Like many of you, I work every day. Somedays its 10 hours. Some days its 8 hours. But I work every day. Some weekends I slack off to about 5 hours a day. I do it because I like it, I do it because its who I am, but lately, I have been feeling a bit of a burn. My head and body said I had to stop for a while and get away and both were right.
My good friend Dianne, whom I have know for over 50 years offered us use of her condo at Bethany Beach Delaware. I jumped at it and on Friday at noon, we packed up my trustee SAAB and headed to the beach. Two hours later I’m sitting on the balcony looking at the ocean and listening to the waves. I feel this new energy entering me and I feel good.
As I watched the waves lapping the shore and going in and out and, of course, thought about bowling and what has happened to our industry in the past 9 months. With Covid cases rising, some states are going back to 25%. Other states are reducing liquor sales after 10m and keeping people out of the bar.
It’s just getting tougher.
But as an industry we’re tough too. So here are some recommendations and suggestions for you as we make our way through this new Covid uprising
- Communicate. Don’t forget your customer. She is worried too. About her family. Her children. Her relatives. Make sure that you send them communications asking them how they are. Show concern in the tome of your email or Facebook post and BOOST it to your target audience two or three times a week. Maybe get involved in Toys for Tots or a Food Bank or even BVL. Show your community that you too are concerned and are doing your part. Then put in a plug for how safe and sanitized your center is. Then offer them a coupon; maybe $10 off if they spend $XX.
- Testimonials. Get as many testimonials as you can, video testimonials are the best, but if you can’t, get a photo and add the testimonial about safety of the center, the fun they had and how she is confident that she is as safe in your center as she is at home.
- Programs. Make sure that you are offering EOW programs or 8 to 12-week programs where people can see a beginning and end that doesn’t run too long and provides them with just enough bowling fun to not get to feel like “work” and enough to feel good about themselves.
I think I’ll go back to the beach soon. And think about bowling some more
Stay Safe, everyone.
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