This document provides an overview of a webinar on developing a better business model for parks and recreation agencies. The webinar covered topics like effective pricing strategies, managing donation messaging, leveraging staff knowledge, using incentives, and understanding customers. The presenter emphasized using data and business planning to improve revenue and accountability. Attendees were asked to discuss steps their agency could take to understand customers better or develop new strategies based on the webinar content.

1. Desktop Education for Parks And Recreation
Welcome and Sign-In
• Have you downloaded and printed a copy of
your handouts? (Sent as attachments and links in
emails.)
• Please sign in with:
– Your Agency Name and the number of people
watching/attending the webinar from your
agency today
– Re: CEUs
• Use IPRA sign-in sheet
• Emailed from IPRA Staff
– The name of the person who will be
inputting answers into the webinar
application
– This session my go a few minutes beyond
the one hour mark as we get accustomed
to the webinar format. Thanks for your
patience.

2. Let’s Quickly Review the Webinar ApplicationRaise your hand here…
This is the Feedback Box
This is the chatbox… Type here, hit enter to send

3. Thumbs up or Thumbs down…
Thumbs up if your agency has changed some of
its “business practices” in the past few years.
Thumbs down if you are pretty much running
“business as usual.”

4. How strongly do you agree with this
statement?
I wish my agency was run more
like my favorite “businesses”
(Starbucks, Costco, Apple,
restaurants you love, etc.)
4

5. The Better Business Model
Presented by
Jeff Price, Business Manager,
City of Everett Washington
resourcestohelp@gmail.com
Questions, comments or feedback to
your webinar host at: 760.809.3231
5

6. IPRA
Parks &
_________

7. Parks &
REVENUE!

8. The Better Business Model
“In the business world, the
rearview mirror is always
clearer than the windshield.”
--Warren Buffett

9. The Better Business Model
“The system or manner in which an entity
delivers value to the customer, drives revenue
where possible, and provides accountability
both internally and to its’ constituents.”
During this session we will:
1. Provide some strategies and tactics to drive
revenue based on sound business principals,
university research and experience.
2. Strategies that require little or no funds to start.

10. The Better Business Model
"You can't do today's job with
yesterday's methods and be in
business tomorrow.“ Zig Ziglar

11. The Better Business Model
During this session we will cover:
– Effective use of pricing
– Donations ($$)
– Incentives
– Business plans (overview of why and benefits)
– How well do you know your customer? (matter?)
– Managing our messaging to drive revenue
– Staff driven ideas
– Upsell/cross sell
– Questions/Closing thoughts

12. The Better Business Model
Effective use of Pricing:
1. Differentiation Photo of bench here
“Where you have two
or more similar
products but priced
differently based
upon some unique set
of attributes.”

13. Bench view from Forest Park trail

14. Bench view from Forest Park trail
This location $2,500

15. Howarth Park bench view

16. Howarth Park bench view
This location $3,500

17. The Better Business Model
Pricing:
1. Differentiated (discriminatory)
2. Packaging and peak (seasonal) rates
a. cleaning package on rentals
b. higher summer rates for rentals and picnic
shelters.
Discuss and Share in your chat box… (30 seconds)
Where could you apply the concept of
“differentiation” to your agency’s “products?”

18. The Better Business Model
Manage our messaging effectively to increase revenue:
1. Donation messaging – any low hanging fruit?

19. 2005-2012 Everett Park Donations
$-
$5,000
$10,000
$15,000
$20,000
$25,000
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
$1,900 $1,600
$12,322
$16,758
$21,380$21,718
$21,024
$22,237

20. The Better Business Model
To improve donations:
A. Clearly articulate the need
“It costs us $X to operate _____________.
Your donation will help us off-set the cost of
operating this program.”

21. The Better Business Model
To improve donations:
B. Recommend a specific amount where and
when possible.
“Donations of $X per adult and $X per child help
offset maintenance and other expenses. We greatly
appreciate your help.”

22. The Better Business Model
To improve donations:
C. Set goals with your team/staff

23. The Better Business Model
To improve donations:
D. Set goals with your staff
E. Cast a vision
“If you want someone to bleed for your
cause, then you must be willing to hemorrhage
for it.” attributed to Napoleon

24. The Better Business Model
Manage your messaging to increase revenue:
1. Donation messaging
2. Asking better questions

25. What & HOW We Say it Matters …
Hi, how are you? What brings you here today?
Anything I can help you with? What can I help you find today?
Is this all you need today? What else are you looking for today?
Are you doing okay? What other types of __ are you
interested in?
Thanks… Thank you for visiting (your
location/dept name)!
Harvard research/Office Depot Corp.
INSTEAD OF ASKING CONSIDER ASKING….

26. “Your organization can be 10,000
strong, but for the customer, the
person handling the transaction is
the organization.” Derek Stockley

27. YOU are your department’s….

28. YOU are your department’s….
Want to improve your brand or image?

29. If you want to change your
reputation, then change your
repetition.

30. LATHER, RINSE, REPEAT!

32. Social norm marketing
Social norms marketing is based on the central
concept of social norms theory – that much of
people’s behavior is influenced by their
perceptions of what is “normal” or “typical.”
In other words people want to be like
others, especially if the person wants to be part
of that group.
The university based research into this is overwhelming.
See Robert Cialdini’s book “Influence”

33. Social Norming…..elevator

34. Social Norms Marketing

35. Social Norms Marketing
Northern Illinois University- reduced on-
campus drinking by 44% by educating
student about how little other students
actually did drink at parties.

36. Social Norms Marketing –
Parks applications
Blurb in our guide next to our wellness and
fitness classes: “Surveys nationally show
an overwhelming desire by people to get
healthy and fit.”

37. Social Norms Marketing –
Parks applications

38. Social Norms Marketing –
Parks applications
Parvo illness & dog parks: Below our basic language
we have the following information

39. Social Norms Marketing –
Parks applications
Parvo illness & dog parks: Below our basic language
we have the following information
“Responsible dog owners like you make sure
their dogs have up to date vaccinations.
Contact a veterinarian for questions about
vaccinations for your pet.”

40. Social Norm Marketing
The research indicates that Including survey
data and testimonials whenever possible is very
impactful to moving people. For example…

41. Social Norm Marketing
The research indicates that Including survey
data and testimonials whenever possible is very
impactful to moving people. For example…
Listed on our facility rental marketing material we share that:
“95% rated our customer service as very good or excellent” &
“50% of our renters are repeat customers”

42. Social Norm Marketing
The research indicates that Including survey
data and testimonials whenever possible is
very impactful to moving people. For example…
On our swim lesson marketing material we list
testimonials like this, “We have had and continue to
have extremely satisfying experiences at the Forest
Park Pool.” Greg & Kathy Lawson and family.

43. Social Norm Marketing
A few important elements:
1. Have fun with it and experiment!
2. Be truthful in your messaging
3. It may require to go out and get
testimonials, take surveys to publish
findings, and listen more to your customers.
4. Test but don’t survey for awareness (occurs at
subconscious level.)
How might you apply the idea of “social norm
marketing to your agency’s business model?

44. Leverage staff knowledge and experiences.

45. Leverage staff knowledge and experiences:
1. Top 10 customer complaints front desk staff
hear.

46. Leverage staff knowledge and experiences:
Renter’s don’t want to clean up after themselves.
1. Top 10 customer complaints front desk staff
hear.

47. Leverage staff knowledge and experiences:
1. Top 10 customer complaints front desk staff
hear.
Discuss and Share in your chat box… (30 seconds)
What are some of the top complaints you or your
staff hear at YOUR front desk?

48. The Better Business Model
Leverage staff knowledge and experiences:
2. Example: Selling firewood

49. The Better Business Model
• Business Plans to drive
your business
“In my own work, I’ve tried to
anticipate what’s coming over
the horizon, to hasten its
arrival, and to apply it to
people’s lives in a meaningful
way.”
Paul Allen

50. The Better Business Model
• Why Plan?
• Communicate direction
• Alignment up and down
• Accountability
• Confidence at all levels

51. Things we’ve learned and benefits
Data is your friend
Business Minded
Helps evaluate objectively
Improve revenue
Educate staff at all levels &
the public (increases
trust)

52. The Better Business Model
• Incentives
• Recreation programs

53. The Better Business Model
Example: Incentive Based Compensation
Per class flat fee (first 5 students) $25
Incentive based compensation
6 - 10 students 20%
11 - 15 students 25%
16 - 20 students 30%
21 - 25 students 35%
26 – 30 students 40%
31 – 35 students 45%

54. The Better Business Model
• Upselling, Cross selling, Bundling

55. The Better Business Model
Understanding your customers
1. Best customer/survey work
It now costs 5 time
more to obtain a new
customer than it does
to keep a current
customer. MIT/UCLA

56. The Better Business Model
Info on “best” customers($500+)
based on Class data, Census
data, and best customer survey.

57. The Better Business Model
Class data shows us that 6% of
our customers bring in 31%
of our total revenue!

58. The Better Business Model
Class data shows us that 6% of our customers bring in 31% of our
total revenue!
SURVEY RESULTS: We have a better idea why they sign up for
our programs; what marketing methods they best respond to;
how we compare to the competition; the kinds of things they
may be interested in doing that we’re not currently offering.
We know their level of interest in and how we can engage
them in social media; and that they love our e-newsletter but
our ‘awareness’ rate for it could be a lot higher.

59. The Better Business Model
GIS/Census/Class/Survey Tool

60. Are you willing to rinse your
cottage cheese?

61. The Better Business Model
What business step do you and your team
need to make with respect to improving your
business model? •Understanding your customers better?
•Developing pricing strategies?
•Asking better questions?
•Messaging?
•Business plans?
•Brainstorming with staff on the front
lines?
Please discuss and type into the text box some things
your group WILL do as a result of being here today.

62. Better Business Model
Contact information
Jeff Price 425-367-2231
Resourcestohelp@gmail.com
Jeff Price has authored 2 books currently on Amazon.
Upselling & 6 Proven Marketing Strategies
Check them out for more great information.

63. Thanks for your participation and
hard work!
Next Month’s Webinar - Wednesday April 9 or Thursday, April 17
Speaker: Teresa Penbrooke CEO and Founder - GreenPlay, LLC
Topic: Keys to Relevance in Parks and Recreation
• Our roles in parks and recreation have changed. We are faced with economic challenges, changing
demographics, differing opinions, and ever evolving philosophies. This session will provide an
overview of the need for our evolution in overall community relevance, some driving concepts,
and then provide summaries of the key positioning ideas and methods for making necessary and
pro-active changes as they are needed to ensure our agencies abilities to survive and thrive in the
future.
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