What marketing lessons can we learn from the theme parks?

Following on from my recent trip to the theme parks on the Gold Coast, here are my 10 observations of how the they market themselves and questions  they pose about how you could be asking about your own business:

1. Product is King.   Q. How could you better treat your product or service?
2. Interesting pricing strategy of $99.99 until June 30, 2011 and you can use it as often as you like  (huge take-up….high perceived value…little repeat take-up)   Q. How could you alter your pricing to encourage more transactions but less take up?!
3. Q4U makes life easy by not having to cue for rides. They actually charge you for a problem they’ve created!!   Q. What can you do to make your customers’ experience hassle free…and charge for it at the same time?
4. They don’t use social media to have an ear to the ground.   Q. How can you ensure that you know what you’re customers are thinking?
5. They don’t always understand their customers’ state of mind – I would have kiled for a massage during the day as I raced between rides!   Q. What state-of-mind are your customers in when they’re ready to purchase from you? And how can you meet their needs?
6. Bring your staff along for the ride.   Q. What can you do to ensure that everyone who has responsibility for selling your product / service is on the same page?
7. Consistency is Queen.   Q. What could you do to ensure all your marketing is more consistent?
8. Consider bi-products – Massage, behind-the-scenes tours, product explanations.   Q. What bi-products are you inadvertently creating but not making money from?
9. Consider your opening hours a bit more closely (Wet ‘n Wild closed way too early given the huge cues).   Q. Are your opening hours respectful of your customers’ needs?
10. Don’t screw me – Pizza, photos were outrageously expensive … AND don’t charge for piddly little things eg. Remote control boats $2.  Q. What could you give away to your customers that would make them love you and not cause you to lose money?

Hear me go in to greater details about each of these marketing lessons here on the Small Business Big Marketing podcast #41.