Customers have a ton of options for birthday parties to choose from these days. So how do you influence decisions to choose your facility over your competition?

For those of you who acquired new attractions for your expansion at IAAPA this year, you are creating leverage. If you purchased a next-generation laser tag system, you have even more of an advantage.

In the business sense, leverage is the investment that allows you to expand revenue opportunities. In physics, it means you use a lever to lift heavy objects.

With so many entertainment centers competing for the party revenue, you need to create leverage in every sense of the word.

Before we dive into strategies to boost birthday sales with laser tag, let’s walk a mile in a parent’s shoes for a minute by following a typical path to choosing a birthday party venue.

I will start with a Google search for “birthday party ideas for boys.” What do you find?

The top search results will have some creative ideas for themes. Since my son is into Legos, I am going to choose a Lego theme.

Next, I am going to decide on the venue. Last year, I thought I would save some money hosting a party at my house, but it ended up taking 12 hours preparing, decorating, and cleaning up after the mess.

The decision to host the party at another venue was a no-brainer. Now it is just a matter of finding a place.

You start with another Google search to find a few options to present to the birthday boy. Do you want bowling, roller skating, or laser tag? Laser tag!

Here is the key takeaway:

While many customers will go through a similar path to purchase, no two journeys will be the same. That is why you have to leverage multiple communication channels to be there when people are searching. Once they find you, you have to be helpful with your content experiences.

Now that you have an idea of the journey each prospective customer goes through, here are the two crucial areas to influence the decision-making process:

At any given moment, a prospective customer is searching for phrases like “roller skating parties” or “bowling parties.” Unlike a search for “birthday party ideas,” these search terms show higher purchasing intent.

Here are a few places where you can position yourself against other attractions for birthdays in your market.

Run a Google Ad campaign for “Roller Skating Birthday Party” that takes visitors to your landing page, explaining why laser tag parties are more exciting, interactive, and fun.

To nurture those who did not take action, run a Facebook retargeting ad campaign for those who visit your landing page that entices them to explore laser tag birthday parties.

Write a blog post on a topic such as seven reasons why laser tag birthday parties are better than roller-skating parties.

At this stage, your job is not to rush a prospect into a purchase but to educate and empower your audience to choose laser tag over other attractions.

We often hear laser tag is profitable no matter which manufacturer you choose. It is like saying any car will get you from point A to B, which is also true.

However, anyone who has driven a run-down clunker and a high-performance sports car know there are factors such as the driving experience and the time it takes to get there.

A player who has played more than one system will know the difference in the vest and phasers ergonomics. They can also tell the difference in the gameplay between manufacturers.

By communicating your equipment features like selfie cameras for a more personalized and social experience, you position yourself against other laser tag centers with outdated systems.

Combine this with a competitive analysis of pricing and packages, a frictionless party booking process; you will be on your way to winning the party business.

Tag – You’re It

With January being one of the busiest months for laser tag, now is the time to start out-thinking your competitors. By putting yourself in your prospective customer’s shoes, being there when they are searching, and being helpful when making a decision, you will boost your party sales in the most competitive markets.

If you are exploring a laser tag system that will give you the most considerable leverage, talk to one of our experts. We even have a resource to get you to get pre-qualified for financing. Another resource to help you step up your birthday party game, consider going to an upcoming Birthday University session.

Now get out there and win that party business in 2020. Our team will be there to help you along the way.