Keep motivated and brainstorm new ideas...
I think most poolhalls have/had a rough time.
I did the following:
- Early week deal: Monday & Tuesday play 2 hours, 3rd hour is free.
- I open at 18.30 hour, i did in the summer Free Pool from 19.00 till 20.00 and when it was 20.00 the lights would go out and on in a split second and then the normal rate was active. Most people did not noticed and played on for an hour or more...
- Organized tournaments entryfee is prizemoney, i only add money when the field is full, so if i had a tournament i said on the poster that the prizemoney is guaranteed when 64 or 128 players have entered the tournament.
Like this $25 entryfee - maximum 64 players - Total prizemoney $2000,- (in small words: guaranteed when the field is full) !
So if you have 64 players you have to add $400,- but you make more money on drinks and food.
If you have like 59 players x $25,- = $1475, you only add like $125 to show the players that you still added some...
Players don't mind because they read beforehand that the $2000 were only guaranteed when the field was full...
- If you are able to do cue-repairs, you could do a "winter maintenance" or "start of the season maintenance" on cues.
People pay say $25/$35 for a check up/maintenance, you clean the cue, remove dings from the shaft, new tip, new bumper etc. all the small stuff
Leagues and tournaments start and people want their cue ready for the new season!
- Then we have the moneypool over here wich always do good, organize them on a (slow) weeknight or a Saturdayafternoon.
$10 entryfee, $7,50 for the tournament prizes, and $2,50 go to the jackpot for the end of the season.
A ranking is attached to the tournament and a final will be played at the end of the season with the jackpot at stake.
Sometimes we do a Super-moneypool, double points, double entryfee, double prizes.
One week we do 9-ball double KO, the other week 8-ball ABC System.
Hope this helps...
MH
HOB Weert