BIG IDEAS THE SECRET TO FINDING OUTSIDE

I’m passionate about business and push myself to improve. Continuing education and attending events is certainly part of that. If you’ve sat through any seminars, webinars, or listened to podcasts, you’ve probably heard that thinking outside the box will help you gain a big business breakthrough.

Thinking outside the box is very different than doing it. Creativity can be elusive. But it is something that can be developed and will pay big dividends. Building a system for creative thinking on a regular basis will help you put a lot of ideas in your Big Idea Stew to dish up a substantial winner at some point in the future.

In the bowling industry there are some obvious learning opportunities, like Bowl Expo, the Summit, and state or local shows. If you’re attending these gatherings, that’s great! If not, you should! Talking to fellow proprietors about what’s working for their operation is an enormous benefit.

FIND INSPIRATION!

If you want to take your creativity, and your business, to the next level, then consider events like IAAPA, other FEC-focused conferences, the big restaurant show in Chicago, bar expos, Amusement Expo, etc. You’ll discover what other successful operators and investors are doing in very similar types of businesses. The biggest ideas and breakthroughs come from looking at events outside of our industry. As an example, recently I attended several events that added to my Big Idea Stew:

• ENTERTAINMENT EXPERIENCE EVOLUTION: An event that I was invited to from someone that specializes in connecting emerging family entertainment, retail concepts, and restaurants with great real estate locations.

• TAYLOR SWIFT ERA’S TOUR: I gifted this to my daughter for Christmas, and we went to Las Vegas for the show. It was amazing! I don’t have enough room here for all the takeaways, but one that hit me was to integrate LED bracelets into glow bowling experiences. They added so much energy to the show; they would add great energy to a glow bowling experience and a possible upsell for corporate events and parties.

• BAR & RESTAURANT EXPO: This show happened to be in Las Vegas following the Taylor Swift concert. We attended, looking for ideas to bring to bowling clients and for booth ideas for Bowl Expo. We walked out of this show with a few new ideas to create a fun theme that tied into our big objective. Mission accomplished!

• SPRING BREAK ON NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE: A VIP area of the ship called The Haven has a private dining room, bar, pool, and sun deck. The Haven cruisers get priority boarding and disembarkation at every port along with luggage delivery at the end of the trip. To those of us who value time, saving a few hours at the end of a vacation is worth every penny.

TopGolf took ideas from many types of things to create their experience. It’s a driving range mixed with glow or cosmic bowling. They added great food and beverage to the formula to generate the revenues necessary to make this concept work financially.

Learn From Others

While at the bar, I noticed a couple of things. First, front and center, there was a bottle of Louis XIII in a glass case on the bar with an opportunity to buy a half ounce for $125 up to $500 for 2 ounces. Lots of people on the boat were celebrating birthdays, weddings, and anniversaries, so I bet they sold a few! Another takeaway was the nightly packed auditorium with a live game show like The Newlywed Game and The Not-So-Newlywed Game; both could be easily adapted to a bowling center.

One big takeaway from Las Vegas and the cruise was that a classic, old-school offering might be perfect as a new revenue stream in your center. For example: a piano bar. Piano bars are not new; however, they still generate amazing traffic and revenue.

The next time you’re out exploring a city or at an event, look around. Take in all the details; look for small ideas that you can bring back to your facility; take photos and write notes.

You never know when you’re going to find an idea that resonates. The key is to gather lots of ideas, even things that might not relate to anything you’re doing right now. If you find it interesting, take a note, snag a photo.

You Never Know When Your Research Will Pay Off

Some of my research marinates for years in my phone. Then, one day I’ll be working on a project and remember something that might tie into a current project.

PuttShack is a mini-golf, indoor concept created by the TopGolf founders. It’s a much smaller footprint, so it can be built faster and put into high traffic retail and entertainment concepts. It’s a mix of mini-golf, TopGolf, cosmic bowling, and elements of pinball.

Many remember the Kids Bowl Free bus tour from years ago. The idea seemed to come together quickly, but part of it was marinating for years. We were searching for ways to get media attention for months, not days or minutes. We discussed a lot of ideas; then I suggested a bus tour based on an idea I had seen years ago successfully executed by another entrepreneur. We quickly got to work putting together a nationwide bus tour that landed us on tv almost every day for seven weeks. We got national exposure on Fox & Friends, The Today Show, Good Morning America, and many more. That bus tour happened 12 years ago, and bowling centers still talk about it today. We took a working model, added a few of our own elements, and deployed the idea in under 10 weeks!

I’d love to hear some of the ways that you get outside of your box to grow your business. Send me your favorite shows to attend, vacation places, or other sources of inspiration. Email them to me at darin@darinspindler.com.•

Darin has been in the bowling business his entire life. He grew up in a small town of about 300 people where his parents built an 8-lane bowling alley in 1977, one year before he was born. He grew up doing all the jobs at the center. After moving to Green Bay and working at a large center, he found his passion in marketing. He met Bruce Davis and together they formed the team that created Kids Bowl Free®. Over the past 10 years, he has helped create over 10 million new customers for his clients and his own businesses.