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Normally this would be the season for spring cleaning, but with the global COVID-19 pandemic, nothing is normal. More and more communities throughout the U.S. are being forced to undergo lockdowns, quarantines, shelter-in-place, or social distancing, and it’s taking a toll not only on individuals, but also on small businesses like those in the Family Entertainment Industry. Many skating rinks and other FECs are closed until further notice, and our hearts go out to them and their employees.
While we all hope for swift reopenings, there are some things you can do to make use of the hiatus and ensure that you are 100% prepared to welcome guests back when the time comes. If you’re able, consider working on these spring cleaning ideas for skating rinks. 

Skating Rink Refresh Ideas

Clean, evaluate, and if needed, update equipment. 

Take advantage of the isolation to deep clean your facility. As you go, evaluate your equipment and fixtures, from rental skates to party tables, arcade games to indoor playground equipment. Write down any items that need repairs or replacement so you can add them to your to-do list or long term planning. 

Discover new music to add to your playlists.

Good music can get you through almost anything in life, so head to YouTube, Bandcamp, or Spotify and look for some great new (or new to you) music to add to your playlists. Consider making some special themed mixes for different holidays or seasons. 

Evaluate your pro shop sales.

Do you need to re-stock anything in your pro shop? Which skates are your top sellers? Consider which types of roller skates you need to order and any accessories you can stock as an upsell item. 

Give your redemption counter a makeover.

How long has it been since you’ve cleaned and organized your prize counter? With so many small odds and ends, it’s a good idea to give your redemption counter a deep cleaning, followed by inventorying the contents. Make note of anything that you need to order from our sister site, Super Cool Stuff.   

Audit your concessions program.

This is also a good time to evaluate your concession sales and see where you need to make changes. Remember, customers love novelty, so consider adding a new menu item. You can even update existing menu items, like offering new pizza toppings or offering more dipping sauces to go with the fries and chicken tenders. 

Brainstorm new events and promotion ideas. 

When it’s safe to reopen and people are able to leave their homes, there are going to be a lot of people who can’t WAIT to go out and reunite with their friends. Make sure you’re ready to come back with a bang by brainstorming new events and promotions to catch their attention and encourage them to make up for lost time by hanging out with friends or hosting a party. 

How are you using this unexpected downtime? We wish you all the best of luck in getting through this period and hope to see the fun times rolling again soon.

As you’re all aware, this has been an unprecedented time for anyone trying to keep up with the news about COVID-19 aka The Corona Virus.  We want to be as upfront as possible as where we stand on cleaning supplies and how we can help.

We are running very low on our standard shoe deodorizer product.  As we write this, we have a few cases left, but those will probably be gone by Monday morning.  If you need any, get your orders in as quickly as possible.  To try to be fair to everyone, we are limiting the quantity available to two cases per rink.  Even with this limit, these won’t last long.

We also have some of the newer Scenturion deodorizer in stock.  These come in three different sizes (4 ounce, pint, and gallon) and all three sizes are still available at the moment, but that will probably change very quickly.

We are trying to get more.  The basic shoe deodorizer is going to be hard, as that exact same product is no longer available due to changing EPA rules.  We are working on a replacement product, but they’re warning us that this doesn’t come out quite as dry as the one we’ve been selling.  Dry is better for inside a skate, but right now we’re not in a position to be too picky.  We are going to try to get what we can as quickly as possible, but obviously the factories are behind.  As soon as we know more, we will let you know.

Birthday parties are a major source of income for most Family Entertainment Centers (FECs), but creating a successful party program is easier said than done. How can you throw the best birthday parties in town, help families make special memories, and keep it all profitable? Well, you might be surprised at just how easy it can be to upgrade your parties from so-so to sold out. Keep reading for some FEC birthday party tips that both you and your customers can appreciate. 

How to Host Better Birthday Parties at Your FEC

Optimize events.

The best birthday parties are not too short and not too long. You don’t want parents to feel that the event is rushed and they’re just being churned through an assembly line, but you also want to keep it down to an amount of time that allows the party to end on a high note, before the sugar high wears off and kids (or parents) start getting cranky.  

Two hours is a good standard timeframe for most birthday parties. Ensure that the event stays on track the whole time by creating an agenda your birthday hosts can stick to for every moment from start to finish. Empty time with no structure is often when things get chaotic, kids get bored, and parents become dissatisfied with the party experience. 

Create connections. 

As you’ll see with many of these tips, creating connections is something that can improve your birthday parties without adding cost. Think about the best parties you’ve attended; it probably isn’t themed paper goods or elaborate decorations that make it stand out in your memory, but rather the energy of the group of people you were celebrating with. 

One of the best ways to do this is to incorporate ice breaker games into the agenda of party activities. Birthday parties often bring together family members, neighbors, and friends from school, sports, clubs, or church. Get everyone comfortable together by tossing a ball or plush toy from person to person. Have them say their name and something about themselves when it’s their turn to catch. You can make it easier and more fun by tailoring this to the theme of the party; for instance, have the kids say their favorite superhero, princess, animal, etc.  

Train your team.

Party hosts are a standard part of the birthday party experience at most FECs, so it’s crucial to have your hosts on their A game at all times. Ensure they’re prepared for success by giving them plenty of training, guidance, and support. You can do this in several ways: 

• Make sure they understand the importance and responsibility of being the guide for their party groups—they have the power to make memories that will last a lifetime!
• Don’t expect them to reinvent the wheel. You should have a standard party agenda with times and processes that they know by heart. 
• Consider scheduling an assistant or runner who checks in on each in-progress party to deliver food, bring in props, etc. so the host can stay in the room and keep things on track.
• Hire hosts that are friendly, outgoing, and personable, while remaining focused and in-control of the room.  

Use “Imagi-theming.”

Speaking of training your team, teaching them this strategy is one of the most powerful things you can do to create memorable birthday parties at your FEC. According to party expert Frank Price speaking to Funovation, 

Tangible themes – plates, napkins, wall decorations – “those are for the parents.” … The most effective theming with kids, he argues, is imagination-based theming, something he dubs imagi-theming; “When a party host lines a princess-themed party group, they ask each person to get up and do their princess twirl and curtsey as they get in line.” Or a teenage mutant ninja turtle-themed party uses the theme song in musical chairs, and losers are sent back to Splinter to train their Ninjutsu skills on the sidelines. “This imagination-based theming offers higher memorable value than the tangible themes will,” Frank emphasizes. The best part? It doesn’t cost your venue anything extra!

If you’re trying to build a successful birthday party program at your skating rink or FEC, we’re here to help! Check out our

Vanilla Updates

 

The Vanilla V-Line and Godfather boots are both in stock now.  They’re shown in our catalog with several different packages.

 

The newest version of the Junior skates just arrived.  These are silver with red.  The silver side panels are easily scratchable, under the silver is a red base, so once the silver scratches you can see the red underneath.  Skaters can use this to create their own designs on the side panels.

 

We are currently out of stock on several colors and sizes of their existing Junior models.  More are coming, hopefully in late March or early April.  It is hard to know a definite date at this point as the Chinese New Year and the Coronavirus have slowed things down a bit, but as soon as we know more we’ll let everyone know.

 

Wheel Washers

The wheel washer machines are temporarily sold out, but more should be in stock soon.  They had a small price increase.  These machines are a great way to keep your rental fleet clean, and some rinks use them to clean customer skates for a small fee.

Looking for ways to increase revenue at your family entertainment center (FEC), excite existing customers, get new people through the door, and optimize the use of your facility? Adding a small attraction to your skating rink might be just what you need to take your business to the next level. The right small attraction can produce $400,000 or more annually, allowing you to convert unused square footage into revenue-earning space. Sound good? Check out these tips to help you decide which small attractions are right for your FEC. 

Adding Excitement to FECs with Small Attractions

Your first step should be evaluating where to add your attraction and how much space you have to work with. Are there any “dead” areas around your facility that don’t have any way to engage customers? Look for places where people wait for their kids/dates/etc.—outside your laser tag arena, near the lockers, or by the redemption counter. By placing  a small attraction in one of these locations, you’re making full use of the square footage you’re paying rent on, and you can keep people waiting for other attractions happy by giving them something to do. Happier customers will stay longer and spend more money. Mission accomplished! 

How to Choose an Attraction for Your Skating Rink

• Make sure you have room. Choose an attraction that requires under 1200 square feet. Between 600 and 1200 square feet is ideal. The attraction should be located in what is currently “
• Do your homework. Ask the attraction vendor for proof of ROI (return on investment). They should be able to show that the attraction provides a return in under 18 months. 
• Know your competition. What attractions are offered by other FECs in your area? How do they make use of their space? Which attractions are drawing the biggest crowds? 
• Choose an attraction that provides an experience customers can only get at your FEC. Don’t try to compete with in-home entertainment options—your attraction should be bold, enticing, and novel. VR (virtual reality) experiences like “roller coasters” and cooperative arena games are hot right now and can fit in surprisingly small areas. 
• Ask your customers what they want to see! Your customers are a great source of information, and who doesn’t love sharing their opinion? Get them to help you decide via a poll on social media, a voting box at your cashier desk, or a contest . For instance, you could post a photo of each attraction and whichever one gets shared the most is the winner. 

Whatever you choose to do, remember that Southeastern Skate Supply is here to help with the Roller Skating Business Resource Manual, rink equipment, and novelties you need to succeed.

Roll-On has new prices for most of their product line.  These will replace the prices in our current price list.

Kemistry is a new line of inline wheels from Roller Derby.  They’re starting to come in, here is what we have so far:

Grippium – 72mm, 76mm, or 80mm.  Yellow (extra soft) or orange (soft).  Hockey.

Cyclonium – 76mm or 80mm.  Yellow (78A soft).  Hockey.

Momentum – 110mm (125mm coming soon).  Ourdoor race.

It’s the start of a new decade, and a chance to make this the best year yet for your family entertainment center! People need stress relief now more than ever, and that means skating rinks, arcades, indoor playgrounds, laser tag, and other FECs have the opportunity to provide customers with the fun and memorable experiences they crave. Make this year the start of your very own Roaring 20s with these tips to generate more foot traffic at your FEC. 

4 Ways to Generate More Foot Traffic For Your FEC

Give Them Something to Talk About

No matter how classic and beloved your attractions are, you occasionally need to change things up to generate interest and excitement from the community and keep people coming back. Novelty is an important factor in people’s spending decisions these days, so think about how you can set your FEC apart from competitors. A new attraction can generate not only buzz, but also revenue. 

• Add new arcade games or reposition existing games to grab customer attention.
• Incorporate VR (virtual reality) into your offerings. VR is projected to grow into a $2.3 billion industry this year. 
• Bring in a new attraction like laser tag, laser mazes, ropes courses, climbing walls, etc. 

Tap Into Experiential Marketing

Experiential marketing (also known as live marketing or event marketing) is an incredible way to connect with potential customers. Instead of waiting for customers to come to you, you go to them! For example, if you want to increase awareness of your business with local kids and parents, partner with a local elementary school to put on a skate day at the school! Bring skates and skate mates to the school gymnasium if they have a wood court or other hard surface floor appropriate for skating. 

Provide Entertainment for Everyone. 

One demographic that is often left out of family entertainment is parents of young children. Parents of toddlers can have a hard time finding entertainment options that the whole family can enjoy, so adding specific spaces or sessions catering to small children is a great way to hook new customers and create loyalty for years to come. Host a toddler-specific skating session once a week, or if you have room, you can even create a smaller practice area for little skaters—like a kiddie pool version of the big skating rink. You should also put the word out about your kid-friendly features like skate mate rentals.   

Another often overlooked group is families with special needs children, especially kids on the autism spectrum. Consider having a “sensory friendly” session once or twice a month and put the word out to schools and parent groups in the area. You can make these sessions more accessible for those with sensory sensitivities by lowering the volume of music and announcements, or keeping things quiet altogether; by keeping lights dimmed slightly; and by reducing strong smells, for instance, by keeping the popcorn machine off temporarily. 

Get With the Times.

It’s 2020, and the future is now! Many skating rinks and other FECs have a reputation for being “old school.” While the retro vibes are great for 80s night, you need to be engaging with your customers via the technology and apps that are part of their everyday lives. Manage your social media and online presence, pay attention to your online reputation (what people are saying about your facility, customer service, etc. on rating sites like Yelp, Google, and TripAdvisor) and integrate technology into the experience of your FEC when possible. There are lots of great ways to use technology to your advantage, from email and text subscriptions that let you send offers directly to your customers, to geotagging your location on Instagram or Snapchat.

Cheers to another incredible year in family entertainment!

Valentine’s Day is only a month away! It’s time to start marketing Valentine’s Day events at your skating rink or family entertainment center, but do you know how to capitalize on this heartfelt holiday? Read on to see some Valentine’s Day promotional ideas for skating rinks and FECs.

Valentine’s Day Promo Ideas

Spread the love (and the profits) by running your Valentine’s Day promos on more than just February 14th. Consider running a promotion for a week or two prior to Valentine’s Day.

Buy One Get One 

Buy one admission, get one half off (or free) is a popular promotion with customers, and it’s easy to put a romantic spin on the deal. Encouraging skaters to bring someone with them will expose new people to your business, and maybe even become a tradition for some happy couples. This deal will get them in the door, and you may even be able to make up the half-off admissions with concession sales. 

A Sweet Deal

Speaking of concessions, Valentine’s Day provides a perfect opportunity to attract customers to your snack bar. Offer a special Valentine’s Day dessert for free with the purchase of two meals, or once a minimum purchase amount is reached.
Another way to spread some Valentine’s Day vibes is to put a special spin on an existing menu item. Take a cue from brands like Starbucks and their super-Instagrammable drinks like the Unicorn Frappuccino—create a photogenic menu item that your customers will want to buy for the photo op as well as the taste. For example:

• Churros served with strawberry sauce and powdered sugar
• Heart-shaped pizzas, or pizzas decorated with pepperoni hearts
• Red slushies with two straws or a novelty heart straw
• Pink milkshakes, cotton candy, etc. 

Date Night Package

Capture the attention of those looking for a unique, fun, and affordable date idea by offering a special date night package. Bundle skating admission, meals at concessions, and arcade tokens together at a discount for an easy, all-in-one date. 

Slow Dance Skate

Advertise a “slow dance only” skate session and play love songs. There’s nothing like skating while holding hands with your Valentine! Make it even more engaging for customers by letting them request “their song,” or let your social media followers submit ideas ahead of time for the playlist. You can even turn it into a contest by choosing one of the song submissions and rewarding them with a date night package or free Valentine’s Day dessert.

Valentine’s Day Party

Of course, you can never go wrong with a blow-out Valentine’s Day party at the skating rink! Queue up the power ballads, deck your rink out in pink, white, and red decorations, and consider even creating a photo booth with props, or setting up a table where customers can buy small gift items like single roses, heart balloons, etc. that can be purchased at wholesale prices and marked up to retail for those last-minute gift shoppers and impulse buys. 

The Scout skates are now in stock and ready to ship.  This is a great beginner’s quad skate that comes in four great looking colors. It is available in sizes 12J-6.  The colors are licorice (black), mint (green), berry blast (pink), and grape (purple).  The boots are canvas which gives it a fun look.  The wheels are 54mm and designed for indoor rink use.

Our new catalogs are back from the printer and ready to help you sell more skates.  The catalogs have pics, details, and suggested prices for all of the popular items we carry.  Think of them as an extra salesman for your rink. Ask for a pack of free catalogs with your next order.  Or download a copy from our website.  Consider putting a link to the catalog on your website or facebook page.

We do need to let you know about one change to the price list and catalog.  The Sure-Grip LoRide plates are in stock now and they look great.  But the pricing in the price list and catalog has been changed by Sure-Grip.

 

It’s hard to believe that the year is over, let alone that we’re closing out a whole decade! But here we are, and 2020 is upon us. If you haven’t started planning your skating rink events for the year, it’s past time to get started. Check out these event planning tips to ensure this is the best year yet for your skating rink or family entertainment center! At Southeastern Skate Supply, we have everything you need to execute awesome events, from rink equipment to skating rink business guidance. 

Skating Rink Event Planning Tips

Look at the big picture.

Planning out your events for the rest of the year might seem daunting, but it can be really helpful to at least get an overview of the year in mind. You can always change event details if needed, but knowing approximately what and when your events will be will help you plan accordingly and ensure that you’re not scrambling to come up with ideas and execute them at the last minute. 

For example, go ahead and block out your major holiday events, closures, etc. Do you already know you’re going to have a big Valentine’s Day event, or that you’ll be closed on Easter? Schedule those on your calendar, and consider using an event planning template to help you stay organized. You don’t have to have all of the answer now; you can fill them in as you go. 

Bring partners on board as soon as you can.

If you know you’re going to be working with other organizations on your events, reach out to them as soon as possible to decide on basic items like dates and times. For instance, reach out to local schools now to book end of the year parties or school fundraisers. If there’s a particular charity you want to work with in 2020, go ahead and let them know that you’d like to plan an event together. (This is when it will be helpful to already have your major holiday events planned out!)

Nail down the details. 

You don’t have to have every detail of every event for the whole year planned out in January, but you can probably go ahead and fill in some of the basic information for events on your calendar. (For instance, school break skates end at 11 pm.)

Try to have the next quarter’s events planned out well beforehand, so you can take a beat to decide how you need to prepare for and market your skating rink events. 

Get the news out. 

Once you have the next few months of events planned, you can divert your energy to marketing those events. Paying for social ads might be effective for your skate center, but don’t neglect old-school options too! Submit your events to the local city, county, and/or Chamber of Commerce calendars; let the local news and radio stations know what you’ve got going on and invite the to do a remote event from your location; create Facebook event pages and encourage people to RSVP and share for more reach. 

Don’t forget to stock up on novelties before big events, and keep your rink equipment updated to ensure an optimal customer experience. 

Whatever you have planned for 2020, we wish you all the best. Thank you to our customers for another fantastic year!