Why Make Your Customers Do Homework?

Written by: Bill Sherman on Monday, 29 May 2006, 4:11 PM

In the United States, Memorial Day marks the start of the summer-vacation mindset. Many families take trips and visit amusement parks. This quote, from a recent AP article caught my attention today:

“Any guest paying full price at our parks is probably not doing their homework,” said Steve Brown, vice president for ticket strategy and sales at Six Flags.

Six Flags seems to be sending mixed marketing messages. Theme parks advertise themselves as fun vacation destinations. So why would they want to require visitors to do their homework to look for a discount? By comparison, the same article says that Cedar Point in Ohio cut its at-the-gate prices and now sells twenty-five cent cotton candy.

We live in a world driven by the Experience Economy. People experience amusement parks long before they enter the gates. The amusement park begins with the first marketing touchpoint (perhaps that Coke can or the Papa John’s pizza box). It continues throughout the sales process at the front gate and the long wait in line for rides.

How can you make your company’s marketing and sales process easier (and more valuable) for your clients and customers?

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