What a Difference a Few Years Make?

My love of demographics and changes in the marketplace led me to a recent book which I just finished reading entitled: “The Next America” Boomers, Millennial and the Looming Generational Showdown” Paul Taylor and The Pew Research Center. 

While there are many great bits of information, I have pulled out just a few important ones because, I believe, by understanding the implications of this data, it may help is to find new solutions to these changes which will help us to improve the revenue line in our business.

Challenges that we simply need to understand:

-         Nearly half of all children under the age of 12 are nonwhite. So are 4 in 10 members of the Millennium Generation or Generation Y (those born between 1980 to 2000). The oldest being 34 yrs of age and the youngest being 14…just about our cosmic bowling age. No wonder “Rap” music has such a large appeal to this group.  By 2060, our entire population will be 40% white as compared to 1960 when it was 85% white.  If your business is located in areas where these demographic changes are happening (and whose business isn’t?) you need to learn how to market to different ethnic groups from learning about their celebrations, their family’s idea of entertainment, their food choices and how they perceive bowling

-         However just 1 in 5 of the “Greatest Generation” (those over 70 yrs of age now) and 1 in 4 of the Baby Boomers (those between the age of 50 and 68 now) are non white.

-         In 1960, 6 in 10 “twenty somethings” were married. Today just 20% are married. And in 1960, just 5% of children were born to an unmarried mother. Today that number is 41%. If you’re still defining families as “two parents and two children”, you’re right only about 60% of the time.  Maybe its time to have an every other week adult child program so Moms and Dads don’t have to adhere to such a rigid schedule. Or maybe even a Mom’s night out where YOU offer babysitting services…like we once did.

-         4 out of 10 children have a mother who is the sole or primary bread winner, up from 11% in 1960

-         Women are now nearly half of the labor force, even though 3 out of 4 women work either part time or full time. And our colleges show enrollment tipped toward 60% female and 40% male in just the last few years. How do you talk to this woman, preoccupied with her children, stressed by her job and pulled in a frantic race against the clock every day? Offer her, or rather be THE choice for family time quality time and have your communications messages being delivered by a real live woman…just like them.

-         In 1984, the average net worth of all households was $67,354.  In 2011, it was only $68.828…an increase of just 2%.  The only income group whose net worth actually increased were those over 65 ($124,259 in ’84 to $170,516 in ’11).  ALL OTHER age groups net worth decreased!!

-         As nuclear families change and people live longer, economic leverage will be given to those who provide the necessary “entertainment” to help people escape, even if it is ever so briefly, from their care giving of younger children and older parents; from the pressures of time; and from the need to make more money than last year while protecting whatever nest egg they have. 

Now, how can you adapt to these changing demographics and get these new customers to give an “older and friendlier game” another chance to be new again? Talk to this emerging demographic. Find out, from a bowling experience, what are their expectations?

You just might be surprised.

They Don't Know They Are Not Supposed To Bowl In The Summer.

Yesterday I presented my thoughts on summer league bowling to a group of proprietors in the cold northeast tundra, I heard a lot about weather, cold and closings. Some centers were closed 4 to 5 days since the beginning of the year and that included a Saturday here and there.

I suspect that this summer, with the predictions of an El Nino, will be a more difficult challenge due to the fact that people have been cooped up all winter and want to be outside even more. Eventually the El Nino weather will bring them inside for some “cool” summer fun.

And that’s why it will be more important than ever to have league programs, available as short season (8 sessions or less) offerings in June and July. Just because you put your first wave of league bowlers on the floor doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try for a 2^nd and 3^rd wave that appeals more to open play bowlers, beginners and adult child leagues.

If you time it right these leagues would end just before the fall season starts and you would have a better chance of “rolling’ them into a fall program.

It’s a little thing to remember, but if you get some equipment into these newbies’ hands, your odds increase dramatically of getting them to bowl in the fall.

Remember, there are a lot of people out there, about 250 million to be exact who didn’t bowl last year PLUS about 65 million open play bowlers who “don’t know they are not supposed to bowl in the summer.”

How many can you corral?

Billy Joel Knows Bowling

You have been doing all the right things, but new people aren’t buying from you. It’s not your price. It’s not your service (because new people haven’t haven’t seen it before). It’s not even the reliability of your lanes or machines.  Nor is it the taste of your pizza, burger or fries. 

Nope it’s not any of those things.

They just don’t know you or your business or how your existing customers feel about your business. They don’t know how active you are in the community; what charities you support or even what civic activities you are passionate about.

So it comes down to what Billy Joel sings about: “It’s Always Been A Matter Of Trust.”

Because if they don’t know you, how can they trust you?

Here's some examples of how you can start earning NEW customers' trust:

-  Sending press releases out to relevant websites (cafemoms.com; newcomers.com, school teachers, etc) about your fund raising activities along with a testimonial or two.

- Getting involved in a local civic activity and get interviewed by the local radio station or newspaper.

- Working with the local schools on a project that is near and dear to theirheart and telling people what you are doing or have achieved on behalf of  “this cause.”

- Visiting the Rotary Club, Knights Of Columbus, Chamber of Commerce and other civic organizations  and  telling them you would be happy to host their next meeting, business card exchange or get involved in “their cause.”

- If you host high school bowling at your center, shouldn't the community know about it; know how       bowling centers get involved with scholarships (see Gran Prix).

By aligning yourself with local issues that affect your village, town, or city, you let people know that you care and that care translates to trust…and that translates to new customers making your cash register ring.

Kaching!!!

Hey, What About The Future?

When you own a company, when you sell products or services or have multiple outlets or brands, you always have to think of the future.

Sure you have to run around and make sure that today’s issues are addressed, that customers are happy and satisfied and the people who work for you pumped up and firing on all cylinders, but you also have to think about the future of your company, the future of your brand, the future of your products and the future of your category. (entertainment, recreation, show business…whatever you think.)

I wonder how much time, we as individual proprietors or as the bowling industry really thinks about the future. I know when I was with Brunswick or BCA, we developed 3 year plans. 

We had visions. We did research. We analyzed trends and then came to the best conclusions we could on trying to forecast growth opportunities, product opportunities and market opportunities where we could be a major player. It was a lot more science than art and a lot more disciplined.

Does anybody do that anymore?

I know the big guys do. Brunswick just introduced a new bowling center concept. Bowling Industry Magazine had a whole spread on it. It tilted the bowling center more toward food and beverage and less toward bowling. I think they are right. And I think we should watch the progress of that center and see how it does. My guess is: it will do very well. They’re a bunch of smart folks at Brunswick.

But then again so are we and we need to start examining the future as much as we worry about if the bartender is coming in tonight. Here are just a couple of things to get your creative juices going.

Oh, and in case you need a reminder, remember the guy who put carpet rolls in the gutters for kids so they wouldn’t get gutter balls. There was someone thinking about our future and the beginning of a new product, called "bumpers".

1.     What is the future of open play? Cosmic bowling is a one tricks pony that’s been around for 20 years. How can you evolve that product to make it more fun? Anybody ever use "the baker system" during cosmic bowling? Could be fun, especially if every third person were blindfolded.

2.    How can you make league bowling more fun for the "less than competitive type of bowler" who only wants to bowl 8 or 10 weeks? An 8 team league can bowl 2 frames on one lane and then move to the next pair and for every pair you move you get more or less points based upon the team score. No, I don’t know how to do that, but I never let good marketing ideas get stopped by some operational issue.

3.    Would putting waiters and waitresses and porters on roller skates break the monotony and be fun? Why not? I’ve been in some restaurants where all the employees wear roller skates.  It would certainly improve “on the lane” service

4.    Could you have a comedian do a 5 minute gig after the 7^th frame of a fun league?

5.    Could you put hula hoops up around the lanes and spray them with day glow paint so people can bowl under them during cosmic bowling?

After all, it was Napoleon Hill, author of the world famous book, “Think and Grow Rich,” first published in 1937, selling  over 15 million copies and published in over 100 countries who said” “What the mind can conceive, the mind can achieve.”

So spend a little time thinking about the future, it will be here before you know it.

The Trouble With The Truth

Last night I was on a flight from Gulfport MS to Atlanta, connecting to NYC when, as the fates would have it, I sat next to a a man of the cloth. (OK, I was happy 'cause I knew the plane wouldn't crash.)

The gentleman told me he was from Jackson Mississippi and he was a Baptist Minister. His congregation, he said, "is about 300 folks of varied backgrounds, but predominantly African American".

And as we began talking, he began telling me about his last sermon; a sermon about truth. and then he said something remarkable, "The trouble with the truth, he said, "is that it changes everything."

It stopped me cold.

And I thought about it;  all the way to today and how I could relate that  one sentence in this blog.

It seemed too coincidental as I had been trying to speak "marketing truths" on my whirlwind (20 out of 30 days on the road) client trips.

During this trip, I too was preaching, teaching and assisting; but it was more about bowling marketing than about religion.

I spoke the truth that summer league bowling as we know it and how, in order to exceed our expectations, we needed some complements. Complements such as: shorter summer sessions added to traditional summer leagues. Maybe 6, 8 or 10 weeks. Sessions that could start in June, July and even August.  Sessions that targeted affinity groups.

I spoke the truth that if we continually use our data base as a substitute for direct mail  it would result in getting even less people to open our messages (and more to opt out) than the scant 12% who open it now and the 1% who actually click through to our page for more information.  It's called  "social media" for a reason. No, I don't want to just get sales pitches from you. I want some meaningful information that benefits me. Because it is all about ME. Just ask anybody:)

I spoke the truth about the need to make every customer experience "like inviting your best friend and spouse to your house for dinner." And I detailed the what and how to do it.  How about saying, "Hello and welcome to Happy Lanes, my name is Derf...before asking for shoe sizes?

I spoke the truth about the need to stay marketing focused and not to pull in on the year long investment you
have made to gain and retain customers just because it is summer and nobody bowls..

Do you know of any business that doesn't continually sell their product or service even if they have the lion share of the market? (Think Budweiser, Apple, Google and Exxon.)

It doesn't cost much to make efficient, targeted based and offer based sales calls to companies, organization, non profit groups, religious institutions and schools for summer time indoor picnics and fund raisers. It just takes knowing how to do it and wanting it.  The truth ( factual information) is there if you want it.

I spoke the truth about the fact that even though 68 million people went bowling last year, there are still 250 million people out there who do NOT know they are NOT supposed to bowl in the summer.

Simple statistics tell me you have about a three out of four chance to get to those people.  I would even play on that theme, "Hey you're not supposed to bowl in the summer but"...and then list ten reasons why you should. Then make an offer, provide a guarantee of fun, a call to action and a deadline to take action.  Heck you could build a whole email campaign out of this!!

I spoke the truth about constantly communicating your open play programs, birthday parties and adult parties all summer long to relevant targets, by stressing the fun parts of being inside (no painful sunburns, no mosquito bites, no sweaty underarms- we're cool and air conditioned- no dehydration and well, you get the idea.)

I spoke the truth about the Kids Bowl Free Marketing Movement and how to maximize results from this "done for you" marketing initiative. The truth (factual information) is there if you want it.

But you know what I found?

I found that the truth could change everything...if only we listened and weren't so preoccupied with defending our old beliefs and "the way it was."

Its a brave new world and we need to be braver!

Is The Snow and Cold Blowing Your Customers Away?

And is the cold is keeping them indoors? 

Eventually the hard weather will become soft and people will want to go out again. And you’re thinking, “Sure they want to go OUT, but not go inside.”

Time to "think different" as Steve Jobs of Apple fame used to say.

So how will you persuade a cabin fevered mob of people who, on the first sunny day, will be riding bikes, skateboarding, running, walking, hiking, playing with their dogs, digging in the garden and doing spring cleaning, to come into your bowling center?

The answer is: You are not going to persuade many people to come in. Unless you have some events you have pre-sold. 

Events like birthday parties for adults, seniors, teens and of course, kids, fund raisers, special community events, after prom parties, and end of school year parties for teachers as well as students.

Events like team building, day time bowling for companies, retirement parties, sales meetings, family reunions and fund raisers.

Here are just a few ideas to try:

·        Start a cause; clean up the dead branches in the public park areas; feed some homeless people; host an amateur hour variety show at your center.  By doing these types of events and getting involved in the community, you will get people to come to your center for meetings and gatherings and planning sessions.  From there, it’s not far to get PAID fundraisers, parties, and maybe even a short season spring or summer league.

·        Or a spring dog show in your parking lot. “The First Annual Happy Lanes Dog Show.”  Work with pet agencies, vets, Pet Smart pet stores, etc to get the word out and get lots of folks to your center. Winners get free dog food, pet supplies, pet toys and other goodies for their pets. Build a data base then build a league for pet owners. Can you think of any others, besides cats? Oh yes, don’t forget to get a parade permit, a sign off from your insurance company...and a few hoses.

·        Time to put a full court press on companies and businesses for “Cabin Fever parties or “Spring Fling” parties to boost morale and shrug off the winter doldrums. What could be better than a bowling party? Start now while it is still nasty out and build your parties as a selling situation for summer leagues or summer fund raisers.

Adaptation isn’t about waiting for something to happen and then dealing with it. More often than not it is  YOU creating the change and then working to profit from your ability to implement that change. 

Let the others “adapt to you.”

5 Proven Ways to Make a Happy Memory for Your Customers.

I’m set to do a couple of seminars in the next 30 days. One of them will be with the Connecticut and Massachusetts proprietors and the other with the Ohio proprietors.

I have already started working on these presentations and as I did, I began to think about how many different ways there are to enhance the experience for the customer. Of course I added, “Which customer?” The league bowler? The cosmic bowler? The birthday bowler? The corporate party or fund raiser bowler? My answer was: all of them.

So I came up with a list of about 30 ways to enhance the customer experience and I’m going to share my top five with you.  Otherwise this particular blog would be a book!J

1.     Ever notice when you come to into a bowling center, the first thing you see is stickers on the door about being a BPAA member or about “NO'S?” Things you can’t do pass these glass doors such as: No food or drink, No service without a shirt, No colors, No sloppy pants, No cursing, No running and No teenagers under 18 on Saturday nights. Hello.                                               

Ok, I get that. You need some of those signs, but wouldn’t it be nice to be greeted with a big banner that says: WELCOME TO OUR CENTER. WE WILL DO EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A GREAT TIME. I think I have seen about 5 of those types of signs in visiting more than 500 centers.

2.     How about a sign as you are leaving the center? THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATRONAGE. VISIT WWW.HAPPYLANES.COM TO GET GREAT MONEY SAVING COUPONS FOR USE ON YOUR NEXT VISIT. Nothing like saying thank you and visit us soon and, oh by the way, why not get a hold of some money saving coupons. Makes the customer feel that his purchase, that day, was valuable and appreciated.

3.     It’s snowy. It’s cold. It’s icy. And Mom has to park her minivan a 100 feet from the entrance, carry the cake, carry the presents and supervise about 4 or 5 children to stay away from parking lot traffic and not run or they will slip and fall.    

                                                                                                                    

How about having designated Moms Parking Spaces as close to the front entrance as possible (MARKED SPECIFICALLY: FOR BIRTHDAY MOMS ONLY) and then having someone right at the door to help her with her packages?  I’ll bet you would do that if it was your Mom.

4.     Give every birthday kid a bowling t shirt in a bright neon color so he or she will be easily recognized.  On the shirt print, “It’s my party at happy lanes and I can do what I want.”  It’s a little extra for the kids, but more importantly, every time a staff member sees the child in the shirt, they would automatically say. Hi and Happy Birthday.”  Wouldn’t Mom be impressed?

5.     Corporate parties usually spend a bunch of money and they get bowling, food, liquid refreshments and (sometimes) a cosmic show.  Now just for giggles, let’s say you gave them a new bowling pin that had a stencil or decal that read: “I pinned down my party fun at Happy Lanes on (day, date).”

It’s a cool way to provide a souvenir of the party and hopefully a billboard that the manager would keep in his office for others to see.  Yeah, I know the pin costs about $13 bucks, but what would another party from the same company be worth to you? A small investment indeed, wouldn’t you say?

6.     BONUS:  Do you have a way for your league bowlers to win a couple of bucks that night. Maybe $10 dollars?   Call it: “The Mystery “10” Jackpot. Why not have a mystery score for every league, maybe two times a month?

How many ways can you think of to enhance your customer’s bowling experience?

Now go out there, and as my good friend Wally Hall always says, “Make a Happy Memory.”