Attracting Corporate and Team Building Clients to Your Escape Room
Posted in Corporate and Team Building by Katie on Sun 12 January 2020
Attracting corporate clients can bring many benefits to escape rooms.
For example, most corporate groups will tend to want rooms during weekdays, which are often slower times for escape rooms. Corporate groups are also often larger than your average booking and typically have bigger budgets.
We know from talking with escape room owners that most would love to attract more corporate and team-building bookings, but find that it’s often challenging to get them. To this end, we set out to find what escape rooms are doing and what owners recommend for bringing in corporate clients.
We’d like to thank the following escape room owners who agreed to be interviewed and give their views: Andrew Weller of Knockout Escape Rooms, Ben Thornton of Clue Cracker and David Gale of Exciting Escapes.
“(They want) a shared team experience - forming closer relationships while having fun,” says David.
This view is echoed by our other interviewees: “Our corporate clients like to have a team bonding experience whilst also having fun and learning, so escape games tick all of those boxes!” Ben says.
“They’re wanting a bonding and team-building experience,” says Andrew. “They usually come in big groups, perhaps entire departments from a large company, and they often like to separate people into groups so that they work with people whom they may not normally work with.”
Corporate groups are often looking for something a bit different than the standard old team-building activities. “They want something engaging for all of their team, something that everyone can enjoy,” David says. “ Escape Rooms offer this chance, as they rely on using a broad range of skills brought together with excellent communication,” he says. “They also want something innovative, a break from traditional methods of team-building. No one is asked to fall back off a chair into their colleagues arms in our rooms.”
Key takeaway: Corporate goals are usually for team-building and bonding in a way that is both interesting and inclusive of everyone. These are points you may choose to highlight in your marketing.
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“It's hard to find a balance of fun while still including team-building exercises,” says Ben. “Clients have told us they have been disappointed on previous away days to companies that specialise in corporate days out, because they sometimes take the fun out of the experience.”
“We’ve found that the boss often wants to know how people really work together when they’re not there with them,” Andrew says. “We’ll accommodate them by letting them watch from the control room - they almost always learn something about their team.”
From the player’s perspective, David says they’re often not sure what to expect. “Expectations tend to be mixed and often depend on whether they were part of the purchasing decision,” he says. “Most people turn up excited and a little nervous. 80 - 90% of the people who come have never played one before, corporate or consumer, they are often only there as they have been told to and really aren't sure what to expect.”
It’s important to follow your regular process of setting expectations with players first. “Some expect to be locked in a dark room, searching for a way out,” says David. Andrew echoes this; “You have to be prepared that some may be apprehensive, worried about claustrophobia and that sort of thing,” he says.
“We make sure we include everyone, even the quiet people who may be lacking confidence or feeling nervous about the activity. Putting people at ease straight away maximises the chance of them enjoying the experience more and hopefully they'll get more from it,” says Ben.
It’s also a good idea to be clear in your communications with the company about when the group should arrive so that there is time for proper briefing and introduction to their rooms. “It’s common for corporate groups to arrive late,” Andrew says. “They didn’t make the booking and they don’t know to be early.”
Key takeaway: Expectations depend on who was involved with the booking. Corporate groups often turn up not knowing what to expect at all, so it’s important they get a good briefing and that any fears are addressed. The person who booked them is often looking for a better experience than what they’ve had before - they want the fun turned up!
Know the goals of corporate escape room clients and do what you can to exceed expectations
Buzzshot recommendation: Help set the scene early with corporate clients by sending key information ahead of their booking. For example, you can send waivers and email communications that set expectations, including when they should arrive.
“(There) has to be a theme in your rooms that they want to bring their teams to. "I’m taking you all to a cabin to try and not get murdered" is rarely a universal winner in most corporate teams.”
“If groups can race against each other or play at the same time, it will help add to their experience and save wasting time waiting for their other players to finish games,” Ben says. It’s important to remember that those groups may be aiming to have a more exciting experience than they may have had at other team-building days - sitting around will not add to the experience!
David says, “We create tailored packages for corporate clients, for example giving them the chance to watch their peers play, or exclusive site use with food and drinks.”
Andrew echoes this, “we often get calls requesting additional accommodations for corporate clients which we do our best to fulfill,” he says. “For example, they might want to meet up beforehand and have a space with a screen and projector.”
“At Clue Cracker, we make sure we greet everyone with a smile and huge enthusiasm from the minute they enter the building to the minute they leave,” says Ben.
“The same holds true for 50 people as 5 people - they need to feel like the service is tailored for them,” David says. “More so, perhaps, when they can be spending so much on the event.”
As an escape room owner, you have to also expect that the process of nailing down a corporate booking may take longer than what you’re used to with other clients, and be prepared to be accommodating throughout that process. David adds, “they need great communication during the buying process. Being able to explain what you do in a way they can go off and sell themselves to the person holding the purse strings is critical,” he says.
“After that comes patience, they don’t buy in the same way as consumers - sometimes these deals can take weeks of back and forth.”
Having the extra space means that corporate clients can mingle or perhaps have a meeting or presentation. Sometimes it’s a great way to offer a reception space, where players can relax and get into the mood for the escape room.
“We offer food and drink at the restaurant we are attached to (The Shuffle House), and have a party room available with games and Prosecco so people can get comfortable straight away,” says Ben. “At Christmas, we set up games and have the offer of a drinks package so they can meet and chat before or after their game. By playing games, it relaxes them and gets the players in the mood for the real escape game!”
“We can offer hot and cold buffet, tea and coffee,” says Andrew. Knockout Escape Rooms does this upon request and will have the corporate client book one of their extra rooms to accommodate.
Offering the extra space can really help with their decision to make a booking: “We offer our corporate clients the chance to use our rooms for meetings before the escape room event” David says. “The combination of the two uses often makes it easier for them to justify the expense.”
Keeping in touch with your contact is important. “They receive a newsletter every so often which tells them about any new rooms or offers,” says Andrew. “Once you’ve got them in, give them great service so they come back. We have companies that have kept coming back for 12-13 years because of this.”
The same companies often come back. “They’ll often do two out of four rooms, then come back, swap over and have a rematch to compete for better times,” Andrew says. “Corporate clients also will often come back with their families and friends.”
Corporate bookings tend to be during work days which are traditionally slower times for most escape rooms. They often bring larger groups and require multiple rooms.
The bottom line is the experience you give them. Corporate clients have team-building goals and want to ensure that their people have a good time. Escape rooms have the opportunity to offer them something they may not have had before; a unique experience that utilises different skills and is inclusive of everyone.
For example, most corporate groups will tend to want rooms during weekdays, which are often slower times for escape rooms. Corporate groups are also often larger than your average booking and typically have bigger budgets.
We know from talking with escape room owners that most would love to attract more corporate and team-building bookings, but find that it’s often challenging to get them. To this end, we set out to find what escape rooms are doing and what owners recommend for bringing in corporate clients.
We’d like to thank the following escape room owners who agreed to be interviewed and give their views: Andrew Weller of Knockout Escape Rooms, Ben Thornton of Clue Cracker and David Gale of Exciting Escapes.
Download here: Tips for marketing to corporate escape room clients
Understand the goals of corporate clients
One of the first things to understand if you want to attract corporate clients (or any other type of client!) is their goals for coming into an escape room. Corporate clients are generally taking time out of their workweek to come in, so know what motivates them to make a booking.“(They want) a shared team experience - forming closer relationships while having fun,” says David.
This view is echoed by our other interviewees: “Our corporate clients like to have a team bonding experience whilst also having fun and learning, so escape games tick all of those boxes!” Ben says.
“They’re wanting a bonding and team-building experience,” says Andrew. “They usually come in big groups, perhaps entire departments from a large company, and they often like to separate people into groups so that they work with people whom they may not normally work with.”
Corporate groups are often looking for something a bit different than the standard old team-building activities. “They want something engaging for all of their team, something that everyone can enjoy,” David says. “ Escape Rooms offer this chance, as they rely on using a broad range of skills brought together with excellent communication,” he says. “They also want something innovative, a break from traditional methods of team-building. No one is asked to fall back off a chair into their colleagues arms in our rooms.”
Key takeaway: Corporate goals are usually for team-building and bonding in a way that is both interesting and inclusive of everyone. These are points you may choose to highlight in your marketing.
Manage (and deliver to) expectations
If a corporate client is new to your escape room, there’s a very good chance that they don’t have much idea what to expect, but know that they’re looking for something better than what they’ve done for team-building previously.“It's hard to find a balance of fun while still including team-building exercises,” says Ben. “Clients have told us they have been disappointed on previous away days to companies that specialise in corporate days out, because they sometimes take the fun out of the experience.”
“We’ve found that the boss often wants to know how people really work together when they’re not there with them,” Andrew says. “We’ll accommodate them by letting them watch from the control room - they almost always learn something about their team.”
From the player’s perspective, David says they’re often not sure what to expect. “Expectations tend to be mixed and often depend on whether they were part of the purchasing decision,” he says. “Most people turn up excited and a little nervous. 80 - 90% of the people who come have never played one before, corporate or consumer, they are often only there as they have been told to and really aren't sure what to expect.”
It’s important to follow your regular process of setting expectations with players first. “Some expect to be locked in a dark room, searching for a way out,” says David. Andrew echoes this; “You have to be prepared that some may be apprehensive, worried about claustrophobia and that sort of thing,” he says.
“We make sure we include everyone, even the quiet people who may be lacking confidence or feeling nervous about the activity. Putting people at ease straight away maximises the chance of them enjoying the experience more and hopefully they'll get more from it,” says Ben.
It’s also a good idea to be clear in your communications with the company about when the group should arrive so that there is time for proper briefing and introduction to their rooms. “It’s common for corporate groups to arrive late,” Andrew says. “They didn’t make the booking and they don’t know to be early.”
Key takeaway: Expectations depend on who was involved with the booking. Corporate groups often turn up not knowing what to expect at all, so it’s important they get a good briefing and that any fears are addressed. The person who booked them is often looking for a better experience than what they’ve had before - they want the fun turned up!
Know the goals of corporate escape room clients and do what you can to exceed expectations
Buzzshot recommendation: Help set the scene early with corporate clients by sending key information ahead of their booking. For example, you can send waivers and email communications that set expectations, including when they should arrive.
Some escape rooms use PDF files or Google forms to do this, but Buzzshot makes it easier and more streamlined to send out an invite to the booker and have them invite the rest of the team.
In an ideal scenario, you’d have the email addresses of all who are participating so that you can send out photos and review information to each person afterwards.
How to appeal to corporate clients
One of the interesting things about talking with different escape room owners is that they each have unique suggestions for attracting their corporate clients. Let’s break it down:Theming
“Your theming is one of the first things to consider,” says David.“(There) has to be a theme in your rooms that they want to bring their teams to. "I’m taking you all to a cabin to try and not get murdered" is rarely a universal winner in most corporate teams.”
Packages
“Corporate packages are a must,” says Ben. As corporate groups are often much larger than a regular booking and will have to spend more, they’re often looking for some kind of deal or “extras” set up just for them.“If groups can race against each other or play at the same time, it will help add to their experience and save wasting time waiting for their other players to finish games,” Ben says. It’s important to remember that those groups may be aiming to have a more exciting experience than they may have had at other team-building days - sitting around will not add to the experience!
David says, “We create tailored packages for corporate clients, for example giving them the chance to watch their peers play, or exclusive site use with food and drinks.”
Flexibility
“Escape room owners need to be able to flex the timings, flow and objectives of the events to fit the companies needs much more than the general public,” says David.Andrew echoes this, “we often get calls requesting additional accommodations for corporate clients which we do our best to fulfill,” he says. “For example, they might want to meet up beforehand and have a space with a screen and projector.”
Service
Your corporate clients will expect to have a high level of service, which includes their experiences before, during and after their booking.“At Clue Cracker, we make sure we greet everyone with a smile and huge enthusiasm from the minute they enter the building to the minute they leave,” says Ben.
“The same holds true for 50 people as 5 people - they need to feel like the service is tailored for them,” David says. “More so, perhaps, when they can be spending so much on the event.”
As an escape room owner, you have to also expect that the process of nailing down a corporate booking may take longer than what you’re used to with other clients, and be prepared to be accommodating throughout that process. David adds, “they need great communication during the buying process. Being able to explain what you do in a way they can go off and sell themselves to the person holding the purse strings is critical,” he says.
“After that comes patience, they don’t buy in the same way as consumers - sometimes these deals can take weeks of back and forth.”
Extra space
Being able to offer extra space for activities was a consistent theme with all three of our interviewees. Whether the escape room has additional “break out” rooms, they use rooms nearby, or, they have the corporate client book additional rooms to use while they’re there.Having the extra space means that corporate clients can mingle or perhaps have a meeting or presentation. Sometimes it’s a great way to offer a reception space, where players can relax and get into the mood for the escape room.
“We offer food and drink at the restaurant we are attached to (The Shuffle House), and have a party room available with games and Prosecco so people can get comfortable straight away,” says Ben. “At Christmas, we set up games and have the offer of a drinks package so they can meet and chat before or after their game. By playing games, it relaxes them and gets the players in the mood for the real escape game!”
“We can offer hot and cold buffet, tea and coffee,” says Andrew. Knockout Escape Rooms does this upon request and will have the corporate client book one of their extra rooms to accommodate.
Offering the extra space can really help with their decision to make a booking: “We offer our corporate clients the chance to use our rooms for meetings before the escape room event” David says. “The combination of the two uses often makes it easier for them to justify the expense.”
Finding the right person
“The key with corporates is getting to the right person,” Andrew says. “This can be tough, but once you’ve found them you can often make a lot of bookings through that person.”Keeping in touch with your contact is important. “They receive a newsletter every so often which tells them about any new rooms or offers,” says Andrew. “Once you’ve got them in, give them great service so they come back. We have companies that have kept coming back for 12-13 years because of this.”
The same companies often come back. “They’ll often do two out of four rooms, then come back, swap over and have a rematch to compete for better times,” Andrew says. “Corporate clients also will often come back with their families and friends.”
Free download: Get our tips here for marketing to corporate escape room clients
Final thoughts
Our interviewees universally agreed that it’s not easy to find and attract corporate clients, but once you find the right formula that works for your business, those clients can make a big difference.Corporate bookings tend to be during work days which are traditionally slower times for most escape rooms. They often bring larger groups and require multiple rooms.
The bottom line is the experience you give them. Corporate clients have team-building goals and want to ensure that their people have a good time. Escape rooms have the opportunity to offer them something they may not have had before; a unique experience that utilises different skills and is inclusive of everyone.
Marketing to Corporate Escape Room Clients
