With pandemic restrictions shutting down or at least fundamentally changing entertainment for the last year, people are itching to get out and do some fun activities. I personally can't wait to get out of the house and see a movie, visit an escape room, or go to the bar with friends as soon as it's safe.
You can bet it's going to be the same for most people. You don't want to miss this opportunity.
With lockdowns expected to end in many places by the summer and vaccines becoming available to more and more people, it won't be long until we get back to the old normal. Escape room and other FEC owners need to prepare and be ready for when their local authorities relax rules to get in on the entertainment wave.
Escape rooms will be perfect attractions in the reopened world exactly because they've had such a hard time during lockdown. People will want to do things with their friends. You want to be sure you're ready to get as many people as you can through with as good an experience as you can provide.
You might want to refine your puzzles to optimize your reset times. If you've got something that takes a while to reset, see if you can make some alterations that will let you get it ready quickly without affecting the experience. If you have a locked briefcase full of documents you want in a specific order, for instance, consider just having a duplicate set of props entirely. When one group finishes the room, drop in the duplicate and just gather all the related items and take them out with you. You can put the original set back together without the pressure of the second group waiting for you in time for a third group.
Of course, if your customers have already done all your rooms, you won't be top of mind. If you have the time and resources to develop an entirely new room, now is the time to do that. That way, you can let all your previous customers know you have something new to experience.
Want a new secret weapon in the fight for repeat business?
Whatever reopening looks like in your area, you can be sure that the hospitality and entertainment industries will be ready to go with their promotion. If you're not there with them, you'll get left behind.
So, get ready to dust off those digital ad campaigns and think about what you can do to get some attention.
Whatever it is, think about how you're going to cut through the noise and attract people to your business.
Competition for entertainment dollars will be higher than ever. And with the escape room market becoming saturated, you may need a completely new experience to help you stand out against your competitors.
You may also want to get a reopening boost from your previous customers — but of course, they won't come back for something they've already done.
A vrCAVE VR escape room installation is a great fit for times like these. They're cost-effective to set up and give your customers access to the most immersive virtual reality they can't do anywhere else.
Learn how to add a VR escape room to your business here, and use this technology to add even more options onto your business both as the pandemic ends, during the coming summer boom, and in the future as people flock back to their normal entertainment habits.
Ready to take the first step? Whether you run an escape room a family entertainment business or you're an entrepreneur looking for a new opportunity, you can contact us anytime right here. We look forward to hearing all about your location-based entertainment and learning how we can help get you set up with a VR escape room of your own!