Seminar Information

Boot Camps

As part of your full registration to the 2019 International Bowl Expo – at no extra charge, all attendees are invited to attend this Sunday educational lineup.

Sunday, June 23, 2019
9:30 am - 4:00 pm
Food & Beverage Boot Camp: Group Event Catering & Banqueting Profitability.

This program will have limited seating and reservations are required in advance to participate. This is included in your Bowl Expo full registration.

Ideal for Event Coordinators, Food & Beverage Managers, General Manager, Proprietors and/or anyone responsible for  making your events more pro table with food & beverage.

Execution and costing of food & beverage are critical foundations for long term growth and profitability with group events, join us to learn:

We encouraged anyone responsible for making your events more pro table with food & beverage to attend this five-hour boot camp. Space is limited to the first 32 registrants, so reserve your spot today.

Register

Sunday, June 23, 2019
9:30 am - 4:00 pm
League Development Boot Camp: System of League Bowling

“Let systems run the business and people run the systems. People come and go but systems remain constant."

League Bowler Development hasn’t really changed over the past 40 years, but it’s a skill set that hasn’t been shared with the new generation. What was simply "Tribal Knowledge" is now documented, created by the BPAA League Development Committee, the System of League Bowling provides bowling center owners, operators, managers and other personnel with fast and efficient guidance on the development and retention of league bowlers. This full-day Boot Camp takes a deep dive into the system to provide you with the tools and techniques necessary to meet your league goals, regardless of the season. No matter how much or how little skill you have in league development, the guidance in this system will make you a better, more proficient and more confident bowling center owner, operator, manager or league coordinator.  

Space is limited to the first 32 registrants, so reserve your spot today.

Register

Sunday, June 23, 2019
9:30 am - 4:00 pm

Talent Acquisition (Recruiting, Training & Retaining Staff) Boot Camp: 

Where did all the good candidate for hire go? With unemployment rates at sub 3% it seems there aren’t even good prospects to hire. Hope is not lost, this course for Proprietors, Managers and HR directors helps to create a culture in your center that not only retains the good employees but makes your center a destination good candidates seek out.

Register

Sunday, June 23, 2019
9:30 am - 4:00 pm
Digital Marketing Boot Camp:

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8:30 am – 10:00 am

Leagues: Building bowling league business where they say it can’t be done

Presented By: Tim Voss

Bowling is back and your leagues can be too! Some say you can’t get millennials to bowl in a league while others say youth bowling is dying. Well, that’s just no true!

Learn to employ the marketing philosophy that author, 14-year bowling center owner and 25-year marketing executive (with Spalding, Rawlings and Flexible Flyer Toys) Tim Voss has revealed in his book Be a Cashpreneur - How to Be an Entrepreneur THAT THRIVES Not Just Survives.

Come discover that it is not just the bowling game that matters it’s the things you surround the game with that make leagues blossom. Learn the secret to creating a new league and the underlying psychology behind why they work. You’ll leave with a fresh set of marketing tools and be fired up to swing the pendulum toward filling your house with leagues once more. Just as important, we all know it’s not just a matter of posting a flyer, so you will hear how to cast a net that brings them in!

8:30 am - 10:00 am

Staffing: Too Many Jobs … Too Few People(Tools to Recruit Rock Stars)

Presented By: Sheryl Bindelglass

How often do you struggle to find great staff? Are you noticing that everyone is hiring and your application pool is at an all-time low? Do you wonder what the best-kept secrets are to recruiting new employees in the lowest unemployment market in years? You don’t want to miss this session – you will find easy inexpensive ways to find new team members.

8:30 am - 10:00 am

Facility Security: Situational Awareness - Preparing Your Facility and Team for Crisis Events

Presented By: Gonzalo Cordova, Department of Homeland Security

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provides an array of training programs and resources at no cost to the commercial facilities sector, which includes the attractions industry. Discover tools, trends, issues and best practices concerning infrastructure security and resilience with DHS commercial facility experts.

8:30 am - 10:00 am

Guest Experience: Converting the “Big Four” Customer Experience

Presented By: Bob Paconovsky

We all know one of the most difficult shots to make in bowling is the “Big Four”. But when you make it- wow what a feeling! That is the same with creating the customer experience. There are 4 key “pins” that you need to knock down to create the Customer Experience that gets talked about and shared all over social media. This Big Four also takes the practice from your team to get it right! But once everyone understands how to make it happen- look out there will be high fives everywhere! Are you ready to pick up the “Big Four” Spare and creating Wow Customer Experiences that will create more loyal fans and grow revenue?

10:15 am - 11:45 am

Small Market: Successful League Strategies from Small Market Proprietors

Presented By: Panel Discussion

This interactive workshop starts with successful small market proprietors leading participants through program development scenarios by introducing participants to their most productive leagues then discuss in an open forum format, ways to adapt these programs to all markets, so everyone leaves with a plan to grow leagues in their hands.

10:15 am - 11:45 am

Staffing: If Not You, Who? How to Crack the Code of Employee Disengagement

Presented By: Jill Christensen

Organizations in the top tier of employee engagement outperform their peers by 147% in earnings per share and have a 90% better growth trend than their competition. However, 67% of workers are disengaged sleepwalking through their day and giving you zero discretionary effort. They don't trust leaders they don't feel an emotional connection to your workplace and they are only doing what they have to do to get by. How do you inspire employees to get off the sidelines and get into the game? Jill Christensen author of the best-selling book If Not You Who? Cracking the Code of Employee Disengagement has uncovered a four-step strategy to turn your disengaged workforce into a unified high-performing team resulting in increased customer satisfaction, productivity, and retention. Jill’s strategy has been implemented in 13 industries and each organization realized a one-year increase in employee engagement between four and 11 points. Per Gallup a two-point annual increase is statistically significant.

10:15 am - 11:45 am

Group Events: Proven Group Sales Strategies - From Group Sales Managers

Presented By: Panel Discussion

This interactive workshop starts with successful group events sales managers/proprietors sharing best practices by introducing participants to their most productive strategies to closing group sales. Followed by an open forum discussion, on ways to adapt these programs to all markets, so everyone leaves with a plan to grow group events in their hands.

10:15 am - 11:45 am

Digital Marketing: 5 Kinds of Facebook Content for Your Facility

Presented By: Geoffrey Brown

If you aren’t using social media for your bowling center now is the time to start! Everyday consumers are looking online for a local business just like yours. By keeping your business’ social media pages full of exciting content you will be able to get new customers in the door build relationships with your existing customer base and stay top-of-mind with the bowling enthusiasts in your area.

2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Small Market: Core Basics of Food and Beverage to Maximize Sales and Profits

Presented By: Mike Holtzman 

The core basics of food and beverage management are necessary for a successful operation. With proven methods and proper design, your food and beverage operation has the distinct ability to be to be a top revenue generator for your bottom line. This session covers key topics including labor control and staff retention, kitchen design, SOPs and how to create them, cost control, and new opportunities within your center to generate additional revenue.

2:30 pm – 4:00 pm

Staffing: Onboarding: You Never Get a Second First Day

Presented By: Sheryl Bindelglass

You’ve hired them now what? You've found a great new team member with the right attitude and passion and they are eager to begin work. Are you ready to provide them with the right onboarding experience? Understanding the difference between orientation and onboarding will help your new hire become part of your team. Orientation is an event. Onboarding is a process. Onboarding begins immediately after you make the hire and before the new hire begins and continues during their first few weeks. You will take back the tools to strategically build a successful onboarding program.

2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Attractions: Escape Rooms; A Profitable implementation into traditional Bowling alleys

Presented By: Llyod Notley

The Presentation will take the attendees through the exciting and often miscomprehended world of Escape Rooms. Learn the different aspects of the implementation of Escape rooms into their facilities. This presentation covers the selection of the appropriate games for the local market, build out of the rooms, Staffing and Operation of the games and how to market Escape rooms to new and existing clientele.

2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Digital Marketing: What Your Customers Say – It MattersUsing Reviews to Generate Sales For Your Bowling Business

Presented By: Lynn Switanowski

Do you know that online reviews are one of the most powerful marketing tools your bowling business can use? Your customers – whether it’s with your business or not-- are sharing their experiences on everything and what they say has an impact. Research shows that 90% of customers suggest that seeing a positive online review will influence their buying decision and 86% said their decision not to purchase was influenced by negative reviews*. Attend this session and learn how your bowling business must participate in the new era of brand marketing --as told by the customers who experience it. Learn the top 6 ways to get your trusted customers to talk on your businesses’ behalf how to create get your customers to write reviews for your business that reach their friends- and their friends and most importantly- how and where to position those reviews that potential customers for your pet business can find them easily!

4:15 pm - 5:45 pm

Small Market: Small Business Hacks: 25 Shortcuts for Your Success

Presented By: Barry Moltz

Running a small business is hard and confusing. Most entrepreneurs start a company to solve a problem and just want to focus on doing only that with customers. Unfortunately, managing all the other parts in a business and the people “gets in the way”. This is a high-speed presentation that will rapidly go through the best 25 tips, tricks and workarounds for anyone in a small business to be able to accomplish critical tasks in seven steps or less.

4:15 pm - 5:45 pm

USBC: Lane Inspection and Ball Specifications Update plus Q&A
Presented By: Chad Murphy

Will be on hand to talk about Lane Inspection, the new ball specifications in additional to any and all things USBC. The last thirty minutes of the lab will feature Executive Director Chad Murphy conducting an open Q&A for attendees.

4:15 pm - 5:45 pm

Attractions: Reality Check: Are you ready to join the world of Virtual Reality/Mixed Reality?

Presented By: Armando Lanuti

They’re one of the fastest growing trends in out of home entertainment, but what does it take to get them running and make them successful? Join James and Casey as they set a foundation for understanding the differences in escape rooms, then dive into design, construction, and installation, including what to think about when building in an entertainment center. Financials will also be outlined, including typical costs, pricing trends, and ROI. Success is fleeting without solid training and operations, so take away some best practices, including how to handle a few challenges of adding escape rooms as a secondary attraction in a busy entertainment venue.

4:15 pm - 5:45 pm

Digital Marketing: Reaching Customers Online with Google

Presented By: Bryan Caplan

Learn how customers find your business online and how to promote your online presence using a free business listing search engine optimization (SEO) techniques and online advertising. We’ll introduce some tools that can help including Google Analytics and Google Trends.