Family entertainment centers (FECs) are constantly seeking ways to increase customer loyalty, boost revenue, and enhance the overall guest experience.
One effective strategy that we are seeing more and more FECs implement to achieve this goal is offering membership packages. If your venue is not offering memberships you could be leaving revenue on the table and missing the opportunity to gain recurring revenue in your center!
The key to a good membership program is exciting packages that are such good value that families can’t help but sign up. Below we’ve provided some membership package ideas that will make your memberships the hottest in town.
Membership Package Ideas
Tiered Membership Levels
Implementing a tiered membership system allows FECs to cater to different customer segments and budgets. Consider offering 2-3 tiered membership options to keep it simple for people to buy and administer:
- Basic Membership
- 1 visit per month
- Free game credits monthly
- Access to members-only events
- Silver Membership
- Unlimited visits per month
- 20% discounts on birthday party bookings
- 10% discounts on food and beverage
- Gold Membership
- All Silver membership benefits
- 1 x free monthly guest pass
- Complimentary birthday package
Family-Focused Packages
Create membership options tailored specifically for families like:
- Family of Four Package
- Discounted rates for two adults and two children
- Shared pool of game credits
- Family-friendly events and activities
- Extended Family Package
- Flexibility to include grandparents or additional family members
- Discounts that increase with the number of members
Weekday vs. Weekend Packages
Cater to different visitation patterns with off peak and on peak memberships for busy weekends or weekdays like:
- Weekday Warrior Membership
- Unlimited access Monday through Friday
- Ideal for stay-at-home parents or homeschooling families
- Special weekday-only events and promotions
- Weekend Enthusiast Membership
- Unlimited weekend access
- Extended hours on Friday and Saturday nights
- Exclusive weekend events and tournaments
The key to a successful FEC membership program
Having enticing membership packages is only one part of a successful membership program. To ensure the success of these membership packages, FECs should implement the following strategies:
- Regular evaluation and adjustment of package offerings based on member feedback and usage data;
- Staff training to ensure membership benefits are communicated correcty and upsell opportunities are taken;
- Easy onboarding process for new members – see how VenueSumo’s membership management software makes this easy to join and self-manage;
- Implementing a robust customer relationship management (CRM) system to track member preferences and behavior – see how FECs can manage memebers with VenueSumo;
- Developing targeted marketing campaigns to promote membership packages to specific demographics; and
- Collaborating with local businesses for cross-promotional opportunities and added member benefits such as discounts.
How to price FEC memberships
When pricing membership packages, the key is to create a compelling value proposition that makes the membership a no-brainer compared to daily tickets. Here’s an example of how you could price your FEC memberships:
- Start by calculating your average customer’s visit frequency and spend. Let’s say a typical family visits 6 times a year, paying $50 per visit. That’s $300 annually.
- Now, price your basic annual membership at $250.
- This instantly saves the customer money, but here’s the kicker – include perks that cost you little but add perceived value. Maybe throw in a few free game credits, priority line access, or a members-only event. This not only justifies the upfront cost but encourages more frequent visits.
- For higher tier memberships, use the same principle but amp up the value. A $500 “unlimited visits” package might seem steep, but for a family visiting twice a month, it’s a steal.
- The goal is to make daily tickets seem expensive by comparison, pushing customers towards memberships. Remember, a member is not just a customer – they’re a recurring revenue stream and a walking advertisement for your FEC.
Interested in creating a membership program for your FEC? Speak to VenueSumo to see how we can help!
