We often hear from venue operators that increasing sales is always top of mind. Not a big surprise, right? However, knowing how to increase sales without blowing through your marketing budget is an ongoing challenge. After all, it costs more to acquire guests than to retain existing ones.
So the million-dollar question is, how do I get the guests who are already coming to my venue to spend more and visit more? Believe it or not, it starts at the checkout through point of sale (POS) marketing, something you’re likely already doing.
What is point of sale marketing?
Point of sale (POS) marketing is in-venue marketing that helps you promote and sell more items to guests at the checkout or 'point of sale'.
In the past, this might have involved trying to sell a few food and beverage items with just a cash register, but today, there are endless opportunities to increase ancillary spending!
With advanced, integrated POS systems, digital signage, and new payment methods, you can use this marketing technique to supercharge your sales.
Point of sale (POS) vs. point of purchase (POP)
You’ve probably heard the phrases point of sale and point of purchase used interchangeably. While they overlap in some ways, it’s important to consider them two separate but complementary tools. In short:
- Point of sale (POS) refers to the exact location where a transaction occurs. This is the point where the customer completes the purchase, usually at a checkout counter or through a payment terminal.
- Point of purchase (POP) encompasses a broader area and includes any location within the retail environment where purchase decisions are made.
Read this next: Understanding Point of Sale (POS) vs. Point of Purchase (POP)
Why point of sale marketing is a sales powerhouse
The right place at the right time
If you’ve ever been to the supermarket or a big-box chain for one item, and while waiting in line you picked up a chocolate bar, drink, and maybe even a random assortment of ‘must-have’ home furnishings, toys or clothing items, then you’ll know firsthand that point of sale marketing works!
It plays into impulse purchases and unplanned purchases with little thought attached, but it can also help target those who are short on time, indecisive, or just unaware that certain products or services even exist.
Large chains spend a lot of money and resources perfecting their point of sale marketing, and there’s usually a very good reason why certain food and beverage items, along with a seemingly random assortment of clothing, toys, and novelty items, are placed where they are.
You can take some tips from the big players and think about what items you’re placing near the checkout, how accessible they are to guests and how they are displayed.
Better promotes enhanced experiences
These days you, can use point of sale marketing to better promote and sell your core goods and services, including membership programs, one-off events and experiences, gift cards and branded merchandise.
Point of sale marketing can also be a great channel for incidental spending that’s needed for or enhances participation in an attraction activity.
For example, many trampoline parks require special grip socks before you can jump, while other attractions may rent special equipment such as GoPro cameras that record a guest’s participation and provide an ‘unmissable’ opportunity to relive experiences.
Happy guests will want their experience to last longer
Promoting items to guests while they are having a great experience is a good way to help them create lasting memories.
Who wouldn’t want to relive their summer waterpark experience every weekend with a branded hat or t-shirt? An added benefit is that it also serves as a winning endorsement to others.
For attractions experiences like theme parks or other experience-based activities you might be able to promote and sell professional photos and videos of experiences so guests can keep a permanent reminder that they’re also likely to share with their friends and family.
And happy guests are much more likely to return, so doing everything you can to drive a seamless purchase experience will encourage repeat visitation to your venue and more loyal guests.
7 tried and tested point of sale marketing ideas
1. Increase revenue by offering food and beverage items
Food and beverage is one of the most popular point of sale marketing ideas, and with good reason! It caters perfectly to many guests’ needs, especially after more physical activities like trampolining or even for parents who are chasing their kids.
Depending on your guest type and venue, you might consider offering coffee, sandwiches, cakes, or more seasonal items like ice cream. Consider some ways to upsell or cross-sell items, too. Perhaps a ‘Family Deal’ or ‘BOGO’ type of offer would appeal to different guests, offering them value while effectively selling more items per transaction.
Additionally, bundling items, such as a meal deal that includes a drink, main item, and dessert, can increase the perceived value and encourage more purchases.
Did you know? Offering mobile food and beverage ordering can result in a 33% increase in spend per head.
2. Boost sales by leveraging branded merchandise and products
Let’s face it, we all love a bit of branded merchandise – be it a t-shirt, hat, or even a pair of socks. Branded merchandise also offers guests a way to prove their superfan status, and as they wear it, they’ll promote your business to others.
To maximize sales, create a dedicated merchandise area near the checkout. Highlight limited edition items, seasonal products, and bestsellers to catch the eye of guests. Offering exclusive merchandise that can only be purchased on-site can create a sense of urgency. Implementing loyalty programs or special discounts for members can also incentivize guests to buy more. Ensure the merchandise is well-organized, attractively displayed, and easy to access.
3. Maximize revenue by upselling customers and cross-selling tickets
Often when guests have arrived on-site, they’ll have an even better sense of what they’d like to do based on the sights and sounds or even hearing what other guests are discussing.
Capitalize on this by training staff to upsell additional experiences or premium services. For example, if a guest purchases a basic entry ticket, staff can suggest upgrading to a VIP package that includes special access, souvenirs, or meals. Cross-selling opportunities, such as suggesting a discounted combo ticket for multiple attractions or offering a family pack, can also boost sales. Demonstrate the value of membership programs and season passes that encourage ongoing visitation and offer great value to families and other groups compared to an initial session pass. This can be further supported by strategically placed digital signage and displays that highlight these offers.
And if your guests are having a great experience, then promote the opportunity to share this with their friends and family by purchasing gift cards and vouchers. These can be prominently displayed at checkout points and integrated into the purchase process online and offline.
4. Amplify your reach and collaborate with local businesses
Expand your marketing reach and encourage more in-venue sales by looking for co-marketing opportunities with other local businesses.
Start small by partnering with a local food business, such as a food truck, and promoting a special event. This not only adds variety to your food offering but also attracts the food truck's regular customers to your venue. Collaborate with local artisans or souvenir shops to feature their products in your gift shop, offering guests unique items they can’t find elsewhere. Joint promotions, such as offering discounts to guests who show a receipt from your partner businesses, can drive traffic both ways and foster a community network that benefits all parties involved.
5. Let guests make purchases with self-service kiosks
Make it easy for guests to purchase tickets on-site and free up your staff to find other ways to enhance the guest experience. Self-service kiosks can streamline the purchasing process, reducing wait times and improving customer satisfaction.
You can also use self-service kiosks to easily upsell add-ons, for example, feeding animals at a zoo or wildlife park. These kiosks can be programmed to suggest additional purchases based on the guest's selections, such as offering meal deals or experiences like exclusive tours. Ensure these kiosks are user-friendly and accessible, with clear instructions and support available if needed.
6. Create a sense of urgency with your point of sale signage
Nobody wants to miss out on a great deal, right? A simple and cost-effective marketing idea is to use signage to promote sales using language that resonates with guests.
Think ‘Last chance,’ ‘Offer ends soon,’ or even promote your membership program with signage that highlights ‘member-only pricing.’ Use digital signage to dynamically display limited-time offers, flash sales, or countdowns to special events. Position these signs in high-traffic areas and near checkouts to capture attention when guests are most likely to make a purchase. Ensure the messaging is clear and compelling, using bold fonts and colors to create a sense of urgency.
7. Enhance sales by offering the latest payment methods
To help sell those products and services onsite as quickly and efficiently as possible, keep up to date with the latest payments your members prefer using.
With many smartphones and smartwatches now payment-enabled, mobile and contactless payments can potentially drive more food and beverage sales at venues like water parks where personal items may be stored in lockers. Ensure your POS systems are equipped to handle these payments seamlessly. Additionally, consider integrating payment options like QR codes for easy scanning and offering online pre-orders that can be picked up on-site. By accommodating various payment preferences, you can make the purchasing process more convenient, encouraging more transactions and reducing barriers to purchase.
What kind of data can I collect through POS marketing?
Implementing point of sale marketing strategies provides a wealth of valuable data that can help optimize your operations and marketing efforts. Here are some key types of data you can collect through a POS system:
- Sales data: Track what products are being sold, at what times, and in what quantities. This helps identify bestsellers and slow-moving items.
- Customer information: Collect customer details such as contact information, purchase history, and preferences. This data can be used for targeted marketing and personalized promotions.
- Inventory levels: Monitor inventory in real-time to ensure popular items are always in stock and reduce the risk of overstocking less popular items.
- Transaction details: Record the specifics of each transaction, including payment methods, transaction times, and any discounts applied. This can help in analyzing peak sales times and preferred payment methods.
- Employee performance: Track sales by employee to identify top performers and those who may need additional training or support.
- Promotion effectiveness: Evaluate how well different promotions and marketing campaigns are performing by analyzing changes in sales and customer behavior.
To help you leverage this data, ROLLER Analytics, created in partnership with Google BigQuery, provides actionable insights through visual dashboards and detailed reports. With Analytics, you can save up to 125 hours per year on data analysis and increase your operating income by up to 2.5%.
How will I know if POS marketing is working?
If you’re using a POS system for sales, then the reporting functionality will shed light on how well your POS marketing is working.
By collecting sales data automatically, you can quickly pull up accurate reporting that lets you track sales by product type and time period, allowing you to filter results for greater insights.
You can work out how certain F&B promotions are tracking and what your most popular point of sale items might be.
Also, keep an eye on your social media, review sites, and any other guest feedback to see what’s being talked about—this can be an excellent way to gain firsthand insights into the types of products, services, and activities that might have greater success at the checkout.
Start maximizing your venue’s ROI with POS marketing
Implementing these point of sale marketing strategies can significantly enhance your venue’s return on investment (ROI). By investing in advanced POS systems, digital signage and training your staff, you can drive impulse buys, enhance guest experiences, and increase overall sales.
Take advantage of modern POS features like cloud-based POS systems and advanced POS features to streamline operations and offer a seamless purchasing experience. Regularly analyze your sales data and guest feedback to refine your strategies and maximize your marketing efforts. By following these optimized strategies, attractions can harness the power of point of sale marketing to enhance customer experiences and drive sales growth!
