Family Entertainment Centers - IAAPA

FEC: MARKETING
keep everyone happy—and
spending money. He costeffectively
promotes his
family-centric offerings
through
e-newsletter blasts.
Have an
Idea?
Did you just tap into
a new market?
Share your success
stories with
FUNWORLD magazine by e-mailing
Contributing Editor Mike Bederka
at mbederka@IAAPA.org. We’ll
post your suggestions on our
In the Queue blog at
Reach Out
This year families might www.IAAPA.org/blog.
not take as many big trips as
they did in the past, says Robin
Creswick, owner of Rockin’ Robin’s Amazone
Family Entertainment Center in Medina, Ohio. Capitalizing
on the “staycation” trend, she’s reaching out to people
beyond her normal geographic circle of guests. “We’re having
booths at some shows in areas a little farther away,” she
explains. “We want to capture their business, especially
during the summertime.”
Team Building
HeyDay Family Fun Center in Norman, Oklahoma, stays
busy Friday to Sunday. “Our dilemma is to drive traffic the
rest of the week,” says Brian Burks, entertainment and program
manager.
Most companies still hold quarterly meetings or events to
get staff out of the office for the day, he reasons, so Burks
eyes corporate team building as another way to generate
revenue for his facility. His program starts with a 45-minute
PowerPoint presentation and motivational video. Then,
guests play five games of laser
tag where each session shows
the importance of teamwork
and the benefits of communicating
and working as a
group. A lunch buffet can be
included in the package to up
the price and profits.
“Team building can pay
off big time,” Burks says.
“Our hope is they want to
come out again with their
family or plan a birthday
party here.”
them,” she says. For marketing, Creswick runs
commercials on Nick Jr., a favorite television
programming block for this demographic.
Every day during the week Amazone hosts
a special activity included with the paid
admission. For example, Monday is movie
day; Tuesday, a live animal show; Wednesday,
story time and singing; and Thursday, arts
and crafts. Creswick also aims for the younger
audience by contacting area day care centers.
She promotes her FEC to them as the go-to
place for field trips.
Higher Learning
Being in a college town, Jubb thinks his FEC can do a lot
more to attract the older set. What that entails, however,
remains a bit sketchy. “It’s just a lot more challenging,” he
says. “They’re harder to please.” CyberCity has experimented
with an ’80s night to offer something unique in the
area, but Jubb plans to study more options to attract this
fickle audience. FW
Learn more about F.I.R.S.T.
For details about the IAAPA-sponsored FEC insurance
program, visit www.amerspec.com, or call
+1 800/245-2744.
CYBERCITY
Mom and Me
Like HeyDay, Amazone suffered
from the dreaded
“weak-day” business,
Creswick says. Her solution?
Targeting toddlers and stayat-home
moms. “Some of my
competitors have ignored
CyberCity promotes family-centric
offerings through e-newsletter blasts.
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 29