"Where have you gone Joe Bowler? A nation holds its lonely eyes to you." With respects to Simon and Garfunkel, you must be wondering what happened to Joe Bowler. He was just here; bowling in a few leagues; coming in Saturday with his kids and bowling with Mom on Saturday night.
But now he is gone. Its because of lifestyles we are told. Or it's because of more competition, Or even the weather.
But lets look at competition. TV was supposed to kill the movies. Home videos were supposed to kill TV and the movies. The CD was supposed to kill videos, movies and TV (it succeeded only in killing the video tape). The Internet was supposed to kill all forms of "mass media". Sports on TV have bigger audiences than ever as do the top 10 most popular shows. The I-pod was supposed to kill radio; radio listening is up for the first time in three years.
Now "video on demand" is supposed to kill Netflix; Netflix grew 11% last year. The Kindle was supposed to kill bookstores. Hasn't happened. Go to a Borders or a Barnes & Noble this Christmas shopping season and note how many people have lined up to buy books. In fact go there any time!
I think our competition is just apathy. Apathy on the part of manufacturers who have not given us technologically exciting, break through products in years to attract new customers and retain existing customers. NO, I am sorry, big screen masking units, new graphics for automatic scorers and a few other "cutesy" products do not a "game changer" make.
Pinsetters, scorers, lights n music and bumpers and maybe synthetic lanes. They are game changers...but that's over 50 years. Five game changer products in 50 years does not bode well for the health of your companies or for our centers.
But bowling proprietors haven't been innocent either. Apathy runs deep. We have not demanded these technologically cool products. To counter this argument, manufacturers will tell you that proprietors don't want to pay for new products. OK, its a draw. Now what?
The only fact that make sense is for us to realize that our customers are leaving because there is NOTHING NEW. For those who hold to the sanctity of the game (and I am one as well) who say. "bowling should stand by itself. Its a great game," you are absolutely right.
But the new customer doesn't share that feeling. Speak to some "twenty somethings" and ask them why they don't bowl any more on Friday or Saturday nights.
If the answer that you don't want to hear is: "your product is not exciting", then sit back on your apathy and wave good bye to Joe Bowler.
Or you can DEMAND CHANGES from those who can deliver.
C'mon Mr. Brunswick, Ms. AMF, Mr. US Bowling, Ms. Switch, Mr. Murray and any body else who can think and deliver a "game changer" product for 67 million unexcited participants. We need it NOW!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Sunday, October 24, 2010
The Novice and The Bowling Center
We frequently complain about the inability of our staff to execute programs. Client after client, at one time or another, have told me: "I just have to get my people to execute" or "I have to get them to focus on asking customers to buy XYZ"... and so on.
But the real problem occurs when you hire someone who is a "novice" and expect that novice to make "intuitive” decisions." A "novice" needs a manual. He needs to be told what to do with no decision-making possible.
Before she can get to be an intuitive decision maker, the employee has to move through the stages of becoming an "advanced beginner", where she has more freedom, yet still unable to make the best decisions at a level of "competency",where she can make plans, create routines and choose what activities are more important than others to concentrate her time resources.
By advancing up two levels, you would hope that the employee welcomes the freedom you have given her, becomes "proficient" and understands exactly what is expected of her, simply because YOU expect more of her.
And finally, the employee reaches a level of "expert" and begins writing manuals, training modules, making new rules and offering suggestions on how to get the job done better and more efficiently.
Have you examined where your employees are in the spectrum of this "skill acquisition model?"
Just because your "novices" have been there a while doesn’t mean that they understand how to be "proficient" or how to make good quality decisions. After all, what have YOU done consistently to help them become "proficient?"
If you have never given them any decision making opportunities, why should you expect them to know how to "make a decision" and become an intuitive decision maker?
"Novices" are OK to spray shoes and give out lane assignments, but they are not OK to help you grow your business.
Do you have too many "novices?" If you keep hiring “novices” and never train them, grow them, challenge them or test them to undertake a decision making job, failure may be your only option.
But the real problem occurs when you hire someone who is a "novice" and expect that novice to make "intuitive” decisions." A "novice" needs a manual. He needs to be told what to do with no decision-making possible.
Before she can get to be an intuitive decision maker, the employee has to move through the stages of becoming an "advanced beginner", where she has more freedom, yet still unable to make the best decisions at a level of "competency",where she can make plans, create routines and choose what activities are more important than others to concentrate her time resources.
By advancing up two levels, you would hope that the employee welcomes the freedom you have given her, becomes "proficient" and understands exactly what is expected of her, simply because YOU expect more of her.
And finally, the employee reaches a level of "expert" and begins writing manuals, training modules, making new rules and offering suggestions on how to get the job done better and more efficiently.
Have you examined where your employees are in the spectrum of this "skill acquisition model?"
Just because your "novices" have been there a while doesn’t mean that they understand how to be "proficient" or how to make good quality decisions. After all, what have YOU done consistently to help them become "proficient?"
If you have never given them any decision making opportunities, why should you expect them to know how to "make a decision" and become an intuitive decision maker?
"Novices" are OK to spray shoes and give out lane assignments, but they are not OK to help you grow your business.
Do you have too many "novices?" If you keep hiring “novices” and never train them, grow them, challenge them or test them to undertake a decision making job, failure may be your only option.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
A Spark Continued
It seems that my blog about a Superbowl ad has stirred a little emotion out there. here's what several proprietors have said about it. I am publishing these without identifying the proprietors.
So here you go:
"This is a very good article and it is about time that ALL proprietors FACE THE TRUE FACT that our industry is dying ! ! We can make all the excuses we want to, but where will our new league bowlers come from when the current ones die or become tired of our 33-35 week demands? Our new bowlers and even the old ones don't even have beer frames..They don't need to eat at our centers when they can catch a quick meal at a fast food place on the way to our centers. Hardly any bowlers stay around and pot bowl or have a few drinks after bowling, they head home. Our game rooms are a thing of the past, every kid has more games on his cell phone than we have. Our league bowlers used to use their bowling night as the night out with the wife...No more, now we have and have had for awhile their daughters playing athletic events during the week and that’s where most good parents are with their children not in our centers for our mixed leagues..Once they leave us they find out they don't need us, watching their children or even their grandchildren is less expensive and more personally rewarding. We need HELP and quick! A Super Bowl ad should be on BPAA's table and a NATIONAL campaign to follow. I hope it is not too late to save some of us Proprietors..Thanks Fred for telling it like is for the most of us proprietors that are willing to really see that or industry, that we all love, is in REAL TROUBLE...."
"FRED:
JUST A FEW THOUGHTS:
WHILE GOING ABOUT THE DAY TO DAY BUSINESS OF MARKETING A BOWLING CENTER I HAVE FOUND THAT OUR VENDORS SOMETIMES ARE THE BIGGEST OFFENDERS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE. REMEMBER THE IBM COMMERCIAL WHERE THE BOARD PRESIDENT STANDS UP AND SAYS THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD SEE OUR CUSTOMER FACE TO FACE INSTEAD OF A PHONE CALL?
IN A RECENT DEALING WITH A VENDOR. I WAS TRYING TO GET THE BEST PACKAGE THAT HE OFFERED, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THE BASIC $269.00 PER MONTH FOREVER PLAN. I WAS TRYING TO SPEND MORE MONEY WITH HIM, BUT IT SEEMS THAT HE WAS TOO BUSY WITH THE NEW RESTAURANT COUPON PROMOTION TO EVEN E-MAIL ME OR SEND TO ME THE UPGRADED PLAN,
I GOT TO THINKING THAT IS THIS THE WAY OUR REGULARS (LEAGUE BOWLERS) SEE US? AS NON RESPONSIVE TO THEIR NEEDS. MAYBE IF WE SPENT MORE TIME SEEING WHAT THEY WANT AND LESS TIME CHASING OUR TAIL WE MIGHT FIND GOLD RIGHT UNDER OUR NOSES."
So here you go:
"This is a very good article and it is about time that ALL proprietors FACE THE TRUE FACT that our industry is dying ! ! We can make all the excuses we want to, but where will our new league bowlers come from when the current ones die or become tired of our 33-35 week demands? Our new bowlers and even the old ones don't even have beer frames..They don't need to eat at our centers when they can catch a quick meal at a fast food place on the way to our centers. Hardly any bowlers stay around and pot bowl or have a few drinks after bowling, they head home. Our game rooms are a thing of the past, every kid has more games on his cell phone than we have. Our league bowlers used to use their bowling night as the night out with the wife...No more, now we have and have had for awhile their daughters playing athletic events during the week and that’s where most good parents are with their children not in our centers for our mixed leagues..Once they leave us they find out they don't need us, watching their children or even their grandchildren is less expensive and more personally rewarding. We need HELP and quick! A Super Bowl ad should be on BPAA's table and a NATIONAL campaign to follow. I hope it is not too late to save some of us Proprietors..Thanks Fred for telling it like is for the most of us proprietors that are willing to really see that or industry, that we all love, is in REAL TROUBLE...."
"FRED:
JUST A FEW THOUGHTS:
WHILE GOING ABOUT THE DAY TO DAY BUSINESS OF MARKETING A BOWLING CENTER I HAVE FOUND THAT OUR VENDORS SOMETIMES ARE THE BIGGEST OFFENDERS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE. REMEMBER THE IBM COMMERCIAL WHERE THE BOARD PRESIDENT STANDS UP AND SAYS THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD SEE OUR CUSTOMER FACE TO FACE INSTEAD OF A PHONE CALL?
IN A RECENT DEALING WITH A VENDOR. I WAS TRYING TO GET THE BEST PACKAGE THAT HE OFFERED, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THE BASIC $269.00 PER MONTH FOREVER PLAN. I WAS TRYING TO SPEND MORE MONEY WITH HIM, BUT IT SEEMS THAT HE WAS TOO BUSY WITH THE NEW RESTAURANT COUPON PROMOTION TO EVEN E-MAIL ME OR SEND TO ME THE UPGRADED PLAN,
I GOT TO THINKING THAT IS THIS THE WAY OUR REGULARS (LEAGUE BOWLERS) SEE US? AS NON RESPONSIVE TO THEIR NEEDS. MAYBE IF WE SPENT MORE TIME SEEING WHAT THEY WANT AND LESS TIME CHASING OUR TAIL WE MIGHT FIND GOLD RIGHT UNDER OUR NOSES."
Monday, October 18, 2010
There Seems To Be A Spark Out There
It was just a few weeks ago when we talked about a SuperBowl commercial for the bowling industry. I was then being very cavalier about the strategy, given its enormous expense, but it seems I struck a nerve.
At convention after convention this season, many proprietors commented to me that advertising on the SuperBowl was in fact a DAMN good idea and I should pursue it. Not only pursue it, but take it on and write to the powers that be.
Other proprietors emailed me and said it was “high time” we did something to stand out. Still others thought the industry should move forward with a national advertising campaign.
Yes, we should do all of these things and subsidize local markets, create beautiful commercials, develop email templates, produce radio spots, produce direct mail, postcard copy and art, but I don’t think its on the BPAA table. I may be wrong, and I hope I am, because we need a jump start.
Here’s why. One very good NJ proprietor recently wrote to me that the “industry is dying” and we just don’t know it. As vehemently as I wanted to disagree with him, he made some valid points such as:
1.“50% of our business (the league bowler) is getting older and we are not able to replace him or her. So attrition will eventually win. The other 50%, Open Play, is affected by a host of internal and external issues. Right now the lack of money in the consumers’ pocket is the number #1 problem combined with the need for a deal in each transaction creates a monumental problem.
2.The Bowling business has always been a function of “Volume multiplied by Price”. Right now we have neither and the horizon for that to change is not good as the consumer has learned to live with less and spend less. Unfortunately being an entertainment venue, we are the first thing that goes in the tough times. This may be the new economy with the consumer having less money in his pocket. I don't see it getting materially better in the near future.
3.Food and beverage and ancillary income, which was a constant pipeline, has slowed to a trickle. Unfortunately the recession has put a big damper on this revenue stream. The customer has figured out, as in the movies, they can bring it in or do without. Trickle, trickle.
Well if our existing customers are not buying our product with the frequency they once did, maybe that SuperBowl spot is just the thing to kick off a national campaign followed by a strong grassroots marketing program.
What do you think, Mr/Ms. BPAA, can we at least examine it?
At convention after convention this season, many proprietors commented to me that advertising on the SuperBowl was in fact a DAMN good idea and I should pursue it. Not only pursue it, but take it on and write to the powers that be.
Other proprietors emailed me and said it was “high time” we did something to stand out. Still others thought the industry should move forward with a national advertising campaign.
Yes, we should do all of these things and subsidize local markets, create beautiful commercials, develop email templates, produce radio spots, produce direct mail, postcard copy and art, but I don’t think its on the BPAA table. I may be wrong, and I hope I am, because we need a jump start.
Here’s why. One very good NJ proprietor recently wrote to me that the “industry is dying” and we just don’t know it. As vehemently as I wanted to disagree with him, he made some valid points such as:
1.“50% of our business (the league bowler) is getting older and we are not able to replace him or her. So attrition will eventually win. The other 50%, Open Play, is affected by a host of internal and external issues. Right now the lack of money in the consumers’ pocket is the number #1 problem combined with the need for a deal in each transaction creates a monumental problem.
2.The Bowling business has always been a function of “Volume multiplied by Price”. Right now we have neither and the horizon for that to change is not good as the consumer has learned to live with less and spend less. Unfortunately being an entertainment venue, we are the first thing that goes in the tough times. This may be the new economy with the consumer having less money in his pocket. I don't see it getting materially better in the near future.
3.Food and beverage and ancillary income, which was a constant pipeline, has slowed to a trickle. Unfortunately the recession has put a big damper on this revenue stream. The customer has figured out, as in the movies, they can bring it in or do without. Trickle, trickle.
Well if our existing customers are not buying our product with the frequency they once did, maybe that SuperBowl spot is just the thing to kick off a national campaign followed by a strong grassroots marketing program.
What do you think, Mr/Ms. BPAA, can we at least examine it?
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Got 'Em Looking
"Got 'em looking." Derek Jeter just struck out in game #2 of the ALCS. How often do we get struck out just looking; waiting for that perfect pitch; for that magic bullet of a promotion that will make our open play soar or make our new league offer a success?
Too frequently.
Why are there no proprietor groups doing joint marketing? Why is there no industry marketing fund to subsidize proprietor initiatives? It seems to me that in these times, more cooperation (not less) is needed. Oh sure, the Cincinnati group does their radio have a ball program in January and has done so for years. And I understand the California proprietors have a new advertising initiative in place.
But what about everyone else?
When do we realize that the old rule of investing 3% (or less) in marketing/advertising/promotion/direct mail/internet marketing is woefully inadequate and that more dollars not less are needed in a MORE competitive entertainment environment?
Sure its expensive. Sure it hurts to write the check. But it will hurt a lot less now then having to write a check later out of YOUR PERSONAL checking account to cover your summer!
How long are we going to "go out looking?"
Too frequently.
Why are there no proprietor groups doing joint marketing? Why is there no industry marketing fund to subsidize proprietor initiatives? It seems to me that in these times, more cooperation (not less) is needed. Oh sure, the Cincinnati group does their radio have a ball program in January and has done so for years. And I understand the California proprietors have a new advertising initiative in place.
But what about everyone else?
When do we realize that the old rule of investing 3% (or less) in marketing/advertising/promotion/direct mail/internet marketing is woefully inadequate and that more dollars not less are needed in a MORE competitive entertainment environment?
Sure its expensive. Sure it hurts to write the check. But it will hurt a lot less now then having to write a check later out of YOUR PERSONAL checking account to cover your summer!
How long are we going to "go out looking?"
Thursday, October 14, 2010
How to Become A #1 Best Seller
What makes a #1 Best Seller?
Provocative subject matter?
Critical reviews?
Superb packaging?
Great distribution?
Slam dunk marketing?
And a million other things, right?
What makes any business a #1 Best Seller?
I think it is getting your existing customers to tell their friends
what a great experience they had at your center.
But that's only part of the plan.
You have to provide these folks with a creative and compelling reason to come back and invite their friends to join them.
Referral + Action = KCHNG KCHNG KCHNG!
Provocative subject matter?
Critical reviews?
Superb packaging?
Great distribution?
Slam dunk marketing?
And a million other things, right?
What makes any business a #1 Best Seller?
I think it is getting your existing customers to tell their friends
what a great experience they had at your center.
But that's only part of the plan.
You have to provide these folks with a creative and compelling reason to come back and invite their friends to join them.
Referral + Action = KCHNG KCHNG KCHNG!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Coyote Ugly
Most of you know what Coyote Ugly is, but for those who do not, it refers to a member of the male gender commenting how he would rather chew his arm off than wake last night's beautiful woman. Of course, this is equally true for the female member of the species as well.
With that being said, how many of us are figuratively chewing our arm off with ugly fliers, poor websites, boring emails and equally dull direct mail? Taste is hard to quantify, but my Dad, who was in the shoe business and a "fashonista" in his own right often muttered about, "all the people who got dressed in the morning without the benefit of a mirror." He was even more surprised when he saw a garment that was totally inappropriate (in his mind) for a particular person. His comment was, "there's no accounting for taste."
More and more I watch customers just walk past fliers in bowling centers. They should. Because the fliers they are not buying are just plain ugly, confusing and do nothing to say, "Wait!, Stop! Look at me. I have something you want!"
Guess what our customers are saying? I DON'T WANT WHAT YOU ARE OFFERING BECAUSE IT IS UGLY, TASTELESS AND UNAPPEALING...and that's before they even read it!!
Please do your fliers in 4 colors and get them produced by a professional graphic artist. You can find them in colleges, grad schools or free lancing from their underpaid newspaper or magazine job. Make a statement. Show your customers that you are proud of the product you are offering and that's why you are spending a few dollars more (because in the overall scheme of things, it is only a FEW dollars more).
If you think they are not paying attention, you are mistaken. In fact, they may have already judged you and your business "coyote ugly."
Here's how to make a better flier 101:
1. Put a benefit in the headline. Its not about your center name. Keep it out of the
headline
2. Make a clear offer
3. Give the prospect a time limit to buy
4. Create a sense of urgency by setting a time limit to buy
5. Guarantee fun or get your money back (you'll be surprised that less than 1% of the people will ever take you up on this
6. Spell out the action you want them to take
7. Put your name, address, website and phone number on the BOTTOM of the flier
And you'll never be "Coyote Ugly" again,
With that being said, how many of us are figuratively chewing our arm off with ugly fliers, poor websites, boring emails and equally dull direct mail? Taste is hard to quantify, but my Dad, who was in the shoe business and a "fashonista" in his own right often muttered about, "all the people who got dressed in the morning without the benefit of a mirror." He was even more surprised when he saw a garment that was totally inappropriate (in his mind) for a particular person. His comment was, "there's no accounting for taste."
More and more I watch customers just walk past fliers in bowling centers. They should. Because the fliers they are not buying are just plain ugly, confusing and do nothing to say, "Wait!, Stop! Look at me. I have something you want!"
Guess what our customers are saying? I DON'T WANT WHAT YOU ARE OFFERING BECAUSE IT IS UGLY, TASTELESS AND UNAPPEALING...and that's before they even read it!!
Please do your fliers in 4 colors and get them produced by a professional graphic artist. You can find them in colleges, grad schools or free lancing from their underpaid newspaper or magazine job. Make a statement. Show your customers that you are proud of the product you are offering and that's why you are spending a few dollars more (because in the overall scheme of things, it is only a FEW dollars more).
If you think they are not paying attention, you are mistaken. In fact, they may have already judged you and your business "coyote ugly."
Here's how to make a better flier 101:
1. Put a benefit in the headline. Its not about your center name. Keep it out of the
headline
2. Make a clear offer
3. Give the prospect a time limit to buy
4. Create a sense of urgency by setting a time limit to buy
5. Guarantee fun or get your money back (you'll be surprised that less than 1% of the people will ever take you up on this
6. Spell out the action you want them to take
7. Put your name, address, website and phone number on the BOTTOM of the flier
And you'll never be "Coyote Ugly" again,
Friday, October 1, 2010
That Sippery Slope
I was wandering around the Internet looking for some information about the NY Giant vs. Chicago Bears game this Sunday when I saw a sidebar that said, “Check out your IQ. Tony Romo has 143. Are you smarter than Tony?”
Not being a Cowboy fan and wanting to test this fact, I clicked on the icon to take the test. I got all the way through the 10 questions and was then asked to fill in my cell number, so they will send me my score.
But before they would send it to me they had to send me a pin number on my cell phone. When I received my pin number, I entered it in the box and guess what came up? It was an offer for a text messaging service that I would be RECEIVING…and it would only cost me $19.95 per month
Now if I had not read the terms and conditions, I would have agreed to a $19.95 fee for at least six months. And would have felt that i got ripped off, not a feeling that anyone likes.
Now you see why it is so hard to get people to open your email.
It’s because of shady marketers like this that the rest of us suffer. It’s because the element of trust between the seller (us) and our customers (them) has been so damaged that we can’t even get 85% of our customers, (Our Customers!!) to open our emails.
If you don’t continue to build the element of trust into your relationship with your customers you will begin, at least in the customer’s mind, to migrate more towards the type of marketer described above.
Build the trust first. Sell second.
That slippery slope just got a little slippier.
Not being a Cowboy fan and wanting to test this fact, I clicked on the icon to take the test. I got all the way through the 10 questions and was then asked to fill in my cell number, so they will send me my score.
But before they would send it to me they had to send me a pin number on my cell phone. When I received my pin number, I entered it in the box and guess what came up? It was an offer for a text messaging service that I would be RECEIVING…and it would only cost me $19.95 per month
Now if I had not read the terms and conditions, I would have agreed to a $19.95 fee for at least six months. And would have felt that i got ripped off, not a feeling that anyone likes.
Now you see why it is so hard to get people to open your email.
It’s because of shady marketers like this that the rest of us suffer. It’s because the element of trust between the seller (us) and our customers (them) has been so damaged that we can’t even get 85% of our customers, (Our Customers!!) to open our emails.
If you don’t continue to build the element of trust into your relationship with your customers you will begin, at least in the customer’s mind, to migrate more towards the type of marketer described above.
Build the trust first. Sell second.
That slippery slope just got a little slippier.
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