Ideas That Recruit New Players

slide13 said:

I think it depends on whether you're trying to recruit existing pool players to your room or whether you're trying to bring in new people to play.

The first one isn't too tough to figure out, you just have to make it a place where players like to play. Good prices, well kept tables, etc. I think membership cards, punch cards, etc. are all great ideas. I don't play as much as I would like in part because of cost. I wish the place I play had a membership option where, for a certain fee I could play all the pool I want during designated hours but then get a discounted rate during the really busy times likes on Friday/Saturday nights. This would let people play when the the place isn't super busy anyway (weekend days for example, I played for 5 hours yesterday and less than half the tables were occupied). Plus, if you're in an area with multiple rooms that will keep your clients loyal.

Attracting new players is a different story. In my experience most pool rooms are not the kind of places someone would go if they don't play pool. They just aren't that nice and don't really draw people in. The place I play is an exception to that, it's at least half focused on the bar/restaurateur side of the business (probably well more than half actually) and it gets people coming in for drinks, to watch games, families come for lunch, etc. It's a cool place, it's really nice inside, and they have quality food and drink. I think this helps bring in non pool players who then go play for fun after they eat sometimes.

In trendy cities there has definitely been a movement to activities similar to pool...I know of hip bowling allies in NYC that are always busy, places with lawn bowling on the roof, bocce ball, etc. They are frequented by trendy hipster type crowds of young people who dig things a little outside the main stream. I think this is a market that the right pool hall could definitely cater too, but you have to be in the right area and have the right kind of atmosphere. It may not make for the best players type of room, but it would definitely get new people in and playing I think.

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macguy said:

Bringing in new customers has to be a full time effort.

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Webbs Billiards said:

My personal opinion would hinge upon a few basic questions.

1. What kind of room do you have?

1a. Is it a pool hall that has a bar, or a bar that has tables?

1b. Do you have room to spare, or are you packed to standing room only?

1c. What "visually" sets your place out from the surrounding buildings?

2. What demographic makes up your current clientele vs your potential clientele?

2a. If you have a biker bar, how are you going to mix in urban twenty-somethings?

2b. What kind of atmosphere are you projecting?

3. Do you have seating for non players and spectators?

3a. Do you have activities for non players or guests of players?

Sometimes just advertising free wifi and comfortable seating will attract folks who just want to get out of the house.

If you make your place, the kind of place people want to just hang out with their friends, they'll use the tables as an activity with those friends. I don't suggest karaoke because that seriously alienates the pool players. But a good social atmosphere, with a friendly staff will bring money to almost any bar environment.

It's difficult to imagine advertising specificly for pool players unless it's for a specific event, but by advertising to a wider base for your "home away from home", the pool players will migrate to you because their friends are there.

You don't need free gimmicks, you just need to adapt to the situation, and offer what your potential clientele is searching for. Would you respect a place that had a dancing chicken out front with a free lessons sign? Me neither.

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macguy said:

You have to go back to the basics. No need to reinvent the wheel. I will start by telling you a personal story I have told on here before.
I lost my beverage license once for 5 months. I didn't really do anything wrong but it happened that is all I will say. While I was without my beverage license I could still sell table time but I took a real bath without being able to sell beer. There were other places to go to play and even my regulars drifted away and were gone.

Now the day comes and I have my license back but I have hardly any business. My wife and i went on a campaign to get customers back in the place. I started by getting a sign made. I had signs on the building but people drive by and for the most part don't see them. I got an idea from a local barbecue place. They were back in a shopping center and had a big mobile sign at the road. I was already on a main road I just needed to get people attention and it also had to be legal.

At the time I had some classic cars and one of the vehicles I had was a 1949 ford puck up truck. I had signs made that I put on a stake body mounted on the bed. It was like 4' x 6' and was painted so it also had an arrows pointing at the place. From the moment I parked it in front of the place people began coming in every day looking around.

I forgot to add this. I also got magnetic signs made for my cars. I drove a bright green and gold Firebird Formula 400 all jacked up and you could her coming from a block away. The car itself was an attention getter and I would be asked about the pool room all the time. They got me a number of customers as well.


I learned something I did know. I just assumed people knew I was there, I was wrong. After the sigh on the fancy antique truck that attracted attention itself, people would come in and ask, "When did this place open, I drive by here every day and never new you were here". The sign may have been the biggest immediate help.

We then began doing it like a political campaign. I really didn't know how many people worked within a square mile of my place probably a few thousand. I got thousands of business cards and flyers printed. In my area were auto repair shops, painting shops, all kinds of stores and on foot we went on a hand shacking and introduction campaign just like if we were trying to get elected to something.

I would introduce myself to everybody in the place and invite to come in. I give out business cards good for a half hour of pool or a free beer. Surprisingly no one throw me out, people like to meet an owner and know them on a first name basis. Remember, these people are within almost walking distance of my place and have a real potential of coming in.

I believe there is a limit to how far someone will travel, I was looking for new possible everyday customers that were close and I found them. They were always there I just didn't know it. I was content with my business as it was and thought I was doing good before the license disaster. Was I in for a surprise. Within a few months my business was double, thats right double, what it had in the past.

That is only half though, once you get them through the door you have to have something to offer. I added food that I never really had before and created a lunch crowd. A lot of my new people were not in the least pool players, they came in for a beer after work or lunch, but it was not long we began seeing them later that night playing pool.

Thats my story and maybe there some useful information I hope. The thing is, not everybody is really interested in pool. You have to use something else to get them in the door be it food or beer what ever. Once you get them through the door it is up to you to have them come back

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336Robin said:

Mark,
How is business doing? It sounds as if they should have some activity with that.

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