What are you doing different
- Thread starter highrun55
- Start date
About time somone posted about how to STAY in Business. We offer pool, food and Cold Beer. We are going after local business to draw business to us. Mailing coupons to them asking that they pass along to employees that work for them. Specials on Wings friday and sat ONLY but we are only open thursday, friday and saturday. We shoot APA on thursday and that is 75% of our business that day. Everyone please share what IS and IS NOT working. Have a good day and good LUCK, The Pool Hall.
The house where I play is hurting also and the competition is scarce
in our area.
I just heard their going to advertise more on T.V.;$$$ and it's directed
more towards their being a family friendly sort of place.
I don't understand why more players don't come play more often. It's
cheap entertainment.
The only thing I see is lack of instructors or free lessons. From time to time I see a group of bangers come in and sometimes 1 player out of the group will approach me and ask if I give lessons. They must be under the false impression I'm good.
After I explain I'm not qualified to give lessons I'll offer to watch then and just give one or two pointers. After that I direct them to the house pro but when the cost comes up I see them cringe.
Highrun, your house is the sort of place I grew up playing in. If I was near by I'd be the first one in and the last one out.
The future of pool in in today's youth needless to say.
in our area.
I just heard their going to advertise more on T.V.;$$$ and it's directed
more towards their being a family friendly sort of place.
I don't understand why more players don't come play more often. It's
cheap entertainment.
The only thing I see is lack of instructors or free lessons. From time to time I see a group of bangers come in and sometimes 1 player out of the group will approach me and ask if I give lessons. They must be under the false impression I'm good.
After I explain I'm not qualified to give lessons I'll offer to watch then and just give one or two pointers. After that I direct them to the house pro but when the cost comes up I see them cringe.
Highrun, your house is the sort of place I grew up playing in. If I was near by I'd be the first one in and the last one out.
The future of pool in in today's youth needless to say.
thank you, if you are ever in this area of Pa, stop in please.
I have 2 instructors now 1 male & 1 female and no students to teach. I cant afford tv ads, cost to much around here.
highrun55
"I have 2 instructors now 1 male & 1 female and no students to teach."
That's just sad. I would have given anything in the 60's to just get one small tip from the elder statesmen let alone a full fledged instructor. FWIW the house pro where I play says the same thing; no one is taking lessons.
Thanks for the invite sir.
That's just sad. I would have given anything in the 60's to just get one small tip from the elder statesmen let alone a full fledged instructor. FWIW the house pro where I play says the same thing; no one is taking lessons.
Thanks for the invite sir.
Hold The Coarse
Hi,
I own a big room and to my thinking you must do whatever you can to stay in business by attracting new business. Dropping your prices is not the answer. Pool is a discretionary spending kind of thing. If the ball knockers are not coming in cause they have no money why should you drop your prices on the pool players who will always come in. That thinking is a death spiral.
If you have a bar, you must develop leagues on as many nights as you can.
I have 5 leagues and it is the best thing going. If you don't have a bar today I think it's all over for that kind of pool hall. Leagues won't play without beer and alcohol.
Rick Geschrey
Hi,
I own a big room and to my thinking you must do whatever you can to stay in business by attracting new business. Dropping your prices is not the answer. Pool is a discretionary spending kind of thing. If the ball knockers are not coming in cause they have no money why should you drop your prices on the pool players who will always come in. That thinking is a death spiral.
If you have a bar, you must develop leagues on as many nights as you can.
I have 5 leagues and it is the best thing going. If you don't have a bar today I think it's all over for that kind of pool hall. Leagues won't play without beer and alcohol.
Rick Geschrey
I cant have a bar. And they dont seem to like the big tables either, im screwed
highrun55
I agree 100%! Without APA and beer it would have been over with a few months after opening. Buying a cue lathe was a good thing for me also because sometime that is half of my business for that day.
Hello:
As I have been saying for years and to this day it hasn't happened, you have to get pool as a sport in schools. Until this happens the industry is in peril as far as operating a pool hall is concerned.
Ron
As I have been saying for years and to this day it hasn't happened, you have to get pool as a sport in schools. Until this happens the industry is in peril as far as operating a pool hall is concerned.
Ron
this will work, its has for me
Hold a charity event there, we had a huge breast cancer benefit on a sunday, called all of my vendors, food, beer, cues etc, they all donated stuff to raffle and gave free advertisement in the paper, signs, tv, budweiser even did a billboard free, and the local radio stations brought us in to talk about it live on the air. It took a bit of planning, but went off without a itch, we had a custom car club come and show their cars in the parking lot, had abounce house and a dunk booth donated by someone in the community, put their name on the flyer in exchange for it, had some local bands play, on a sunday we had 2500 + people come through that day, had a pool tourney, poker, after that we had alot of new faces that came out to support the charity, become regular customers, also got in touch with the billiard education foundation and started having classes here for school students, that helped also. If you have any questions or need help setting this up, feel free to pm me
Hold a charity event there, we had a huge breast cancer benefit on a sunday, called all of my vendors, food, beer, cues etc, they all donated stuff to raffle and gave free advertisement in the paper, signs, tv, budweiser even did a billboard free, and the local radio stations brought us in to talk about it live on the air. It took a bit of planning, but went off without a itch, we had a custom car club come and show their cars in the parking lot, had abounce house and a dunk booth donated by someone in the community, put their name on the flyer in exchange for it, had some local bands play, on a sunday we had 2500 + people come through that day, had a pool tourney, poker, after that we had alot of new faces that came out to support the charity, become regular customers, also got in touch with the billiard education foundation and started having classes here for school students, that helped also. If you have any questions or need help setting this up, feel free to pm me
Time to grow up!
Just some hints: Keep your environment clean enough to invite your mom.
In this "eco-friendly" age, mosy of us actually grow up and refuse to smoke tobacco and ruin the air and olfactory senses for everyone else.
You can have a bar area where drinking is allowed and a pool playing area where contaminants are not allowed. If you permit a bunch of obnoxious, smoking drunks to ruin the air by smoke or unsavory language, I just don't have to put up with that roguish behavior, I'll leave. It's not that I haven't experienced that foolishness before, I just won't do it any more.
You also can invite post-grad players (geezers like me) to play or have leagues in the afternoons (between 12pm and 5pm) Just turn the noise off and forbid smoking. They will be happy to pay table time for a quiet clean pool room.
Many (adult) open pool tournaments turn off the noise-making juke boxes and disallow smoking during tournament play. The top players think that's just peachy. I do too.
Think about it.
Just some hints: Keep your environment clean enough to invite your mom.
In this "eco-friendly" age, mosy of us actually grow up and refuse to smoke tobacco and ruin the air and olfactory senses for everyone else.
You can have a bar area where drinking is allowed and a pool playing area where contaminants are not allowed. If you permit a bunch of obnoxious, smoking drunks to ruin the air by smoke or unsavory language, I just don't have to put up with that roguish behavior, I'll leave. It's not that I haven't experienced that foolishness before, I just won't do it any more.
You also can invite post-grad players (geezers like me) to play or have leagues in the afternoons (between 12pm and 5pm) Just turn the noise off and forbid smoking. They will be happy to pay table time for a quiet clean pool room.
Many (adult) open pool tournaments turn off the noise-making juke boxes and disallow smoking during tournament play. The top players think that's just peachy. I do too.
Think about it.
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Nickels and Dimes add up. When they are expenses or income. I know I have added income by doing little things like bulk candy machines. Handfull of nuts or Hot Tamales, or M&Ms for 25 cents. Finding ways to save money on paper towels. We put in those premeasured towel machines. It saved some money. Air dryers is what I SHOULD have done. Turn off lights on back tables to save electric. Put in a foosball game or ping pong table for something different. Sell energy drinks or iced coffees. More people than you think will drink the $3 drinks. Muffins, cookies or rolls prepackaged from Sams. Microwave them warm when you sell them.
Advertise. Every single day. Start a myspace page or facebook page. Flyers or coupons at local colleges or factories. Advertise on Craigslist. Put up pictures of your place. Put it in activities section. If you offer services put up an ad there too. I get about 10-15 minimum referrals per DAY from Craigslist when I advertise there. Doesnt mean those people all come in but I can tell at least that many people visit my website. So I know more than that read my ad. I post up ads for tournaments, cue specials, leagues starting. Everything. I just want to get my name out there.
Advertise. Every single day. Start a myspace page or facebook page. Flyers or coupons at local colleges or factories. Advertise on Craigslist. Put up pictures of your place. Put it in activities section. If you offer services put up an ad there too. I get about 10-15 minimum referrals per DAY from Craigslist when I advertise there. Doesnt mean those people all come in but I can tell at least that many people visit my website. So I know more than that read my ad. I post up ads for tournaments, cue specials, leagues starting. Everything. I just want to get my name out there.
From the beginning I have built my business on being a one stop location for all pool and billiards related items. I offer full cue repair, and much of this can be done while the customer waits such as, Tip's, joint facing, weight adjustments, bumper replacements, re-wraps, and re-tapering of shafts, and shaft dent removal. In addition, I also offer all other cue services from building new shafts to complete refinish work for all brands of cues, to include antique cue restoration. I also have a fully stocked Pro-shop with most accessories made being available, I have a full line of cues cases that cover ever thing from custom to production and import to American made. I also carry a number of custom and production cues, on any given day I have around 100 to 200 cues ready to sell.
I also support all forms of pool locally from children's groups to pool leagues. Currently I have 8 sponsored APA teams, and 5 Sponsored BCA teams, and the numbers are increasing for the next session. During the summer months I do not sponsor tournaments do to a lack of participation, however, during the winter months I also use this as a draw on none leagues nights.
I do not have room for a Kitchen at my location, but due to the fact that I do serve Beer, I meet the minimum requirement for food with snacks with Microwavable items that the customer prepares themselves. I also have a full cooler with different kinds of soft drinks and bottled water.
My room only has 9 tables do to it's size, currently I have six 9ft tables and two 8ft tables and one 3-Cushion Billiard table. My tables are not cleaned after every game however, at a minimum they are brushed wiped down and vacuumed once a day and then if needed they cleaned again. I only use Simonis 860 on my pool tables and Simionis 300 on my billiards table. In addition my room is kept between 68 and 72 degrees between summer and winter, by using my AC units. This keeps the tables the same speed throughout the entire year and lets face it people do not like to pool in an oven. I also only use the best balls on my tables, I use Aramith Super Pro sets or Centennials depending upon who is renting a table, I also have two ball cleaners a Diamond Ball cleaner, and a Ball Star ball cleaner.
The room is kept clean and is cleaned throughout the day when needed, especially the Restrooms, no one likes to use a dirty restroom. I also take person control of how people act in my room, for those few who can't follow the rules or who do not want to act politely they are asked to leave. Since my room is all ages I get many people bringing their children into my room, which I also enjoy because many kids never get to see their parents playing in tournaments of pool league.
I think with the changing environment for pool and the economy billiards room owners can greatly supplement their income through sales of Billiards related items like I outlined above. I also think that offering repairs for peoples equipment is also a must. I would go as far as to say that in my opinion Pool room owners have an advantage over retail stores selling billiards equipment, and that Billiards retail stores of the future will be vastly different in the future if they even survive. I think these two area's are greatly over looked by Room owners, here in Washington State no other room offers what I do. So even when table rentals are down, no league for a few nights, people still need the others services I offer and I can actually live off them alone.
JIMO
I also support all forms of pool locally from children's groups to pool leagues. Currently I have 8 sponsored APA teams, and 5 Sponsored BCA teams, and the numbers are increasing for the next session. During the summer months I do not sponsor tournaments do to a lack of participation, however, during the winter months I also use this as a draw on none leagues nights.
I do not have room for a Kitchen at my location, but due to the fact that I do serve Beer, I meet the minimum requirement for food with snacks with Microwavable items that the customer prepares themselves. I also have a full cooler with different kinds of soft drinks and bottled water.
My room only has 9 tables do to it's size, currently I have six 9ft tables and two 8ft tables and one 3-Cushion Billiard table. My tables are not cleaned after every game however, at a minimum they are brushed wiped down and vacuumed once a day and then if needed they cleaned again. I only use Simonis 860 on my pool tables and Simionis 300 on my billiards table. In addition my room is kept between 68 and 72 degrees between summer and winter, by using my AC units. This keeps the tables the same speed throughout the entire year and lets face it people do not like to pool in an oven. I also only use the best balls on my tables, I use Aramith Super Pro sets or Centennials depending upon who is renting a table, I also have two ball cleaners a Diamond Ball cleaner, and a Ball Star ball cleaner.
The room is kept clean and is cleaned throughout the day when needed, especially the Restrooms, no one likes to use a dirty restroom. I also take person control of how people act in my room, for those few who can't follow the rules or who do not want to act politely they are asked to leave. Since my room is all ages I get many people bringing their children into my room, which I also enjoy because many kids never get to see their parents playing in tournaments of pool league.
I think with the changing environment for pool and the economy billiards room owners can greatly supplement their income through sales of Billiards related items like I outlined above. I also think that offering repairs for peoples equipment is also a must. I would go as far as to say that in my opinion Pool room owners have an advantage over retail stores selling billiards equipment, and that Billiards retail stores of the future will be vastly different in the future if they even survive. I think these two area's are greatly over looked by Room owners, here in Washington State no other room offers what I do. So even when table rentals are down, no league for a few nights, people still need the others services I offer and I can actually live off them alone.
JIMO
I think it's a result of modern, instant-gratification, electronic entertainment, that is causing kids to not be interested in a lot of things they used to be interested in. I mean, when a kid can just push a button and play one of these incredibly ultra-realistic racing or war game on a 52" LCD TV - you've seen them - rolling a ball into a pocket with a wooden stick looks about as exciting as watching paint dry.
Ruark
Do a "free raffle" for all your customers. All they need to do is to give you their email-address.
With this you can send them info once a week about what's happening, special offers etc.
With this you can send them info once a week about what's happening, special offers etc.
highrun55, give us some info about your poolhall. how many tables, what do you sell, how many people living in an area of 1 hour with car etc.
Are there high-schools/college nearby, theather, restaurants etc. Perhaps add a pic or two of your hall here.
Is this the place? Less than 4 000 in population?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorndale,_Pennsylvania
Are there high-schools/college nearby, theather, restaurants etc. Perhaps add a pic or two of your hall here.
Is this the place? Less than 4 000 in population?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thorndale,_Pennsylvania
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thats me
Yes thats me, picks at www.thebilliardstour.com/ 3 high schools 2 colleges APA & BCA Leagues, lots of bars to.
3 or 4 theatres, tons of eating places, one here in the center im in and he`s my landlord to.
3 beer distributors,
thanks Roy
Mickey
Yes thats me, picks at www.thebilliardstour.com/ 3 high schools 2 colleges APA & BCA Leagues, lots of bars to.
3 or 4 theatres, tons of eating places, one here in the center im in and he`s my landlord to.
3 beer distributors,
thanks Roy
Mickey
I just checked your website, and the pictures, and it looks like a nice room.
With 3 high schools, 2 colleges, leagues, theatres nearby etc, there should definitely be a market.
Have you tried organizing for example a High School Tournament? What High School has the best players, teams? Invite them for free one day, and let them learn about the place. Give them one month with discount, and tell them that they can compete in a high school tournament at the end of that month.
How about making a special offer with the restaurant nearby, for example cheap lunch and pool?
50 % discount for anyone who have a ticket for a movie at the theater, that day.
Are you good with the media? Will your housepro in wheelchair go to any events soon? Try to get the media to write about it. Free advertising.