Hot Town, Summer in the City: Marketing Ideas to Heat up Your Revenue

Most of us are winding up the fall season and either have started, in the process of starting or will soon start our summer leagues.

Of course we are all hoping that our league count will be up. Some will be content with being flat to last year while others will think its ok to be down 10 bowlers or so whatever category you fall into, I’m here to tell you that none of those categories are the essence of your May through August time period.

In “Kaploe Marketing-Speak”, we call this Cycle 2 or the cycle in which you get to build leagues, build open play, get new customers, experiment with different programs and pricing, work on indoor picnics, fundraisers and mine your “Kids Bowl Free” program for the gold nuggets that are available.

It is the cycle that sets up your fall, when the demand for bowling begins to increase – sometimes not until the first frost, but increase it does…

So what other plans do you have?

I mentioned a few above, but I want to share a few other out of the box ideas with you

1. A FREE BEGINNER LEAGUE that you start after all of your other leagues are floored that runs for 8 weeks. You offer an “optional” bowling ball” fort $8 per week and promote it as a $129 value. The ball, usually a polyester one, can be had for about $32 to $34 bucks, so you end up making a little money on it, but the point of this league is several fold
   1. You have lane availability to introduce NEW people to the concept of league bowling and you put down a polyester ball shot, not a traditional league shot so they can bowl and achieve some modicum of success
   2. You teach them some bowling basics so they get to feel enjoyment and become engaged to the sport
   3. You get data base names for the fall to start these people in a new league that you are planning just for them that goes another 8 weeks; this time at your prevailing league rate.
   4. You get data base names for company parties, fundraisers and team building events

2. CHRISTMAS IN JULY: Offer last year’s holiday revelers a great price on a summer bowling party or team building event (bowling and shoe rental and chips and soft drinks) IF they AGREE to have their 2016 holiday party at your center at the prevailing rate and give you a deposit. The advantages of this strategy are as follows:
   1. You get revenue over the summer from customers that you have already done business with and who like you!
   2. You get holiday party deposit money in your check book; even better you know when and what times will be filled before you start selling this in September
   3. You add extra value and do something special for your EXISITING customers, thus continuing to build a relationship with them and making them feel special.

3. KIDS BOWL FREE league: Hey, they’re coming in any way for their two free games, right? Why not set up a schedule for them to bowl and offer them an optional bowling ball, as part of the league, at the end of the summer for $XX per week. Those kids that take you up on this offer are now absolutely “the low hanging fruit for junior league development in the fall; just don’t offer them a 32 week program.

Nothing to It, But to Do It!