There’s nothing quite like working with family.

There’s a trust there that you can’t get anywhere else.”

CUE THE FAMILY Joe Pechauer has fond memories of working with his father, Jerry, at the family-run J. Pechauer Custom Cues, and even as the company has passed its 50-year anniversary, the good times are still going strong.

The Lucchesi Family

“My dad had played pool all his life, and in 1963 he repaired his first cue – the first year I was born,” Joe says. “More people asked him to repair their cues and in 1980, when I was 16, we went into business full-time.”

Together, father and son would work side by side, attend industry events and make connections in the business that lasted a lifetime.

“My mom and dad and I have worked together most of the years, and I think we’ve become something successful,” Joe says. “Working with family can be a challenge because you need to separate being employer/employee from being father/son. However, it’s been quite a ride getting here.”

While Joe is now heading the company his father started, Jerry is still active in the business, offering support and expertise on a regular basis. Joe’s two sons are in college, and they too have grown up around the business and offer support with social media and other avenues when available.

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1.30 mm Pro Slate - The 9ft table is comprised of precision cut 30mm (1.18”) thick 3pc premium RASSON slate, grinded and then sanded flat within a tolerance of less than 0.1mm. 30 instead of regular 18 rail holes of other tables on the market on each slate tighten the rail and slate better, provide a fine resistance to collision, seismic and abscission; and offer a more average and accurate ball response.

•

Rail - The Adamath-Wood rail with unique processing technology compresses phenolic resin into precious hardwood veneers, resulting in a luxurious look with an ultra durable finish that is resistant to warping, scratches, moisture, and heat.

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Cushion - The Artemis brand is synonymous with quality billiard rubber. Durable yet precise, they offer the most consistent response and longevity of any billiard cushion.

•

Steel Support Beam - 1-pc complete steel frame grinded under this CNC machine guarantees a perfect flatness; then all rails holes are drilled and pockets are cut also by this machine to offer a superior stability and precise foundation for the slate while maintaining consistency in virtually any climate.

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Slate Leveling System - Patent pending LevelBox(TM) system allows for micro adjustments to the slate across 22 key locations, allowing for precise installation without the need for shims. The system features easy access with the ability to make leveling readjustments throughout the lifespan of your table.

•

Cabinet Leveling System - Patent pending primary leveling system allows the steel frame to be leveled independently from the pedestal leg design, allowing easy adjustments with only single hand even after the table has been installed.

•

Pockets - The redesigned pocket buckets are made from TPR (Thermo-Plastic-Rubber) in the ideal density necessary to eliminate scuffing (and resulting skidding), reduce ball rejection (bounce out) and dampen impact noise. Specially designed with patent pending T-shape slot device, the pockets offer a precision fit with fast assembly. Each pocket can hold 10 balls and pockets are available in a variety of colors to match the cloth.

•

Cloth - The default color is Simonis 860 Tournament Blue. Other Simonis cloth colors could be available upon request.

www.imperialusa.com | info@imperialusa.com | (800) 526-6261

IS YOUR BILLIARD BUSINESS SOCIAL?

By Lynn Switanowski-Barrett

Did you know that Facebook has more than 1 billion users? And that one of every three minutes spent online is done so searching social media? How about that 97 percent (yes, you read that right) of internet users ages 16 to 64 have used at least one social media site in the last 30 days?

But don’t give up. Here we offer ideas on how you can use social media effectively for your billiard business, this year and beyond. Now is the time to help your business engage more effectively with your customers every day:

STRATEGY FIRST

The facts are clear: Social networking among people of every age has become part of the daily fabric of every customer’s life, and businesses must use social media daily to make effective connections with them. This includes your billiard business!

Create a social media strategy that aligns your overall business goals and marketing messages. Using social media is not random. Your messages must align with your business goals and strategies to maximize the results.

However, sometimes, starting social media sites – and filling them with interesting content that keeps customers engaged – is not easy. Putting time and effort into your social media pages and not getting a positive response from people who follow your pages can be discouraging.

Social media is a 24/7 cocktail party. Remember the 40/30/30 rule.

You wouldn’t walk up to a stranger at a cocktail party and start pushing your business immediately, would you? The same in-person conversation rules apply for social media posts. Brands that only talk about

46 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2017

their business do not win at engaging customers. Your social media posts must create a dialogue where customers can participate.

BE PERSONAL You should be spending 40 percent of your social media time sharing personal information and building trust with your audience. (Store anniversaries, employee information, recent travel to find new products, etc.) Think of posts that would be the same as your in-store greeting when customers walk in the front door.

SHARE RELEVANT INFORMATION After you’ve established trust, your next goal is to gain credibility with

your followers. Spend 30 percent of your posting time sharing relevant information you think your customers would find interesting. Billiard industry trends, billiard events or perhaps relevant product information. Whether this is content you create or that you find from industry information, sharing with your fans will help you gain credibility as an industry expert.

POST DIRECTLY ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS Once trust and credibility have been established, the time to talk about your business begins. Spend 30 percent of your posts talking about products you sell, sales you are having, events going on in the store, etc. Most small businesses jump to this part too early, turning customers off with a constant stream of business information.

“

CREATE A SOCIAL MEDIA CHAMPION You know what your strategy is, and you know what you need to say. Now you must find someone to say it – on a regular basis. Identify someone in your organization who will be responsible for posting regularly on your social media sites. If you do not maintain a constant presence, your followers will lose interest very quickly.

POST CONSISTENTLY As in two to three times per day.

You’re still retailers, and time is always precious, but social media viewers for your pages want to see you post regularly in order to keep the relationship you have going. Don’t forget, regular posting can be scheduled via the sites themselves or by using social media scheduling tools to create multiple posts in one session and schedule their delivery.

BE YOURSELF AND BE NATURAL.”

ASK YOUR FANS/ FRIENDS TO SHARE YOUR CONTENT A word of mouth referral has always been paramount to any retailer’s success. It still is. These days, you must ask for that referral online within your social media sites. On a regular basis.

REWARD LOYALTY Just as you might for your best in-store customers, offer your fans and followers unique offers and discounts to engage them regularly and to help spread the word about your business online.

NO FAKING IT The worst thing you can do on social media is to pretend to be someone else – the person you think your customers want you to be. Wrong approach. Be yourself and be natural. Your customers come in to your physical location because of you. Act the same way on social media with the same voice and you’ll engage them on social media.

Marketing your business today has become a social affair. Engaging customers has become both an in-store and online opportunity. This makes it even more powerful for a billiard business like yours.

This is the year to create a meaningful social media marketing strategy and to deliver it to your customers on a regular basis. If you do, you’ll soon be seeing the rewards for your efforts.

BCAINSIDER.COM | 47

GET THE MOST OUT OF SMS MARKETING

By Ramon Mejia

It seems every few years retailers are faced with utilizing a new technology to help them improve their reach with customers. First it was email, then social media, and now marketing experts are recommending using text messages to communicate, a process known as SMS marketing.

SMS stands for “Short Message Service” and offers retailers the opportunity to communicate with customers by using 160-character messages.

Having a special sale on cues? Will a pro be making an in-store appearance? Alert your customers fast and easily with a text.

The age of the smartphone has revolutionized how consumers obtain and process information and SMS marketing has become a valuable asset to retailers attempting to reach a broader market.

Studies show that individuals conduct more than half of their day-to-day activities on their phones, plus 99 percent of texts are read compared to just 20 percent of emails opened. Texts also have a 45-percent average response rate, compared to a 3-percent average email engagement rate. And these numbers are even larger among the ever-important millennial segment.

“SMS is crucial for businesses, because the cornerstone of good business is connecting and engaging with customers,” says Peter Watson, a marketing specialist out of Sunrise, Florida. “Text is the best way to do that.”

And there are myriad ways to add texting/SMS into a retailer’s communications, whether it’s for promotions, making sales, or just handling customer service.

48 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2017

Watson recommends the best way to have success with SMS is to text customers like you would text your friends.

“You don’t spam your friends or send them robotic messages.

You text them with relevant information, give them a headsup, or set up times to meet/talk,” he says. “Use emoji’s, be kind, and don’t take yourself too seriously.”

If you are offering a special sale, send a text like: “Hey [John], past customers get an extra 20 percent off everything this weekend. Come look around, or let me know if you want something in particular.”

“Texting is one of the more personal things we do every day. Marketers send emails, salesmen make phone calls, and friends text. What small business doesn’t want to be like a friend to customers?” Kenneth Burke, marketing director for Text Request, says. “No one is interested in making their life more difficult, but everyone wants to make their life easier.

In most situations today, a text is the most convenient way to communicate. And since communication is needed for your business to succeed, texting is a necessity.”

Let’s say a customer comes in and purchases product X. At checkout, you get their name and number for future discounts and such (or maybe your business has a membership option).

Perhaps a month later, you send all customers who bought this product a discount offer on a different product.

“So if someone bought a table, maybe your offer would be on cues, or table lighting, or another relevant product,” Burke says. “Obviously, you can tailor this kind of message to your needs, but texts like this make people feel that you care,

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because the offer is both personal and relevant. And studies show that customers you build relationships with spend nearly 50 percent more with you.”

feature. It may also help if you include opt-out instructions in your outgoing text message campaigns from time to time as a sign of good faith to your customers.

Adam Broetje, CEO of Odd Dog Media, notes it’s pretty simple to get set up and started, and the hardest part is in selecting the best software to help.

Bob Clary, director of online engagement for Intellibright, a pay-per-sale marketing agency, says what is really important for retailers to understand about SMS marketing is that all the regulations that govern it are different (and, in many cases, stricter) than email. In fact, many businesses that are using SMS do so in violation of FCC guidelines.

“If you use Square as your POS system, there are a number of SMS softwares that integrate via Zapier [which is free to use]. In this case, once a customer makes a purchase in your store, you can follow up with an SMS message,” he says. “Maybe it’s a coupon for a future purchase, a request to leave you a review or special event notifications.”

“

THE MORE MESSAGES THAT ARE RECEIVED WILL RESULT IN AN INCREASE IN ENGAGEMENT...”

If you don’t use something like Square, you can simply go with a standalone SMS system like Slick Test. In this case, you would want customers to enter their phone number to receive some sort of a special offer so you have them in your system to message with in the future.

“SMS messaging is an additional opportunity to engage with a customer [through a format] that doesn’t get lost in the clutter as easily as email does,” Broetje says. “Oftentimes, you can get immediate responses from customers if they receive a text message at a time when they aren’t busy.

In marketing terms, we call this ‘Interruption Marketing.’

We interrupt their experience to see our offer. Different customers also tend to engage with businesses in different ways, so you’re able to capture those that prefer text messages over other mediums.”

AVOID THESE MISTAKES The biggest mistakes businesses tend to make with SMS are being icy and robotic, being verbose, sending irrelevant messages and using “text speak.”

Over-sending messages is another big no-no. If you annoy your customers they will quickly un-subscribe.You should be sending no more than two to four text messages a month.

Furthermore, prior to sending them text messages, ensure that your subscribers know how often you will be texting them. As a retailer, you need to be upfront and honest about how many messages they can expect to receive from your retail business. Keep the messages valuable enough for them to want to keep receiving them.

Along with the standard “Msg & Data rates may apply” you must also include the “Txt STOP to cancel” in your auto reply 50 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2017

“The most important of those guidelines is consent,” he says. “That is, businesses must have express consent before text messaging promotional messages to consumers.”

For example, if you collect phone numbers as part of a promotional giveaway, but don’t ask customers for their permission to receive text messages, sending them messages afterward is in violation of the regulation.

“Businesses who want to launch, and keep, a successful SMS marketing program need to build it with a keen eye to the rules of engagement,” Clary says.

THE FINAL WORD People would rather text you than call someone else, and they’d rather be texted by you than called by someone else.

When you create experiences people prefer, they talk about it. They bring their friends, and they spend more with you.

Be sure to educate your in-store employees so that they can encourage customers to sign up. An SMS system can’t help if you don’t have any customers signed up.

The more messages that are received, the more you will see an increase in engagement, an increase in leads, and ultimately an increase in overall business.

“Remember, people text for 101 reasons every day,” Burke says. “Why can’t your business? You don’t have to stick with only promotional texts. You could have confirmation and scheduling texts for deliveries and installations. You could send texts for collections. You could send happy birthday texts. It’s all well received.”

A DAY IN THE LIFE: BILLIARD RETAIL

*Special Thanks to Kim Heacock-Morrison of International Billiards in Houston for Sharing a Day in Her Life

COMING NEXT ISSUE...

2017 BCA BILLIARD & HOME LEISURE EXPO PREVIEW USING LEAGUES TO GENERATE BUSINESS NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE

52 | BCA INSIDER • SPRING 2017

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