4 Key Takeaways from Amusement 360 2022

Did you attend Amusement 360?

Last week, Creative Works held its annual event, Amusement 360. Whether you've been in the family entertainment industry for decades or are just getting started, this event provided a wide range of industry knowledge and insights through presentations, networking, professional development, and more!

Our Party Center Software team had the pleasure of attending and participating in this uplifting virtual and in-person event. Here are four of our key takeaways from Amusement 360.

4 Key Takeaways from Amusement 360 2022

One of our main takeaways from Amusement 360 2022 is that there is always room for change and improvement in the family entertainment industry. Just because times have changed, does not mean you should lose sight of your purpose. It only means your course of action has shifted gears!

Below is a list of our top four key takeaways from Amusement 360 2022.

Key Takeaway #1: Having a Family Entertainment Center Matters

• Creating memories that last a lifetime matter
• Experiences matter
• Memories matter

Ten years from now, a little girl will remember her seven-year-old princess birthday party where she felt the most joy and care from all her loved ones. A couple will look back on their first bowling or arcade date that happened at your venue in a few years.

At the end of the day, you're creating lasting memories for kids, families, and friends. During difficult times, people will reminisce about better days when they shared laughter and playfulness. Creating those amazing experiences and being a part of that experiences is an honor! 

Key Takeaway #2: Recognizing Your Customer Demographics Will Fuel Your Marketing Strategy

Session: Understanding Your Business and Your Growth

Speaker: Danny Gruening and Russ Van Natta

Attendee from PCS: Aracely Balcazar, Sales, Marketing, and Social Media Assistant

It is impossible to market and please all customer demographics that exist. Most family entertainment centers target specific age groups. It’s also important to consider that there are generations within an age group. Each generation has different hobbies, interests, likes, and dislikes, and differs in how they respond to marketing efforts, etc.

The first question you should ask yourself is: Who is my ideal target audience(s)?

Your ideal guest should fall under these four generations:

1. Gen Z (10-25 years old)
2. Millennials (26-41 years old)
3. Gen X (42-57 years old)
4. Baby Boomers (58-67 years old)

Gen Z favors video social media platforms like Instagram, Tik Tok, and YouTube because they enjoy swiping through videos that are less than 60 seconds long. 

Millennials listen to word of mouth, such as influencer marketing, and read reviews before deciding to do business with a company. Gen X is one of the most loyal generations when it comes to customer loyalty and prefers Facebook. The baby boomers are grandparents who prefer to use Facebook, watch TV, and want to create memories for their grandchildren.

It's best to record short and sweet Tik Tok videos if you're marketing to Gen Z. In a video under 60 seconds long, demonstrate how much fun people can have at your facility. Making sure you have good reviews, updated hours and location, and photos to show what your facility looks like is all part of marketing to millennials. Because Gen Xers are more likely to use Facebook, it's a good idea to have a Facebook page for your business where you can keep your customers up to date on hours, promotions, and any other news you'd like to share. When it comes to Baby Boomers, the best way to grab their attention is to advertise your facility on TV or the radio.

Your target audience will determine how you should market your product and services. Each generation responds and takes in information differently. Keep in mind to not stereotype a generation and openly receive customer feedback about your FEC. Do your research! 

If you're looking for more insights on customer feedback, check out our complimentary resource, Your Guide to an Effective Customer Feedback Survey.

Key Takeaway #3: Food is Equally as Important as Your Attractions

Session: Is a Food Program Right for your New Brand? 

Speaker: David Wallace

Attendee from PCS: Aracely Balcazar, Sales, Marketing, and Social Media Assistant

Food is what brings people together in many cultures. What makes that any different from eating at your local family entertainment center? Bringing food and entertainment together is essential for your guests to have an overall positive experience at your facility.

Bringing both food and entertainment together will increase your revenue because families will spend their money to eat and entertain their children at the same time. If you can provide your guests with the experience of drinking, eating, and playing all at the same time, you'll come across as a triple threat.

Time is a valuable commodity in today's society. Guests will take advantage of the convenience of being able to do multiple things at once. Exceeding customer expectations is what a great guest experience is all about.

Key Takeaway #4: Expand Your Reach By Using Earned Media

Session: The Secret to Successful PR Campaigns

Speaker: Kevin Loughery

Attendee from PCS: Aracely Balcazar, Sales, Marketing, and Social Media Assistant

Every business wants to have a certain amount of media coverage. The majority of the time, businesses concentrate their efforts on social media, paid advertisements, influencer marketing, email marketing, etc. But, have you ever considered that you are missing a critical component?

Earned media is this missing component. In other words, you're missing out on publicity. The general public talking about your company is far superior to you doing it because earned media allows you to reach a bigger audience. Being featured in the news will reach people in your community because community members want to know what's going on. To successfully execute this strategy as a business owner, you must ask yourself these two questions.

1. Identify your message, what are you trying to say?
2. What news organization do you want to reach out to?

People are much more alert when they are being advertised to and will ignore, skip, or get up and do something else while an advertisement is running. Earned media lowers the barrier to entry for people because they seek out the media to learn about what is going on in their communities and are willing to listen and watch.

As a business owner, there needs to be a reason why cameras are being pointed at your business. For example, your facility is putting in a new attraction. Contact a local news organization and explain why they should cover your business. In a simple email, explain why this story is important and why they should care. If these steps are followed, a news organization will almost certainly cover a story about your business!

Are These Key Takeaways Insightful? Leave a Comment Below!

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