Effective 8/4, I'll be promoted to the manager of the shop I work at.  Was working on some ideas for promotions, sales, etc.  I realize there's a point you get to where you're working harder just to make the same amount of profit, but at the same time, there's a point where you either make less money or no money.  I don't want to do ALL of these, but here's a list I've gotten together to pare down and pick some good ones and I thought I'd ask some opinions as I'd like perspectives from both pro shop guys and customers. 

Birthday Club:  Get $10 off $100 purchase, 20 off $200 purchase during the month your birthday falls in.  Free trinket of some kind?

Monthly drawing for a NEW release (of any price point): Make any purchase of $100 or more and get a free entry into our monthly drawing for a new release.  Other entries for $5 per ticket. 

Back to bowling sale August.  Detox/Resurface/Grips change combo $40 ($51 value).  15% off $200 or more purchase (excludes shoes).  Free grips with any ball purchase (or the value subtracted from the purchase price for those who don’t use grips). 

Add a Detox treatment to any plug and redrill for $10. 

1 free Detox treatment with all new ball purchases, good for use on ANY ball. 

Ball of the month.  $10 off selected ball of the month, new release of any price point. 

Group case discount.  Get you and 3 of your friends together to buy a case of any new/recent high performance release, and receive $15 discount APIECE. 

Senior discount 10% (excludes shoes, barring a price raise). 

Frequent buyer discount of 10%.  Qualifying amount spent? 

Topeka Hall of Famer discount 10%

Youth discount?

300/800 club.  Shoot an honor score with any ball purchased at or drilled by ITZ during the year, get a free entry into monthly ball drawing PLUS entry for . . ?  Patch for jacket or shirt? 

ITZ Pro Staff.  Bowlers on ITZ’s pro staff receive half off services and employee pricing for equipment/merchandise.  Requirements?  Ball company staffers automatically qualify. 

Going to start doing new release summary videos. 

I like Rick Benoit’s ball display setup, although I have been kindly asked not to “steal” it.  Would be pretty easy to accomplish.

High school bowling discount in December for those that made the team.  Tryouts are usually first week of December, then competition starts in January. 

Anything you guys have done that's unique or successful?  Customers, anything you wish your pro shops did or did more often?  Like I said, can't just give the stuff away, but I want to avoid it being the same old boring experience everytime somebody walks into the shop, always want to offer them some extra or special option. 

Just remember every discount you give is money directly off the bottom line.  How many sales will any of these discounts "create" vs. are you just giving a discount to someone who was already buying.  Whatever promotions you do have a way to track the results instead of guessing if it worked or not. 

T-shirts are a very cheap way of being able to advertise in centers where you have a competitor or there is no pro shop.  And EVERYONE loves and will wear a free t-shirt. 

How many employees does a 20 hour a week pro shop need/have?

Exactly.  I realize unless WE get a discount on something, whatever discount I offer comes directly out of our profit.  Plus you're right, I definitely don't want to offer a discount on something people are already buying or going to buy, not very smart.  These promotions are specifically targeting slower or lacking areas in sales that I'm looking to stimulate, or to compete with offers from other shops in the area. 

We have 6 shops (soon to be more) and about 10-11 employees.  3 are full time shops, 3 are part time.  We have a few part time guys to cover for the full timers when they need time off, so no one shop necessarily has several employees, we also have a couple "on call" or floaters.  Our shop is going part time just out of necessity for me to be able to take care of it.  The former manager is going to another full time shop to take over for a manager that left for another opportunity, and this situation really works out the best for all concerned. 

Just remember every discount you give is money directly off the bottom line.  How many sales will any of these discounts "create" vs. are you just giving a discount to someone who was already buying.  Whatever promotions you do have a way to track the results instead of guessing if it worked or not. 

T-shirts are a very cheap way of being able to advertise in centers where you have a competitor or there is no pro shop.  And EVERYONE loves and will wear a free t-shirt. 

How many employees does a 20 hour a week pro shop need/have?

I am only Pro Shop in my town and have location at both centers. There is a guy who drill out of his double wide, but eventually his customers come to me to fix the mistakes. But, here are a few I do:

1. I do a ball of the month and take 20% off. Believe it or not, I usually sell more the month after the ball is on special. Can't figure that one out, but more money in my pocket.
2. My resurface are $25 each and I sell a punch card that has 4 Resurfaces on it for $75 and does not expire. This actually makes me money as quite a few lose their card. "Not my problem"
3. My regular customers that have supported me for last 15 years, I give 20% off. I also offer 15% military and 10% senior discounts.
4. This bowling season I am doing "Purchase a ball between August 1st and December 31, shoot a 300 and be entered for ball drawing. Ball will be drawn Christmas week."
5. My inserts are $10. I am offering in August/September: "bowl 3 games during practice, bring in receipt and get a set if inserts for $5.

Good stuff. I like trying to get customers into more bowling ball maintenance of what they have. It has a pretty high profit level similar to most accessories.

Anything to show customers how important surface is, and how quickly it changes over the course of a hand full of games. Oil extraction, surface adjustments ect are a great way to go. Also doing a discount card program for that would work.