Family Entertainment Centers - IAAPA

party? Not much.”
However, folks new to the game
may trip up in the early going. Experts
offer some pointers to help ensure
charitable efforts run smoothly:
Be selective. “Make your donation
something you’re willing to
give away,” Uphold urges. “Don’t
give away your high-ticket
items.”
Look for a good fit. Some
organizations that contact you
may not be in line with your target
audience, Burkhardt says. For
instance, politely decline highschool
groups if you primarily
serve children age 8 and under.
Don’t slack. Keep on top of
requests because they can stack up
quickly, Burkhardt says. “When
you OK one, you’re going to get hit
with 25.”
Class it up. Uphold uses glossy
paper for the free mini-golf game
certificates. “We don’t mind if schools give them out,” he
says, “but we don’t want it photocopied over and over
and over.”
Advertise it. Don’t be bashful about the charity promotions.
To spike interest, Burkhardt posts signs in his
FEC: COMMUNITY
Community Collation Turns
Competitors into Allies
Hotel concierges, sales managers, front desk staff, and bellhops can quickly
turn a random tourist into a paying customer with a few choice words about
your FEC. Therefore, wooing them becomes a must for referrals. But in entertainment-rich
areas like Orlando, hospitality workers receive countless invites to
attend parties at local attractions.
“How do you compete among all those options?” asks Mark Brisson, director
of marketing for Fun Spot Action Park. For him, the answer came as the
Orlando Fun Partners, a collation Fun Spot joined in 2000. Brisson works with
11 other second-tier attractions in Central Florida to plan four large parties a
year for area hospitality employees.
The events rotate among facilities, but at each party, all partners have a
booth where people can get to know the attractions’ offerings a little bit better.
Other members range from a mini-golf course to a nightclub to a dinner show.
As an added benefit, members will refer guests to one another’s facility. So,
for example, when a couple asks a Fun Spot employee for a good place to go
out dancing, he will steer them toward an Orlando Fun Partner. Vice versa happens,
if the clubbing couple wants to ride some go-karts the next day.
“It turns competitors into allies,” Brisson says.
For more information, visit www.orlandofunpartners.com.
stores and puts plugs in his e-newsletter.
Stay sharp. Having a strong reputation in the community
will make you the go-to facility for donations. “Then partner
with someone to further that image,” Burkhardt
explains. “That would be my best piece of advice.” FW
F E C E d i t i o n n F U NW O R L D C O L L E C T I O N S 27