Grand Place

Do your party packages include special experiences or a discounted group admission rate?

Far too often, we see family entertainment centers and event facilities view their party packages as a way to secure a dozen or so more walk-ins. They might take $2 off admission per person, but still charge full price for everything else—food, beverages, gameplay, etc.

Creating party packages that offer a high-value guest experience over lowering costs slightly just to get a few more people in the door will drive more revenue in the long term. Doing this will also reduce the strain of high-volume parties.

• Holiday Party Package Scenario #1: Each “Basic Party Package” costs $105. Let’s say you have six of these booked on a Saturday afternoon, and each of these parties will have 10 attendees.
  
  You would earn $630 for creating a memorable experience for 60 people in total. However, with this many parties and people, you’ll likely need to hire multiple hosts. This situation has the potential to cause major confusion when trying to meet the needs and expectations of your many guests.

• Holiday Party Package Scenario #2: Each “Ultimate Party Package” costs $250. Let’s say you have three of these booked on a Saturday afternoon and each of these parties will have 10 attendees.
  
  You would earn $750 for creating a memorable guest experience for 30 people. Since you have half the amount of parties, each party could be managed by a single host, allowing you to earn a higher profit per party.

Build valuable party packages

Many family entertainment centers and event facilities have adopted the “Good-Better-Best” model to tier their party package options. With this model, you’ll offer a lower-priced, basic offering, one that still holds value and appeals to customers. You’ll also offer second and third-tier options, which are higher-value.

When using the Good-Better-Best approach, it’s important to name your products well. Which set of party package names sound more appealing?

Set A	Set B
Party A	Silver Party
Party B	Gold Party
Party C	Platinum Party

If you’re looking to increase your revenue, especially during the holiday season, I hope your choice was “Set B”.

Platinum is the best. Gold is more valuable than Silver. And Silver still sounds pretty nice.

• Platinum Party Packages offer the highest incentives and make guests feel like royalty. 
  
• Creating a Gold Party Package is key for your business. Your guests will feel better about not spending too much, but will still feel excited about the additional value they’ll receive compared to the cheapest option.
  
  More often than not, your Gold Party Packages are going to be the most popular option at your facility. Explain the added value this option holds without sounding overly “sales-y,” and watch people who would have purchased Silver upgrade to Gold!
  
• A Silver Party Package is still a solid choice—don’t skimp out on the value with this one. Having an affordable party package option that still includes exclusive add-ons and a great experience shows customers that your facility welcomes everyone and anyone, no matter their budget.

Brainstorm what party package labels suit your family entertainment center or event facility best, but please, a word of advice when it comes to naming them: “Bronze” is better left on doorknobs!