From guests to regulars: 6 tips to turn your bowling alley into your favorite hangout

Tip 1: Create a welcoming atmosphere

One of the most important steps sounds obvious but is often not given enough attention; creating a pleasant and hospitable atmosphere. This means that your visitors will immediately feel at home from the moment they enter your bowling center . We would therefore like to give you a few tips to create a warm and inviting environment:

• Friendly staff: Your staff is the face of your bowling alley, so make sure they are always friendly and helpful. Train your team to greet guests with a smile and make them feel welcome. A personal approach can really make a world of difference. If your guests have special wishes or questions, let your staff think along and move along. This immediately creates good word of mouth advertising.
• Comfortable seating: Also make sure you have plenty of comfortable seating, both on the track and in the lounge. People like to stay after bowling, especially if they can sit comfortably. Think of soft sofas, cozy corners and round tables where groups can sit together.
• Atmospheric lighting: The right lighting can greatly improve the atmosphere of your bowling alley. Choose warm, soft lighting that creates a cozy and inviting atmosphere.
• Music, scent and acoustics : Play soft music in the background and ensure a pleasant scent and good acoustics in the room. These points are often underestimated, but they can contribute enormously to a good atmosphere.

Tip 2: Organize events and theme nights

Another fun way to turn visitors into regulars is to organize special events and theme nights. Regular bowling tournaments for different levels create a competitive but fun atmosphere that people enjoy participating in. Theme evenings such as 80's night, disco bowling, or pajama parties, where the bowling hall is appropriately decorated with matching music and guests are encouraged to come according to theme, provide extra fun. Also offer special packages for company outings with catering options and extra facilities such as meeting rooms , and organize fully catered children's parties with cake, snacks and perhaps even a mascot, which makes it fun for both children and parents to visit you.

Promotion via social media and newsletters

It's not enough to just organize fun events; you should also promote them through social media and newsletters. Use platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to promote your events with attractive photos and regular updates, and create event pages on Facebook where people can register and receive updates. Additionally, send a monthly or weekly newsletter to your mailing list with information about upcoming events and include photos from past events to spark interest. Partner with local businesses or influencers to reach a broader audience, and offer early bird discounts or special offers to people who register in advance to encourage participation.

Tip 3: Loyalty programs and discounts

Another way to convert visitors into regular guests is to set up a loyalty program. This sounds complicated, but you can make it as easy or complicated as you want. Loyalty programs and attractive discounts can keep your customers coming back again and again. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Setting up a loyalty program

• Stamp cards : Stamp cards are a classic way to reward repeat visits. Every time a customer comes bowling, he gets a stamp. With a full card (for example ten stamps), your customer will receive a free game or another reward. This is easy to set up and easy for your customers.
• Earn points : Take it one step further with a digital points program. Customers earn points for every euro they spend, which they can later redeem for discounts, free games or even exclusive events.

Attractive discounts and offers

• Regular customer discounts : Offer special discounts for regular customers. For example, this could be a 10% discount after five visits, or a free drink on every third visit.
• Exclusive offers : Give your loyal customers access to exclusive offers, such as early access to events, special prizes for tournaments or VIP evenings.
• Seasonal promotions : Variety your discounts by offering seasonal promotions. Think of a summer discount, winter party, or a Back-to-School offer.
• Friends offer : Encourage your regulars to bring friends by offering a “bring a friend” discount. For example, if a regular customer brings a new guest, they both get a discount on their next game.

By offering a loyalty program and attractive discounts, you not only give your customers a reason to come back, but also to recommend you to others. Good luck!

Tip 4: Use an online reservation system

But perhaps just as important as the above tips is the use of an online reservation system . An online reservation system such as i-Reserve can offer many benefits for both your customers and you. A reservation system is very convenient for customers because they can make a reservation at any time without having to call or wait for opening hours, while they immediately receive a confirmation that provides certainty and confidence. Moreover, customers can easily check availability and choose a time that suits them best, making the entire booking process very smooth. By making it as easy as possible for customers, you increase the chance that they will think of you again for their night out.

But an online reservation system also offers many advantages for you, as a business owner, such as greater efficiency because fewer telephone calls and administration are required. This means your staff has more time for other tasks such as organizing events, promotion and creating a hospitable environment. A reservation system also provides a clear overview of all reservations at a glance, which helps with planning and managing the courses. In addition, automatic reminders via email or text message reduce the number of no-shows by ensuring that customers do not forget their reservation.

• See also: Everything about using the i-Reserve reservation system for your bowling alley

Tip 5: Collect and use customer feedback

One of the best ways to improve your bowling alley and turn customers into regulars is to keep your customers happy. You can do this by actively asking feedback Asking for feedback after every visit is important because it shows that you value customer opinions and take them seriously. This can be done in various ways, such as sending short online surveys via email or text message after the visit, where the questions are simple and targeted to make it easy to complete. You can also ask your staff to kindly inquire about guests' experiences during checkout or when leaving the court. In addition, you can place a physical feedback box in your bowling alley where customers can anonymously leave their suggestions and comments.

The information collected can help you identify areas for improvement, such as addressing repeated complaints about poorly maintained courses by investing in better equipment or maintenance schedules. In addition, feedback can give you great ideas to adjust your offering, for example by introducing new theme nights or special menu items based on customer suggestions. By taking action on feedback, you show that you value customer opinions and are willing to make changes, which increases customer satisfaction.

Tip 6: Community building and social media

With social media you can build a community around your bowling alley and increase your visibility. With a community you convert customers into regular customers. To build a real community, you need to have an active and consistent presence on social media. Here are some ways you can do this:

• Share photos : Regularly share photos of fun moments on the course. Think of photos of tournaments, theme nights, and happy customers. People like to see what is happening and are thus encouraged to come along themselves.
• Post customer stories : Share stories from your regular customers. This can be in the form of short interviews, testimonials or simply a photo with a caption about their experience. This gives your bowling alley a personal touch and builds trust.
• Behind the scenes : Take your followers behind the scenes. Show how you maintain your lanes, introduce your staff or give an insight into the preparation of an event. This makes your company more human and accessible.

Ideas for social media campaigns

Do you want to stimulate interaction and increase your visibility? Here are some campaign ideas that can help:

• Competitions and giveaways : Organize competitions and giveaways regularly. For example, ask your followers to share a photo of their bowling evening with a specific hashtag and have a chance to win a free game or a free drink. This increases involvement and provides more visibility.
• Polls and questions : Use features like polls and questions on Instagram Stories or Facebook to interact directly with your followers. Ask about their favorite bowling ball, what theme night they would like to see, or what snack they would like on the menu.
• Event announcements : Announce all your events via social media. Use attractive photos and clear calls to action. Don't forget to create an event page on Facebook where people can sign up and receive updates.
• Live streaming : Stream live from your events, tournaments or special evenings. Live videos often get more engagement and give potential visitors a good idea of ​​what to expect.
• Hashtag Campaigns : Create a unique hashtag for your bowling alley and encourage your customers to use it when posting about their visit. This makes it easier to find and share user-generated content.

By being active on social media and running targeted campaigns, you can build a strong community around your bowling alley. This not only ensures more visitors, but also a greater sense of commitment and loyalty among your customers.

Try i-Reserve now for 30 days

We've given you a lot of information and ideas and hopefully you now have a good idea of ​​how you can take your bowling alley to the next level by turning customers into regulars. Now it's time to put these tips into practice and really grow your bowling alley. One of the easiest ways to see immediate results is to switch to an online reservation system like i-Reserve . It provides convenience for your customers and efficiency for your team, while also helping you collect valuable customer data. In addition, your staff will have more time to devise and set up campaigns to convert your customers into regular customers. Would you like to know more about how i-Reserve can grow your bowling alley or try out our reservation system for 30 days ? Please contact us.

Want to know more about what i-Reserve can do for your bowling alley? Then read on

• 5 Cross-selling techniques to increase the turnover of your bowling alley

• The reservation system for Bowling Alleys

• Prevent no-shows: fewer missed appointments through i-Reserve