Marketing: 3 Simple Steps to Attract More Traffic

Are you looking for marketing opportunities that can become a regular strategy for your theme park, water park or FEC? Let’s talk about creating a checklist of 3 simple steps to attract more attention, thus more traffic.

1. In-store Promotions: These are important! They are the ones directed at the current guests walking through the door. You need that loyal customer base. Saturate their visual path through your park or FEC with great deals that they don’t want to pass up. Give them the feeling that if they hadn’t come inside today they would’ve missed a great opportunity. That type of marketing keeps them coming back to check on the latest experiences that you are offering.?
2. Creative Promotions: Develop price combos or experience combos. For instance, food + beverage + attraction – Place these “specials” on store banners, use window clings, make table tents and display them everywhere you can! Create “value” for the guest. Most people are always looking for a bargain. Don’t disappoint them. Show your customers how affordable your combination packages can be and they’ll start thinking of upcoming events that would be “perfect” at your location.
3. Contests can be simple or complex to entice the guests to compete with other guests from the location to win a free pass, a month or years’ worth of passes. It can also be as simple as earning food vouchers or free game passes. Contests could also be based on point systems to earn for eligibility so customers can win t-shirts, prizes, and even free game time. Each point could be based on play as well as answering questions. Mix it up! Make it fun! These types of competitions are fun & exciting. They engage your guests, peak their interests, and encourage them to enter to win the prizes that they don’t want to pass up.?

The same in-store promotions, banners and contests should also be posted on external sources like the company website, Facebook, Instagram, etc. to keep all marketing consistent. Keep it relevant and keep it real.?

Don’t ever underestimate the power of a solid marketing strategy. It is vital to the overall health of your business. Marketing does not only increase your sales and profits, but it also creates a reputation for your facility. These are the key motives behind good marketing:

• Inform?
• Engage?
• Sell
• Grow

What is your current “go-to” marketing strategy? How well is it working? Are you looking to change things up a bit? This industry is ever-changing and so is demand. Keeping up, means keeping those doors open.

07-09-22

?Tim Murphy is CEO of APX Operating Company, dba Boomers Parks, under the ownership of Cerberus private equity ($55B assets). Boomers Parks owns six family entertainment centers and two water parks with locations in California, Florida, and New Jersey.

As CEO of Boomers Parks since 2020, Tim took these eight parks from bankruptcy to profitability in just a year – in the middle of a global pandemic. When Boomers acquired these parks, they were operating at a $10 million loss. Tim transformed the customer experience and added new revenue streams to generate a 180% increase in revenue in 2021 (and on track to be a 250% increase in 2022).?

Tim launched his 35+ year career at Walt Disney World and has since served more than 150 entertainment, restaurant, and food & beverage brands across more than 10,000 locations in C-suite and senior positions.

?Additionally, Tim is a Board Director with Coney Park, Happy City, and YuKids - Family Entertainment & Amusement Parks, part of The Carlyle Group ($275B assets), a private equity firm that operates 150+ family entertainment centers and amusement parks in Latin America.?

?Tim has worked with top-tier entertainment and restaurant brands including Disney, Rebounderz Trampoline Parks, Darden Restaurants (Olive Garden, Bahama Breeze, etc.), Red Lobster, Jimmy John’s, Applebee’s, Sonny’s Bar-B-Q, Denny’s, El Pollo Loco, Hardee’s, Golden Corral, and Firehouse Subs.?

Tim has overseen more than 35 purchase transactions involving over 1,200 restaurants, stores, and park locations.?With extensive experience in buying and selling businesses, handling negotiations with buyers and sellers, and creating strategic partnerships to build strong brands, Tim has facilitated deals ranging from $11 million to $350 million+.

?Tim is a member of IAAPA, CAPA, FAA, AAMA & WWA. He is a licensed commercial real estate broker in the State of Florida. Tim earned a BS/BA in Accounting from the University of Central Florida and?an MBA in Finance from Orlando College.