Better

Since we were able to understand what words meant, we have been told by parents, teachers, relatives and friends that "we can  do better," that "we can always do more."

All the way from grade school thru high school we heard the mantra: "always do your best."

We were taught that "more is better."

If we did better, we would "get more of IT".

And then Paul Simon wrote a song about "Kodachrome" and in it he said, "When I think back on all the crap I learned in high school, its a wonder I can think at all."

We were confused and began to question what we learned.

So was "more" really "better?"

Even the Beatles told us that "IT's getting better all the time" and in the background the voices said "Can't get no worse."

So we went out there to get "more" of "IT."

Which of course would "make IT better all the time."

Whatever the hell IT was.

And then Mies van der Rohe, the German American architect wowed us with his architectural design  and proclaimed that "Less is more."

Again we were confused. More? Less? Better? It?

What did all this mean?

Now I think that maybe better is just better.

Are we all doing better work now?

How do we know?

Because we made more money.

Really?

Bowling on Fox and Friends

Our Kids Bowl Free Team was on Fox and Friends news this morning as well as on line after the show.

One of our people, Darin Spindler fielded questions from Gretchen, Steve and Brian and then engaged them in a little tournament.  It was fun for all of us and we hope it was especially fun for the 4 million + households across the country that viewed it.

Here is the link and I hope you enjoy it.

http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/fox-friends/index.html#/v/1676049198001/after-the-show-show-bowling/?playlist_id=163195

While this opportunity didn't come easy, it no doubt resulted from all of the exposure we have been receiving from other mediums such as local TV, Radio, In flight magazines, Digital media initiatives, Direct mail and a host of other outlets.

Special thanks to Albert Blough and his amazing crew from Berks Lanes in PA for installing two perfect lanes in the middle of Manhattan in less than 4 hours.  Whew!.

Send this link to your customers, friends and family members... and lets get this to go "viral."

A Very Special Announcement

While we haven't been able to raise the money or the interest for a national bowling marketing campaign YET, our Kids Bowl Free team has been hard at work getting NATIONAL exposure for KBF and bowling.

So very early this morning, Bruce and I, Jeff, Darin and Andy as well as our great proprietor friend Al Blough from Pennsylvania, who helped supervise the project, will be working with our service team to install  two regulation bowling lanes in front of the FOX TV studio on 47th street and 7th avenue in New York City.  There will also be a full side wall and a masking unit to give it that real bowling center look!

And tomorrow morning, June 6th on Fox and Friends on the Fox news Channel - between 6am and 9am- Eastern Time, you will see Bowling and Kids Bowl Free on national TV. 

We're all pretty pumped up over this exciting event which will be viewed from coast to coast by millions of households and hope you get a chance to see it.

Save the date for Fox and Friends: tomorrow  (June 6th between 6am and 9am EDST).

Please tune into the show tomorrow...

P.S. If you haven't already joined the Kids Bowl Free movement, its not too late to get on board.
For more information about Kids Bowl Free, please call our KBF office at  239 389 9583

Everyman Reactions

Some reactions to my "Everyman" post below I thought you would be interested in reading.  Thank you for your comments. Always appreciated

Fred,
I have wondered for years why we don't have a national advertising program (generic) to promote our industry product. I have an annual advertising budget of about $20,000. for TV/radio and use it all up.
It would also be helpful if BPAA, USBC would do some advertising to also promote the sport/recreation to the "Everyman." 

We always see ads for PBA leading up to the show, usually on ESPN only but that is geared to the avid bowler. Do not get me wrong i am a fan of the Tour, but it would aleast be nice if they would end the show by expressing "Hey take someone to bowl with you." or "Go bowling." 

We also need this in front of the public for the "Everyman", as you stated, from BPAA and USBC. Any idea why this hasn't happened?

Mike 
Michael Widmar General Manager Heritage Lanes Bowling Center Oklahoma City, OK.   http://www.heritagelanesokc.com/                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             email:  email: heritagelanes@sbcglobal.net

Fred,                                                                                                                                    Great piece. I particularly resonated to your comment that local proprietors as a group seldom advertise/promote any more. 

I can remember a time when every city and most state BPA groups ran many ads, joint promotions, etc and generally made a lot of noise about bowling. We have to bring that back.
Your point that bowling generally is invisible is right on.Sandy HansellSandy Hansell and Associates, Inc.Email: sandyhansell@aol.com 

What do you think?. Please let me know. As always I thank you for reading this. :)

fred

"Everyman"

“Everyman” can bowl, but "Everyman" no longer does.

Fortunately, some men and women still bowl. Approximately 1% of the 200 million adults are in sanctioned leagues and another 70+ million people open play bowl about 2.5 times a year…at least that’s what the surveys say.

But, if you speak to proprietors around the country, as I do, you’ll find that there has been a significant fall off in open play in the last 90 days.

How come? Some will say its gas prices.  Others will say it’s the sunny weekend weather.  Others will blame the “general” economy.”

But if you speak to people who haven’t bowled recently, they will simply tell you, “Gee, I didn’t even think about bowling as an option. Movies, dinner, visiting friends, that's about it."

And that’s the problem; "Everyman" doesn’t hear about us, see us or think about us.

Sure we communicate to our data base, to OUR customers and send them great offers and great promotions.  We even may call  them or send postcards to them. And that’s as far as we go.

But what about “Everyman?”  To him, we are, at best, a faint distant whisper in his head.  We don’t get on radio or cable and hardly anyone believes in placing newspaper anymore.

Yet in my work with car dealers, I notice how dependent they are on local cable even though their manufacturers also advertise. Yes, they use their data base and send out emails and have Facebook pages.  But time and time again, when they mount a campaign and use their resources across all different forms of media, not just digital media, they get their best results. 

And when as a group of local dealers get together, they go right to TV as their #1 medium of choice…and they’re selling $25,000+ products, financing, terms and a million variations to closing ONE sale. We’re selling a relatively easy product…one game of bowling and those cool shoe rentals.

Are we that much different from them?  Aren’t they selling to “Everyman” as well?  Aren’t movies, amusement parks, theme parks, restaurants, sports teams, mini golf courses, FEC’s, party places and clubs also selling to “Everyman?”  You see them on cable TV, right?  But hardly do you ever see bowling!!”

So I ask the question, “Why are we, apparently, the only entertainment option not using ‘the new TV’ and the multi faceted radio?”

Why are proprietors, in too many markets, no longer getting together to promote their business? 

When will "Everyman" hear about "GO BOWLING" again?

Shoot Yourself With Low Prices

Every day, I get to speak to quite a few small business men (women) in various industries.  All these interactions in various industries help me to hone my perceptions so I can help people in other industries. The challenges are almost always transportable from one industry to another.

The interesting thing is that when a business has already decided to be the low price leader, they have gone to the point of last refuge.

And usually at that point I cant help them.  Once they decide to be that low price leader, they cut back on service, hours, product innovation,old and new media and are relying on good old fashioned greed, "They'll come in because I have the lowest price and everybody wants the lowest price."

As I pack my bag to leave and respectfully tell them I really cannot help them, they always ask "why?'  My answer is always the same.

"Ask Montgomery Wards, Woolworth, Korvettes, Klein's, Ohrbachs and Fortunoff stores.  All low price retailers.  And all out of business. The low price position kills. It is the sword of Damocles that hangs over your head.  Use it at your own risk."

What Matters

Sometimes we do work that gets noticed and other times we do work that doesn’t get noticed. Sometimes it is merely dust in the wind.


The essence of our work, it’s very soul if you will, is to do work that is relevant to the people we serve in our market.


Doesn't matter how many hours we put in.

Doesn’t matter how many promotions we have tried.

Doesn’t matter how many seminars we have attended.

Doesn’t matter how many superstar managers we have hired.

Doesn’t matter how lean and mean we run.

Doesn't matter how much we have invested.

Doesn't matter how the other guy undercuts us.

The only thing that matters is that the work we do gets a positive reaction from our prospects and our customers and they trust us enough to do business with us again and again.