2023 May Issue

Publisher’s Column

ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS

BY STEPHANIE DAVIS

Operations

THE WHYS HAVE IT

Think before you leap

BY TRAVIS HARPER

Interactive Scoring

NY CENTER REAPS REWARDS

Longer dwell time, increased spending

BY CORRIE PELC

Digital Marketing

TARGETING YOUR AUDIENCE

It’s illegal in football, but highly rewarded in business

BY CAREY TOSELLO

Cover Story

STRIKES AND SPIKES

Volleyball is a lucrative and popular attraction

BY MIKE FERNANDEZ

Cashing In With Cashless

YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, WE HAVE ANSWERS

BY JASON MITCHELL

Proprietor’s Desk

NEW LIFE FOR OLD IDEAS

Some promotions stand the test of time

BY PEPPE SMITH

Social Media

SHOULD YOU BE ON TIKTOK?

Advice for using the hottest social media app

BY CORRIE PELC

PUBLISHER & EDITOR

Stephanie Davis

stephanie@bowlingindustry.com

1850 San Marco Rd Marco Island, FL 34145

(239) 366-2230

Fax (239) 970-0538

stephanie@bowlingindustry.com

www.BowlingIndustry.com

HOTLINE: 855-415-7517

MARKETING MANAGER & SALES

Natalie Davis natalie@bowlingindustry.com

NEW BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Mike Fernandez mike@bowlingindustry.com

EDITORIAL

Jackie Fisher fisher@bowlingindustry.com

Patty Heath patty@bowlingindustry.com

OFFICE MANAGER

Roxanne Damask roxanne@bowlingindustry.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Stephanie Davis

Mike Fernandez

Travis Harper

Patty Heath

Jason Mitchell

Corrie Pelc

Peppe Smith

Carey Tosello

CONQUEROR

EXPERIENCE

RELATIONSIHIP MANAGER

ONE SYSTEM FOR THE ULTIMATE CONSUMER JOURNEY

CONSISTENT. SIMPLE. SERVICE.

Make Conqueror Kiosk the first touchpoint for your customers when they arrive and get ready to deliver! Check in for reservations, explore offers, pay for bowling and extras, order food and beverage. The Kiosk is the perfect way to upsell your customers to play and spend more at each visit. Plus, it provides an easy self-service experience that customers want.

qubicaamf.com/conquerorkiosk

ASK THE HARD QUESTIONS!

How are you doing?

I don’t mean you exactly, although I do hope you’re happy, healthy, and prosperous. I mean how is your business doing, specifically… how do your guests think you’re doing? How often do you ask your guests if they’re enjoying their experience? What kind of consistent approach are you utilizing to get feedback from your customers?

In March, I attended Amusement Expo in Las Vegas and had an opportunity to meet with some of our regular advertisers and ask them how we’re doing. In 2023, IBI launched new products to the industry and rebranded some of our existing ones. I wanted feedback from our advertisers to see how we’re doing. Asking direct questions on performance can be a nail biter but provides an opportunity. Checking in regularly with your customers will help you determine where you can improve and where you’re right on the mark. So if you’re not asking, or not asking consistently, you may want to.

This month’s cover story is an exciting read on how adding volleyball to your center can be a winner for your business. Mike Fernandez dug deep with a few center operators to see what adding this popular attraction has done for their business, revenue, and guests. In previous IBI issues, Travis Harper from First Frame Bowling has written about how to best position your center for a sale. However, in this month’s article, Travis presents thought provoking and valuable information if you’re considering buying a center or expanding your operation by adding another. On the marketing front this month, Carey Tosello of ebowl.biz, and Peppe Smith, Chief Fun Officer of Camelot Lanes, talk marketing, targeting, and

promotions. Carey’s expertise in social media marketing, specifically targeting, is an informative read and one you and your marketing staff could benefit from. Longtime proprietor Peppe Smith takes a look back at old promotions that are still successful today in the “Proprietor’s Desk” column.

Be sure to head over to www.bowlingindustry.com for IBI’s exclusive online-only content. Whether you play it or not, VR is hot, hot, hot! If you’re like many operators, the options may seem overwhelming and confusing to tackle. Luckily, Ryan Bromsgrove from vrCAVE explains the different types of VR for an FEC, all at an affordable cost! Other news on the arcade front comes from our friends at Betson. The pinball scene has been updated and offers new opportunities your arcade may be missing out on. Betson explains how pinball events work and the benefits to offering them.

Taking my own advice… I’m asking you, our readers and our advertisers “How are we doing?”. I love hearing from our loyal readers and marketing partners. So if you have a second and want to send me an email or call, please do! As always, if your center has interesting news to share with the industry, let us know!

– Stephanie Davis, Publisher & Editor stephanie@bowlingindustry.com

PS: Don’t forget to sign up for the $30,000 giveaway. Register each month for your chance to win at www.bowlingindustry.com

READ THESE TOP STORIES EXCLUSIVELY ONLINE

The Best VR For Family Entertainment Centers –At An Affordable Cost

BY RYAN BROMSGROVE OF VRCAVE

Virtual reality has become increasingly popular over the past few years. What started as a consumer-based product, has now turned into a location-based attraction! There are many different types of VR that operators can add to their FEC, and the options may seem overwhelming. Ryan Bromsgrove from vrCAVE explains the different types of VR for an FEC, all at an affordable cost!

How to Hire a General Manager for a Family Entertainment Center

BY EMBED

Hiring a quality general manager for your FEC is crucial for operations to run smoothly. With staffing still an issue, finding a good general manager might seem like an impossible task. Embed explains nine steps operators can take to help find their next qualified general manager.

Why and How to Host a Stern Army Event

BY BETSON

The Stern Army is a term that ambassadors of Stern Pinball call themselves. The Stern Army partners with locations that have Stern Pinball machines to host tournaments all around the globe! Betson explains the benefits to hosting a Stern Army Event and what a center needs to do to host one.

5 Email Marketing Metrics Family Entertainment Centers Must Track

BY PARTY CENTER SOFTWARE

Email marketing is an important tool for family entertainment centers. It allows operators to target specific audiences for specific messages and offers. There are many ways to track if emails sent are performing well or not. Party Center Software explains the top five metrics operators should analyze when going over their email marketing.

DUCKPIN SOCIAL!

By Travis Harper

WHYS HAVE IT The

Think before you leap

It all seems so fun and glamorous: the shiny, well-oiled lanes, the spotless concourse, the up-to-date arcade, and the world-famous nachos in the snack bar.

You are thinking you might want to buy a bowling center. Have you really thought it through? Are you prepared to take on such a venture? Let’s find out.

Why do you want to buy?

If you cannot answer this question with confidence, you may not be ready. Your why is the fuel you need to get through the process of buying a bowling center. Sometimes it takes a lot of fuel to get to the finish line so your why needs to be strong.

Are you mentally prepared?

You are not just buying a bowling center; you are buying a small business. You must be mentally prepared to take on tasks such as securing finances, licenses, insurance, etc. It can sometimes be a stressful process and you need to be prepared. If you drop the ball at any point, you can watch the deal fall apart right in front of your eyes.

Is your family prepared?

Depending upon your budget and the center you are looking to acquire, you may be required to be

heavily involved in the day-to-day operation of the center. This could potentially mean a lot of night and weekend time. Can you fit this required time into your current schedule?

If necessary, are you willing to leave your current job? Unless you are looking to buy a local center, are you willing to relocate your family to a new town? You need to discuss all of this with anyone that will be affected by your decision and make sure everyone is on-board and understands how it may change their lives as well.

Are you financially prepared?

First and foremost: do you have the necessary liquid assets to purchase a bowling center? If you will be seeking a bank or SBA loan, you will most likely be asked to put up 20% of the purchase price. If you already own a bowling center, have extensive bowling experience, or own another successful small business, you may be able to get away with 10% down. Either way, you will need cash to get started.

You will also need some money in the beginning to pay for inspections, accountants, and attorneys. Once you close on the center, you will need some start-up cash as well. Do you have the necessary funds? You might need to

go out and find investors to help you raise the required capital. Either way, before you go out and start looking for a bowling center, know what your feasible budget is.

Have you assembled the right team?

As I mentioned above, you may want to have an accountant and attorney on your side to assist with evaluating the value of a center and look over any potential purchase agreements on your behalf.

You may also need a banker or broker to assist you with acquiring any necessary loans. It would be advisable to work with someone with knowledge of the bowling industry and acquiring SBA loans for bowling centers. Lastly, it would be a good idea to work with an advisor with extensive knowledge of the industry to help you locate and evaluate potential bowling centers to help ensure that you are making a wise choice.

Are you really prepared?

Buying a bowling center is a big undertaking. Taking the time to go through all the steps discussed above will go a long way in determining if it is the right move for you and your family. Having the right advisors on your side will help to make sure you are making a wise investment.

If you have any questions or comments about this article, please feel free to reach out to me. You can contact me via email: travis@firstframebowling.com•

Travis has 15+ years of center management experience and is currently the operations manager at First Frame Bowling and the midwest representative of the Hansell Group. You can contact Travis at travis@firstframebowling.com or (844)923-BOWL (2695).

IT'S NOT LUCK THAT HELPS YOU WIN

Interactive Scoring

A NEW YORK CENTER’S INVESTMENT REAPS REWARDS

Longer dwell time, increased spending, and more visits

In late 2022, Maple Lanes RVC in Rockville Centre, NY, decided to purchase and install an immersive, interactive scoring experience for their guests. According to Joe LaSpina, vice president of Maple Family Centers, they are traditional bowling operators who consistently look for new ways to upgrade the customer experience.

Ultimately the management team chose to add Spark® by Brunswick to provide different games and animations projected directly on six of their 34 bowling lanes.

“We have a lot of league bowling and a lot of traditional bowling,” he explains. “Spark was cool because we could enhance the (casual) side of the business without having to change anything about the building. We didn’t have to pull lanes out. We could live in both worlds and have an awesome enhancement for our casual customers without doing anything that messed with our business model of trying to have times when we’re traditional and times when we’re not traditional. It lets us do both.”

Increased Dwell Time

Since installing Spark, LaSpina says it has helped increase guests’ dwell time in the center, helping to increase spending in other areas of the center, such as concessions.

“We want our customers to spend just enough time in the building where they’ll keep spending money and then leave as the next group comes and spends money,” he says. “That hour-and-a-half to two-hour visit is great; it’s perfect for us [and] the kids are still entertained for that long. We’re seeing many people buy one hour and then buy a second hour. And then that second hour — there’s nothing more profitable than the next paid game of bowling — all your fixed costs are paid for.”

By Corrie Pelc

Additionally, LaSpina says they have seen increased demand for birthday parties with Spark. “We’ve been able to enhance our parties at a higher price point for a premium Spark package; we usually sell out the Spark lanes every party session every weekend,” he continues. “It’s created a nice demand for it. And again, at a higher price point that customers are happy to pay because it’s an enhanced experience.”

New Customer Service and Marketing Opportunities

Another benefit they have seen is that Spark provides a new way for staff to engage with guests creating an upgraded customer service experience. After installation, all Maple Lanes staff were provided a tutorial on how to instruct guests using the system for the first time easily.

“Whenever we buy capital equipment, we spend extra time getting our team to use it,” he continues. “We proactively get the staff (on the lanes) to play because they’ll do a better job teaching customers how to do it. Even our older, more traditional employees play on Spark, and they all love it, knowing it’s a different product than the traditional game they grew up with. We go out there and try to play with them so they understand how to use it and can help customers right away.”

Training a guest on how to use the system usually takes about 10 seconds for staff to show the various features and access all the games. It enriches the play experience when a staff member goes to the lanes and quickly teaches the customer how to access the games, take a picture, or put an email address into the system.

LaSpina says the ultimate end game is collecting emails from Spark bowlers to add to their marketing list. “The more customer data we can get from them, the better. These guests want to hear from us and get their pictures as memories from their visit.”•

By Carey Tosello

TARGETING YourAUDIENCE

If you deliberately target someone in the NFL, you will end up with yellow laundry on the field, followed by possible ejection, and a hefty fine from the Commissioner. For bowling operators, however, targeting your current and potential customers’ results is a big reward!

By targeting we mean identifying those who already know about your business or are highly likely to be a future customer.

Facebook and Instagram are great vehicles for identifying these targets. Social media allows you to search for people in your market who already like bowling and have a higher potential of being attracted to your offers. Additional targeting can be done regarding arcades, pizza, or any other attractions you provide at your center.

Social media also allows you to utilize the look-a-like search to identify people with similar attributes as your existing customers. Facebook does a great job of identifying these similar attribute groups so you can aim your ads specifically at them, which results in a much higher open and click rate than usual. We have had great success using look-a-like audiences for our clients. While reaching these new prospects is important, encouraging those who already know about your center to return is another high-value target. Installing a Facebook pixel on your website allows you to target website visitors

with follow-up ads. Delivering these ads for 90 days after a website visit is a great way to remind someone who is already interested in your business to make a return visit. Don’t let a website visitor make one visit and never see you again! While having a form on your website is a great way to build your database, the pixel allows you to target everyone – even those who do not fill out a form.

Pixels are the type of targeting tool that large corporations use all the time. When you Google something, like Ford trucks, or Costa Rica, you will see Facebook and Instagram ads pop up in your feed promoting trucks or Costa Rican vacations. This is no accident!

The big boys have used this type of targeting for years, and now it is available and affordable for bowling centers and FECs to do the same. While many operators have not heard of or used this tactic, the ones who are using it have seen significantly higher click-thru rates. All these clicks are going to specific areas of your website, which means more exposure for all the services and attractions you offer.

One of the other benefits of using Facebook for your targeted advertising is that they include Instagram ads. This allows you to reach a separate user base with the same ad campaign that skews to a slightly younger audience. Add in the ability to target geographic areas, from zip codes to neighboring towns to age groups, and you have a terrific marketing vehicle that is highly effective for bowling.

It’s illegal in football, but highly rewarded in business

With the slower summer months ahead, now is the time to dial in a campaign aimed at parents of schoolage kids. They will have a lot of free time this summer, and you want them to spend it at your place! If you are running the popular Kids Bowl Free® program, you can run ads targeting parents of 6–13-year-olds to boost the program. Remember that you must use the Facebook Ads Manager, as boosted posts will not deliver the same results. If you don’t have the time or staffing to do this on your own, reach out to someone

who specializes in this to ensure you receive maximum benefit from your ad spend.

So, forget about the penalty flags, and step into targeted Facebook ads to grow your traffic as they have been proven to get results for bowling!•

Carey Tosello is a former proprietor, founder of eBowl.biz/BowlRx.com, and frequent digital marketing presenter. In addition to traveling the world, his passion is to help centers grow their business. Carey can be reached at carey@eBowl.biz.

Is Your Website Chasing Customers Away?

An outdated website turns people off and can cost you business

UNLEASH THE POWER OF AN UPGRADED WEBSITE USING THE LATEST TECHNOLOGY

→ increase party and open play

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→ post instant messages to your site directly from your phone – it’s fast & easy!

Upgrading your website is fast and easy with the eBowl.biz team. We do all the work, and you reap the benefits of a new website… plus we do all content updates for you!

STRIKES SPIKES and

Volleyball is a lucrative and popular attraction

By Mike Fernandez

ARE LEAGUES BUSTED OR BOOMING? IS YOUR CENTER LOOKING FOR A SPIKE IN PROFIT?

Historically bowling has provided the main source of organized recreation for Americans. Now, other sports and activities are hopping on the organized recreation bandwagon.

Cornhole and bowling were the sports played by most Americans last year. Pickleball is the fastestgrowing sport in the nation. Promotions for kickball and volleyball leagues are posted all over my city and others around our great country. My social media feed is constantly buzzing with recommendations for organized recreation.*

Let’s get specific and dive into offering a new league at your center: sand volleyball!

Volleyball became an official Olympic sport in 1996 and has only gained traction. After hearing about many proprietors’ success with adding this sport to their recreation mix, we reached out to operators who have pushed the profits of their centers by offering this sandy stream of revenue.

Servin’ Up the Sun

What’s in it for guests? Ask the 46 million Americans who play volleyball or the 800 million worldwide who play it at least once a week. Sand volleyball provides

“To put it in a nutshell, beach volleyball is the best thing that ever happened to bowling. It utilizes our expertise in leagues and peaks in our slowest season. Most importantly, it allowed us to go from using a summer line of credit to cash flowing year-round.”

the most affordable cost of entry since the ol’ game of Kick the Can. When you factor in the changing seasons, offering the sport at your center is a great way to attract guests who want to be outside catching a few rays while still competing in a fun league and spending money with you.

Colleen O’Brien of Bowl-A-Vard in Madison, WI, has been hosting volleyball leagues at her center for over 28 years. “Volleyball is an excellent option once the bowling season is done. It gets you and your guests out of the building and into

Tim

Voss

Colleen O’Brien

–Tim Voss

“I’ve been running volleyball leagues for a very long time. We enjoy when mid-January sign-ups come and we see what

the nice weather. Just like the bowling community, there is a volleyball community. They are just as wonderful with a different passion,” exclaims O’Brien.

Tim Voss, the owner of Sequoia Pro Bowl in Columbus, OH, brings a taste of sunny Florida beaches to the Midwest with the Volley Park addition to his center. Sequoia’s sand volleyball setup features Izzee’s Barefoot Bar (where it’s always 5 o’clock!), five courts, a cornhole area, and space for the annual VolleyBeer Olympics. “We got into it 18 years ago. Sand volleyball took my business from ok to great! What it does for our summers is hard to explain; we’re as busy in the summer as we are in the winter,” says Voss. “My wife and I love visiting Naples, FL; we always try to return with something that adds to that beach vibe.”

*Source: https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/cornhole-andbowling-are-sports-most-americans-played-last-year

An Awesome Experience for Operators

When we asked O’Brien if Bowl-A-Vard offers special packages or offerings to entice all these new players, she said there’s no need. “Volleyball is such a huge event during the summers here in Madison. We have a waitlist on certain nights due to the high demand.” She tells us it has improved other sectors of her business as well. “We have a great patio and bar for our volleyball area. It draws spectators looking to relax in the sun with cocktails, bringing more traffic to our bowling and bar areas. Many teams like to come inside for some food before heading home.”

those got used. It’s just a different crowd. Sometimes [my volleyball guests] ask me, ‘Hey, what’s that big wall next to the court?’ And I say, ‘That’s my bowling alley that’s been here for 60 years!’”

“Sand volleyball is a great attraction to bring in summer business. From a risk perspective, you want to ensure the court is under video surveillance, the sand is inspected daily, and glass containers are prohibited on the court.”

Both O’Brien and Voss went into detail about labor, agreeing that it hasn’t been a concern, although there are a few days of setting up at the start of the season. You’ll need a bartender if there’s an outside bar and someone to maintain the area. They’ve done all inhouse marketing through flyers, websites, and Facebook. Many players run their own tournaments and know just who to invite.

Conclusions from the Court

Voss had a similar uptick in food and beverage sales, explaining, “It boosted our food and beverage sales. We had to change up the menu; the demographic playing sand volleyball wanted healthier options after a game,” said Voss. Voss didn’t see the same business spillover to his bowling lanes. “I offered coupons for free bowling when we were starting,” said Voss. “Maybe a couple of

These operators told us that getting started was a lot of work, but it’s become a considerable part of their business and an invaluable experience they provide guests. Taking advantage of usable space near a deck or parking area is challenging and isn’t possible at every center; it takes work and patience to renovate a property. A bit of research reveals the average price to install a sand volleyball court is $35,000. Otherwise, you might end up with a very expensive sandbox.

The ball is in your court!•

–Cameron Linder WBPI Insurance

FEATURING THE 40 FRAME GAME!

Rethink Your Scoring System Investments Already Made-AND in the Future

MULTIPLE SCORING UPGRADE OPTIONS

If you simply want to keep the investment you already made running, we may be able to help with a combination of new, used, refurbished, or repair on many scoring and machine components. We have been offering support to maintain your current investment for over 12 years.

TouchDesk Management System

If you have Legacy Scoring (Brunswick AS-80/90, Frameworx or AMF Magic Score, Accuscore, Boss) you can upgrade the Management System to TouchDesk. This is a great option if your scoring is still doing the job, but you worry about the management system lasting through another season. System is CDE/BLS Compatible, offers POS options, and more. Once purchased, you can upgrade scoring - one pair at a time.

INTRODUCING THE REVOLUTIONARY SCORING CONCEPT

TOUCH SCORE 3 W/TOUCHDESK III

New Scoring Graphics & HD Flatscreens, and Digital Signage at the SAME TIME!

● All new scoring including, cameras and machine interface equipment.

● Touch Score 3 lets you upgrade one pair at a time. Manage both your old and new scoring with Touch Desk MGT System. Divide your center into "premium" and "standard" lanes, and upgrade more pairs at your own pace.

● Use Standard Computing Technology. TS3 uses standard Windows PCs on the lanes, counters, and back offices, making your scoring computers relevant and inexpensive to repair or replace. Never pay manufacturer's prices to repair proprietary computers. TS3 also connects directly to any flat screens without converters and auto scales to resolution of screens for easy upgrading.

Integrates Live with Lane Talk AND Lane Engine!

Jason Belmonte

15 PBA Majors

BOOM!

Big congratulations to the 15th Major title Jason!

Jason Belmonte won The PBA Tournament of Champions and is the world’s most successful bowler right now. Together with Kyle Troup and Verity Crawley, he’s also a Lanetalk ambassador. The three of them are spreading the word about this revolutionary paradigm in bowling to their large followings on social media and TV.

Connect your center to Lanetalk for free and be part of the online revolution. It’s a free hack to get more foot traffic and increase sales.

Don’t fall behind! Join the world’s biggest bowling community today! Learn more at Lanetalk.com

You Have Questions

ANSWERS!

Q: WHAT IS A “SYSTEM CHAMPION,” AND WHY DO I NEED ONE?

A: We recommend identifying an employee who will take responsibility for the routine management of the system. The champion’s tasks can include data mining for reports, setting pricing, collecting contact info for marketing, and overseeing security. They would also work with the Intercard support team to implement the free system upgrades we send out. A card system champion is a full-time job, but you don’t need a forensic accountant or IT guru to do it. It must be someone who pays attention to detail and has a passion for arcades.

Q: HOW CAN I IMPROVE SECURITY AND PREVENT FRAUD?

A: It starts with the security settings on your cashless technology system. We have to ensure that the group and user settings are set to lock down the system without negatively impacting an employee’s ability to take care of the customer. We want them to feel empowered, but we also don’t want them to have unlimited access to the data. Many times, there are too many people in the system with administrator privileges that they don’t need to do their job. You don’t want employees giving away thousands of redemption points, so you might limit them to 25 points per day per customer account. Managers and executive managers could have higher limits. It would be best if you also did a regular review of bulk-encoded cards to ensure that someone

hasn’t created a bulk order that’s not assigned to a particular customer or party booking. That can be a sign of fraud.

Q: HOW CAN MY CARD SYSTEM BOOST MY MARKETING AND CUSTOMER RETENTION PROGRAMS?

A: A great way to do that is to use the card readers to present ads to your customers right at the game. You can set the readers to show messages about your Happy Hour promotion, Monday Night Madness specials, or the live band you have each week. You can also display these messages on the large monitors on your iTeller kiosks.

Use the system to register customers for your loyalty program and to generate reports to show how the program is doing. Loyalty programs can bring in more revenue if you tailor them to your location and customers; you must mine the correct data to figure that out. Loyalty programs are not one size fits all; everybody’s got to try their own thing.•

Jason Mitchell has worked in the amusement industry for more than 36 years. For more than 11 years, he has brought his deep knowledge of customer service and technology to Intercard’s customers. He has been a speaker at industry gatherings hosted by such leading trade associations as the BPAA, the AMOA, and IAAPA. He welcomes questions at jmitchell@intercardinc.com.

GOODHELP IS EASY TO FIND.

INTRODUCING SYNC SERVICE KIOSK.

The Sync Service Kiosk was designed to alleviate your labor concerns while enhancing the guest experience. The fully integrated, automated technology reduces wait times, streamlines ordering, improves accuracy, and upsells on every transaction, all while offering the instant gratification your guests seek. Get guests to the fun faster with Sync Service Kiosk, brunswickbowling.com/servicekiosk.

GRIP! Get a

On Low Margin Menu Options

By Mike Fernandez

Adecade ago, profit margins for most food operations averaged a healthy 15-20%. Today, that number is as low as 4-7%. Are you tired of seeing your profits slip through your fingers?

As much as we love our greasy burgers and fries, some menu items aren’t cutting it when it comes to profitability.

Operators fear not! With a bit of menu engineering, less labor-intensive options, and streamlined prep, you can turn those low-margin food items into high-scoring hits or just toss the ones that don’t work! We’ll explore some top tips and tricks for flipping margins, boosting revenue, and keeping your customers coming back for more. There’s no one-size-fits-all plan for increasing your margins. Some foods can be important for attracting customers and creating a well-rounded menu. The goal is to find the right balance between profitability and customer satisfaction.

LOSS LEADERS

What’s a loss leader? It’s a product sold at low cost, or even at a loss, to attract customers and increase revenue. It might be a menu item priced below cost to get customers in the door and encourage them to purchase higher-margin items.

A center could offer discounted appetizers or drinks to entice customers to order more profitable items like pizzas or burgers. While it may seem counterintuitive to sell items at a loss, that increase in customer traffic and overall sales can lead to a substantial boost in revenue.

The most iconic example is Costco’s hot dogs and rotisserie chickens. They’re $1.75 and $5.00, respectively, regardless of inflation, war, or pandemic. Maybe they turned a profit in the ‘90s, but it keeps the people comin’!

If your mom’s homestyle baked ziti recipe is a little extra labor but beloved by guests, forget the margins and avoid a riot at the lanes.

LABOR-INTENSIVE FOODS

Running any food operation is a challenging feat, especially when it comes to preparing labor-intensive menu items. While tasty treats like hand-tossed pizzas, made-from-scratch burgers, and hand-breaded chicken tenders may be customer favorites, they can also be some of the most time-consuming and labor-intensive items to prepare. With a bit of planning and strategy, you can streamline your kitchen operations and keep those customers coming back for more.

For starters, consider prepping ingredients ahead of time and investing in time-saving equipment like food processors and high-powered blenders. Nobody will be ordering food that requires less labor if you don’t offer it! Here are a few lower-labor items to consider: Pre-packaged snacks like chips, pretzels, and candy can be added to your menu with little effort; frozen appetizers, such as mozzarella sticks and onion rings, can be quickly cooked and served with minimal prep work. Simple sandwiches like deli meats or PB&J can be assembled without much cooking time while offering a self-serve salad bar can provide a healthy and customizable option for customers.

TERRIBLE IDEA

Messy and saucy foods. Want to do BBQ? Offering black gloves with meaty plates makes both a guest photo shoot and clean hands. Ultimately there’s no escape from the mess.

THE CUP’S HALF-FULL

Which beverages provide the highest margins?

By including these lowlabor items in your menu, you can save time and energy in the kitchen without sacrificing the quality of your menu.

SHORT SHELF LIFE

Some popular menu items may have a short shelf life or result in more food waste than others. For example, fresh salads, sandwiches with perishable toppings, and delicate pastries may have a shorter shelf life and require more frequent preparation, leading to increased waste. Even fried items like chicken tenders or mozzarella sticks may have a shorter window of optimal freshness and texture, leading to more waste if sold slowly. Review your inventory to reduce waste and increase your bottom line.

Foods with strong odors aren’t boosting anyone’s revenue - and heating up tilapia all day isn’t bringing any new customers.

Foods with potential allergy risks will nearly

Fountain drinks are the highest profit. The markup on a soft drink from McDonald’s is about 90%. Not only do they have high-profit margins, but they also require very little additional labor. Unlike other beverages that may require individual preparation, fountain drinks can be easily dispensed with the push of a button by guests or staff.

The highest profit margin beverage after that will be coffee, at 80% or higher margins for each cup made! Not to mention that brewing some up is marketing, as very persuasive coffee aromas carry down the concourse, lane by lane, guest by guest.

Some bars may focus on high-margin cocktails to increase profitability, while others may offer various cocktail options to cater to different preferences and price points.

Mike Fernandez is a freelance contributor on all things regarding food, booze, and fun. Growing up in his family’s restaurant business fueled his passion for good eats and tasty treats. By day Mike works in business development for IBI scours south Florida for the latest trends in food, drinks, and recreation.

Sales funnels focus on making phones ring, and of course, ringing phones have been the lifeblood of business for years, but as times change, it’s time to rethink the central role of phone numbers in your sales funnel.

Why? Because people shop and buy differently now. More than ever, seconds count, and people use phones to make fewer calls. Because a ‘yes’ is yet to be money in your account, the tools and choices you offer prospects at the moment after a ‘yes’ determine if sales are won or lost. Winning the ‘yes’ is just the first step. This is why Amazon, Walmart, and other savvy companies invest heavily in instant gratification tools; they know the order is won or lost online, and winning this moment is the priority today.

Immediately after the consumer says yes, their thinking instantly changes from who, what, and where to ‘How can I get this?’ That is where the danger lies, and the opportunity.

The danger is the time gap from thinking yes once a consumer gets what they want. This gap is the central issue. The process from wanting to getting is the most crucial step in your sales process. In the old days — just a few years ago — people would call, agree to be put on hold, leave voice messages, and sometimes even drive over to leave a check. The pandemic changed all that. Patience is out the window, and your customers live and

breathe online expecting instant gratification. If they can’t get it from you, that’s the danger.

What to do? Here’s the plan and the opportunity: replace phone numbers with customer self-service options in your sales funnel. Reduce the need for phone calls and instead channel online traffic to real-time self-service options. Let them book, shop, pay, and inquire on their own schedule whenever they want. This is the smart strategy in 2023. We used to call this striking while the iron was hot. Now we call it using new technology to improve your competitive advantage.

Bowling centers focusing on parties and entertainment are ideal for customer self-service options. Many already encourage guests to book their parties, bowling packages, open play time, and lessons online. However, most bowling centers offer no online conveniences, which opens the door for other entertainment options that feature better and faster conversion tools.

The customer self-service approach is suitable for your staffing issues, too. When guests do things for themselves, fewer routine tasks end up on someone’s desk for followup. Customers do it all by themselves! Bookings are made, payments processed, and receipts and staff notices sent, all automatically. It’s the new way business is done.•

with

IT’S TIME TO UPDATE YOUR SALES FUNNEL Offering

SPARK!

YOU GOTTA SEE THIS.

Spark is bowling’s hottest attraction: totally addictive, multisensory, interactive, one-of-a-kind, next-level bowling. See for yourself: Scan the QR code or visit brunswickbowling.com/spark to immerse yourself in Spark, another game-changing innovation from Brunswick.

OLD IDEAS NEW LIFE for

Some promotions stand the test of time

Good bowling promotions are like Warren Buffet’s stock picks that rise and pay dividends. Other times, we create promotions, advertise them with great effort, incur expenses, and sometimes they fail. Fred Kaplowitz of the Kaploe Group once told me, “We throw them on the wall and see what sticks.” Over the years, we tried many things; some of those failed offers are still buried in my backyard with the daffodils.

What if these old ideas are retooled to fit today’s guests? I contend that old stuff can be made new and marketed in ways we may not have had before. Look at our sport itself. Yes, the machines still go up and down, and guests still don our ugly rental shoes. With innovations that address the current times, we’re attracting new people. Online reservations, other technology, and even air purification systems have helped old ideas of yesterday succeed in 2023.

Failures like the Bad Bowlers Club just had unacceptable names in my market. There are some terrible bowlers participating in our Y103 League, but we don’t call them that! Guests bowl in the Short-Season Fun League with their favorite DJs and music. We advertise it in January when radio spots are cheap and we can get more exposure for our buck. This one has been paying its way handsomely every winter for over 25 years!

LET’S LOOK AT SOME OLD IDEAS THAT EXPERIENCED A REFRESHER AND ARE MAKING MONEY NOW

1. Short Programs, Random Payouts: We all love our traditional leagues that run 30 or 32 weeks and payout big

at the end of the season to top-scoring teams. Innovative proprietors like my girlfriend Patty Rebman from Rebman’s Recreation, have started short programs with a jackpot paid out randomly, not based on skill. She calls the promotion In It to Win It and credits a BPAA seminar for the idea. Patty’s crew collects $5 extra each week for the pot. Recently her 12-week program still had $400 in the pot; you can be sure those bowlers show up every week!

2. Women Bowling with Wine: Why should we allow the guys to have all the fun? Gals love a good glass of wine, bowling, and socializing with their

By Peppe Smith

Women Bowling with Wine guests keep on rollin’ in

friends. Patty reports that her program has grown more extensive because of social media messages from the women participating in the fun. “The camaraderie the ladies share results in these 6-week sessions to go on indefinitely,” said Patty.

3. After-School Bowling: Over twenty years ago, Ray Stalnaker of Akron, OH, started an after-school program at his center. He said, “The kids ran to the buses and came on board laughing. They were happy to bowl even without music or lights.” My husband, Bob, and I started a similar version of this popular program. Fast forward to today, and we’re still making money with it. Well-paid coaches, running two buses, and competitive bus driver salaries have helped the lasting power. As a bonus, our center has been recognized by the Chamber of Commerce as a service to the community. Offering this to elementary kids builds interest in high school bowling and has helped increase our birthday party business.

4. Multiple Price Packages: When Bob and I were rookie proprietors, we asked Fred Kaplowitz to help us with quarterly planning. He suggested we offer three birthday packages. The thinking was that most parents would buy the middle offer. We imagined that no one would book the most expensive one as the cost was high for our neighborhood. However, we discovered that for some parents, any expenditure is okay for their kids. A costly package

with a flashing ball, the child’s name on the marquis, more game tokens, and other added extras makes more money in the same space.

5. New Year’s Eve Options: The old-way NYE was offering one party with a fancy buffet. Our new way to offer NYE has been to host four parties with a pizza on each lane. Every one of the later time slots is sold out days before NYE. This year, the 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. time slot also sold out. Initially conceived for the special needs community, this year, the offer appealed to families who wanted to celebrate early and get home to watch the Ohio State football game at home. We were unprepared for the bar business that afternoon. I called Fred on January 1 this year to thank him for the largest money made in one day ever!

What worked for you in the past that you stopped doing for one reason or another?

How might those ideas and offers be modernized and brought back to life?

What may seem like an old idea could well be viewed as new and exciting by today’s potential guests. Open the archives and dig a few out!•

Longtime proprietor Peppe Smith goes by the official title of Chief Fun Officer at Camelot Lanes in Boardman, OH.

INTERNATIONAL BOWLING INDUSTRY MAGAZINE IS GIVING AWAY $30,000 TO BOWLING OPERATORS & Writing Checks to Our Advertisers!

As Part Of IBI’s 30-Year Anniversary, We’re Rewarding Our Readers And Advertisers With A Big Money Giveaway

$30,000 GIVEAWAY TO CENTER OPERATORS

Beginning October 1, 2022, IBI will be giving away $1,000 a month for 30 months which can be applied toward goods or services from one of IBI’s qualifying vendors.

Each month, operators enter the contest at www.BowlingIndustry.com for their chance to win in that month’s drawing. Once the winner decides on a purchase from an IBI qualified advertiser, IBI will send a check to cover that portion of their purchase.

A winner will be selected on the last day of each month. Once the winner is notified, IBI will give them a list of qualifying vendors to choose from.

Details and Rules are available at www.BowlingIndustry.com

As a thank you to our consistent marketing partners, we’re including you in our milestone anniversary celebration.

If one of our winners chooses your company as their selected vendor, we’ll cut you a check on their behalf.

IBI’s Preferred Vendors receive a ton of exposure yearround, have exclusive marketing perks, and are included in special promotions like the $30,000 giveaway.

For more information on all the benefits of becoming an IBI Preferred Vendor, contact Natalie@BowlingIndustry.com or call 239.821.2534

Should You Be On TikTok?

By Corrie Pelc Advice for using the hottest

social media app

Nowadays, every bowling center and FEC is on Facebook, and most are on Instagram. But what about TikTok?

Adding another social media platform to your marketing mix may seem unnecessary because everyone has limited staff and time. However, TikTok offers an opportunity to reach new audiences differently.

What is TikTok?

According to Steven Saxton, content manager at digital marketing firm TrustWorkz Inc., TikTok is a short-form video platform, with videos from 30 seconds up to about three minutes in length.

“The easiest way to explain it would be like a shortened version of YouTube that is kind of bite-size, so something that people can consume quickly,” he explains. “And it’s turned into a platform like a visual Twitter — people can use it to create trends and follow trends, find out more about their favorite businesses or topics, and it grows from there.”

Industry experts report about 39% of TikTok’s global audience is adults ages 18 to 24. And the next most

significant audience, encompassing approximately 32% of TikTok, is adults ages 25 to 34. In both age ranges, women use TikTok more than men.

Attracting that younger demographic was one of the main reasons Kati Manning created a TikTok account for her business, La Ru Bowling Center & Sports Bar in Highland Heights, KY. “We are very close to a local college, and I know that is a trendy platform for college-age and high school [age],” she says. “And we do a lot with youth bowling here.”

Showing the Fun Side

Saxton says the best way for FECs and bowling centers to use TikTok is to showcase what they have in their facility and how people use it. “If you want to showcase your new or refinished lanes, that will do well on TikTok because you can show it in real time,” he detailed.

Saxton notes that TikTok allows you to provide quicker updates on events and new offerings. “Instead of pushing out an article on your website or Facebook, take a 20-30 second video to say, ‘We’ve refinished our lanes, come enjoy them now.’ People can see that just as it happened.”

PUT REAL BOWLING ENTERTAINMENT ANYWHERE!

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Manning says they mainly use TikTok to promote events both before and during. “One weekend, we had our sweeper, so we posted a video of a 300 that [happened] here during our tournament,” she explains.

And Manning says TikTok helps them create fun videos to create an interest in bowling. “I know in our region, we’ve had several centers close,” she continues. “With that in mind, we always fear that the more centers that close, the [more] people will lose interest in bowling. We’re trying to [show] a different side of bowling — a fun side to show how it’s for everybody. We like posting videos there to open our audience up.”

Worth the Work

Although it may sound like taking and posting 30-second videos would not be a lot of work, Manning — who shares TikTok duties for the bowling center with her husband — says it is a lot of work.

“We’re usually a two-man, threeman show here, so those videos are after we close,” she says. “We take time when we go home and wind down a little bit. We’ll mesh our videos together and post once a week.”

Saxton agrees there is a learning curve and time commitment with TikTok. However, he advises not to be discouraged if this looks to be a social media platform worth your time. He suggests first researching the platform, what other centers are doing, and how they’re doing it.

For your first TikTok video, Saxton says to take your time with it. “It doesn’t have to be a crazy 40-second edited showcase of everything you’ve got,” he explains. “Maybe it’s just a quick introduction video, maybe even introducing staff. Something as simple as that can start your account and get it a following.”

And Saxton advises using TikTok to explore your business through the eyes of someone who may not be familiar with it. “What things do you take for granted on a daily basis but you think would be interesting to a new customer,” he adds.•

Apparel

Automatic

Design CREATIVE WORKS www.thewoweffect.com Russ Van Natta 317.834.4770 sales@thewoweffect.com

Design – New Concept Development – Planning & Consulting –Architecture – Theme Design – Re-imagining of Existing Facilities

Touch

Equipment/Supplies

Attractions NEO TAC www.neotac.com Frank Bernabei 585.798.6400 300@neotac.com Lane Conditioners and

Lane

PREFERRED VENDOR LIST

Capital Equipment/Supplies

QUBICAAMF

QubicaAMF is the world’s largest manufacturer of bowling and mini bowling products. With our innovative products, we will help our customers fully unleash that potential to extend the bowling population, to reach the younger generations, to increase their spending, frequency of visits—and your revenue.

SWITCH

John Fatigati

Offering a full line of equipment, furniture and scoring for everything from modernization to new center builds since 2006, Switch Bowling features Italian designed style built into products with uncompromising quality and value.

Cashless

Intercard introduced cashless technology to the amusement industry and has been leading the way for 30+ years. Cashless systems from Intercard increase customer spending and satisfaction and boost revenues by up to 30% at entertainment centers worldwide.

Semnox’s online cashless payment systems – a one stop solution for your entire bowling center operations.

Consulting, Management and Marketing

TMG works closely with stakeholders to create and manage innovative concepts through customized value added and consulting services including operations, team development, marketing/advertising, culinary and technical. With the goal of creating memorable experiences, customized for local markets, TMG can help take your concept from idea to operational, or anything in-between.

Food

VIRTUAL

Our goal is to help the restaurant community generate additional revenue and sources of income through virtual brands. We give you the expertise and know-how of seasoned restaurateurs, knowledge from national chain experience and the vision to put it all together in one complete, easy to implement solution.

Venue Industries is a commercial furniture manufacturer in Tampa, FL. Specializing in custom furniture design, Venue Industries can provide furniture for your entire facility. From bowling sofas, to restaurant seating –– Venue Industries can provide anything you might need for your bowling center or family entertainment center.

Furniture

Insurance

TILTON, THOMAS & MORGAN INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS www.ttminsurance.com

W. Tyler Compton

866.233.0266

tcompton@ttminsurance.com

WESTERN BOWLING PROPRIETORS INSURANCE www.wbpiprogram.com

Cameron Linder 800.200.9998 contact@wbpiprogram.com

WBPI has dedicated itself to insuring bowling centers for more than 30 years and is exclusively endorsed by 8 state bowling proprietors insurance associations. Our staff of insurance experts and professional bowlers provide staff training, insurance education, advocacy, and business advice. No one fights harder for you! Contact us today for a competitive insurance quote!

DECIBEL

STUDIOS www.decibel-studios.com Guy O’Hazza 310.693.5165

We help bowling centers find new leads and turn them into raving repeat customers with our done for you automated marketing system.

The ultimate marketing and management company for your leisure, entertainment, or recreation business. Professional consulting and coaching available.

41 IBI May 2023

PREFERRED VENDOR LIST

ALLEYTRAK

AlleyTrak is the complete lane reservation and management system designed specifically for bowling alleys. Manage your recurring events, leagues, parties, packages, along with many other features AlleyTrak has to offer. Save time by allowing guests to make reservations online 24/7. PARTYWIRKS

Partywirks is more than an online booking software company for parties, events, lane reservations and leagues for your bowling entertainment center. Our easy-to-use, easy-to-manage multi-function system encourages upselling, helps generate future interest, and also allows your visitors to inquire, invite, share, learn, sign waivers, and shop online.

Party Supplies and Novelty Products

Redemption SIERRA PRODUCTS www.noveltybowlingstuff.com Shelly Berry 800.900.7695 sales@noveltybowlingstuff.com

42 IBI May 2023

Sierra Products is your exclusive source for bowling parties, including party favors, supplies and novelties. Bowling birthday party supplies include bowling pin sipper bottles, mini bowling pin candy containers, bowling coin banks, bowling party cups, napkins, novelty souvenir cups and much more. Most of our items can be personalized with your company’s logo, phone, website, etc.

perform. Services that simplify.

vrCAVE produces premium VR escape room products suited for any bowling alley or FEC looking to add VR as an option to their establishment. They work with companies of all sizes, help with the headset installation, and provide the software and technical support.

MECHANIC RETIRING

HIGH Level mechanic retiring – willing to train next hire for our 26 lane center with restaurant. Only the third mechanic since 1959 for our very stable, family business. Great opportunity in beautiful northwest NJ/PA border town. Salary and benefits commensurate with experience. Email resume to rob.plenge@comcast.net or call Rob 908-763-1192.

Drill Bit Sharpening and Measure Ball Repair. Jayhawk Bowling Supply. (800)255-6436 or jayhawkbowling.com

EXPERIENCED MECHANIC NEEDED FOR 32 LANE CENTER

Great opportunity in the Tampa Bay area 8270 AMF Pinsetters // Salary and benefits determined by experience // E-Mail resume to manager@oakfieldlanes.com or Call Tammy Jacobs @ (813)681-4783

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE

NEW & USED Pro Shop Equipment. Jayhawk Bowling Supply. (800)255-6436 or jayhawkbowling.com.

EDUCATION & TRAINING

PRO SHOP TRAINING. Classes always forming. Jayhawk Bowling Supply (800)255-6436 or jayhawkbowling.com.

Remember When 1938

It’s 1938, Look, a photojournalistic, popular magazine with a circulation of 2 million, is one year old, and Europe is immersed in the beginnings of war. However, it was the lull before the storm for Americans who were entranced by Jeanette MacDonald, Ginger Rogers and Alice Faye. They followed the boxing victories of Henry Armstrong in the pages of their favorite magazine, and the indoor sport of choice was bowling with 10 million men and women bowling regularly.

In this February 1938 Look photo spread, Joe Falcaro, Champion Match Bowler, gives tips on how to bowl a perfect strike. The pre-war years showed association membership on the rise with ABC members at 446,000 which would not peak until 1964 when it reached 4,575,000 members.•

DELIVER ON THE HYPE!

The Case is Clear

HyperBowling extends the reach of your business far beyond bowling. And we can prove it. As part of our investment to create HyperBowling we commissioned an extensive consumer research study that involved over 1,000 casual bowling and non-bowling consumers to gather their reactions. Our research shows that this innovative product will fire up your current base and bring in new customers by offering an exciting fusion of bowling and gaming. Scan the QR code to see the results!