2019 IBI November Issue

CONTENTS

VOL 27.11

THE WORLD'S ONLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO THE BUSINESS OF BOWLING

PUBLISHER & EDITOR Scott Frager frager@bowlingindustry.com Skype: scottfrager

8 SHORTS • Plush toys from Redemption Plus help Leawood, KS, PD • The Ciniellos reach out to victims of Hurricane Doria • Shake & Bake reinvents itself with help from Brunswick • Veterans and Bowling • eBowl.biz hooks up with CDE Software

BEYOND BOWLING 40 According to George: Attention on Success

42 IAAPA Preview 48 Step Right Up to Pins Mechanical

56 Interesting Interview: Corey Dykstra

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Showcase

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER David Garber garber@bowlingindustry.com

OFFICE MANAGER Patty Heath heath@bowlingindustry.com

CONTRIBUTORS Jim Goodwin Patty Heath Evan Henerson George McAuliffe Howard McAuliffe Mark Miller Robert Sax Jeff Slutsky

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jackie Fisher fisher@bowlingindustry.com

By Patty Heath

62 MARKETING

18 FEATURE

Making Magic With Your Marketing Budget

The Eye Of The Tiger Did bowling help Clemson win the collegiate football title?

Tips for marketing your center in the Digital Age

By Jeff Slutsky

By Mark Miller

ART DIRECTION & PRODUCTION Designworks www.dzynwrx.com (818) 735-9424

FOUNDER Allen Crown (1933-2002)

P.O. Box 7350 Overland Park, KS 66207 (818) 789-2695(BOWL) Fax (818) 789-2812 info@bowlingindustry.com

www.BowlingIndustry.com

26 FEATURE An Historic First

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The Saudi Women’s national team made history at the World Bowling Women’s National Championship

72 REMEMBER WHEN Gleem Toothpaste

By Patty Heath

By Jim Goodwin

65 Classifieds 32 COVER STORY Making Moments Count With his life in balance and his perspectives in check, Jeff Schilling reimagines himself and his company Creative Works.

MEMBER AND/OR SUPPORTER OF:

By Robert Sax 48

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HOTLINE: 818-789-2695 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: One copy of International Bowling Industry is sent free to every bowling center, independently owned pro shop and collegiate bowling center in the U.S., and every military bowling center and pro shop worldwide. Publisher reserves the right to provide free subscriptions to those individuals who meet publication qualifications. Additional subscriptions may be purchased for delivery in the U.S. for $60 per year. Subscriptions for Canada and Mexico are $65 per year, all other foreign subscriptions are $80 per year. All foreign subscriptions should be paid in U.S. funds using International Money Orders.

POSTMASTER: Please send new as well as old address to International Bowling Industry, P.O. Box 7350 Overland Park, KS 66207 USA. If possible, please furnish address mailing label.

Printed in U.S.A. Copyright 2019, B2B Media, Inc. No part of this magazine may be reprinted without the publisher’s permission.

SHORTS

EXPANSIONS, OPENINGS & NEW BEGINNINGS

THE GREAT ESCAPE IS NOW EVEN GREATER Great Escape in Pleasant Hill, IA, has added a 10,000-square-foot expansion which includes a 50-game arcade and a new laser tag facility.

Randy and Sheri Thompson purchased the center in 2012 and renovated and rebranded the 24-lane center. This latest addition is the second phase which expands the arcade from 13 to 50 games, including a new fourplayer virtual reality game and a new prize redemption center.

BOWL NEW ENGLAND IS ON THE MOVE

MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR RENOVATION Skyline Lanes has been entertaining people in Duluth, MN, since 1956. This year, the center rebranded itself thanks to a $3 million remodel—Skyline Social and Games.

“It was time to re-invest,” said Corey Kolquist, GM, to Amusement Resources.

“The traditional bowling center doesn’t really exist anymore. You need to adapt into a family entertainment center or become boutique bowling. And we chose the entertainment center.”

The arcade was revamped, adding 40 new games. The birthday party areas feature glow-in-the-dark paint. The restaurant was also remodeled and the menu updated. The bar was expanded and added duckpin bowling.

THE PERFECT REPURPOSE Greenville, SC, location

Family owned and operated Bowl New England, Inc., the wellestablished bowling company, doing business as Spare Time Entertainment, has announced major expansion plans for the next 24 months in the southeast and midwest regions of the U.S. Site selections include Charlotte, NC; Des Moines, IA; Lexington, KY; and Virginia.

The new FEC models will typically boast 22 bowling lanes and theatre-sized HD video walls. The Elite Suite private event space will include a private bar, couches, and 6-8 lanes of bowling. The facilities will also feature a laser tag arena with special effects; game rooms with over 100 of the latest arcade games and a prize store. There will be Escape Room adventures for two to four players. Capping it off will be a full-service restaurant and bar with indoor and outdoor patio seating.

Kansas City, Mo, has a new library location for its Red Bridge Branch. The new site had once been a bowling center. Although closed, the center had one more obligation, giving back once more to the community. The high ceilings and open space are perfect for books and learning as they had once been for fun. The new branch pays homage to the former bowling alley by keeping the aesthetic of the steps that went down to the bowling lanes.

BALTIMORE’S SHAKE & BAKE IS ON A ROLL Baltimore Colts wide receiver Glenn “Shake and Bake” Doughty was the namesake for Shake & Bake Family Fun Center which opened in the 1980s. Owned by the City of Baltimore it originally featured a skating rink on the main level and 40 lanes of bowling below. Financial challenges brought the facility to its knees, lacking the upgrades to keep it going. Fortunately for its citizens, Baltimore decided to give the FEC some TLC. “Modernization enables us to provide a valuable, safe environment for inner city youth,” stated Wally Stephenson, facility maintenance coordinator of Baltimore.

With the help and expertise of Brunswick, the center is up and running with new vigor. It boasts video/arcade games, pool tables, a snack bar, and 24 lanes of bowling. Upgrades include Brunswick GS-X™, Anvilane lanes, Envoy lane machines, and Sync scoring and management system with the Angry Birds collection.

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SHORTS

BUSINESS AT LARGE 8 EBOWL.BIZ PARTNERS WITH CDE SOFTWARE eBowl.biz and CDE Software have announced the release of their league standings integration. As the industry leader in league secretary software, CDE’s BLS-2020 is now available as part of eBowl.biz’s BowlRx website platform. Easy viewing of league stats, along with super-fast downloads of standings sheets, is delivered inside the website making for a seamless experience for bowlers. This integration is also available for tournament results.

8 VENTOLA IS LIGHTING UP ENTERTAINMENT

8 EMBED PARTNERS WITH ZEAL IN ABU DHABI

Ventola Projects Ltd specializes in the craft of expert, high-quality lighting systems. One of its current renovations was Las Vegas resort Tahiti Village. Managed and installed

by Kool Amusements, Ventola’s U.S. distributor, the project took an old store room and, in three weeks, converted it into an arcade complete with a complex LED light show.

The new Zeal Entertainment FEC at the Dalma Mall in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, has chosen Embed for its cashless management system. The 35,000-square-foot venue contains games, VR, and a Switch tenpin bowling installation. Embed will supply 27 SmartTouch readers and the first integration of its game cards with Switch bowling in the UAE.

8 PINSTRIPES’ LATEST STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP Pinstripes, Inc., an experiential dining and entertainment concept, has partnered with Simon Property Group that includes new leases for three future locations. This is the second strategic partnership Pinstripes has completed in the last six months. In April 2019, Pinstripes completed a similar multi-lease/minority equity investment transaction with Brookfield Properties. Combined, these two partnerships represent six future Pinstripes locations. Currently, Pinstripes has 10 locations throughout the U.S.

PEOPLEWATCHING A new executive leadership team has been put in place for Embed

by Renee Welsh, CEO of Embed and Booking Boss.

Andy Welsh has been named chief technology officer. Welsh has helped develop housing valuation systems used by Australian banks and software for leading car parts systems in the U.S. He has played a critical role on the Embed team that developed the first Australian activities portal.

Clockwise from left: Sara Paz; Renee Welsh; Sara Paz, the new Ladonna Whitaker; Andy Welsh; and Michael Lopez. chief marketing officer, brings experience from her previous Asia Pacific marketing career at Sony Corporation in Tokyo, followed by senior regional and global market roles at major corporations. Paz was named among APAC’s Top-10 Marketers by Media Magazine.

Michael Lopez has been appointed chief experience officer. Lopez began his career at Sony Electronics, Tokyo, as a mechanical design 10

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engineer, moving into business development and operations at Phillips, Dell, and Illumina. His experience will elevate the overall Embed customer care, installations, and training functions.

Ladonna Whitaker is Embed’s sales director for North and South America. Previous experience included technology sales transformation and strategy with Silicon Valley start-ups and Virgin America.

ZOT Pinsetter Parts, Inc. announced that Damon Sarrocco will join the company as marketing specialist for its newly created position. Sarrocco will manage all aspects of marketing and marketing services for ZOT Bowling Parts and ZOT ColorSplash product lines.

Sarrocco started his career with the PBA, including assistant Damon Sarrocco tournament director on the national tour. He was a district sales manager for fourteen years at Ebonite International.

SHORTS

THROUGH IBI, REDEMPTION PLUS PARTNERS WITH LEAWOOD POLICE DEPARTMENT Redemption Plus, headquartered in Lenexa, KS, has joined forces with the Leawood Police Department in an outreach program to bring plush toys to kids. The plush toys will be used during routine police calls that involve children, domestic violence, lost children, etc., in an effort to help officers make a connection with children dealing with trauma. Scott Frager, an officer with the police department, is also publisher of IBI and connected with Redemption Plus for this effort.

“On behalf of the Leawood Police Department, I can’t thank the Redemption Plus team enough for their generous donation of toys and plush. Nothing softens the impact of an emergency call quite like the offer of a cute plush toy to a child. I was expecting a few items to keep boxed,” Frager shared, “but Redemption Plus went above and beyond with enough plush to completely stuff two patrol units. As a matter of fact, my cruiser was so full, I almost cited myself for a blocked view.”

Officer Scott Frager (left), Leawood Police Department, Kansas, confabs with Redemption Plus’ Josh Adkins, Experience Crusader; Laura Bourdelais, Value Architect; Ann Krull, Value Architect; Justin Michaels, Value Architect; and Mike Tipton, Chief Value Architect, regarding community outreach.

BOWLING’S CLOSE TIES TO VETERANS WWII Vet Shares His Secret: Bowling While 16 million Americans served in World War II, fewer than 500,000 are still alive. Roy Wieneke, interviewed by Mychaela Bruner on FOX2 News, shared that he was one of six Wienke boys. Three served in WWII, all in different places, all in combat, and all three came home. At 91, Wieneke now keeps himself busy bowling with his friends at Oasis Lanes in Union, MO. “It’s what keeps me alive, really. If I had to give up bowling, I’d ask God to take me right now,” said Wieneke.

Roy Wieneke (L) with his bowling pal, Roy White (81).

Update: Funds Soar for BVL In April, David “Kilroy” Kellerman began his amazing hike across the Appalachian Trail, starting at Springer Mountain in Georgia and ending 160 days later at Mount Katahdin in Maine.

The goal was to raise money for BVL and all veterans with an amount set at $50,000. To date, $80,000 has been raised with a new goal of $100,000 by Christmas. To participate go to BVL.org.

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Bowling is the Glue Veterans Day, November 11, marks the end of World War 1, at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918. Prior to 1954, it was referred to as Armistice Day. Now it is a day to honor all veterans.

Here is a feel-good story of two Missouri kids who met 60 years ago at a Marine Corps boot camp in San Diego, CA, in 1955. Dan O’Neill and Wally Lahm were both assigned to the USS Hancock based out of Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, on the same squadron and both were plane captains working on F2H4 Banshees.

Jump forward 61 years, the two are part of a senior bowling league in Steelville, MO. Neither recognized the other. One day, they were both wearing the Marine Corp logo, and one thing led to another. The photo tells it all. Bowling is the glue.

Note: Story was originally seen on CNN, Feb. 16, 2019.

SHORTS ATHLETES GIVE BACK Basketball, football, and NASCAR stars have continually stepped up to give back to their communities, and they often do it through the sport of bowling.

GOODWILL CENTRAL

Brendan Gaughan’s Celebrity Bowling Classic was held earlier this year at South Point Hotel Casino. It was a night of fun and competition to raise money for local children’s charities through Speedway Children’s Charities. Each bowling team was paired with a NASCAR driver or Brendan Gaughan industry star. There was also the opportunity to ride on the hitch with the Budweiser Clydesdales during a pre-race of the South Point 400.

Adrian Amos

Green Bay Packers’ Adrian “Smash” Amos hosted a night of unlimited bowling at The Gutter in Green Bay, WI. He brought along some of his Packers teammates to bowl, take pictures, and mingle. The benefit was to support “I’m Still Here” Foundation which focuses on Alzheimer’s awareness and research.

Former San Antonio Spur Malik Rose hosted his 3rd annual Malik Rose Bowl to help raise money for the Salvation Army Emergency Family shelter.

Besides the two-time NBA champion, other celebrities including champion wrestlers and boxers and San Antonio’s Malik Rose mayor, Ron Nirenberg, attended the event held at Main Event in San Antonio.

The New England Patriots’ running back, James White, hosted an event in support of Boston Medical Center.

White, his teammates, including Tom Brady, took a break from football to attend the tenth annual Sweet Feet for Strikes, held at Kings Dining & James White Entertainment in Dedham, MA. “It is an awesome experience raising a lot of money for a great cause,” White said. “My teammates come out, a lot of fans come out, we have a lot of fun, but, we are all here for one reason. To raise money for the children in need.” Last year the tournament raised over $250,000.

HURRICANE DORIA RELIEF EFFORT Pat and Lisa Ciniello, owners of Bowland/Headpinz Entertainment Centers, wanted to make a difference in the devastation wreaked by Hurricane Doria. The Bahamas were battered by 200+ mph winds for more than 36 hours in September. After one week of fundraising and with a matching donation by the company, a $18,000 check was presented to the Green Turtle Cay Relief which will be used to help rebuild the only school building on the island of 600 people.

Pat Ciniello (l), Bruce Neill (center) of Sanibel Sea School, and Lisa Ciniello (r)

AIRWAY FUN CENTER & COMMUNITY RALLY AROUND 12-YEAR-OLD 12-year-old Matt Sprau recorded a message from his room at Bronson Hospital in Ann Arbor, MI, thanking friends, family, and the community for a fundraiser held at Airway Fun Center, in Portage, where he bowled on Saturdays. Matt was diagnosed with leukemia in July of this year. Tyler Houser, the assistant manager at Airway, said, “I just want him to know that we’re all here for him. We love him dearly.” Houser described Matt as an energetic, outgoing kid who could light up the room with his smile. Houser was Matt’s dad’s bowling coach in high school. The fundraiser raised about $8,000, all of which will go to the Sprau family. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help with medical expenses.

What is your center doing? Email Patty Heath at heath@bowlingindustry.com.

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FEATURE

THE EYE OF THE TIGER did Bowling help clemson win the collegiate football title?

By Mark Miller nyone who follows college football closely knows the Clemson University Tigers are the defending national champions. What most people likely don’t know is how bowling may have played a small role in that success.

That’s because among the amenities inside the South Carolina school’s new football training facility, that opened early in 2017, are two bowling lanes with video scoring. They are located in the lower level of what’s officially called the Allen N. Reeves Football

A

Complex. Others have named it “Dabo’s World” after head coach Dabo Swinney, the architect of Clemson’s 2016 and 2019 championships.

Trophies from those wins, plus one from the 1981 title, are prominently on display in the building’s lobby.

While focused on the winning culture of the football program, this is far from just a training facility. To some, like director of recruiting and external affairs and project manager Thad Turnipseed, it is 140,000 square feet that doesn’t just raise the bar – it is the new bar against which other programs will be measured, which it should, since it cost $55 million to build.

“Money is not the issue,” Turnipseed told The State newspaper a month

Thad Turnipseed 18

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FEATURE before it opened. “The issue is, we’ve got to quit using people.

We’ve got to build better men if college football is going to [be] sustainable. That’s what Dabo Swinney is changing in college football, and that’s what this building is all about.”

The lanes are located in the Players’ Lounge area, with other amenities like pool tables, Ping pong, video games, a virtual reality

about anything football-sized men can eat. As if all that isn’t enough, there’s also a $1.5 million outdoor Players’ Village that includes a water wall, full-sized basketball court, nine-hole miniature golf course, horseshoe pit, beach volleyball dune and Wiffle ball area.

room, and enough televisions for all to see. A golf simulator, barber shop, players personal laundry room, a movie theater, lap pool, and four hydrotherapy pools round out the luxurious facility; all of these are on top of the expected things, like coaching offices, meeting rooms, recruiting lounge, recruiting war room, locker rooms, saunas, cold tub, nap room, cleat drying room, and what is described as the nation’s largest weight room.

There also is a massive dining room that serves just

SUMMIT LANES LEE’S SUMMIT, MO (24 LANES) We congratulate Brian & Sara Strickland and Robert Hughes on their purchase of this fine center and thank Pat Pollard for trusting Mike Monroe to handle the sale.

We wish Brian, Sara, Robert & Pat all the best in the future.

Bowling’s Only Full-Service Brokers, Appraisers & Financial Advisors

(619) 551- 6005 Check out our listings at www.thehansellgroup.com

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The facility was designed by HOK, one of the country’s leading architectural firms, best known for creating a number of stadiums, arenas, convention centers, and other famous structures around the country. Such a building had been discussed as early as 2013. Turnipseed was brought in from another college football power house, the University of Alabama, to make it happen. His goal was to create something that not only functioned as a place for players to work on their football game and study, but also to hang out and have fun.

“We wanted to build a players’ lounge that was fun but also served to nurture competition,” said Swinney. “It was a natural fit for the space we had, and it has provided our players the opportunity to

FEATURE

have some fun but still go compete. It’s been great for teambuilding and a natural fit for the culture and atmosphere we’ve developed here at Clemson.”

Long before ground was broken on the facility on Nov. 6, 2015, Swinney had a good idea of what he wanted: the facility had to serve as a place for the coaching staff to manage the program. It had to be

an eye opener for recruits and a place where current players could truly be student-athletes.

Turnipseed was inspired by what he saw when visiting 36 other facilities through the years. The 23,000-square-foot weight room was modeled after the University of Alabama’s, the locker room and cold tub were inspired by the University of Oklahoma, and the training room was modeled after a similar one at the University of Tennessee.

The entrance to the Allen N. Reeves Football Complex features a small rendition of The Hill at Memorial Stadium which the players run down when entering the stadium for games. If the players are in a real hurry to get outside to the practice field, a two-story slide is the fastest way to go.

The bowling lanes? Since no other college football facility is believed to include bowling, that’s an original idea — one that most likely speaks to the popularity of bowling and its fun, friendly way for the 22

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players to socialize when they are not working out or studying.

“The motivation to build this facility came from a series of conversations with Coach Swinney about what we

needed to take our program into the future,” Clemson athletic director Dan Radakovich told al.com. “This is a tremendous opportunity for our football program. It keeps everyone together under one roof, and it provides that great Clemson family atmosphere.” ❖

Mark Miller is a freelance writer, editor, and public relations specialist from Flower Mound, TX. He's the author of Bowling: America's Greatest Indoor Pastime available at Amazon.com.

S P O N S O R E D BY C R E AT I V E WO R K S

WOWING WITH VIRTUAL REALITY Why 95% of People Want To Play Hologate Arena Again

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n the last few years, virtual reality has become one of the premier attractions for bowling entertainment centers (BECs). Advances in technology and design have allowed virtual reality to become a leading attraction option with a small footprint and a fast ROI. Andretti Indoor Karting & Games saw the power of virtual reality and wanted to leverage this growing trend to generate more revenue.

“We believe virtual reality is becoming an essential part of the attraction mix for any FEC, regardless of the size,” commented Eddie Hamann, managing member for Andretti.

Hamann began doing research for potential virtual reality solutions during IAAPA Expo in 2017. When visiting the Creative Works booth, Hamann was impressed with the immersive experience that Hologate offered. He purchased the unit directly off the show floor because he wanted to be the first North American facility to have the attraction. After seeing how successful it was, he started adding Hologate Arenas to all of his locations.

At a large FEC like Andretti, every square foot of space must be utilized carefully to maximize efficiency. The small footprint and high revenue potential of Hologate Arena were important factors for Hamann. “When you look at revenue per square foot, nothing can beat it.”

Hologate Arena is also an attraction that draws a high number of repeat plays. Once players experience Hologate Arena, they almost always want to come back with their friends and check out the other game options. “We have polled our customers, and 95% of them said they would do it again.”

Andretti’s locations are some of the highest performing Hologate Arenas in the world. When speaking about the annual revenue of each Andretti Hologate Arena attraction, Hamann said, “I do know that they all do between [$300,000] and $400,000 a year.”

The high annual revenue of Hologate Arena helps generate a fast ROI. Andretti broke even and started profiting on their Hologate Arenas in less than 5 months due to their thoughtful strategies.

The careful placement of the Hologate Arena attractions is one big reason for the phenomenal numbers. Andretti makes sure that the attraction is fully visible to everyone that walks into the FEC. “We give Hologate prime real estate. In fact, we make sure that Hologate Arena is in the best positions in our locations.

So we build our entire arcade around Hologate. That’s how important it is to us.”

Hamann makes sure that there are always two employees working Hologate Arena at any given time. He makes sure that these employees are very well trained and knowledgeable about the attraction. “I can tell you that about 15-20% of our sales are made by our employees answering questions. So we have employees, who are well trained, energetic, answering questions and inviting people.”

Hamann is a smart operator. He spends ample time planning and preparing to maximize his VR revenue, and it makes a huge impact on his business. ❖ To learn how Hologate VR can boost your revenue, download the free report at www.thewoweffect.com/ibi

CREATIVE WORKS CAN HELP YOU MAKE A LONG-TERM PLAN.

FEATURE

An F Historic First

By Jim Goodwin

In a history-making feat, the Saudi national women’s bowling team participated in the World Bowling Women’s Championship in Las Vegas for the first time in August

The Saudi Women’s national team made history at the World Bowling Women’s Championships in Las Vegas

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or the Saudi Arabia Women’s national team, the trip to Las Vegas in late August 2019 for the World Bowling Women’s Championships was historic and the experience of a lifetime. The team members and everyone involved will always remember their first appearance on the world stage alongside many of the best women bowlers in the world. President of World Bowling, HRH Sheikh Talal, says, “This is a momentous occasion for World Bowling and for the dedicated team of Saudi Arabian women athletes who have trained hard to get to this stage – my sincerest congratulations to the athletes and to the Saudi Bowling Federation for making this step.”

Nahla Adas, Maryam Cruz, Hadeel Tarmeen, Ghada Nemer, Amani Alghamdi, and Meshael Alabdulwahed are proud members of the first Saudi Arabia Women’s national team. Head coach Mario Joseph and team manager Razan Baker helped the women make the most of their groundbreaking trip.

Joseph is steeped in the Saudi bowling world as the head coach of the Saudi Men’s, Women’s and Youth national teams. He is supported by assistant coaches Marios Iosif and Sarah Gamel.

The Saudi Bowling Federation (SBF) first welcomed female participation in February 2018. It began the year before with a group of 12 Saudi females training for fun at the Algosaibi Bowling Centre. The 12 women caught the attention of Joseph, who, alongside the sports administrators, recognized the dedication and commitment of the women. They advised the women to approach SBF directly. SBF agreed to start a program and planned to form a women’s bowling team to which Dr. Razan Baker, a member of the federation’s board of directors, said they received an overwhelming response.

In preparation for the tournament, the team and coach were together every day for a couple of weeks. For Joseph, this first trip to the World Bowling Women’s Championships was not about winning or rolling big scores. “The goal for the team in the Women’s Championships was to represent Saudi [Arabia] with sportsmanship, to enjoy the experience, have fun on the lanes, and not get too nervous, uptight, or overwhelmed by some of the brilliant bowlers from around the world,” said Joseph. “We have been working on spares and fundamentals, so hopefully, they will not miss many spares in this event,” he added.

“The team found it an overwhelming experience to meet and bowl with professional and elite athletes from all over the world,” said team manager Baker. “They follow them on social media, and now they have met them in person and learned from them. They were happy to see how humble and down to earth elite athletes are in real life and hope to reach that level of performance, with that same attitude.”

By all indications, they met and surpassed those lofty goals in their first major international tournament. Ghada Nemer said

FEATURE she learned to be more patient. “I used to think I needed to be quick, but I have learned to slow down and take my time to perform better,” she said. Nemer also has three boys who compete on the Saudi Youth national team. Mashael Alabdulwahed loved being a part of the World Bowling Women’s Championships which gave her more confidence. “Being here and playing with professional athletes has been a real learning experience,” she said. Amani Alghamdi said “I really enjoyed Mashael al-Abdulwahid in action seeing the team spirit while playing at the World Bowling Women’s and training, and I hope to transfer Championship in Las Vegas that to the rest of the girls back in Saudi.” “This experience allowed me to overcome my fears,” Hadeel Tarmeen explained, “and now I want to focus more on just improving skills.” Everyone on the team agreed team spirit is the key to achieving better results and performance in major events and in local events.

When they are not bowling to represent their country, the Saudi team members enjoy many other sports and hobbies: Amani is a football (soccer) player and coach; she practices

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Moms of the Saudi women’s bowling team cheer on their daughters

Taekwondo; she sings and plays guitar; and enjoys ice skating. Hadeel plays the guitar and piano, and is pretty good at basketball. Mashael enjoys swimming when she is not on the bowling lanes. Nahla Adas doesn’t swim, but she loves dolphins so much, her team mates have given her the nickname Dolphin.

There are no professional bowlers on the Saudi team, but just being around the great bowlers in the World Women’s Championships inspired them to improve every day; they know they must be patient and diligent in learning new skills that will take them to a higher level.

Come visit us at IAPPA at Booth #E7231

FEATURE

Some of the Saudi women’s team with team manager Dr. Razan Baker (far left), while bowling in the Arab Women’s Championship in Egypt

Dr. Razan Baker has quite an impressive list of accomplishments.

She is a specialist in the field of sports corporate social responsibility, a member of the board of directors of the Saudi Bowling Federation, a member of the media and marketing committee for the Saudi Arabia Olympic Committee, and an Arab News sports columnist.

She earned her PhD from Brunel University in London, England.

“We started the Saudi Women’s national team in February of 2018,” said Baker. “Before that, these were just ordinary women going about their lives, but what they have in common is a passion for bowling, and these team members earned their place on the team in local tournaments.” Throughout 2018, ranking tournaments were held in three Saudi cities. Two events each in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Khobar produced champions to make up the first Saudi Women’s national team. There are many more teams that will compete in future events, as well as many leagues in about 30 centers throughout the country.

The Saudi Bowling Federation has been very supportive of all three Saudi teams. Aside from sending the women’s team to events like the Women’s Championships, they set aside lanes in some very busy bowling centers a couple of hours each day for team practice sessions.

The Saudi women met many other teams from all over the world while competing in Las Vegas .

They happily posed with Team England.

After returning home from Las Vegas, the team members competed in the 7th annual Saudi Women’s Championships, and began preparing to bowl in the Asian Championships to be held in Kuwait in December.

“The team got back home highly motivated to train more and develop their skills,” said Baker. “It was an overwhelmingly positive experience for all of us, and they are sharing it now with their teammates in their different [home] cities of Jeddah, Riyadh, and Khobar.

Many new members joined and came to meet the players and ask about their experience. I believe the one thing they will never forget is the support and encouragement they got from the elite world bowlers.” SBF president, Mr. Bader Al Alsheikh, says, “By creating national and

The women were all smiles as they headed to Las Vegas for the first time

professional examples, we are paving the way for women and this will lead to building a strong and solid foundation to follow, and role models to look up to.” ❖ The six bowlers who participated in the championship are: Mashael Al-Abdulwahid, Ghada Nimir and Amani Al-Ghamdi from Riyadh; Nahla Adas and Mariam Al-Dosari from Alkhobar; and Hadeel Termein from Jeddah. The world bowling community welcomes the new team with joy and high expectations.

Jim Goodwin is the founder and president of the Bowling News Network and a former president and life member of the International Bowling Media Association.

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COVER STORY

Jeff and Kimberly Schilling make a great team in business and life

By Robert Sax

T

he Three Amigos’ F2FEC conference presents speakers who always give engaging and enlightening accounts of their experiences in the amusement industry and beyond. But those who were privileged to hear Creative Works founder Jeff Schilling there in March 2019 will likely tell you it was one of the most compelling

d his n a nce e f f a l a J b e ck , se lf e in f h i l c s h h i t i ve s i n i ne s h i m ve t i W ag pe c at i p e rs n g re - i m a n y C re p l li S chi his c om r k s .

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COVER STORY talks they have ever heard “in the room.”

Jeff began by saying, “I’m here to talk about my life in the past 20 years or so. I’m grateful for having the opportunity to speak here in front of you guys.” At the end, the audience realized that the opportunity he was grateful for was much more than his time on stage. It was also the opportunity to talk about re-imagining life and to share with others what he learned from doing so.

Jeff described entering the amusement industry in 1994 during his last year of college. He interned in marketing at an early laser tag center and upon graduation he was planning to work there full-time. The owner and he had discussed Jeff becoming a partner in the center one day, and Jeff was excited about having a career, a job, and a future. He was a young entrepreneur raring to go.

Then two weeks before graduation, the owner told Jeff that he had decided to close the business and sell off the assets. The bright future that Jeff had imagined was suddenly taken away, and it was

The workshop at Creative Works is the heart of the company

A Creative Works-designed eSports space

Among Creative Works’ many contributions to the industry are cosmic golf and the Lazer Frenzy attraction, which won the IAAPA Brass Ring Award for Best New Product in 2009. They also began the popular LaserTag360 conference and the FEC Store, and, more recently, have expanded into escape rooms and virtual reality attractions.

By 2015, Jeff was the owner of a successful and established industry player with a team of employees and strong sales. He was happily married to Kimberly, a former elementary school teacher and education event manager who began working with him at Creative Works.

On the outside, everything seemed to be going very well for Jeff.

But inside, Jeff felt that his business had become a virtual prison. His life wasn’t in balance, and the stress and anxiety he was experiencing operating Creative Works had made him a workaholic. “The root was fear. Fear that I wasn’t going to measure up,” said Jeff. “Fear that I couldn’t make it or sustain it. Or fear that I would end up struggling financially like my parents did.”

Jeff remembered his grandfather’s words and realized that he hadn’t been keeping his life balanced. He understood that he had to let go of fear, stop micromanaging his business, and give others the freedom

a devastating blow. Then he visited his grandfather, a retired craftsman who told him with each disappointment would come an opportunity, but only if you keep your life in balance and your perspectives in check. Then he took a well-used level from his toolbox and gave it to Jeff as a reminder to keep life in balance even if his plans were interrupted.

Over the next few months, Jeff re-imagined his life and his plans. Although the future of the nascent laser tag as an industry was not yet assured, he saw a lot of promise in it. “I had grown up loving the Star Wars movies, Luke Skywalker, and Han Solo,” says Jeff.

“And being able to create that environment, as well as connect with the business side, that’s something that I was much interested in.” So in 1997, he started the business that ultimately became Creative Works, a provider of design and other creative services to One of Creative Works' best sellers, Hologate virtual reality attraction the amusement industry.

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COVER STORY to be creative and grow. He decided to focus on recruiting talented people, cultivating his team, enhancing his business offerings, and preparing Creative Works to function independently of him.

“I came up with four values, four very distinct, specific ones that I could get my team behind, with the acronym EPIC: Excellence, Passion, Integrity, and Commitment. Those were the things that I focused our team on in the project management phase, in the sales phase, in the design phase,

Armando Lanuti

in the production phase, in the customer service phase.” Little did Jeff know that by taking these steps he was also preparing himself and his company to navigate the biggest challenge of his life.

In October 2016, not quite a year into re-imagining Creative Works, Jeff was diagnosed with cancer. A month later he had surgery followed by more than six months of intense chemotherapy. His world had turned upside-down but the process of re-imagining had not been in vain. “In the midst of that mayhem, something amazing happened,” said Jeff.

“My team rallied as I found myself needing to step away from the business.”

Creative Works’ president Armando Lanuti was a key part of the transition. “I’m thankful that I had brought in [Armando] beforehand, before I even knew I was sick, and he had started taking the reins.”

They began sharing the responsibility for operations and production. When Jeff became ill, he was able to rely on

Armando and Jeff relaxing at TopGolf

Armando and feel confident that the business would carry on as normal while Jeff fought his health battle.

Armando was then the vice president of the company and remembers the uncertainty at first. “None of us had ever gone through it before. We didn’t know the extent, when [Jeff] was first diagnosed, of the treatments that would be needed,” he says. “It was just going into it and knowing that no matter what came up that we’d be ready to adapt to ...continued on page 38 34

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COVER STORY ...continued from page 34

the circumstances. The company itself is built on the ability to adapt [and] overcome what’s in front of us and create.”

The other key player of course was Jeff’s wife Kimberly, who had been working with him at Creative Works for several years. She says they were able to work together successfully because they are very compatible and had well-defined roles established. “Not that it was like we were singing ‘Kumbaya’ every day, but I think we’re a good team,” says Kimberly. “I think that teamwork [helped] when we were dealing with the disease, and it also very much involved teamwork with the company. I think in a way [it was] therapeutic for us to kind of have that normalcy where we could go back in and do what we

The Creative Works team at the 2019 F2FEC conference

love doing during [initial] treatment.”

Meanwhile Ben Jones, co-founder of the F2FEC conference, had heard about Jeff’s situation. “I called him and said, ‘Jeff, I understand that you are battling cancer and I’d like you to please consider talking about your struggles, the transformation, what it’s taught you about innovation, management, and leadership,” relayed Ben. “And if you think that it’s a story that you would like others to hear, then The Amigos would like to give you the opportunity and the forum.”

Jeff had attended F2FEC before but had never appeared on stage. It took several more conversations with Ben before Jeff said yes and began preparing to give the talk of his life. I was in the room at F2FEC, and I can tell you it was very, very quiet while Jeff was speaking.

Still Battling, Still Re-imagining Months after his appearance at F2FEC, Jeff is still battling cancer. “After leaving F2, I went straight into chemotherapy,” he says. But he is confident 38

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An oak tree prop goes from this,

...to this!

about his treatment and his doctors and he continues to contribute to Creative Works as much as possible.

Jeff believes that re-imagining Creative Works so that it could operate without him was essential to remaining a successful and growing company.

“In the last several years, we’ve redefined our culture and focused in on the education side.

That’s why we’ve found success, and that’s where we think we’ll continue to grow,” says Jeff.

At the same time, he is giving equal effort to keeping his life in balance. “We’re so busy at life, and work, and everything else that we don’t take time to make our moments count,” says Jeff. He and Kim are focusing on family and community and have started a foundation to support new treatments for cancer. “We have strong relationships with people in our family, and we are really getting on a personal level with folks at the company, and we are reaching out to people in our church, and a multitude of other things,” says Jeff. “I think in making moments count, we’ve learned the value of being intentional,” adds Kim. They have also shared Jeff’s powerful F2FEC presentation by posting it online at www.thewoweffect.com/f2fec-reimagininglife-jeff-schilling/. It’s well worth watching. ❖

Robert Sax is a writer and PR consultant in Los Angeles. He grew up in Toronto, Canada, the home of five-pin bowling.

FALL 2019

INTRO

According to George hen different things come together, they are said to converge. With this edition of Beyond Bowling being our IAAPA preview edition, I’m struck by how topical that concept is. When I attended my first IAAPA in 1989, it was known as the Park Show, as in amusement park. Arcade games were an afterthought; laser tag was in its early days; and as a trade show, it was dominated by the amusement park sector. Today, FECs and the attractions found in FECs play a major role. The two industries now converge in Orlando every November.

BECs are themselves a convergence of the family entertainment and bowling industries. This marriage has driven growth in both sectors for the last ten years. As a result, IAAPA is now a major event for many bowling manufacturers and suppliers. In my interview this month with Corey Dykstra, CEO of Brunswick Bowling, he shares some details on the tremendous growth in sales for string bowling. These machines are bringing bowling to nontraditional venues — FECs, yes, but also to bars, restaurants, resorts, even to cruise ships. We expect to see representatives from all of these industries walking the show floor this year.

W

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Howard McAuliffe previews IAAPA this month in what has become an annual resource for IBI Beyond Bowling readers.

Like the show itself, Howard’s coverage goes well beyond virtual reality and escape rooms. One of IAAPA’s challenges is time management in navigating such a huge assortment of attractions.

The organizers tell us there are ten miles of aisles to walk and browse. We hope the preview will help focus our readers while walking the miles of aisles.

If you’re going, I hope you have a great show. Howard and I will be there for the duration. You’ll find us moving around our strategic partners’ booths: Shaffer Distributing (2004), Rhode Island Novelty (2210), or Intercard (2206). Stop by and say hello. ❖

George McAuliffe Principal, Pinnacle Entertainment Group

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re you trying to figure out what your customers really want? Maybe you’re stuck between a rock and a “plush” place? Give Rhode Island Novelty a call, and we’ll help guide you through the ins and outs of redemption.

With more than 30 years of experience, Rhode Island Novelty can help your future. We work with bowling centers, family entertainment centers, zoos, carnivals, schools, museums — virtually anywhere there’s a gathering of families and friends, Rhode Island Novelty is there.

Are you looking to start, expand, and grow your redemption business?

Our 40 sales reps are constantly visiting venues across the country. We’ll come to your venue to provide a custom solution. With more than 15,000 items in our warehouse, we make certain your location has the right mix of products that hit every age, demographic, and point value.

You’ve worked hard to build your business over the years. By combining the solid foundation you’ve built and Rhode Island Novelty’s core competencies, there is no doubt we can help you maximize your business.

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IAAPA PREVIEW

Left, Right, Left, Right, Left, Right...

Wear your most comfortable shoes, get ready to walk a lot, and discover IAAPA Expo

By Howard McAuliffe

I

expert who helped develop the Shindigger party software.

AAPA is the biggest show of the year for the amusement industry specifically: amusement parks, FECs, carnivals, and increasingly BECs. In 2018, IAAPA show had over 42,000 attendees, over 1100 vendors, and over 600,000 square feet of exhibit space. All of this makes for a very exciting show — the buzz and excitement is incredible. The downside of all of this excitement is it is overwhelming, and figuring out simply where to start or what to look at is a challenge. It is impossible to spend time at every booth. The goal of this preview is to guide readers to key vendors and booths that have relevant products to the bowling entertainment industry. This list is by no means comprehensive, but it hopefully will give readers a head start on what to see at the show.

Happy walking and exploring!

Brunswick Bowling is bringing a number of major new product innovations to IAAPA. One of the most exciting products, Duckpin SocialTM, is the brand-new amenity that brings guest appeal and the profitability of bowling to social clubs, bars, restaurants, resorts and hotels. Brunswick’s Duckpin Social is easier than traditional bowling; appeals to young and old bowlers; drives food and beverage sales; keeps guests on the property longer; encourages repeat visits; builds guest loyalty; and can be operated in a much smaller space with less maintenance.

Featured Vendors

QUBICAAMF, Booth #406 and #606

RHODE ISLAND NOVELTY, Booth #2210

Redemption, cranes, and merchandisers account for 85% of the sales in a typical redemption arcade, and product is a key driver of those sales. Rhode Island Novelty has long been respected as a powerful merchandise designer, importer, and wholesaler with the largest display of product and lowest pricing on the market. They have become the leader in identifying and importing the hottest trends including Squish, Belly Buddies, Alpaca, and Unicorn products. Rhode Island will feature free freight specials for customers who visit their booth at the show.

INTERCARD, Booth #2206

Intercard is the leading play card system provider and has been making card systems in the U.S. since 1979. Intercard will be debuting the all- new iReader Impulse. The iReader Impulse accepts credit cards, as well as stored-value play cards, for game play. This ability is a major innovation in family entertainment, because it allows a location to enjoy all of the benefits of a card reader system, while capturing incremental revenue for customers who don’t want to purchase a card.

Intercard has secured several new programs and alliances since last IAAPA: Intercard has partnered with the BPAA’s Smart Buy program; the Pinnacle Entertainment Group, the experts in game room management; and Dorothy Lewis, the party planning 42

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BRUNSWICK BOWLING, Booth #1078

QubicaAMF is the world’s largest manufacturer of bowling and mini bowling products. Their mission is focused, yet simple: make bowling amazing. Last year at IAAPA, their new product HyperBowling won the 2018 IAAPA Brass Ring Award.

QubicaAMF will display new innovations in their BES X Bowler Entertainment System, including BES X Experiences. BES X Experiences offer a wide array of on-lane entertainment options that give the bowler options of themes, environments, and games to play. The EDGE String Pinspotter is the next generation in string pinspotter technology, which allows entertainment centers to deliver bowling at low operating cost and intelligent software into a pinspotter that makes it possible for entertainment centers to deliver the authentic fun of bowling, with peace of mind and at a very low operating cost.

US BOWLING, Booth #1340

US Bowling is a leading bowling products supplier, who works to provide a turnkey bowling solution. You can learn more about their innovative, 24-volt pinsetter at IAAPA this year.

Games

SHAFFER DISTRIBUTING, Booth #2004

Game manufacturers will be showing their equipment at IAAPA, but purchasing the equipment is done through

IAAPA PREVIEW distributors. Shaffer Distributing serves a diverse group of FEC and BEC customers throughout the United States and Canada, all while maintaining close, personal relationships between Shaffer’s senior management team and the valued customers. Through a unique blend of asking specific questions and active listening, the Shaffer FEC and BEC sales team can assist you in determining the right equipment for your specific demographic makeup and clientele. Visit their booth to learn about their services and check with them on the games you like on the show floor. In many cases, they will have test data on games released at the show and can take the guess work out of game selection.

SEGA , Booth #1506 and #1606

Of the new games from IAAPA that we have seen test numbers for, Power Roll by Sega is the early winner in performance. The game is a Top 5 piece in the rooms we have received numbers from. This is a large game that will fit in the Carnival Wall of an arcade, alongside games like Down the Clown, Skeeball, and Lets Bounce. It combines skill and the prospect of winning tickets in a game that is fun and challenging to play and is driving repeat plays.

BAY TEK ENTERTAINMENT, Booth #1015

Bay Tek Entertainment purchased the classic arcade manufacturer Skeeball in 2016 and will be displaying a classic Skee-Ball game with new upgrades and a vintage-inspired look that reflects the hand-crafted style of the early 1900s. In addition, they will show a new take on the classic game called SkeeBall Glow which incorporates an elaborate lighting package and all the glitz and glam you’d expect from a boardwalk game in the early 20th century when Skee-Ball was born. It’s perfect in low-lit FECs and game rooms where they need to stand out from the other bright, attention-grabbing games nearby.

LAI GAMES, Booth #1034

LAI Games will be debuting six new games at IAAPA. Their Virtual Rabbids VR ride has been a top performer in arcades around the world. This year at IAAPA, they are debuting six new rides which can be added to the Virtual Rabbids cabinet. In addition to the Virtual Rabbids upgrades, they will debut Outnumbered, a competitive target shooting video game specifically engineered to drive traffic to your venue by rewarding people every time they play. Players unlock rewards after each stage, which they can use to create

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and upgrade custom weapons in the game’s free companion app. This game will bridge the gap between mobile entertainment and out of home entertainment. LAI will also present a new, mixed-reality, two-lane bowling game called Amazing Alley, as well as a competitive pitching redemption game, HYPERpitch.

APPLE INDUSTRIES, Booth #1600

Apple Industries has been the leading photo booth manufacturer in the U.S. for years. This year at IAAPA they will be showing a new twist on the photo booth called Marvel Adventure Lab. The Marvel Adventure Lab takes the customer photo and transforms it into a comic book cover or comic page of their choice. This innovative machine brings one of the hottest licenses in the world to the FEC market.

UNIS TECHNOLOGY, Booth #1040

UNIS technology has brought several profitable games to the market in recent years, including Duo Drive, Lane Master, and Pirates Hook. Their games have the added benefit of selling for less than the average arcade game. This year, they will be displaying a hybrid VR/driving game called Ultra Motor VR. If the game is able to eliminate motion sickness — virtual reality games that include a motion component often create motion sickness in players — and the earnings are high, this game will be a winner. In addition to VR Driving, UNIS will be displaying their arcade and bar version of Pong which has been performing well over the last year.

ELAUT/COAST TO COAST/ BENCHMARK, Booth #924 and #1024

The Classic game manufacturers Elaut, Coast to Coast, and Benchmark have consolidated under one ownership group.

Elaut typically releases new crane and pusher innovations at IAAPA, though at press time none had been announced. Stop by the booth and see what games are new and which games show specials are available.

BOB’S SPACE RACERS (BSR), Booth #2615, #2815, and #8030 The long-time leader in bringing park-proven games and attractions to the FEC and BEC world will have their usual large presence on the show floor. We are particularly interested in their Hang-Time attraction. This was a huge hit in shore locations this past summer; on the boardwalk in New Jersey the game was stopping traffic. BSR is also featuring Whopper Water, a new twist on their series of water games. There’s not a lot of advanced information at press time, so stop by at the show to get the most up-to-date information.

IAAPA PREVIEW

Virtual Reality Vendors Probably the hottest technology space currently is virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR). These technologies are widely talked about and invested in, but they are still finding their place in the out-of-home and consumer marketplace. The last two years have been the first years that VR has been profitably operated on a large scale in the out-of-home entertainment industry. Last year there were approximately 60 VR vendors at IAAPA, this year we expect close to 100.

CREATIVE WORKS, Booth #4272 and #4471

Hologate has been the most successful and widely implemented VR experience over the last two years. Hologate has successfully introduced new games, which traditionally is a weak spot for VR manufacturers. This year, Creative Works is introducing Hologate Blitz, “a motion simulator platform fully optimized from the ground up to be the gateway to a new VR experience.” This platform is designed to be a multi-player, flying and racing platform which allows up to eight players to play together.

OMNI BY VIRTUIX, Booth #2686

(Omni featured inside the Funovation Booth)

Omni Arena is a virtual reality esports attraction for up to four players. The original Omni Arena that was distributed in the U.S. in 2017 had some significant operational flaws: the need to remove players’ shoes; a disjointed and uncomfortable harness set-up for the player; and poor support. The new version has addressed those issues and created a new platform that is being successfully operated in Dave & Buster’s, Pinballz, Skyzone, and Rockin’ Raceway. Instead of just standing in place, players actively move around inside the video game using the Omni motion platforms. After playing, players receive a video of their gameplay that they can share on social media, with the venue’s logo embedded for extra branding.

BOXBLASTER, Booth #2000

Boxblaster will be making their IAAPA debut. They’ll be promoting their unique and aggressive business model, selling the system at a deeply discounted price, and taking a slightly higher revenue share. The revenue share covers shipping, installation, content, support, and, most uniquely, hardware upgrades every two years.

VRSENAL, Booth #237

VRsenal will be back with their single-player, VR arcade cabinet featuring Beat Saber. VRsenal is riding the success of Main Event’s chain-wide deployment, where Beat Saber is

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reported to be among the top-earning games at nearly every location. VRsenal is the first genuinely unattended VR arcade game (Rabbids is a ride). Early reports indicate this will be a successful product.

LIVE OAK BANK, Booth #935

Live Oak Bank specializes in lending to FECs and BECs. The lending team understands the business and can help proprietors reach new growth. From miniature golf to go-carts, roller rinks to bowling centers, Live Oak Bank provides financing for expansion, remodeling, new construction, acquisition, refinancing and more.

REDEMPTION PLUS, Booth #224

Redemption Plus is one of the leading redemption companies in the United States. This year at IAAPA, learn more about the recently launched service packages, complete with product, training, merchandising, and reporting solutions.

In addition, Redemption Plus has a new volume discount program and has re-launched and simplified the product line, including crane and merchandiser offerings, which are all backed by performance data. Look for a new website as well.

BMI, Booth #1824

BMI Merchandise will be showcasing an extensive product line of the latest and greatest movie merchandise; the top trending holiday toys; a wide range of crane and merchandiser kits; and much more! They also are specifically targeting the Gen Z crowd, an important demographic in today’s amusement industry. You can learn more about their Full Service Redemption designed to give employees time to focus on the guest experience. BMI can handle every step of the process, from product selection and inventory management, to the design and installation of your redemption area.

ZOT COLORSPLASH, Booth #452

LED Lighting Systems provides new and existing businesses with the ability to create custom light shows comprising a myriad of colors for an all new entertainment experience. ZOT’s ColorSplash can also be switched to standard white light for league or sport bowling at the push of a button. The ZOT ColorSplash product line has expanded to include lighting solutions designed to increase the entertainment appeal and value to the various attractions included in today’s BECs and FECs. ❖

Howard McAuliffe is vice president of Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Pinnacle Entertainment Group has conceived, developed, and operated family entertainment businesses in every size and budget, and integrated in to many other business as both corporate executives and entrepreneurs. He can be reached at howardmc@grouppinnacle.com.

FEATURE

Step Right Up! At Pins Mechanical’s several locations, it’s all about unique experiences created by Troy Allen.

By Evan Henerson

I

“

am not,” says Troy Allen, “a bar or restaurant guy. I’m into brand strategy and development.”

We’ll get back to that second part in a moment. The founder and chief entertainment officer of Rise Brands may not be exclusively a bar guy, but you’re not going to leave one of Allen’s Pins Mechanical sites — or at its sister facilities, 16-Bit Bar and Arcade — complaining that you couldn’t score a drink. There are endless amounts of spirits at both entities, and both sites partner with a series of food trucks. Visitors are encouraged to get truck fare or bring in their own food.

Once they’re inside, it’s gaming time. As its name suggests, Pins visitors are coming for…well…the pins: a combination of pinball machines and a new approach to duckpin bowling that sent the engineers at Brunswick back to their drawing boards to figure out how to make it work. As the number of new Pins Mechanical centers continue to sprout up across Ohio, Indiana, and now in targeted markets in Charlotte and Nashville, the “small ball” of duckpin has caught fire both at

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Troy Allen

FEATURE Pins Mechanical and beyond.

“He had a great vision,” Brunswick area sales manager Tony Bisesi said of Allen, “and he hit it out of the ballpark.”

A native of northeast Ohio, Allen studied at Kent State and the Ohio College of Design.

As a brand strategist, he spent the early part of his career developing for companies like Harley Davidson, McDonald’s and Coca-Cola. Ultimately, through Rise Brands, he turned his focus to developing products for himself instead of for others.

That led him to bowling. Or rather, it led him back to bowling.

“I grew up with my parents in bowling leagues and [I was] doing the Saturday

morning kids leagues, but I haven’t bowled in quite awhile,” Allen says. “I look at it as everything comes around for nostalgia. Any of those reminders that take people back to their childhood are huge things right now. For me, whether it’s duckpin or bowling in general, it’s nice to see this trend happening.”

Part of the appeal of duckpin, Allen maintains, is the size and scope of the game. Men and women, boys and girls of all ages can whang those softballsized spheres down a lane and take out plenty of pins with physical ease and no extensive equipment demands. As people who play the game know, duckpin looks far easier than it is; the

most highly skilled duckpinners rarely break 195. Nonetheless, kids, seniors, and everyone in between can engage.

After 8 p.m., once Pins Mechanical kicks into 21-and-over mode, bowlers can hold a ball in one hand and a libation in the other.

Allen opened the first Pins Mechanical in Columbus, OH, followed by locations in Dublin, Cincinnati, and Indianapolis, with Charlotte and Nashville coming online soon. All of the sites have 16-Bit Bar and Arcades in close proximity, and gaming reigns supreme in both facilities.

At Pins Mechanical locations, in 50

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FEATURE continues. “We looked at candlepin and featherpin, bocce and shuffleboard. Duckpin is an East Coast thing, and I went and played it at an old facility. The ability to have a smaller ball and not put shoes on and have an activity that you can do with a beer in your hand worked out great for us.”

To make this work, Pins Mechanical blended elements of duckpin with traditional bowling. The lanes have been shortened to 30 feet, making them more accessible and speeding up the game. In keeping with the centers’ retro-nostalgia look, Pins Mechanical uses cage-style masking. The centers have been built with anywhere from 10 to 20 lanes, usually grouped in brackets addition to 40 pinball machines, the centers offer bocce, jumbo Jenga, and a giant patio pong court that is essentially beer pong on steroids. Duckpin has its own unique appeal. In addition to running leagues, Pins Mechanical has structured its duckpin experience to both capitalize on the design of the buildings they occupy and to allow for a great social experience.

“In a traditional bowling alley, you go in and everything is kind of pushed to one side,” Allen says. “In ours, there are garage doors everywhere. We open up the ceilings, and there’s a lot of light and a lot of breeze coming through. So it’s kind of a clear lens looking at how to better engage the guests and deliver the experience they want.”

“Our whole concept was to keep everything retro and nostalgic,” he of two, with tables in between, and space for people to walk up and examine the string-setter.

Yes, a string-setter. Brunswick’s engineering customized its machinery to merge the string-setter with surface return and create a user-friendly duckpin system that is taking off not just at the Pins Mechanical centers but is also being copied by other proprietors.

“Whatever Troy asked us to do, [Brunswick] said, ‘Yes. Let’s do that!’” said Bisesi, who oversaw the change-over of existing equipment at the first center and the installation of every center since. “Mike Resterhouse and the engineering team showed their innovation and adaptability. Everybody knew this concept would be a home run and now it’s blowing up. We’re getting two calls a week on this duckpin stuff.”

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FEATURE

The buildings are draws in and of themselves. Allen has placed his Pins Mechanicals in former tire factories, furniture stores, even an old Coca-Cola bottling factory in Indianapolis. The uglier and more distressed the building may seem, Allen says, the more he likes it and the greater the possibility for transforming it. The Cincinnati site, a former Woolworth’s Department store, is broken out over two levels with six lanes on one floor and five on another affording people the chance to look down on the bowlers below. A similar concept is envisioned for Cleveland, one of five Pins Mechanicals currently under construction.

“Every property is unique in its own way,” Allen says. “With Charlotte, we’re going to be backing the lanes up with eight on one

side and another eight on the other and the pin setters will be down the middle spine.

It will make it easier to get back and do maintenance, creates 360 degree ability to have a bar on either end, and it opens up some space gaming. We keep adapting the concept as we learn more from a volume and experience standpoint.”

There’s also a certain amount of personal pride, Allen said, that comes with knowing that the user experience is entirely of one’s own design and creation. “Back in the day when I was out of school, I designed a lot of toys and collectives for anything, from Harley Davidson to Coca Cola. I got to do everything: design, product and packaging, and all the marketing to try to sell it. I would

see someone find one of the products I had designed in a store and it would give me the biggest rush.”

“This is the closest I’ve had to that. When you step into Pins, you won’t see any other brand but ours.

So to see people step into our space and enjoy themselves, I get the same feeling I got when I did products. For me, it’s the biggest rush.” ❖

Evan Henerson is a features and lifestyle journalist who lives in Los Angeles. His work has appeared in TV Guide, American Theatre, Orange Coast and the Los Angeles Daily News where he was a staff writer and critic for nine years.

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INTERESTING INTERVIEW

Doing The Right Thing Brunswick’s CEO Corey Dykstra seems to be doing everything right for growth.

By George McAuliffe Editor’s Note: Corey Dykstra is the CEO of Brunswick Bowling, a brand synonymous with bowling, and a company at the forefront of the BEC revolution.

1. Tell us about your company. Why is Brunswick Bowling in business?

Well, I won’t take you back over our 100-plus years, but why are we in business today? Our goal is to bring more bowling to more people across the globe. We want to give more people the opportunity to bowl, from competitive sport to casual fun. So that’s it: make bowling fun and give more people a chance to enjoy our game.

2. You mentioned the 100-year history of the brand, yet you had a major ownership change in the recent past.

Tell us about that.

I have really enjoyed the ride the last five years as we transitioned from being part of one of the oldest companies on the New York Stock Exchange to a smaller, private equity funded ownership group. We have a terrific ownership team with a long-term view. You always hear how private equity can be short-term oriented. In our case that’s not how it works; they are far less concerned about making a quarterly number for the market and more concerned about decisions best for the business.

3. What carried over from the old Brunswick to the new?

In a conversation with a customer a while back, they told me, ‘[Brunswick has] a culture of always doing the right thing for the customer.’ Sometimes we have been less than perfect in our execution, but you can count on us to always do the right thing.

Our [corporate] culture has been, and continues to be, ‘take care of the customer.’ That philosophy coupled with a passion and love for bowling is a big part of our DNA. 4. What’s your advice to readers to help them stay relevant long term?

Beyond doing the right thing? You have to be willing to 56

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change and invest in the business. Look outside the industry for inspiration to drive your growth long term.

Just as we look to companies like Tesla, Apple, and Nike for inspiration, you should be looking at hospitality companies that provide outstanding entertainment experiences and apply these learnings to your business.

Our experience with string machines is a great example.

Our string sales are growing tremendously by 400% over Corey Dykstra three years ago. String machines bring bowling into bars, restaurants, malls, resorts, even cruise ships. Our whole team, from product development to sales, has had to adapt their processes for the new market conditions and, where possible, help create those market conditions.

5. Specifically, what should a reader know about string machines?

They are more flexible in size and format than regulation machines. They are not USBC certified and so can’t be used for competitive bowling and serious leagues. But there are a ton of venues where that just doesn’t matter. They are easier to maintain than a regulation freefall pin setter. They have multiple formats: ten pin, duck pin, candle pin. Ball size can vary accordingly. Strings are a better fit for an expanded hospitality universe. [It’s] some of these other markets that we’re excited about.

Mark Lambourne, our director of corporate development, says, ‘Bowling is the ultimate enabler that keeps people in the seats, consuming food and drink, and from an owner perspective helps them sell more.’

INTERESTING INTERVIEW 6. How is the trend developing? We feature Pins Mechanical in this edition, catering to the millennial and bar crowd.

Pins Mechanical is a great customer and has done groundbreaking work. We’ve always had a good business helping non-traditional locations such as bars, restaurants, cruise ships, and hotels install full size bowling lanes. We even put bowling into a truck stop a few years ago.

However, what has changed is that the broader hospitality industry is seeking to keep guests on property longer and provide for more social experiences. These locations don’t have the square footage or operational expertise to manage full size lanes or traditional freefall pinsetters.

There is some debate as to whether string bowling should be certified or not. Most of us in the entertainment sector say that’s not relevant, because the people that they’re built for don’t care whether the machine is certified. In the big picture, it helps expand the market and that has to be good for bowling.

7. How did you personally get into the business?

Right out of college, I started in public accounting. After five years, I decided it’s more exciting to impact the numbers rather than just review them. Plus, we were always looking back at the numbers. I wanted to have an impact on and work to effect current and future numbers. I moved from accounting into consumer products and had the chance to learn the product side and begin to manage people. Brent Perrier, our late, great CEO, gave me the freedom and helped facilitate my moves from accounting and finance to operations. He gave me a great chance to develop. I had stops along the way in our aftermarket, parts and supply business, and served as CFO. When Brent retired, I became CEO. 8. So that’s a long track record of accomplishment.

What keeps you motivated in the day-to-day?

I don’t spend a lot of time at my desk. What excites me is the people I work with and the customers we serve. When I see how passionate our team is — 0from our home office to the incredible sales and service teams we have outside the office — we just have an unbelievable team. Watching these guys, working with them, and trying to help is what makes me tick.

9. Let’s look at the BEC. If you had to boil it down, what three things should management know for a successful BEC? We see many different concepts. The most successful are unique operators picking the right size and scope for their niche or market, owners who understand their market. Once [a concept] is picked, it’s getting the experience right — creating the entertainment concept that makes customers come back.

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between proprietors who are in business just to open doors and those who are focused on delivering an experience that will get the players and bowlers to come back.

Let me flip this question on its head: Who are the ones that are not successful? Those who bite off more than they can chew, or just throw multiple things at the guest. You need to do what you do and do it well rather than overwhelm the guest with too much.

10. What can we expect from Brunswick in the future?

What is your vision for the next five years?

I would say growth is the cornerstone, with two prongs: traditional bowling and entertainment. On the traditional side, consumer products geared toward serious bowlers is growing and proprietors continue to invest in new products that help run their business. We will continue to enhance Sync as a platform for new scoring and management systems to help proprietors more effectively run their business.

On the entertainment side, we’ll continue to develop products like our recently launched Spark which engages the player on multiple levels: the customer takes a picture on a smartphone which we then integrate into tablet scoring, or project the image from overhead down onto the lane, or the image can follow the ball down the lane. It is an augmented reality game using overhead mapping, making it all extremely interactive and fun. Like Sync, Spark’s cloud-based platform means we can launch new experiences ten times faster.

We’ll continue to develop good things for proprietors but — and this is a little different than how we thought 10 to 15 years ago — our product development team always keeps the end user in line.

11. Any other wisdom you care to share with our readers?

As much as I love being part of this business and going to work every day, I would say be sure to maintain balance in your life: love what you do at home and this will enable you to love what you do at work! ❖ Thanks, Corey. We appreciate the time!

George McAuliffe has operated family entertainment centers from 2,000 to 150,000 square feet as a corporate executive and entrepreneur. As a consultant he has helped hundreds of clients add or improve redemption game rooms and FEC attractions. He is currently a partner in Pinnacle Entertainment Group (www.grouppinnacle.com) whose clients include Intercard, Rhode Island Novelty, and Shaffer Distributing Company. He writes for RePlay and International Bowling Industry magazines and speaks at many FEC industry conferences.

SHOWCASE

THE PARTNERSHIP OF EBOWL.BIZ & CDE SOFTWARE

eBowl.biz and CDE Software have announced the release of their league standings integration. As the industry leader in league secretary software, CDE’s BLS-2020 is now available as part of eBowl.biz’s amazing BowlRx website platform. Easy viewing of league stats, along with super-fast downloads of standings sheets, is delivered inside the website making for a seamless experience for bowlers. This integration is also available for tournament results. eBowl.biz is ready to make this available to all centers. Call Carey Tosello (541) 549-0999 or email carey@ebowl.biz.

GROW THROUGH REDEMPTION

Redemption Plus is geared to helping grow your business and redemption program ROI by wasting less time planning and placing orders; wasting less time placating unsatisfied customers; and wasting less time training your staff. The goal is to help you tackle these tough challenges through product assortment assistance, experiential design discovery, service package sign-ups, and to give you a sneak peek of their new website set to launch this fall. Visit Redemption Plus’ IAAPA booth #224. It will all be there. The booth will also feature new and upcoming product trends—get a taste of what 2020 will hold!

SCORING PLUS

Light it Up! Brunswick has captured lightning in a bottle with Spark™ Augmented Reality Bowling.

Electrify your lanes and turbo-charge your traffic with the industry’s first immersive, interactive scoring experience. Spark surrounds the bowler in a mesmerizing, one-of-a-kind experience as it delivers the latest technology and entertainment trends to your lanes. Spark engages every segment of entertainment seekers with softwaredriven technology and innovation that’s built for tomorrow but delivered today. Only from Brunswick. Are you ready to light it up? Visit www.brunswickbowling.com/Spark or call your Brunswick representative today.

PHOTO BOOTHS GALORE

Visit the Apple Industries’ team at IAAPA booth #1600 and see the amazing range of Face Place photo booths which includes the Marvel Adventure Lab. From Captain Marvel to Black Panther, the Marvel Adventure Lab transforms your photo into comic book art so you can become part of a personalized story or cover with Captain America, Guardians of the Galaxy or The Avengers, to name a few. The lab is a unique amusement concept developed exclusively by Apple Industries in partnership with Marvel. Customers choose from a wide range of comic book stories and covers, then personalize with their own photo.

With the guidance of interactive prompts, a customer’s photo is transformed. The final product is an amazing 6”x10” photo-quality print with a matte finish to provide authentic comic book art. As content is constantly updated with new templates, customers can start collecting Marvel Adventure Lab comic book covers and stories for years to come.

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MIX AND MATCH GLOW SOCKS

Expert Hosiery introduces its new Glow Design 2019 Glowing Bubbles available in crews and knee highs. Bowling centers will experience a lot of excitement with these mix and match glow socks which are available by the dozen: ladies/teens sizes 9-11, youth sizes 6-8. Expert Hosiery/Funtime Footwear is THE athletic footwear supplier for bowling, skating, and FECs. Call for details on how centers are using Glow socks in their centers and how you can too. Call (919) 799-7707 or go to support@experthosiery.com or funtimefootwear.com.

SHOWCASE

MOTION SIMULATOR PLATFORM

Creative Works announces its newest, ground-breaking product, the Hologate Blitz, a premium motion simulator platform fully optimized from the ground up to be the gateway to a new VR experience. Hologate Blitz is a multiplayer, flying and racing platform allowing 2-8 players to fully immerse themselves in magical worlds filled with fire breathing dragons, epic space battles, and futuristic racers. It is an anchor attraction with no motion sickness and can move almost a full meter in height and can tilt 30º in every direction. Steering can be easily switched from 1 axis to 2 axis control. Experience Hologate Blitz at IAAPA, Booths 4272 and 4471.

BOWLING & BEYOND!

HyperBowling is a revolutionary new bowling-based attraction that is built to extend your reach beyond the existing bowling population—to reach younger generations such as millennials, increase their spending and frequency of visits—and ultimately your revenue. It is a blend of software, mechanical design, futuristic user interfaces, electronics, lights, and sensors which together deliver a never before seen on-lane experience! Qubica-AMF is convinced that bowling has so much more potential to attract and entertain even more people, more often. With HyperBowling, they plan to help customers fully unleash it. Visit qubicaamf.com/hyperbowling.

COMMERCIAL TOUCHSCREEN

Steltronic offers a direct replacement for existing keypad consoles with a commercial-grade, 19-inch touchscreen because they believe proprietors need industrial strength hardware for public use.

Instead of a personal use tablet, their newly designed touchscreen bowler terminal features all the basic needs for interaction with the scoring system, a USB mobile phone charging port, and your custom logo back-lit with LED lighting. It is 100% manufactured in the U.S.A. Steltronic is YOUR bowling center management specialists. For more information: (800) 942-5939; info@steltronicscoring.com; or go to SteltronicScoring.com.

ESPORTS FEC TOURNAMENT TARGET SHOOTING VIDEO GAME

LAI’s Outnumbered is a competitive target shooting video game specifically engineered to drive traffic to your bowling center by rewarding people every time they play.

Players unlock rewards after each stage, which they can use to create and upgrade custom weapons. Progress is saved, and by using the app to log in at the cabinet, players can pick up where they left off, creating a revolving door for repeat gameplay. Players can also use the app to find the closest game and track their career progress against live global leaderboards. Packed with pop culture themes, multiple levels of difficulty and an endless combination of weapons, Outnumbered will bring players back to your venue time and time again. Learn more at www.laigames.com/outnumbered.

Virtuix Inc., headquartered in Austin, TX, is the developer of the Omni Arena virtual reality esports attraction found in more than 500 commercial entertainment venues, the firstof-its-kind motion platform that enables 360-degree movement in virtual environments. The Omni provides the only way to physically move around in competitive video games.

The company, partnering with HP, has announced a cash prize pool of $100,00 for the 2020 Omni Arena esports series, making it the largest VR esports competition in the world. In addition to cash prizes, winning teams will receive an HP Reverb Virtual Reality for Location-Based Entertainment.

“Virtuix has built a competitive gaming experience that requires both videogaming skills and physical fitness. Such active esports offer a unique way for entertainment venues to reach a new audience of gamers,” said Joanna Popper of HP. Interested players can find more information and sign up at: omniverse.global.

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MARKETING 101

Tips for marketing your center in the Digital Age

By Jeff Slutsky any small businesses spend thousands of dollars on digital advertising with nothing to show for it. Nationally, digital advertising has grown to $129.35 billion, out pacing traditional advertising for the first time. The digital marketing landscape is rapidly changing and can be confusing. To help you get a handle on where and where not to spend your digital ad dollars, here is a basic overview of the different types of digital advertising.

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The Big Six Digital Marketing Outlets You have a variety of ways to get your message through digital media. The main six fall into these categories: w Search engine optimization (SEO) w Search engine marketing (SEM) w Social media marketing (SMM) w Email marketing w Content marketing w Affiliate marketing

™ Search engine optimization (SEO) “SEO is the process of optimizing your website to ‘rank’ higher in search engine results pages, therefore increasing the amount of organic (or free) traffic that your website receives.” - HUBSPOT. The primary goal of SEO marketing is to drive potential customers to your website. When I do a Google search for “Bowling in Kansas City,” the first three names that appear are: Ward Parkway Lanes, AMF Pro Bowl Lanes, and Pinstripes. When it comes to an online search, if your bowling center is not listed on the first screen (page), and preferably in the top three, you are nonexistent. The content and format of your website determines how the search engine ranks you. When I narrow my search to 62

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Making Magic With Your Marketing Budget “Bowling in Overland Park” (a suburb of Kansas City), I see Pinstripes listed first, followed by AMF College Lanes, and then Park Lanes Family Fun Center. So, the narrower you structure your keyword phrases toward your business, the more you’re likely to rank higher.

™ Search engine marketing (SEM) Since Google and Bing don’t make any money off you with an organic search, they would much prefer that you buy a higher placement. That’s called search engine marketing (SEM). You take your keyword or phrase and bid on how much you’re willing to pay every time someone clicks your listing. This is referred to as “Pay Per Click,” or PPC. The good news is that you pay nothing unless someone clicks. The bad news is finding the best key phrases is a challenge.

For example, consider a bowling center located in Gahanna, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus. Some of the search terms you should consider bidding on might include: Bowling Gahanna Ohio • Bowling Alley Gahanna, Ohio • Bowling Columbus Ohio • Bowling Alley Columbus Ohio • Bowling Alleys near me • Bowling near me • Bowling birthday party • bowling party • Pins Gahanna There are many more. It could end up costing you a small fortune before you start seeing real, measurable results. Think of the keywords and phrases that seem to make sense. Test them to see which one shows better results.

To help you choose the right keywords, check out “Keywords Everywhere” (www.keywordseverywhere.com). “Keywords Everywhere” pulls the “People Also Search For” and “Related” keywords from Google and shows them to you with the volume metrics right inside Google’s search page. Another resource is Yoast SEO (yoast.com). They offer a free version you can experiment with.

™ Social media marketing (SMM) Social media marketing (SMM) involves both organic (free) and paid marketing. SMM utilizes social networking websites as a marketing tool. The goal of SMM is to produce content that users

MARKETING will share with their social network to help a company increase brand exposure and broaden customer reach.

According to Margaret Rouse of whatis.com, “One of the key components of SMM is social media optimization (SMO), like search engine optimization (SEO), is developing a strategy for drawing new and unique visitors to a website. SMO can be done two ways: adding social media links to content, such as RSS feeds and sharing buttons — or promoting activity through social media by updating statuses, tweets, or blog posts.”

™ Email Marketing Using an email management service like Constant Contact or Mail Chimp, you can send email messages to your customers from your email list. Since you own your list, you control what segment of your list receives which message and how often. You can also hire email services that use rented lists. It’s like using a direct mail service, but, in my experience, the results seldom justify the expense. Yet, if a broker has a legitimate email list of regular “bowlers” who live in key zip codes, it might be worth a test.

™ Content Marketing This is when you create content (articles) that you submit to other sources for posting. The content must be something of value to the reader or it won’t get posted. When posted there’s an opportunity to direct the reader back to your website, but it’s not an overt or obvious advertisement. This can be very effective but generally is used by major companies and organizations with teams of full-time experts. It takes a lot of time and special journalistic skills to make this work. For an independent bowling center or small chain, it might just be too costly and time consuming.

™ Affiliate Marketing Pat Flynn of Smart Passive Income describes affiliate marketing as, “the process of earning a commission by promoting other people’s (or company’s) products.” There are thousands of companies and individuals who have created a platform (blog, website, twitter feed, etc.) with thousands or even millions of followers. These independent contractors are paid to direct those loyal followers to a company’s website. They are paid by the number of “click through’s” they generate for that company.

The cost per click (CPC) is negotiated. It’s probably not a good way to go for most smaller businesses, unless you find a small affiliate with just the right following at a reasonable price.

Street Fighter Action Plan Check out the rankings of your bowling center’s website for a variety of keywords and key phrases. Combine what you 64

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do: “bowling,” with your geography: “city,” or “community.”

Include some special services: “leagues,” “open bowling” or “parties,” etc. Run these through Keywords Everywhere or Yoast to see how viable they are for your operation.

Review your website to improve your potential ranking during a search. You can probably find a local tech nerd or student that can help you with this, without spending a ton of money.

Test several paid searches. Start with Google Advertising, formally Google Adwords. Take no more than three key phrases. See what the current bids are per click and place some bids. Set a small budget; no more than a few hundred dollars.

Review the results of your effort via Google’s Analytics which is provided. Google provides you a report that shows the number of impressions (people who were exposed to your ad).

These are free. How may clicks you got (and paid for) and when you got them.

When creating your ad, include a call to action; provide a special offer or more info. The click takes them to a landing page within your website. By having them go to a specific subpage for that special offer, you’ll know that you got that lead or sale from your Google test. It can be measured and tracked to discover your return on marketing investment (ROMI).

Review your email list. If you don’t have one, start. Begin keeping your list clean and current. Categorize your list so you can identify the special interest of the customer. This way you won’t blast the entire list for an idea or announcement. Rather, you customize the outbound email to the specific needs and interests of the group of customers. Information about leagues only goes to those who are in a league or have expressed interest in joining one. Bowling party offers might go to just those who are having a birthday in the next couple of weeks.

Sales on balls won’t go to anyone who already purchased a ball in the past six months. Those customers get an offer on shoes.

Ease into it. Digital marketing is new, growing, and constantly changing. Don’t stop your existing marketing efforts that provide proven results. Don’t let digital replace the traditional, but rather, enhance it.

Do regular posts to your business social media accounts.

This is free. Perhaps once a week is enough. Just the basics: Facebook, Twitter, etc. Better yet, get your customers to post to their social media accounts with all the great fun they’re having at your bowling center. ❖

Jeff Slutsky is the president of Street Fighter Marketing in Kansas City, Kansas. He specializes in teaching businesses how to market, promote, advertise, and increase sales on a shoe-string budget. He is a keynote speaker and the author of numerous books, including Street Fighter Marketing Solutions (Free Press). www.StreetFighterMarketing.com.

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CLASSIFIEDS EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Lane Sanding Equipment for Sale.

Gallicchio Sanding Machine, etc. Call Vic @ (780) 454-1110 NEW & USED Pro Shop Equipment.

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EQUIPMENT WANTED LANE MACHINES WANTED. We will purchase your KEGEL-built machine, any age or condition. Call (608) 764-1464.

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

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

HELP WANTED 82/70 MECHANIC wanted in Paso Robles, California, the wine country. Busy small-town 16-lane center. Email: info@pasobowl.com.

CENTERS FOR SALE SOUTH FLORIDA: Rare opportunity to purchase 30-LANE, fully upgraded FEC center. $2M annual revenue; $250K+ net with absentee ownership; owner/operator potential is HUGE; all new everything including scoring; full liquor license; kitchen; arcade & much more. Fantastic location. Will consider all reasonable offers. NICK (954) 684-7066.

ILLINOIS: BUSY 20-lane center in excellent condition, strong consistent earnings (solid leagues and parties), pro shop, and snack bar. Real estate included. Ken Paton (503) 645-5630.

PROPRIETORS WITH AMF 82-70 S.S. & M.P. MACHINES Save $$ on P.C. Boards Exchange & Repair!

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For your average sized center, I can bring 2,000 open bowlers over 5 months.

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SELL YOUR CENTER OR EQUIPMENT

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REMEMBER WHEN

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WHEN YOU’RE HAVING FUN

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leem toothpaste went to The Saturday Evening Post for its target base—families having fun bowling. Look at all the wholesomeness captured in this national ad. There’s the chocolate milk, a baloney sandwich on white bread, a hamburger, and, of course, the red, white, and blue packaging of the product itself. Then there’s GL-70. A car? No, a bacteria fighter for fresh breath and tooth decay protection, which brings us to the bottom right corner of the ad for that sweet good night kiss. All of these wrap around a family night out at the local bowling center where it’s all about FUN. ❖ - Patty Heath

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