Laser Tag will be an Ohio subchapter S corporation that will incorporate in this year of 2004. John Smith will own 100% of the corporation.
This chapter describes Zone System’s laser tag game. The description cannot properly instill an appreciation of the adrenalin-pumping thrill a participant gets from the game. This can only be understood by playing the game. Consistent with the principals’ philosophy and objective, the complex will also offer the area’s finest selection of video games to its customers for their amusement before and after they play laser tag. Modest food and beverage offerings are also planned. Another important feature of the complex will be its party room, available for rent. Finally, some thought has been given to offering a “Makoto,” a unique new form of interactive technology, which challenges participants physically and mentally! Today’s consumer is always looking for the newest, hottest product and by combining challenge with entertainment “Makoto” exceeds the desires of consumers! That customers can also use for their enjoyment. “Makoto” is not anticipated to be part of the initial complex.
LASER TAG A qualified staff member will give a briefing to the players in a ready room prior to donning the game’s gear. After the players have been briefed about the game, they will enter into the arena.
Stepping into the laser tag arena is like walking through a life-size video screen into a futuristic labyrinth filled with unfriendly forces. Your senses are bombarded by pulsating music, sirens and intermittent flashes of light and color breaking through the foggy darkness. Enemies crouch in shadows, intent on your destruction. For an instant you consider retreat — then you remind yourself this is just a game. The object of the game is to score points while defending yourself and your team’s base from attack. Players are grouped into three teams of up to 10 members, identified by the color of the flashing lights on their electronic vests–green, red or yellow. A typical play experience is 30 minutes, including a briefing on rules and strategy, a stop in the vesting room to pick up a laser and vest displaying targets on the shoulders, chest and back, and 15 minutes of intense competition in the arena. Points are scored by hitting the opposing teams’ targets and deactivating their base stations, while avoiding being hit by an opponent or a beam from an electronic sentinel, programmed to shoot randomly. Reload stations for replenishing ammunition make it possible for all players to stay in the game for the entire session. The Zone Systems lasers and vests are the most technologically advanced equipment available in the industry. Players always know if they’ve been hit or scored points because, when a target is hit, the chest pack in the vest vibrates, sounds a “power down” alarm and emits a flash of white light. The scoring player’s ID number and team are displayed on the chest pack, and scores are stored instantly for automatic downloading to the main computer. When the game is over, players receive personalized score sheets detailing all aspects of their performance.
PERIPHERALS Peripheral entertainment and services include video games, vending machines and souvenir shirts, sweats, caps and mugs. One upcoming innovative entertainment venue machine is called “Makoto.” Constructed of three arena towers with 10 square lighted panels, which illuminate various colors and emit audible tones, “Makoto” is sure to engage and thrill while bringing physical, mental and spiritual benefits. Armed with a staff and a desire to dominate, participants tap the panels as they light up randomly around them. As one becomes more proficient, they can choose different levels and degrees of difficulty, making the machine move faster, which shortens the players’ response time between taps. Engaging all the senses, “Makoto” promises to deliver a rounded and rewarding opportunity for the whole being: body, mind and spirit.
Laser Tag will be located in Big Mall shopping center, in a space between Reaction Fitness center and Big Mall. The address is 4415 Suite B, North West Birch Road, MyTown, Ohio.
This is an excellent location to serve our target market. The shopping center is centrally located and easy to reach from anywhere in the metropolitan area. Traffic at this location is one of the highest in the MyTown area, with a count of over 37,000 cars passing by east and over 34,000 passing by west daily. Laser Tag will have over 3,300 potential patrons between the age of 10-24, and a total population of 55,302 within only 3 square miles. The Big Mall shopping center is centrally located on Birch Road between the few entertainment venues available and within less than 2 miles of MyTown ’s premier restaurant facilities, such as Applebee’s and Chili’s. The Big Mall shopping center is well known to our market and will be easy to identify in our advertisements. The shopping center is located at the corner of Birch Road and 44 th Street, both of which are high-traffic thoroughfares. Locating on these streets makes it easy for our customers to reach us by car. There are over 5 entrances to the shopping center parking lot from these streets. Parking is ample around the shopping center and more than 30 spaces are available immediately in front of the Laser Tag entrance. The MyTown Area Transit bus line also serves the Big Mall Shopping center.
11,080 square feet is available for development. Access to the main lobby is from the main entrance at the front of the building, with a separate entrance to the party room venue from the front parking area for event patrons.
The concept of the laser tag arena is that players are inside a starship of the future, engaged in combat with alien invaders.
To enhance its entertainment value, the entire facility will be laid out and decorated in a manner consistent with this concept. Similar to a Disney amusement park theme, such as Tomorrowland, everything in the facility will present visitors with a look and feel that is consistent with the starship concept. The entertainment goal is to invite patrons to suspend belief and imagine that while in the facility they are actually inside a starship.
The design for the facility’s layout is provided by Zone Systems, the supplier of the turnkey laser tag game system.
Patrons first enter the spacious starship-themed lobby that is populated with the video games and filled with the sounds of teen music and games. The lobby also contains the counter, computer, cash register, and an overhead video screen.
Three rooms are dedicated to the laser tag experience. The first room (briefing room) is where the customers get a dramatic briefing on their preparations to do battle with the invading aliens. The second room (armory) is where players put on their Zone Systems gear (vests and phasers). The third room is the combat zone (arena). When the game ends, customers return to the armory to hang up their gear, and then return to the lobby. As they pass through the armory, the next group of players is being briefed. Three additional rooms are for special events, such as birthday parties.
3,500 square feet of the 11,080 available will be used for the lobby, ticket counter (“Mission Control Center”), and arcade (video games). 219 square feet will be used for the briefing room. The armory will be a 275 square feet room. 4,600 square feet will be used for the combat zone arena.
The 3 special event rooms will total approximately 1,080 square feet each and another 1,406 square feet will be used for employee, business use, and restrooms.
After consulting with 3 local firms, the Dan Schwartz Construction Company was selected to remodel the interior. For $38,000, the walls and doors will be built to create the rooms needed. The construction includes preparing the walls and ceilings for their final covering, laying carpeting throughout, and installing the counter and restrooms.
Zone Systems, the leading laser tag equipment and services firm provided the basic design for the facility and arena. That company is also supplying its internationally-recognized game system and equipment. The walls, ceilings, and doors will be decorated with the Hollywood-quality special effects; the ideas for the effects come from Zone Systems and other Laser Tag companies observed. These special effects give game players the feeling that they are on a futuristic starship.
The counter and display area will be built large enough to house the “Mission Control Center” of the laser tag on one side and have the same capacity for soft drink fountains, pizza menu’s, and condiments for dine-in-only delivery by a local pizza company on the other. A portion of the pizza menu side of the counter will also be built to display ticket redemption items for the young party patrons as they receive tickets from the machines.
Frontier Music of MyTown will provide the sound and light systems for the arena and a separated system for the arcade and party rooms.
MyTown Novelty will provide the Arcade machines and will ensure that electrical supply by the contractor is adequate.
Renovation will commence one week from approval of the loan and will finish within 30 days. The special effects and game system will then be installed, with a planned finish date of 1 weeks of remodeling. Games will be run daily for the first week to confirm that all systems are operational, and to train employees. The grand opening is scheduled for no more than 60 days from the beginning.
The hours of operation during the months of September to May will be from 4:30 PM to 9:00 PM Monday through Thursday, 4:30 PM to 12:00 PM Friday, 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM Saturday, and 12:00PM to 7:00 PM on Sunday. In the months of June through August, the hours will change to 2:00 PM to 10:00 PM from Monday through Thursday, and 2:00 to 12:00 on Friday. The president or day manager will enter the business one hour before opening to begin the startup procedures. Daily operating procedures and cash handling will conform to the checklists identified in Appendix D – Operations. The prime hours of operation will be 6:00 PM to midnight on Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday, about 156 hours a month.
Establishing policies, directing the company, and approving budgets is the role of the board of directors. Submitting the budget at the first board meeting, the president will use the financial projections contained in this document as the basis for the budget.
The board of directors will meet every quarter, following the closing of the quarter’s books. The president will make a report to the board about the accomplishments of the previous quarter and propose any changes in budget or direction. Board members will be paid $250 for attending each meeting. The president will be responsible for arranging the meetings.
The president will supervise daily operations and is expected to reach the financial objectives set by the board. The president will recruit, hire and train all employees necessary to operate the business.
Each quarter, the president will review the status of agreements with vendors, suppliers, and insurers.
Laser Tag will be an equal employment employer. Solicitations for employees will not refer to any prohibited categories and copies of all ads will be kept on file. Even though we expect that most employees will be young, between the ages of 16 and 22, no recruiting advertising or information will express a preference for younger people. All responses to employment ads will receive a reply. Applications must be completed by all prospective employees on forms approved by the Company’s attorney. Interviews will be fully documented and interviewer notes will be kept. Offers of employment must be in writing in an approved format. The employment contract will contain non-compete and non-disclosure provisions and will make no reference to probationary periods or suggest that employment is anything but “at will.” The company will develop and maintain an employees’ guide that will describe the company’s employment policies and practices. The guide, which will include all employment forms, will describe the Company’s sexual harassment prohibitions and complaint handling procedure.
Recruiting for employees will begin at the same time as construction. The president will use a word-of-mouth campaign among his network of friends and associates to solicit applicants. A more mature employee will be selected to serve as a shift manager, to help manage the operation with, or in substitution of, the president. This individual will help with such tasks as opening, closing, operations, and supervision of part-time workers.
Most of the part-time workers will be “on call.” This means that they will agree to respond within an hour to a call to report for duty. This gives the business the flexibility to staff-up in real-time so, as more patrons appear, more workers will be on duty. Operators of other video games centers report that this approach works well.
Finding employees for a video games business is relatively easy because so many of the people who are enamored of the game want to work in this environment. This means that the business usually will have a good number of applicants from which to choose. This also means that wages can be kept low and, due to their part-time status, few employee benefits are required. Most of the workers will be pleased to have the opportunity to play the video games as a supplement to their compensation.
Any equipment failures will be recorded on the Work Order Form. Authorized employees can attempt repairs if the failure appears to be routine. The manager will be trained in basic level repairs. If the manager cannot complete the repair, the designated repair service for the failed equipment will be notified. The form will be kept in the pending Work Order Form file until repairs are completed and approved by the authorized manager. Upon approval, payment to the repair service will be made. Spare equipment will be kept on-hand for quick substitution if needed.
Laser Tag will be well located on Birch Road, a road that carries well over 30,000 vehicles per day. The College’s average student between the ages of 18-20 will provide Laser Tag with one of its prime customers. These students have a steady income and are lacking in entertainment venues in the MyTown area.
Size of Market
According to the MyTown Chamber of Commerce and Industry, 114,996 people reside within 58 square miles of the Big Mall shopping center. Based on the 2000 Census averages, 25,000 of these residents are ages 10 to 25, the age range for the typical individual customers. The typical laser tag customer is a 15-year-old boy who visits the video games center twice a month. Spending $20 during each visit, this teenager, who serves as the primary target market, accounts for about 60% of the center’s video games income and 50% of its video game income. Other customers include: young male video game players spending $20 a month and accounting for about 10% of the center’s video game revenue; corporate event coordinators who will generate 10% of total video games and video game revenue in their team building visits; mothers of the 6,682 area youths who celebrate their 9 th through 14 th birthday each month, who contribute 20% of the center’s laser tag revenue and 10% of its video game revenue; and the 6,459 18 to 21-year-old male walk-in customer who will spend enough to account for 10% of the center’s video games revenue and 20% of its video game revenue. Drawing on a base of 25,000 residents aged 10 to 25, the center needs fewer than 4% of these potential patrons in order to produce excellent profits.
Target Market
Laser tag Patron. While this plan identifies the laser tag customer as a typical 15-year-old, we know that younger people are the primary consumers of sports activities, including video games. There will be an aggressive plan to target the young adults between 16 to 20-years-old that are able to drive themselves to the facility. The MyTown community has an abundance of alcohol-related facilities that caters to the young students of the College. It is our belief that these young adults, and students would also become a typical laser tag patron.
Laser tag Patrons. Younger people are the primary consumers of sports activities, including laser tag. The typical customer is a 15-year-old boy who visits the laser tag center twice a month. This customer lives within 5 miles of the laser tag center, in a household with an income over $30,000 per year, and is driven to the site by his parents.
The teen spends $20 during each visit, which represents about 10% of the teen’s monthly disposable income. According to a survey conducted for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, American teenagers receive an average of $50 a week from their parents.
When the 15-year-old visits, he plays 2 laser tag games (at $5.75 each) and 17 video games (at 50 cents each), spending his entire $20.
This teenager, who serves as the primary target market, accounts for about 60% of the center’s laser tag income and 50% of its video game income. The remaining revenue is generated by a combination of video game patrons, party attendees, group participants, and the public (walk-ins).
Video Game Patron. The average video game patron, also 15 years old, visits the center 2 times per month, spending a total of $20 on 40 video game plays. This customer accounts for about 10% of video game revenue.
Party Patron. The typical party customer is a mother who reserves a birthday party room for her 10 year old son and 9 of his friends. The party attendees generate about 50% of the center’s laser tag revenue and 40% of its video game revenue. Other party prospects to be approached are people who are celebrating anniversaries, winning seasons, personal achievements, and other accomplishments.
Group Patron . The representative group patron is an event coordinator for a sales organization involved in team building. The members of this group account for nearly 10% of the center’s laser tag revenue and 10% of its video game revenue. Activity directors who are always looking for a site that provides their members with a place to meet and have fun will be regularly contacted. One of the key objectives of marketing to groups is to arrange group business during non-peak hours.
Public Patron. The usual walk-in is a 19 year old, who lives in an apartment with 2 roommates, who is taking advantage of a promotional coupon. These walk-ins generate about 10% of the center’s laser tag revenue and 20% of its video game revenue.
Each of these typical customers can be reached through marketing targeted at them. There are enough members of these market segments in MyTown to support the laser tag center.
Market Analysis | |||||||
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | |||
Potential Customers | Growth | CAGR | |||||
10-14 year old | 7% | 5,813 | 6,220 | 6,655 | 7,121 | 7,619 | 7.00% |
15-17 year old | 6% | 3,325 | 3,525 | 3,737 | 3,961 | 4,199 | 6.01% |
18-21 year old | 5% | 3,339 | 3,506 | 3,681 | 3,865 | 4,058 | 5.00% |
22-34 year old | 6% | 12,781 | 13,548 | 14,361 | 15,223 | 16,136 | 6.00% |
Total | 6.10% | 25,258 | 26,799 | 28,434 | 30,170 | 32,012 | 6.10% |
Laser Tag will be promoted in such a way as to maximize the efficiency of its advertising dollar. Laser Tag provides customer-tracking software to monitor key demographics. This enables a more efficient targeting of the local market. The computerized tracking will enable management to generate mailing lists to its customer base or any part — for example, customers who play an average of 6 or more times a month. Direct mail to these customers will prove to be extremely efficient revenue generators. Customer loyalty will be developed through Laser Tag’s unique Membership Programs. In addition to saving on daily rates, annual members get a membership card with a special coded button device containing a computer chip. The “button” gives them access to statistics on their personal performance history.
For hard-core “Zoneheads,” Laser Tag has the elite, Role-Playing Membership with programmable buttons. These buttons entitle the player to special game enhancements and records a code name of their choice such as Ultraman, Nemesis, etc… Laser Tag will be promoted as a facility to host birthday parties, office parties and events for groups such as the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. It is anticipated that groups will reserve the party room for two hours at a time. This will include snacks (pizza and soft-drinks, for example) and a game in the “Zone.” The management team has tentatively set the party room at a price of $ 10-15 per person, depending on the snacks and number of games to be played in the “Zone.” Other aspects of promotion, including Grand Opening strategies and league play are discussed in detail in Chapter V.
There are few entertainment venues that will compete for the same target market as Laser Tag. Among the entertainment choices for youths are 1 roller-skating rink, 3 bowling centers, 5 movie theaters, a water park, and an outdoor paintball park.
The closest laser tag facility to MyTown is LaserTrek, a 45 minute one way drive. Other facilities closest to MyTown are LaserQuest and LazerXtreme, close to a 1 hour travel time one way. The laser tag centers charge $7.00 a game. There is little to no competition from these laser tag companies, due to the price and distance of their facilities from MyTown.
None of the bowling centers or the skating rink attempts to deliver an exciting entertainment experience to their youthful customers. The facilities and staff alike have a “here it is, take it or leave it” attitude. Laser Tag will easily compete with these businesses, with both competition and video games. Teens will find the Laser Tag environment more enticing and the staff trained to serve them as guests entitled to expect and enjoy a good entertainment value.
The movie theaters are likely the strongest competition for the youth dollar, throughout the year. Films are more popular than ever since Hollywood has become more capable of segmenting and serving its movie-going markets. The typical 15-year old male customer of Laser Tag is interested in action, sci-fi, comedies, high school, and coming of age movies, but avoids the dramas, love stories, and adult themes. The current film production schedule seems to be putting 3 movies a month onto the MyTown theater screens that appeal to the 15-year old males. Two of the theaters offer a video game arcade, one of which has old machines while the other is small in size.
One Water Park provides an alternative choice during the summer months, but it is little competition for the night-time entertainment.
The Arena Paintball Park could be a competitor for laser tag, but the focus by this business is on adult players. The owners’ market segments include present and former military personnel, along with avid gun enthusiasts. Few teens are seen at the Arena Paintball Park paintball events. It is an outdoor venue and business is dictated by the seasons. Another downfall to paintball is the fact that it stings when hit.
In the Hallowe’en season, a number of organizations offer haunted houses, as Laser Tag plans to do. Most of these facilities are temporary, makeshift presentations that appeal to a wide range of young people. The Laser Tag haunted house will incorporate the existing, professionally-built arena with its safe lighting, sound, fog, and special effects systems and continue to appeal to its primary male teen market. Parents can be assured that the Laser Tag “house” is safe and well maintained. The Big Mall shopping center location is also more convenient than most of the competing houses.
Customer service is paramount in the laser tag business. The starting point to accomplishing this is to have a trained and motivated staff that enjoys working directly with the public. It is always easier to please your customers when the facility is spotless and all of the equipment is in proper working order. The center will establish community involvement to demonstrate how the business will contribute to a better quality of life. Community projects using the Laser Tag facility will be developed to help civic groups obtain their financial goals. School, church, and other groups will be welcomed for tours of Laser Tag.
Our competitive edge is that Laser Tag will be the ONLY laser tag facility within 50 miles. Makoto will also offer the community a unique new form of entertainment that will also only be found at Laser Tag. The fact that there are no Family Entertainment Centers in MyTown will give us the unparalleled ability to draw on the overall family entertainment and not just birthday party events.
Grand Opening
Prior to actually opening for business, the principals will invite the local media (print, radio and television) to assemble their own teams to enter a competition of King of Laser Tag. This competition will serve several purposes. The media will naturally cover the event. Their enthusiasm for the game will carry over into advertising done on radio, especially when tied to a live remote broadcast. In order to assure that the actual Grand Opening gathers the desired attention of the community, the plan calls for $5,000 to be spent on advertising for a two-week period before the Grand Opening. Laser Tag will work with the radio stations to be sure that it has live remotes going on during the Grand Opening. We will seek promotional trade consideration with the radio stations, whereby patrons will receive gifts for playing. For example, the first 25 players will receive tickets to see the movie of their choice. The next 25 will receive a free 6″ sub from Subway. These types of promotional trades are routinely done in the local market. Laser Tag will take advantage of these inexpensive ways to get its name out in the community.
Laser Tag will also take advantage of a marketing package that is provided by Zone Systems, the supplier of the laser tag equipment. This package describes the steps to take to assure that a well-executed grand opening program will leverage publicity to obtain extensive free advertising. The approach is to exploit the media’s interest in new and novel businesses. A key objective is arranging live coverage by a TV news show in which representative targeted customers are interviewed while they are enjoying the excitement.
Ongoing Marketing
Word of mouth (WOM) spreads fast in the youth market. The grand opening will launch WOM within this market. Managing the ongoing word-of-mouth advertising campaign will involve rewarding players for bringing in friends (with coupons), but the most effective approach is to keep the game exciting and the staff responsive to the patrons. Keeping the games interesting requires that the arena be regularly rearranged so that players discover new features (and hiding places). Keeping the staff responsive requires ongoing staff reminder training that emphasizes their key role in the customer’s entertainment experience.
$5,000 a month is budgeted for ongoing marketing activities that are aimed at the target market. In addition to the dozens of various printing forms (coupons, passes, flyers) available on CD-ROM from Zone Systems, this equipment supplier also provides access to low-cost mail and e-mail lists than can be used to reach the identified target markets. Marketing Creations, Inc., of MyTown will assist with “guerrilla marketing” strategies provided by Zone Systems that are aimed at generating business such as –
By maintaining a constant presence in the community through league play and parties in the party room, the complex will assure itself of establishing a loyal following. Games and time donated to terminally ill children and others is part of the principals’ belief in their social responsibility. The donation of the party room and game time to disabled children and other worthy groups is not being done with any ulterior motive. The principals believe that people in the community will recognize their actions and be quick to tell others about the good deeds. The kind words said about Laser Tag will help establish itself as a positive force in the community.
Group Patron. Direct mail and broadcast faxes are the preferred means to reach the typical corporate event coordinator. The usual offer is to host team-building parties during which the attendees play laser tag games together. Sports, schools, and other organizations will join the corporate groups to participate with Laser Tag each month.
Public Patron. The “pizza pass” promotion works well to attract the walk-in patron. Arrangements are made with local pizza outlets to attach the Laser Tag coupon to the outside of pizza delivery boxes. When redeemed, a portion of the discounted price is shared with the pizza firm.
The advertising and promotional efforts are projected to draw over 750 people a month from outside the MyTown metropolitan area, drawing on the population of over 56,000 in the eight-county Retail Trade Area.
Laser Tag’s website will be a resource/information-only area to help build our professional legitimacy.
Laser Tag will provide a venue in which the entire family can enjoy their leisure time, participating in a competitive sport that requires minimum strength and athletic ability. The light exercise will help improve their health, and they will experience a clean facility where the service is the best in the industry, at a fair price.
The management team has determined that the average price being charged for a game at existing laser tag locations is $6.30 per player. In addition, a day’s membership costs an additional $2.33, on average. We will initially set our game prices at $5.50 per player; the average price will be $5 a game, after coupons and specials. This will be a competitive price for the MyTown, Ohio community. Annual membership fees will be $48.00. A $1.00-off discount coupons will be offered through Laser Tag for player members. The average membership fee is the result of an anticipated repeat play by the customers on any given day. The basis for this number was the history of existing laser tag locations in the country.
Peripherals. Video game prices will be set so as to be consistent with the competition. Their range will generally be $0.50 per game. Soft drinks and snacks will be offered behind the counter. Their price will be consistent with area prices and will generally range from $0.50 to $0.75 per item. Laser Tag souvenirs will include t-shirts, sweatshirts, caps, mugs . . . All will include the Laser Tag logo. These are expected to range in price from $7.95 to $29.95. Makoto will be $1.00 for a 2 minute period of play.
The chart and table below show Laser Tag’s projected Sales Forecast. Annual projections for five years are shown here, with first year monthly figures in the appendices.
Laser Tag Revenue Assumptions: Each paid admission or price per game is $5.50. This amount will be occasionally reduced through the use of promotional coupons, quantity discounts, and party package offers. The average price of $5.00 is used in the forecast of sales and revenue.
20 players can plan in the arena at a time. The game, called a mission, lasts for 12 minutes. Allowing time for players to exit the arena, a new mission is possible every 15 minutes. This means that, ideally, maximum revenue per hour could reach $440.
We assume that on an average day, 14 missions will be run with an average of 12 players each. In fact, the weekends will produce the greatest activity and the number of games and players will regularly exceed this average.
Peripherial Revenue Assumptions: 20 video games and pinball machines will be obtained. An average of 10% of capacity at 2 plays an hour are used to estimate potential revenue. $.50 per play is used for sales forecasting, although some machines cost more than $.50 to play. Assuming that each game lasts 3 minutes, 20 games per hour could be played, generating $10.00 in revenue per machine. The maximum revenue for the 20 machines would be $200. A revenue-sharing arrangement will be worked out with a video game distributor who will provide the games. A typical arrangement of 50% for the laser tag center and 50% for the game owner is assumed for these projections. A 5% increase in sales is used for annual projections.
Makoto will generate a separate customer base interested in a new form of entertainment. We assume that Makoto will run at 30% capacity. At $1.00 for 2 minutes, this will average to 15 minutes of play time per day. Maximum potential for Makoto is $177 a day. A 20% increase in sales is used for annual projections due to the uniqueness of this venue.
Soft drinks and snacks were calculated at 10% of total laser tag sales with purchases at $0.75. A 5% increase in sales is used for annual projections.
The following laser tag industry statistics have been compiled by the International Laser Tag Association (ILTA). Laser tag games have been broken down to an overall average and reduced to single months. Increases in sales by approximately 20% from the previous month generally occur for the months of March, August, and December. Decreases in sales by approximately 20% from the previous month generally occur for the months of January, May, and September.
These averages were compiled based on various sources including hundreds of interviews with site operators, surveys by VCI, surveys by the ILTA, and information provided by the manufacturers. All information is believed to be accurate and factual; however, there is no independent way to either confirm or deny the validity to the average plays provided. All numbers should be valid for the purpose of this business plan though variations are quite probable.
On the Second Year Income Statement, all numbers are reduced by at least 10% based on an Industry Trend. The first year sales are always the best sales of the facility due in part to the higher percentage of casual non-discounted customers, the second year sales are “respectable,” and the third year sales drop to approximately 80% of the first year sales.
The change in revenues can be attributed to a variety of factors including:
The averages plays per month are as follows:
Stand-Along Laser Tag Centers | 5,300 Plays |
Family Entertainment Centers | 4,100 Plays |
Skating Centers | 2,600 Plays |
Bowling Centers | 200 Plays |
Based on this industry data, we assume that the first year will show higher than average laser tag plays due to the uniqueness of laser tag to the MyTown area, and will settle to normal levels once party patrons and members are established.
Sales Forecast | |||||
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | |
Unit Sales | |||||
Lasertag | 71,534 | 64,380 | 60,088 | 63,092 | 66,247 |
Video Games | 89,280 | 93,744 | 98,431 | 103,352 | 108,520 |
Makoto | 19,227 | 23,072 | 27,687 | 33,224 | 39,869 |
Soft Drinks and Snacks | 7,086 | 7,440 | 7,812 | 8,202 | 8,613 |
Souvenirs | 60 | 63 | 66 | 70 | 73 |
Total Unit Sales | 187,187 | 188,699 | 194,084 | 207,940 | 223,322 |
Unit Prices | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 |
Lasertag | $5.00 | $5.00 | $5.00 | $5.00 | $5.00 |
Video Games | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
Makoto | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 | $1.00 |
Soft Drinks and Snacks | $0.75 | $0.75 | $0.75 | $0.75 | $0.75 |
Souvenirs | $9.50 | $9.50 | $9.50 | $9.50 | $9.50 |
Sales | |||||
Lasertag | $357,670 | $321,900 | $300,440 | $315,460 | $331,235 |
Video Games | $44,640 | $46,872 | $49,216 | $51,676 | $54,260 |
Makoto | $19,227 | $23,072 | $27,687 | $33,224 | $39,869 |
Soft Drinks and Snacks | $5,315 | $5,580 | $5,859 | $6,152 | $6,460 |
Souvenirs | $570 | $599 | $627 | $665 | $694 |
Total Sales | $427,422 | $398,023 | $383,829 | $407,177 | $432,517 |
Direct Unit Costs | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 |
Lasertag | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 | $0.50 |
Video Games | $0.25 | $0.25 | $0.25 | $0.25 | $0.25 |
Makoto | $0.10 | $0.10 | $0.10 | $0.10 | $0.10 |
Soft Drinks and Snacks | $0.10 | $0.38 | $0.38 | $0.38 | $0.38 |
Souvenirs | $7.13 | $7.13 | $7.13 | $7.13 | $7.13 |
Direct Cost of Sales | |||||
Lasertag | $35,767 | $32,190 | $30,044 | $31,546 | $33,124 |
Video Games | $22,320 | $23,436 | $24,608 | $25,838 | $27,130 |
Makoto | $1,923 | $2,307 | $2,769 | $3,322 | $3,987 |
Soft Drinks and Snacks | $728 | $2,790 | $2,930 | $3,076 | $3,230 |
Souvenirs | $428 | $449 | $470 | $499 | $520 |
Subtotal Direct Cost of Sales | $61,165 | $61,172 | $60,820 | $64,281 | $67,990 |
Management Team
John Smith, who will serve as the chairman and president of the Laser Tag board of directors and will manage the company’s daily operations. Mr. Smith is also a member of the International Laser Tag Association, a nonprofit group developed by experienced industry personnel that is dedicated to assisting with the successful operations of separate facilities world wide.
Board of Directors
In addition to John Smith, one other person has agreed to serve on the Laser Tag board of directors: Barry Stir. Barry Stir is an Attorney at law and has a background in accounting. His office is located on “D” Ave in MyTown. He is also a co-owner in an Internet company in MyTown.
John Smith is a 20-year U.S. Army veteran with excellent management skills, who is well-qualified to run the Laser Tag. He has held a number of management positions and has been responsible for the professional development of numerous personnel and accountable for in excess of $11 million in military equipment. He served in the plans and operations section while in the military and has put together and executed various training and evaluation outlines. Mr. Smith has significant experience working with patrons and employees of entertainment businesses while opening and operating two low point beverage entertainment facilities in Small Town and Rural Town, Ohio. In addition to the entertainment experience, he has extensive experience with laser-based systems with the U.S. Army’s combat training, Military Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES). MILES is a system the Army uses for war games.
Laser Tag will employ 7 people. The president will be the only full-time employee and 6 others will be part-time. One part-time worker will serve as a shift manager. All employees will be selected on the basis of their ability to work with young patrons. All employees will be expected to sign a non-disclosure and non-compete agreement.
The personnel plan will be as follows:
Five part time employees will attend to arena supervision, and keep area clean. All three will work part time to ensure the facility has a full staff in case of an unanticipated event.
The following professionals have agreed to help Laser Tag:
[Proprietary and confidential information removed.]
Personnel Plan | |||||
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | |
General Manager | $18,000 | $20,000 | $25,000 | $30,000 | $35,000 |
Shift Manager | $17,316 | $18,500 | $19,500 | $20,500 | $21,500 |
Laser Tag attendants | $21,460 | $19,314 | $18,026 | $18,928 | $19,874 |
Arcade attendants | $19,195 | $20,155 | $21,163 | $22,221 | $23,332 |
Total People | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 7 |
Total Payroll | $75,971 | $77,969 | $83,689 | $91,648 | $99,706 |
The premier element in our financial plan is initiating, maintaining, and improving the factors that create, stabilize, and increase our cash flow:
Total start-up requirements come to $111,844. The start-up costs are to be financed partially by the direct owner investment of $27,000 and financing in the amount of $84,844. The details are included in the following table.
Start-up Funding | |
Start-up Expenses to Fund | $50,097 |
Start-up Assets to Fund | $61,747 |
Total Funding Required | $111,844 |
Assets | |
Non-cash Assets from Start-up | $51,747 |
Cash Requirements from Start-up | $10,000 |
Additional Cash Raised | $0 |
Cash Balance on Starting Date | $10,000 |
Total Assets | $61,747 |
Liabilities and Capital | |
Liabilities | |
Current Borrowing | $0 |
Long-term Liabilities | $84,844 |
Accounts Payable (Outstanding Bills) | $0 |
Other Current Liabilities (interest-free) | $0 |
Total Liabilities | $84,844 |
Capital | |
Planned Investment | |
Owner | $27,000 |
Investor | $0 |
Additional Investment Requirement | $0 |
Total Planned Investment | $27,000 |
Loss at Start-up (Start-up Expenses) | ($50,097) |
Total Capital | ($23,097) |
Total Capital and Liabilities | $61,747 |
Total Funding | $111,844 |
The key underlying assumptions of our financial plan shown in the following general assumption table are:
General Assumptions | |||||
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | |
Plan Month | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
Current Interest Rate | 10.00% | 10.00% | 10.00% | 10.00% | 10.00% |
Long-term Interest Rate | 11.00% | 11.00% | 11.00% | 11.00% | 11.00% |
Tax Rate | 30.00% | 30.00% | 30.00% | 30.00% | 30.00% |
Other | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Our break-even analysis is shown below.
Break-even Analysis | |
Monthly Units Break-even | 9,876 |
Monthly Revenue Break-even | $22,551 |
Assumptions: | |
Average Per-Unit Revenue | $2.28 |
Average Per-Unit Variable Cost | $0.33 |
Estimated Monthly Fixed Cost | $19,324 |
The company will make a profit early on. There are two important assumptions with our Projected Profit and Loss statement:
The yearly analysis is indicated in the table below; monthly analyses can be found in the appendix.
Pro Forma Profit and Loss | |||||
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | |
Sales | $427,422 | $398,023 | $383,829 | $407,177 | $432,517 |
Direct Cost of Sales | $61,165 | $61,172 | $60,820 | $64,281 | $67,990 |
Other Costs of Sales | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Total Cost of Sales | $61,165 | $61,172 | $60,820 | $64,281 | $67,990 |
Gross Margin | $366,256 | $336,850 | $323,008 | $342,896 | $364,527 |
Gross Margin % | 85.69% | 84.63% | 84.15% | 84.21% | 84.28% |
Expenses | |||||
Payroll | $75,971 | $77,969 | $83,689 | $91,648 | $99,706 |
Marketing/Promotion | $60,000 | $62,000 | $63,000 | $65,000 | $66,000 |
Depreciation | $5,875 | $5,875 | $5,875 | $5,875 | $5,875 |
Rent | $57,600 | $57,600 | $57,600 | $57,600 | $57,600 |
Utilities | $7,340 | $8,000 | $8,200 | $8,400 | $8,600 |
Insurance | $10,944 | $10,944 | $10,944 | $10,944 | $10,944 |
Professional Fees | $2,400 | $2,400 | $2,400 | $2,400 | $2,400 |
Telephone | $2,040 | $2,100 | $2,150 | $2,200 | $2,250 |
Supplies | $4,800 | $4,800 | $4,800 | $4,800 | $4,800 |
Bank & Credit Card Fees | $1,320 | $1,320 | $1,320 | $1,320 | $1,320 |
New Game Software | $0 | $10,000 | $15,000 | $10,000 | $0 |
Miscellaneous | $3,600 | $3,600 | $3,600 | $3,600 | $3,600 |
Total Operating Expenses | $231,890 | $246,608 | $258,578 | $263,787 | $263,095 |
Profit Before Interest and Taxes | $134,366 | $90,242 | $64,430 | $79,108 | $101,432 |
EBITDA | $140,241 | $96,117 | $70,305 | $84,983 | $107,307 |
Interest Expense | $8,611 | $7,333 | $6,000 | $4,667 | $3,333 |
Taxes Incurred | $37,726 | $24,873 | $17,529 | $22,333 | $29,430 |
Net Profit | $88,028 | $58,037 | $40,901 | $52,109 | $68,669 |
Net Profit/Sales | 20.60% | 14.58% | 10.66% | 12.80% | 15.88% |
The company’s estimated cash flow analysis is outlined in the following table. Laser Tag’s popularity will instantly show profitability, which will ensure positive cash balance. The Cash Flow table also shows planned sales tax received and paid out, and the estimated repayment for the requested loan.
Pro Forma Cash Flow | |||||
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | |
Cash Received | |||||
Cash from Operations | |||||
Cash Sales | $320,566 | $298,517 | $287,871 | $305,382 | $324,388 |
Cash from Receivables | $96,929 | $100,188 | $96,287 | $101,252 | $107,541 |
Subtotal Cash from Operations | $417,495 | $398,705 | $384,158 | $406,634 | $431,929 |
Additional Cash Received | |||||
Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Received | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
New Current Borrowing | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
New Other Liabilities (interest-free) | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
New Long-term Liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Sales of Other Current Assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Sales of Long-term Assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
New Investment Received | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Subtotal Cash Received | $417,495 | $398,705 | $384,158 | $406,634 | $431,929 |
Expenditures | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 |
Expenditures from Operations | |||||
Cash Spending | $75,971 | $77,969 | $83,689 | $91,648 | $99,706 |
Bill Payments | $237,732 | $257,787 | $253,576 | $257,359 | $258,396 |
Subtotal Spent on Operations | $313,703 | $335,756 | $337,265 | $349,007 | $358,102 |
Additional Cash Spent | |||||
Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Paid Out | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Principal Repayment of Current Borrowing | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Other Liabilities Principal Repayment | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Long-term Liabilities Principal Repayment | $12,120 | $12,120 | $12,120 | $12,120 | $12,120 |
Purchase Other Current Assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Purchase Long-term Assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Dividends | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Subtotal Cash Spent | $325,823 | $347,876 | $349,385 | $361,127 | $370,222 |
Net Cash Flow | $91,672 | $50,829 | $34,773 | $45,507 | $61,707 |
Cash Balance | $101,672 | $152,501 | $187,274 | $232,781 | $294,487 |
The table below presents the balance sheet for Laser Tag. This table reflects a positive cash position throughout the period of this financial plan and dramatic growth in net worth.
Pro Forma Balance Sheet | |||||
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | |
Assets | |||||
Current Assets | |||||
Cash | $101,672 | $152,501 | $187,274 | $232,781 | $294,487 |
Accounts Receivable | $9,926 | $9,244 | $8,914 | $9,456 | $10,045 |
Inventory | $2,883 | $2,883 | $2,867 | $3,041 | $3,230 |
Other Current Assets | $4,480 | $4,480 | $4,480 | $4,480 | $4,480 |
Total Current Assets | $118,961 | $169,108 | $203,534 | $249,758 | $312,243 |
Long-term Assets | |||||
Long-term Assets | $47,267 | $47,267 | $47,267 | $47,267 | $47,267 |
Accumulated Depreciation | $5,875 | $11,750 | $17,625 | $23,500 | $29,375 |
Total Long-term Assets | $41,392 | $35,517 | $29,642 | $23,767 | $17,892 |
Total Assets | $160,353 | $204,625 | $233,176 | $273,525 | $330,134 |
Liabilities and Capital | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 |
Current Liabilities | |||||
Accounts Payable | $22,698 | $21,053 | $20,823 | $21,182 | $21,243 |
Current Borrowing | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Other Current Liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Subtotal Current Liabilities | $22,698 | $21,053 | $20,823 | $21,182 | $21,243 |
Long-term Liabilities | $72,724 | $60,604 | $48,484 | $36,364 | $24,244 |
Total Liabilities | $95,422 | $81,657 | $69,307 | $57,546 | $45,487 |
Paid-in Capital | $27,000 | $27,000 | $27,000 | $27,000 | $27,000 |
Retained Earnings | ($50,097) | $37,931 | $95,968 | $136,869 | $188,978 |
Earnings | $88,028 | $58,037 | $40,901 | $52,109 | $68,669 |
Total Capital | $64,931 | $122,968 | $163,869 | $215,978 | $284,647 |
Total Liabilities and Capital | $160,353 | $204,625 | $233,176 | $273,525 | $330,134 |
Net Worth | $64,931 | $122,968 | $163,869 | $215,978 | $284,647 |
The company’s projected business ratios are provided in the table below. The final column, Industry Profile, shows significant ratios for the Amusement and Recreation industry for comparison, as determined by the Standard Industry Classification (SIC) code, 7999.
Ratio Analysis | ||||||
Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | Industry Profile | |
Sales Growth | 0.00% | -6.88% | -3.57% | 6.08% | 6.22% | 2.76% |
Percent of Total Assets | ||||||
Accounts Receivable | 6.19% | 4.52% | 3.82% | 3.46% | 3.04% | 4.27% |
Inventory | 1.80% | 1.41% | 1.23% | 1.11% | 0.98% | 4.31% |
Other Current Assets | 2.79% | 2.19% | 1.92% | 1.64% | 1.36% | 31.38% |
Total Current Assets | 74.19% | 82.64% | 87.29% | 91.31% | 94.58% | 39.96% |
Long-term Assets | 25.81% | 17.36% | 12.71% | 8.69% | 5.42% | 60.04% |
Total Assets | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Current Liabilities | 14.15% | 10.29% | 8.93% | 7.74% | 6.43% | 23.98% |
Long-term Liabilities | 45.35% | 29.62% | 20.79% | 13.29% | 7.34% | 24.53% |
Total Liabilities | 59.51% | 39.91% | 29.72% | 21.04% | 13.78% | 48.51% |
Net Worth | 40.49% | 60.09% | 70.28% | 78.96% | 86.22% | 51.49% |
Percent of Sales | ||||||
Sales | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% | 100.00% |
Gross Margin | 85.69% | 84.63% | 84.15% | 84.21% | 84.28% | 100.00% |
Selling, General & Administrative Expenses | 65.09% | 70.05% | 73.50% | 71.42% | 68.40% | 75.54% |
Advertising Expenses | 1.37% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 0.00% | 3.11% |
Profit Before Interest and Taxes | 31.44% | 22.67% | 16.79% | 19.43% | 23.45% | 1.52% |
Main Ratios | ||||||
Current | 5.24 | 8.03 | 9.77 | 11.79 | 14.70 | 1.04 |
Quick | 5.11 | 7.90 | 9.64 | 11.65 | 14.55 | 0.68 |
Total Debt to Total Assets | 59.51% | 39.91% | 29.72% | 21.04% | 13.78% | 64.79% |
Pre-tax Return on Net Worth | 193.67% | 67.42% | 35.66% | 34.47% | 34.46% | 2.30% |
Pre-tax Return on Assets | 78.42% | 40.52% | 25.06% | 27.22% | 29.71% | 6.54% |
Additional Ratios | Year 1 | Year 2 | Year 3 | Year 4 | Year 5 | |
Net Profit Margin | 20.60% | 14.58% | 10.66% | 12.80% | 15.88% | n.a |
Return on Equity | 135.57% | 47.20% | 24.96% | 24.13% | 24.12% | n.a |
Activity Ratios | ||||||
Accounts Receivable Turnover | 10.76 | 10.76 | 10.76 | 10.76 | 10.76 | n.a |
Collection Days | 29 | 35 | 35 | 33 | 33 | n.a |
Inventory Turnover | 24.00 | 21.22 | 21.16 | 21.76 | 21.68 | n.a |
Accounts Payable Turnover | 11.47 | 12.17 | 12.17 | 12.17 | 12.17 | n.a |
Payment Days | 27 | 31 | 30 | 30 | 30 | n.a |
Total Asset Turnover | 2.67 | 1.95 | 1.65 | 1.49 | 1.31 | n.a |
Debt Ratios | ||||||
Debt to Net Worth | 1.47 | 0.66 | 0.42 | 0.27 | 0.16 | n.a |
Current Liab. to Liab. | 0.24 | 0.26 | 0.30 | 0.37 | 0.47 | n.a |
Liquidity Ratios | ||||||
Net Working Capital | $96,263 | $148,055 | $182,711 | $228,576 | $291,000 | n.a |
Interest Coverage | 15.60 | 12.31 | 10.74 | 16.95 | 30.43 | n.a |
Additional Ratios | ||||||
Assets to Sales | 0.38 | 0.51 | 0.61 | 0.67 | 0.76 | n.a |
Current Debt/Total Assets | 14% | 10% | 9% | 8% | 6% | n.a |
Acid Test | 4.68 | 7.46 | 9.21 | 11.20 | 14.07 | n.a |
Sales/Net Worth | 6.58 | 3.24 | 2.34 | 1.89 | 1.52 | n.a |
Dividend Payout | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | n.a |
What better than turning your hobby into a profitable business? And if it is playing video games, even better, right?
You probably have spent a lot of time playing video games, gaming consoles, mobile games and are now thinking about using your experience to earn profits. We all are well aware of the craze of the gaming industry in India.
Starting a new business is exciting and challenging at the same time. From planning to organising to marketing, everything fills you with a sense of adventure and thrill. If you have decided to start a game parlour or want to know more about how to be successful in this small business, this article is perfect for you. We have discussed all the nitty-gritty of starting a successful game parlour business in India so read till the end.
As we all know, any successful venture starts with a plan. So, let us walk you through how to plan a game parlour business .
This business plan has four parts. Let us talk about the most important aspects of it.
You might have been to different gaming parlours . You would have noticed a few things you liked about it and some you didn’t. So make a note of these and plan about what you want to add to your gaming parlour. Study the market of the gaming industry. And the best way to do it is to learn about your competitors.
The next thing in research is to look for the best and latest electronic devices you will need. List down all the trending games you will have in your parlour. Study all the things you will need in your infrastructure like PC’s, Monitors, Optical mouse, Sound cancelling headphones, etc.
Most of your customers are going to be youngsters. The school and college-going students enjoy spending time playing games with their friends. So, you must look for a location that is nearby a college, school, or coaching centre.
The second step is to decide if you want to own the property or rent it. In either case, don’t finalise the first property you visit. Check out 5 to 6 different properties. Compare the prices, parking space, and locality and then decide.
The first thing about a business plan is to decide capital. Everything depends on how much you want to invest. And then decide how much you want to pay for the property.
Now that your finances are in place, it’s time to decide where you want to use them. What types of games do you want to have in your parlour? Do you want only video games? Or do you also want to have carom, table tennis, etc.? Do you want a separate compartment for each gamer or lounge set up or both? Choose your parlour set-up considering these factors.
The next thing is to decide your charges. What will be the subscription fee? What will be the hourly charges? Etc. Also, you would want to consider having a cafeteria to provide snacks and beverages.
Here is the list of licenses you will need:
These four are the main aspects of a business plan . A successful game parlour business is mostly dependent on a business plan. So be careful while designing a business plan. And don’t just settle with one business plan. Revise till you are 100% sure about it.
A business plan will only work when you invest wisely. So let’s take a look at what investments are a must for a game parlour business .
You will be investing your money in two major things. First is electronic devices like PCs, Noise-cancelling headphones, Xbox stations, LAN connection, etc. The second investment would be infrastructure, for example, chairs, tables, Air conditioners, Lights, etc.
The amount of money you would spend depends upon the scale of your business. If you want to cut the cost of devices, you can buy pre-owned devices in good condition.
Other than this, you would also want to invest in hiring people. You will need staff to handle customers, an accountant to manage finances, and maybe a trainer to teach newbies. You will have to pay salaries to people from your capital money till your business starts making a profit. Our app OkStaff helps you manage all staff related queries efficiently. This app is your one-stop solution to staff management.
Making wise investments will ensure less loss and more profits. Now let us discuss how profitable the game parlour business is .
A gaming parlour is undeniably a profitable business. One main reason is it has a large customer base. A lot of people prefer playing video games with friends. Students can not afford to invest in high-end gaming consoles, so they choose gaming parlours . If you make your business affordable for students, it is going to be highly profitable.
There are no risks in gaming parlours . The only concern is to acquire more customers only then you will be able to make more profits. Try different strategies to attract customers, and you will have a profitable business.
The key in marketing is, promoting your business to the right customers. Promote your business in your locality. Let people know about what all games you offer through flyers, posters, etc.
Also, teenagers spend more time on social media. So make sure your social media marketing game is on point. You can also offer referral discounts on monthly subscriptions. This way, your existing customers will bring new customers.
The other way to attract customers is word of mouth. You can arrange competitions and tournaments. People will take part in tournaments, and they will tell their friends and colleagues. This trick will help you get more customers.
Learn new ways to attract customers, and your business will skyrocket.
We would also like to help you with some tips to grow your gaming parlour business in India .
These tips and plans we discussed in this article will help you start and grow a successful game parlour. But remember, these things will only work when you are consistent with your efforts.
The gaming industry has a massive potential to grow in India. So be rest assured to make a killer business plan and start your game parlour.
We hope this guide was helpful for you.
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Ans. Yes, gaming parlour is a profitable business in India.
Ans. You can arrange competitions and tournaments to attract more customers.
Ans. PC’s, headphones, Internet connection, CCTV cameras, and licenses are some of the basic things you will need to start a game parlour in India
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This article will first discuss the motivations and advantages of having a business plan. If you’re launching your first game, then a business plan might not be necessary now. Then, the main sections of a business plan will be detailed and examples of a fictitious studio will be given (in green).
Throughout this guide we cite a fictional video game studio for ease of reading, but all of the entrepreneurial and management mechanics explained are just as relevant and useful for a self-employed person, for an informal group of devs or for any industry organization that does not necessarily see itself as a studio yet. Each plan business is different. This guide is an example of a structure and should be modified based on the reality of your studio and projects.
You might not need a business plan now.
Before starting, I must warn you. A well-crafted business plan can be a valuable tool for your video game studio as you navigate the growth of your business, but it is not always essential, especially for indie game developers launching their first game. Most of the time, I recommend to start building a pitch instead of full-fledged business plan. This article will help you to do so: Mastering the Art of a Successful Video Game Pitch: A Guide for Indie Game Developers .
(If you are still not sure, my contact info are at the very bottom of this page.)
A business plan is an essential tool for setting goals and outlining a clear path to achieve them in the context of your video game studio. As the owner or founder of a video game studio that has already launched a first video game, I understand that you are looking for advice on how to create a comprehensive and compelling business plan. The plan not only showcases your game(s) but provides a comprehensive overview of your company, team, resources, finances, marketing strategies, player community, operations, and development processes.
The purpose of a business plan is to present a clear and concise picture of your studio, from its past and current operations to its future plans. It’s an opportunity for you to showcase your vision and drive to potential investors, partners, and stakeholders, demonstrating that you have a solid understanding of your industry and market, as well as the skills and resources necessary to achieve your goals.
As the owner/founder of a video game studio, you may find yourself considering the creation of a business plan at various stages of your business journey. Whether you’re just starting out or have already launched your first game, a well-crafted business plan can help bring clarity and focus to your future plans and projects. Here are some benefits you can expect to gain by creating a business plan:
The executive summary is an important section of your business plan. It provides a condensed overview of the entire plan, including the financial appendices, in a one-page format. This section is usually written last, after all other sections are complete.
For your convenience, I have included examples in this guide that use a fictional video game studio (Emperor’s Studio) and its first game (Empy). Y ou will find these examples written in this color. If you want the .docx template, simply use the contact form at the bottom of this page to request it from me.
In this section, we give an overview of the current business and its past.
Start with an introduction paragraph and explain how the studio was founded (if applicable). Describe your tasks, those of your partners and employees if you have any.
Emperor’s Studio is currently managed by two people. Founder 1 & Founder 2 are longtime partners in the game development industry who strive to keep the gameplay, fun and quality at the highest level in their games. The business is a small indie game studio based in [a city]. Founder 2 is the main programmer, developer, and designer while Founder 1 is the concept and pixel artist, scenario writer and community manager.
The company focuses on combining video games, comics with the interactivity and interconnectivity of an ever-expanding multimedia universe called the Empy’s World. The studio released its own previous game on Steam and have collaborated with many [other businesses and influencers] on projects such as [project’s names].
Take care to present your team from its best angle. Describe the professional experience of each member and the detailed responsibilities within the studio
Be consistent with the CV of each member and his Linkedin, because these are details that could be verified later by future investors or partners.
A photo of you, your group and your colleagues will make the document warmer. After all… other humans will read you!
When possible, we suggest that entrepreneurs write a personal message (maximum 100 words) to further personalize the business plan. This is the kind of inspirational and public message that could be found in the “About us” section of your website.
Specify whether it is an incorporation, a general partnership, a single self-employed worker, etc.
If applicable, what is the structure of the company’s shares? If you anticipate that the latter will be subject to change in the near future, you can indicate it.
If you don’t know yet, a good start to understand the best structure could start by reading the Wikipedia List of legal entity types by country or to do a quick Search on Google with “Business Structure + [your country]”. Most country have an article about this subject on their website (look for .gov website).
Emperor’s Studio is registered as a limited liability company (LLC) and is 50% owned by Founder 1 and 50% by Founder 2.
Have you collaborated with other companies, studios or artists? Whether it is a contract that you have awarded to others or work for which you have been commissioned, in both cases, it is relevant to explain it.
Collaborator 1 is a veteran book cover and sequential artist who has been working with us since 20xx on Project 1 to help develop our artistic vision. Collaborator 2 and 3 are experienced pixel artists that we have worked with on since 20yy. Collaborator 4 is a skilled and versatile musician that has been able to adapt and implement the audio vision that we wish to execute within our games.
Explain the type of employee you will need to hire in the near future. Detail each profile sought.
Showcase your already launched games. If you have collaborated on the development and release of a game, it is relevant to present it as well, without forgetting to explain how your studio was involved in it.
( empy is the name of the fictional game).
Talk about the current development. If it is not started but you have plans or an idea of the main aspects that will make it up, demonstrate them.
Some aspects that could be mentioned:
If you are going to create and sell promotional merchandise, it would be a good idea to indicate so. For example:
If you have a visual elements, it’s perfect to show them.
This section presents and analyzes the market. It is very useful if you plan to present it to potential investors or partners who are not in the same industry as us. It allows you to define trends that are specific to your game / studio, for example, a specific game category such as Survival RPGs .
The global video game market value was estimated at xxx USD for the year yyyy. It is also estimated that the market will reach zzz gamers in yyyy and a market value of xxx USD.
As the owner/founder of a video game studio, it’s important to keep a pulse on the industry trends that may impact your business. In the “Industry Trends” section of your business plan, you should aim to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of the video game industry, including market size, key players, and any significant trends or shifts that are likely to affect your game(s) and target customers.
Make sure to provide data and research to support your claims, such as industry reports or data from trusted sources. This will demonstrate to potential investors and stakeholders that you have a deep understanding of the industry and that you have taken the time to thoughtfully consider the competitive landscape.
I recommend reading this article I wrote about tools that can help searching video game market data for market size and trends.
Survival games encourage the exploration of an open world and keep the survival parts of these games a central aspect of the player’s experience, while in RPG, the player controls the actions of a character immersed in some well-defined world .
Based on market research made from X games available on Steam, Y are tagged both as a RPG and a survival game.
(Include all your sources)
It’s important to understand the market environment you’ll be operating in, which includes not only supply and demand but also the competition. That’s why in your business plan, it’s crucial to analyze your direct competitors – studios that have already released or are planning to release a game similar to yours. This will give you a better understanding of the products and development studios in your market.
RPG + Survival Games
Among the best rated games having both RPG and Survival tags, we can find:
Development Studios
The company anticipates moderate competition from development studios of all sizes specializing in Survival RPG game development.
The table below present notable studios that have released at least one game of this genre.
Developer | Location | Website | Number of games | Twitch Followers | Steam Follower | Facebook Likes | Youtube Followers | Hit | Copy Sold |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Baroque Decay | Worldwide | https://baroquedecay.com/ | 2 | 0 | 2,100 | 0 | 2,200 | Yuppie Psycho | 100-200K |
Klei | Vancouver, Canada | https://www.klei.com/ | 10 | 21,150 | 161,102 | 56,500 | 98,600 | Don’t Starve | 5-10M |
Acid Wizard Studio | Poland | acidwizardstudio.com | 1 | 4,700 | 2,300 | 4,400 | 3,700 | Darkwood | 500-1000K |
Panstasz | Poland | https://panstasz.itch.io/ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | World of Horror | 100-200K |
Re-Logic | Indiana, USA | re-logic.com | 3 | 5,000 | 31,000 | 17,000 | 147,000 | Terraria | 10-20M |
Subset Games | Shanghai, China | subsetgames.com/ | 2 | 0 | 11,000 | 0 | 700 | FTL: Faster Than Light | 2-5M |
Chucklefish | London, England | chucklefish.org/ | 11 | 10,000 | 91,000 | 16,000 | 52,000 | Starbound | 2-5M |
Exor Studios | Poland | exorstudios.com/ | 3 | 800 | 2,600 | 4,200 | 900 | The Riftbreaker: Prologue | 100-200K |
Hopoo Games | Washington, USA | hopoogames.com/ | 3 | 0 | N/A | 19 | 0 | Risk of Rain | 500-1000K |
Edmund McMillen | California, US | N/A | 7 | 0 | 34,100 | 0 | 0 | The Binding of Isaac | 2-5M |
Obsidian | California, US | Obsidian.net | 15 | 14,000 | 29,000 | 77,000 | 104,000 | Fallout Serie | 10-20M |
Lo-Fi Games | Bristol, UK | ofigames.com/ | 2 | 0 | 8,700 | 10,500 | 0 | Kenshi | 1-2M |
GSC Game World | Kyiv, Ukraine | gsc-game.com | 12 | 131 | 12,000 | 11,000 | 75,000 | S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Call of Pripyat | 1-2M |
Gaddy Games | Paris, France | gaddygames.com | 1 | 0 | 267 | 400 | 300 | Dig or Die | 100-200K |
HopFrog | N/A | hopfrogsa.net/ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Forager | 500-1000K |
Firepillar2 | Hong Kong | firepillar2.com/ | 2 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 0 | Craft In Abyss | 1-20K |
This is where we get into the nitty-gritty details of your plan. I believe that all of the following sections are critical to your success, as they will outline exactly how you plan to achieve your goals. These sections will likely be the focus of discussions and questions with your readers.
In this section, you will want to detail the projects you are currently working on or plan to work on soon. Start with a high-level overview and then break down each project into smaller, more manageable parts, providing time estimates for each step.
This section is similar to the previous one, but focuses on milestones that are not directly related to the development process.
This part allows you to list the software, technologies and tools that you use.
Indicate your offices and premises if applicable and if you think this would be relevant for the reader. For example, to explain a future business expansion, you can indicate the number of square feet as well as the price of the rent.
We plan to move into a room of approximately xxx square meters very soon, which will cost YYY $ per month. This new space will allow us to carry out the expansion we desire, to hire staff and for everyone to work and meet physically.
As the owner of a video game studio, it’s crucial to have a clear plan for distributing and selling your games. Whether you choose to sell your games exclusively through online distribution platforms like Steam or through physical merchandise, it’s important to outline the details in this section.
If your sales model is entirely digital, simply state that fact in this section. But if you also plan to sell physical products, such as collectibles, you can use this section to explain your approach.
Regardless of your distribution and sales channels, be sure to include the selling price of your game and any other products you offer in this section of your business plan.
Empy will be on sale exclusively through the Steam platform at a price of 19.99 US.
marketing plan is a pillar for the success of your business, and in some cases, it may be wise to start with this section before moving on to the rest of your business plan.
The marketing plan section should answer the question, “How do I market my game?” by covering traditional marketing tactics and personalizing them to the video game industry. This section will summarize your marketing objectives, which will be detailed further below.
It’s worth noting that marketing is often the reason why many game developers fail to reach their goals. To ensure that your marketing plan is as comprehensive as possible, you may consider reading our guide “ Indie Video Game Marketing Plan: Stand Out in a Crowded Marketplace ” in parallel with working on this section of your business plan.
We summarize here the objectives of the marketing plan which will be detailed below.
Emperor’s Studio ‘marketing objectives are to:
To effectively reach as many players as possible and achieve a successful return on investment, your marketing strategy should take into account multiple aspects.
A strong website will showcase your latest news, provide text content and articles that help you stand out in search engines for your games and products, and serve as a hub for press releases. By doing so, bloggers, journalists, and media outlets will have access to all the information they need to spread the word about your games.
To break down your marketing strategy into manageable parts, consider dividing it into three categories: pre-launch, launch day, and post-launch.
Explain the marketing efforts you plan to make before the game launches. Ideas include:
Valve published a 30 minute video about Building Your Store Page and Publishing Your Application.
This explain how to setup your store and game pages. Their graphical assets template can be found here .
For each studio’s game that will be released on Steam, including Empy, a page for the game will be created before the game is released. It will contain all the information that identifies the game, three screenshots and its characteristics so that it can be discovered by the gaming community, including thematic, gameplay, art style, and sub-genres. The potential customers can add it to their Wishlist and steam will notify them when it will be released and available to purchase. The potential customer will also be notified if the game is discounted and she / he has not purchased it yet at that moment.
Announcements will be made from the website, but also through the Steam system, to share the progress that is gradually leading to the big day of the launch. It’s a way to create and maintain the “hype” before its release, and to be able to interact with the community that is interested in it.
Steam provides a way for developers to integrate a widget into their website that displays a short description of the game and links to the Steam purchase page. When the latter has not yet been released, we can then see the “Add to Wishlist” options and this becomes a way of quickly creating a link when a potential player goes to the website with her / his Steam Wishlist, thus strengthening his commitment to the purchase.
All dialogues will be in json for easy translation. Thus, the game benefits from increased visibility towards players speaking one of the languages into which the game will be translated. Thus, by considering all non-English speaking players who represent 58% of Steam users , Emperor’s Studio is strengthening its place in the market and securing market share that is impossible otherwise.
A “Coming Soon” page will be created so that the game can appear in the steam search and that players can add the product to their Wishlist. Then they will be notified on the launch day.
Emperor’s Studio will contact Steam curators from the platform’s already integrated tools that allow 100 curators to be offered keys for their members to review the game. Therefore, the company will carefully choose the best 100 curators who have the best profile and audience aligned with Empy.
Explain the marketing efforts you plan to deploy the day the game’s launch.
When the studio will launch its games, the official Emperor’s Studio Twitch channel will be live and broadcast a playthrough. In order to accentuate this hype, the company will sponsor influencers to play live on their own Twitch channel as well.
Explain the marketing efforts you plan to deploy after launching the game. Here are some ideas:
Emperor’s Studio is aware that the launch of the game is not the finish line, but rather the start line. All the work and planning done previously will allow better visibility and launch of the game and will also facilitate the progress of the next marketing efforts below.
Steam wrote in its developer documentation that when a game is successful, it could be shared on the platform’s main page. We therefore speak of the principle of “organic visibility”. Concretely, the sections on Steam are as follows:
In addition, for each major update, if there is any, the studio will create and share its patch note with the Steam community in order to benefit from increased visibility of the platform, which Steam sometimes calls “Update Visibility Rounds”.
Beyond all this, a “standard” visibility is offered through the Steam catalog based on the tags and style of each studio game.
The number of unique channels streaming on Twitch reached 10.6 million in 2020 (Q3) while 913,000 unique channels streamed to YouTube Gaming the same year [1] , reaching 100 billion hours of video game content watched on the platform. [2] Therefore, among the highest marketing priorities of the studio are the promotional campaigns that will be carried out by some of these influencers for the studio, in the form of contracts and sponsorships. Emperor’s Studio will carefully select the channels that are most likely to contain an audience interested in the company’s games in order to obtain the best return on investment.
A comprehensive tactical plan could be developed to effectively execute this marketing aspect. This will include among other things the communication strategy with influencers (what will be presented and “how”), an exhaustive list of interesting influencers with information on their channel (to get in touch in a personalized way) and the follow-up method.
Social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, Twitch, Youtube and Discord, although they all have a slightly different function, are also a pillar of the marketing strategy at Emperor’s Studio. These social networks will serve to inform fans, interact with them through various means, promote products’ launch and consistently show presence to them over a long period of time, unlike live streaming with influencers whose goal will not be to give a long-term and multifaceted experience around the studio’s universe. Some social networks like Twitter, but also Facebook, can be used to communicate relevant information for the press and journalists in order to receive press coverage.
Again, a comprehensive tactical plan could be developed to effectively execute this particular marketing aspect. Marketing managers at Emperor’s Studio will use it to understand communication strategy, quantify objectives, perform analysis and control of various KPIs, and plan the release schedule.
Participating in industry events such as GDC, PAX and MomoCon Convention and many other is part of Emperor’s Studio ‘marketing strategy. This investment should help acquiring contacts, enhancing the brand reputation and increasing awareness among our audience (the gaming community).
A mailing list is one of the most intimate and solid ways to connect with fans in a studio. It also helps to get to know them better. With a good communication strategy in place, the studio will be able to use this powerful marketing tool in the long term. If you choose to adopt this strategy, indicate and explain it.
This section is often overlooked by business plan writers, but is sought after by readers, especially in a software development context. Future partners or investors want to know if you own the IP, and if so, what does it include in more detail.
Emperor’s Studio’s games are designed to ensure the protection of its revenue-generation potential and long-term sustainability of the business. The Company has developed an IP committee mandated to establish policy and guidelines surrounding IP application and access to confidential information. The IP strategy surrounds the software algorithm, networking and database design, game play and game design elements. Therefore, the storyline, characters, arts, music, and packaging design are copyrighted.
In summary, Key Performance Indicators (KPI) are indicators that allow you to compare your studio’s results against set objectives or industry standards. KPIs can be marketing or operational in nature in order to measure performance, but they can also be associated with company finances.
Each KPI can be further developed in the plans concerning them and by the person responsible according to the strategies and objectives evolving over time, but while keeping a modest number of KPIs so that they remain effective, meaningful and SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound).
In the case of Emperor’s Studio and its icming launch, the following KPIs would be the most important:
Explain the business relationship you have with your publisher. If you don’t have one and / or are currently looking for one, it’s a good idea to indicate it here. The article Publishing Deal for Indie Video Game: how to research, find, negotiate and secure your partnership with a publisher could be useful.
Emperor’s Studio is currently working to identify video game publishers having a “fit” with the studio, its culture and its vision in order to pitch its future development projects and gather and analyze the best offers.
The company also considers the possibility of doing business with independent indie financing funds (sometimes called “syndicate”) for the advantages that this could provide in the longer term.
Key assumptions.
The key assumptions summarize what must happen in order for the business plan to be carried out correctly. They can be taken from historical company data, industry benchmarks or smart guessing . These assumptions can be revised and evolve over time, just like the financial plan.
The following assumptions were made in order to build the financial planning:
Explain how the funds will be used and the resulting financial plans. May be accompanied by financial models, data and tables.
As indicated in the financial forecasts below, 100% of the amount will be allocated to the development of the game Empy and its marketing. The studio will raise $ 250,000 US.
Explain where the funds come from if they have already been raised.
Currently, Emperor’s Studio is actively seeking the best editor or investor for its project.
Financial forecasts provide an understanding of how a company’s finances will take shape in the future. It is important to remain realistic and consistent in order to be convincing with seasoned investors.
Financial forecasts are divided into three broad categories:
If you need a template, simply use the contact form above to request one from me.
The appendix consists of attaching any document that could be useful and complement the business plan. Sometimes it can be a pitch deck to present the game that is coming soon in a much more visual way.
The details of the financial plan are shared as an appendix in Excel format.
If you have any questions or comments about this article, feel free to let me know in the form below.
Feel free to reach out to me via Discord at Galabyca#5789 (this is case sensitive). You can share me your project and we’ll discuss how I can help you. Additionally, if you have any comments or questions about the last article, don’t hesitate to send them my way through Discord as well .
How much is playstation plus.
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Sony's PlayStation Plus subscription service provides PS5 and PS4 owners with essential services, like online multiplayer, cloud save storage, and tons of downloadable games. Users can choose between three different tiers with monthly and annual payment options.
Plans start at $10 a month, but to unlock access to the game library, you need a more expensive PlayStation Plus Extra ($15) or Premium ($18) plan. PlayStation Plus Premium also includes streaming on PS5, PS4, and PC, so you don't have to wait for games to install before you start playing.
PlayStation Plus is a direct competitor to Xbox Game Pass , a service that has amassed more than 25 million subscribers and is often compared to Netflix for its large library of games and streaming capabilities. Check out our Xbox Game Pass vs. PlayStation Plus breakdown to see how the services stack up.
To help you decide whether Sony's subscription platform is worth the price of admission, we've put together a rundown of PlayStation Plus plans, features, and games.
PlayStation Plus Premium ($18/month) allows gamers to play online, download tons of games, and stream select titles to PlayStation consoles and PCs. This gift card can be used to purchase a plan from Sony's store.
PlayStation Plus is a gaming subscription service that launched in 2010 and then expanded with new plans in 2022; it's required to play most multiplayer games online on PS5 and PS4 consoles and to keep your game save data backed up in the PlayStation cloud.
PlayStation Plus is available in three tiers: Essential, Extra, and Premium. The latter two plans give members additional features, including the ability to play hundreds of PlayStation games as part of their subscription.
PlayStation Plus members also get access to free games every month that they can keep for as long as they're a member. Sony gives discounts and special offers to PlayStation Plus members in the PlayStation digital store as well.
Sony offers three PlayStation Plus plans. The Essential plan starts at $10/month, while Extra starts at $15/month, and Premium starts at $18/month. All three tiers are also available at a discount if you choose to pay for three months or one year upfront. Sony's most recent price increase for PlayStation Plus came in September 2023.
|
|
| |
| $10/month, $25/three months, $80/year | $15/month, $40/three months, $135/year | $18/month, $50/three months, $160/year |
| Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Yes | Yes | Yes |
| No | Yes | Yes |
| No | No | Yes |
| No | No | Yes |
No | No | Yes |
PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium plans include several additional features you won't find on the standard PlayStation Plus Essential plan.
PlayStation Plus Extra offers up to 400 downloadable games for PS4 and PS5 along with the core services of PlayStation Plus, like online multiplayer, cloud saving, free games every month, and discounts on digital releases.
PlayStation Plus Premium provides more than 300 classic games from the original PlayStation, PS2, and PlayStation Portable, along with more than 400 games for PS4 and PS5. PlayStation Plus Premium members are also able to stream some PS5, PS4, and PS3 games on PlayStation consoles and PC. Subscribers can also access a library of more than 100 Sony movies to stream on demand.
Sony's website has a full list of games included with PlayStation Plus Extra and Premium plans. The list includes multiple PlayStation exclusives like Horizon Forbidden West, Spider-Man: Miles Morales, God of War, Uncharted, and Ghost of Tsushima. Third-party titles are available, too, like Grand Theft Auto V, Resident Evil 7, and Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade.
More games get added to the PlayStation Plus catalog on a rolling basis. A game's inclusion in the library isn't always permanent, however, so some titles may be removed over time.
You can purchase logo and accolade licensing to this story here . Disclosure: Written and researched by the Insider Reviews team. We highlight products and services you might find interesting. If you buy them, we may get a small share of the revenue from the sale from our partners. We may receive products free of charge from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. We operate independently from our advertising team. We welcome your feedback. Email us at [email protected] .
Full Transparency
Verizon announces latest nfl offer: buy one year of nfl+ premium and get one year of netflix premium plan, on us – up to $276 in value..
NEW YORK - No matter how you stream NFL games, Verizon has the game winning offers that can save fans hundreds this season. As the NFL’s official 5G partner, Verizon is offering fans exclusive promos to stream all the football you can handle and savings you can’t get anywhere else – with a new offer launching today.
Platform | Verizon Offer |
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Peacock & Netflix Premium Plan | Buy one year of Peacock Premium and get one year of Netflix Premium Plan, on us. Savings up to $276 annually. Available through 8/31 in +play. |
YouTube TV | Verizon Home Internet customers who are new YouTube subscribers can save $10 per month for one year of YouTube TV (then $72.99/mo. after). |
Starting today, buy one year of NFL+ Premium and get one year of Netflix Premium Plan, on us – annual savings of up to $276. With NFL+ Premium, fans get:
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Live local and primetime regular and postseason games on mobile phone and tablet, as well as live game audio to listen to home, away and national broadcasts on any device for every game
NFL programming on demand
With Netflix, fans on any plan get to go behind-the-scenes with “ Quarterbacks ” and “ Receivers ,” two docuseries available now. And on Christmas Day this season, Netflix will be the home of the two yuletide games – the Super Bowl LVII-winning Chiefs vs. Steelers, and Ravens vs. Texans.
Verizon also recently announced exclusive savings on NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube and YouTube TV – amounting to up to $449 in value.
Offer Disclaimers:
Netflix Premium / NFL+ Premium +play offer: Subscriptions available through Verizon +play at verizon.com/plusplay . Exclusive savings available on select partner subscriptions. All products and services sold on +play require a separate subscription or purchase. You will be billed the full cost of the NFL+ Premium annual subscription up front. NFL+ Premium annual subscription expires September 2, 2025. Additional NFL+ Premium terms: nfl.com/terms . One (1) year offer period for Netflix Premium begins on activation of NFL+ Premium annual subscription. One (1) Netflix Premium offer per eligible Verizon account. Offer is non-refundable. After one year Netflix Premium promo period, you will be billed monthly at the then-current rate unless you cancel. Add'l terms apply. Manage your services anytime at +play Manage dashboard. Offer ends October 31, 2024.
Paramount+ Paramount+ Essential plan only. Separate registration required.
Peacock / Netflix +play offer: Subscriptions available through Verizon +play at verizon.com/plusplay . Netflix Premium begins from activation of annual Peacock Premium (with ads) subscription. One offer per eligible Verizon account. You will be billed the full cost of Peacock Premium upfront; after 1-yr, you will be billed monthly at then-current rate unless you cancel. After Netflix Premium promo period, you will be billed monthly at then-current rate unless you cancel. Add’l terms apply. Cancel anytime in +play Manage dashboard.
NFL Sunday Ticket from YouTube and YouTubeTV, on Us: myPlan: Requires eligible phone purchase w/new or upgrade smartphone line on Unlimited Plus or Unlimited Ultimate plan. myHome: For new customers on Fios 1 Gig or 2 Gig, 5G Home Plus, or LTE Home Plus Internet plans. NFL Sunday Ticket: Must redeem offer w/in 60 days (starting 7.24.24 via My Verizon & activate through YouTube), or by no later than 12.10.24, whichever is first. Verizon reserves the right to charge back the value of the annual subscription if eligibility req’s are no longer met. Cannot be combined with existing NFL Sunday Ticket subscription. Up to $449 value applies to the 2024 NFL Sunday Ticket season. Requires a Google account and is available in the U.S. +DC. Optional YouTube TV base plan subscription is not included with the offer. One offer per eligible Verizon Account. Add’l terms and embargoes apply. No refunds. Google reserves the right to make changes to this offer at any time.
YouTube TV offer: Offer available to Verizon Home Internet customers who are not a current or prior YouTube TV subscriber or trial user previously. Must activate YouTube TV subscription through YouTube TV w/in 90 days of new home internet installation/activation or when added to an existing internet plan. $10/month discount for 12 months on the standard subscription price, currently $72.99/mo. (subject to change); discount ends if home internet service is canceled (subscription will continue to be billed at the standard subscription price unless you cancel with YouTube TV by going to your YouTube TV settings). At the end of 12-month period you will be automatically charged the then-current standard subscription price monthly until you cancel. Must be 18 years or older. Valid form of payment required. Redeemable where YouTube TV is available. Full terms here: www.youtube.com/t/terms_paidservice . Promotional value of subscription(s) are non-transferable, not for resale, and not redeemable for cash. Offer available in markets where YouTube TV service is available.
Whether you are raising a concern or have only a question, we want you to know it’s important to us. You are about to visit a third-party website, and the information you provide will be submitted directly to Verizon Ethics. If you have any questions about how the information you share will be used, please view our Ethics Privacy Notice .
The state of direct mail in 2024—and how brands can get in the game.
Erik Koenig is the President & Chief Strategist at SeQuel Response . Erik has a passion for driving growth with data-driven direct marketing.
Direct mail marketing has been a staple of business outreach for decades, and some of the latest research—by my company and others—shows that direct mail is not only surviving but thriving in 2024. Let's explore some of the data and discuss what it means for the channel.
Earlier this year, my company partnered with a research firm to survey 350 B2B and B2C marketing strategy leaders across the United States to gather insights on direct mail usage, channel challenges and future opportunities. We found that over the 12 months before our survey, 61% of marketers had ramped up their direct mail investments, a notable 12% increase from 2023.
This uptick is not a mere blip on the radar; it’s a clear signal of direct mail’s growing importance in the modern marketing mix. It also indicates that marketers are seeing substantial returns from their campaigns that justify the continued and expanded line item.
I suspect several factors contribute to this resurgence. Direct mail offers a tangible connection with consumers, something digital channels often lack. Mail’s tactile nature elicits a stronger emotional response than digital ads, which can lead to stronger brand trust and a higher response rate. You must also consider that the clutter of digital advertising has led to higher costs and diminishing returns for many marketers. With consumers becoming increasingly adept at filtering out online ads , mail provides a refreshing alternative that people can view at their leisure.
Trump vs. harris 2024 polls: harris leads by 6 points in latest likely voter survey, viral ‘chase bank glitch’ isn’t the hack people thought it was, marketers plan to continue boosting direct mail budgets.
Looking ahead, 54% of marketers expect to further increase their mail budgets over the next year, the highest of any channel we asked about. This statistic is particularly striking given the myriad of direct-response advertising options available today, from social media and influencer collaborations to text messaging and connected TV. The planned increase in direct mail spending suggests that mail continues to deliver a strong ROI as marketers search for strategies that allow them to do more with less.
Additional industry research points to steady growth for the direct mail channel. Statista Market Insights forecasts a 1.6% compound annual growth rate for direct mail through 2029, while Winterberry Group predicts a 1.5% rise in direct mail spending in 2024.
The rising spending trend also reflects a broader strategic shift. In an era where privacy concerns are at an all-time high and data restrictions continue to squeeze prospecting capabilities , direct mail is offering a way to reach audiences without the same level of scrutiny and regulatory hurdles. This is not lost on marketers who are eager to diversify their direct marketing approach and mitigate the risks associated with digital-only campaigns.
In a marketing landscape where precision and personalization are the cornerstones of successful campaigns, a channel’s ability to identify and engage with specific audience segments is vital. Our survey respondents designated quality audience targeting data as direct mail's top advantage. This is a significant jump from being the fourth-best advantage in our 2023 survey.
Mail’s precise targeting is facilitated by the wealth of offline data available today. Marketers can access permissioned and detailed demographic, geographic, psychographic and transactional data that allows for accurate look-alike modeling and prospect targeting. These types of datasets create a level of personalization beyond just addressing the recipient by name. They allow for tailored content and messaging that match an individual’s specific interests, needs and behaviors.
As we move further into 2024 and beyond, one thing is abundantly clear: Direct mail is not only standing the test of time, but it also continues to evolve and thrive in the face of digital disruption.
If you're not currently mailing, it may be time for your brand to consider testing the channel. There are a variety of ways to experiment with mail based on your growth mindset and risk tolerance , including:
• Segmenting your existing CRM audience based on purchase history or online activities, and sending a personalized mail piece to increase engagement or drive new purchases.
• Testing audience lists in a digital environment to gauge performance before launching a full-scale mail campaign.
• Entering the channel at a smaller volume to protect production costs, and then scaling your program gradually as you identify performance trends.
If you are currently mailing and seeing stagnant or declining results, consider the following:
• Is your mailing data clean and reliable? Do you know exactly who you are trying to reach? Are you using predictive modeling to identify your top prospects?
• Is your testing strategy built for success? Are your parameters clear? Do you produce statistically significant results?
• Does your mail program operate in a silo? Are you targeting your top prospects across digital and physical environments with consistent messaging and cohesive creative?
• Are your programs run by an internal team? Do you have sufficient resources? Are your production processes efficient? Is it time to consider an outside partner?
As we move closer to 2025, marketers who recognize and leverage the full potential of direct mail are likely to reap significant benefits, drive engagement, build brand loyalty and achieve their business objectives in an increasingly competitive landscape.
Forbes Agency Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?
Dobbies, which is owned by the US investor Ares Management, is working with FTI Partners on proposals which will pave the way for store closures and rent reductions, Sky News learns.
City editor @MarkKleinmanSky
Thursday 29 August 2024 12:41, UK
One of Britain's biggest garden centre operators is plotting a far-reaching financial overhaul which could pave the way for store closures and steep rent cuts.
Sky News has learnt that Dobbies Garden Centres, which is controlled by the major American investor Ares Management, is working with advisers on a restructuring plan - a contentious mechanism which enables its sponsor to impose financial haircuts on its creditors.
City sources said FTI Consulting had been drafted in to work on the restructuring.
A formal court process such as a restructuring plan is typically used by retailers as a way to close underperforming stores and impose rent haircuts on landlords.
It was unclear on Thursday how many of its 77 sites Dobbies planned to close or the potential impact on its 3,700-strong workforce.
If the proposals are not approved by creditors, an insolvency process of some kind is likely.
Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News
The preparation of a restructuring plan comes 18 months after Ares took control through a separate reorganisation of its debt.
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Dobbies had previously been owned by Midlothian Capital Partners, a private equity investor.
Prior to that, it spent almost a decade under the ownership of Tesco, Britain's biggest retailer.
The company was founded by James Dobbie in 1865.
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Dobbies did not respond to a request for comment, while Ares has been contacted for comment and FTI declined to comment.
The Aquatics Centre, along with Le Bourget Climbing Wall, is the only permanent sports facility to be built for the Paris 2024 Games. In 2024, it will welcome the world’s greatest athletes for the artistic swimming, water polo and diving events. Looking beyond the Games, the Aquatics Centre has been designed to address the needs of Seine-Saint-Denis (its host region, and the French swimming community, which will now have a facility that can host the biggest national and international competitions.
The Aquatics Centre will connect to the neighbouring Stade de France over a footbridge spanning the A1 motorway, and is a meaningful public investment for Seine Saint Denis, which is seriously lacking in sports facilities. The Aquatics Centre’s novel configuration will be modular: it will be able to switch from a 5,000-seat venue during the Games to a 2,500-seat facility to host neighbourhood events afterwards.
The Aquatics Centre will be low-carbon and all the building materials will be bio-based. Its timber structure and roof frame are designed to blend seamlessly into the surrounding greenery. With a 5,000 sqm roof covered with photovoltaic panels, it will be one of France’s largest urban solar farms and supply all the energy that the centre needs.
The interior fittings will be made of recycled materials and made in France to showcase the country’s expertise in environmental performance.
From swimming lessons to recreational use and high-level competitions, the Aquatics Centre will be multifunctional. From July 2025, the Aquatics Centre will become a vast multi-sports facility open to all, including two pools (50m and 25m), a fitness area, bouldering area, paddle tennis section and pitches for team sports. It will also have an adjustable floor to serve a variety of purposes (swimming lessons for babies and children, etc.). The Aquatics Centre will also be the state-of-the-art facility that the French swimming community has been looking forward to for decades. The French Swimming Federation will be able to host national and international competitions in its four indoor disciplines. The Centre will also provide a best-in-class federal training facility for leading French athletes and will notably be home to the country’s diving centre.
Venue information.
Department: Seine-Saint-Denis
City: Saint-Denis
Distance from the Olympic and Paralympic Village: 2km to the east
Games venues nearby: Stade de France, La Chapelle Arena, Olympic and Paralympic Village, La Courneuve Shooting Range, Le Bourget Sport Climbing Venue
Tourist attractions nearby: Sacré Cœur Basilica, Montmartre, Saint-Denis Basilica, Saint-Ouen flea market
> Consult the spectator guide for Artistic Swimming events
> Consult the spectator guide for Waterpolo events
> Consult the spectator guide for Diving events
See the venue map
Public transport.
Artistic swimming, Diving, Water polo :
We strongly advise against using metro 13 and RER B , which will already be used to serve the Stade de France, the Olympic Village, Le Bourget, the North Paris Arena and Roissy-Charles-de-Gaulle airport.
Find all information about venue accessibility on our dedicated page .
Read more about the host towns
Download the Paris 2024 Public Transport application to plan your route, bookmark your competition venue and receive real-time personalised information on transport conditions.
Our tip: buy your Paris 2024 pass on the app for unlimited travel on the entire Île-de-France transport network, for the number of days of your choice. This will help you avoid queuing at stations.
Download the Paris 2024 Public Transport app
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Starting a Video Game Centre - Sample Business Plan Template. 1. Choose a Suitable Location. Let us get it straight here; starting a video gaming centre doesn't thrive in every area. The truth is that there are certain factors that must be considered before starting your gaming centre if indeed you want to get good returns on your investment.
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Keeping your game lounge updated with the latest releases and customer preferences will ensure a steady flow of gamers eager to experience the newest games on the market. You can integrate this section after the initial "Game Selection" in the business plan to provide a comprehensive list of popular games to consider for the lounge. 4.
Business Plan Template for a Gaming Center Business. Business Plan Template for a Gaming Center Business. A comprehensive business plan is crucial for the success of your gaming center. It serves as a roadmap to guide your venture from inception to operational excellence. Below is a detailed business plan template with suggestions for each ...
6. Open a business bank account and secure funding as needed. Opening a business bank account is a critical step in establishing the financial foundation for your gaming lounge. It separates your personal finances from your business transactions, promoting professionalism and simplifying accounting processes.
Start a game center business by following these 10 steps: Plan your Game Center Business. Form your Game Center Business into a Legal Entity. Register your Game Center Business for Taxes. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card. Set up Accounting for your Game Center Business. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Game Center ...
A Sample Video Game Lounge Business Plan Template 1. Industry Overview. ... Lastly, the need for you to equip your gaming centre can't possibly be overemphasized because you need to make your business point as attractive as ever. You would need between 5 to 20 computers, Xbox stations, comfortable chairs, tables, air conditioner, shelve for ...
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Marketing promotion expenses for the grand opening of Planet Excel™ Video Game Store, Inc. in the amount of $3,500 and as well as flyer printing (2,000 flyers at $0.04 per copy) for the total amount of - $3,580. The cost for hiring business consultant - $2,500.
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Get the most out of your business plan example. Follow these tips to quickly develop a working business plan from this sample. 1. Don't worry about finding an exact match. We have over 550 sample business plan templates. So, make sure the plan is a close match, but don't get hung up on the details. Your business is unique and will differ from ...
Writing a gaming cafe business plan is a crucial step toward the success of your business. Here are the key steps to consider when writing a business plan: 1. Executive Summary. An executive summary is the first section planned to offer an overview of the entire business plan. However, it is written after the entire business plan is ready and ...
Crafting a business plan for your video game studio is a foundational step towards building a sustainable and successful business in the gaming industry. By addressing the top 10 most searched questions, you'll gain valuable insights and guidance to create a roadmap for achieving your goals, attracting investors, and turning your passion for ...
The #1 Game Business Plan Template & Guidebook is the ultimate companion for anyone creating and executing a successful video game business. With easy-to-follow advice and step-by-step instructions, this resource provides an in-depth roadmap to help you reach your goals. Created by industry experts, this template and guidebook will equip you ...
Creating a business plan for a video game can be a complex task, but with the help of ClickUp's Business Plan Template, you can simplify the process. Follow these 6 steps to effectively use the template and develop a comprehensive business plan for your video game: 1. Define your vision and mission. Start by clearly defining your vision and ...
1. Conduct market research: Start by understanding the current state of the VR gaming market. Analyze consumer trends, market size, and growth potential to gain insights into the demand for your services. 2. Identify target market: Determine who your ideal customers are and tailor your offerings to their preferences.
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At $1.00 for 2 minutes, this will average to 15 minutes of play time per day. Maximum potential for Makoto is $177 a day. A 20% increase in sales is used for annual projections due to the uniqueness of this venue. Soft drinks and snacks were calculated at 10% of total laser tag sales with purchases at $0.75.
A successful game parlour business is mostly dependent on a business plan. So be careful while designing a business plan. And don't just settle with one business plan. Revise till you are 100% sure about it. A business plan will only work when you invest wisely. So let's take a look at what investments are a must for a game parlour business.
Create a detailed budget explaining the allocation of funds for each of the projects and subprojects required for the development of the game. Setup accounting ledgers. Plan the necessary hiring and projects (if required) Create a detailed budget. Month 1: Start of development.
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PlayStation Plus is a gaming subscription service that launched in 2010 and then expanded with new plans in 2022; it's required to play most multiplayer games online on PS5 and PS4 consoles and to ...
Explore T-Mobile's selection of the latest cell phones and smartphones. Compare models, prices, and features from the most popular brands today!
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Marketers Plan To Continue Boosting Direct Mail Budgets. Looking ahead, 54% of marketers expect to further increase their mail budgets over the next year, the highest of any channel we asked about.
Garden centre operator Dobbies digs up plan for rent cuts. Dobbies, which is owned by the US investor Ares Management, is working with FTI Partners on proposals which will pave the way for store ...
The Boston Business Journal features local business news about Boston. We also provide tools to help businesses grow, network and hire.
Looking beyond the Games, the Aquatics Centre has been designed to address the needs of Seine-Saint-Denis (its host region, and the French swimming community, which will now have a facility that can host the biggest national and international competitions. ... Download the Paris 2024 Public Transport application to plan your route, bookmark ...
What to know: Harris didn't release a new tax plan. Instead, her campaign said it agrees with a series of items in President Biden's last budget proposal, the most relevant of which were nonstarters in Congress and didn't become law. This includes the new tax on unrealized capital gains.
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