Castro Village Bowl is a bowling alley located in Castro Valley, California that has been in business since 1961. While it has a loyal customer base and offers affordable prices and frequent promotions, it is missing out on attracting younger customers. Research methods including surveys, interviews, and analyzing social media and review sites found that the bowling alley lacks a strong social media presence and many of its events are geared toward older patrons. A proposed strategic plan includes partnering with the local high school on youth-focused events, updating the alley's appearance, and growing its social media presence in order to attract more young customers and their families.

1. Castro Village Bowl
S p o r t s a n d E n t e r t a i n m e n t
O p e r a t i o n s R e s e a r c h
C a s t r o V a l l e y D E C A
C a s t r o V a l l e y H i g h S c h o o l
1 9 4 0 0 S a n t a M a r i a A v e n u e
C a s t r o V a l l e y , C A 9 4 5 4 6
4 / 2 9 / 2 0 1 5
Kimberly Barclay

2. Table of Contents
I. Executive Summary................................................................................................................. 1
II. INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................... 2
III. RESEARCH METHODS USED IN THE STUDY.................................................................. 5
IV. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS OF THE STUDY............................................................ 7
Social Media:........................................................................................................................... 7
CVB Website:.......................................................................................................................... 8
SWOT Analysis:...................................................................................................................... 9
Review Sites: ......................................................................................................................... 12
Customer/High School Surveys............................................................................................. 13
V. PROPOSED STRATEGIC PLAN........................................................................................... 15
Battle of the Classes............................................................................................................... 15
Social Media .......................................................................................................................... 16
“Dragons Aren’t Real” .......................................................................................................... 17
Bowling Bingo....................................................................................................................... 18
Renovations ........................................................................................................................... 19
VI. PROPOSED BUDGET........................................................................................................... 21
VII. CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................................... 22
VIII. BIBLIOGRAPHY................................................................................................................ 24
IX. APPENDIX............................................................................................................................. 25

3. I. Executive Summary
Business Overview: In 1961, Castro Village Bowl was opened in the small town of Castro
Valley, California, with the goal of bringing family-friendly fun to those in the community.
Since then, the business has not changed much in appearance, nor existing brand efforts. Today,
the bowl hosts many leagues and has an abundance of promotions which appeal to their current
target market, Generation X and the early part of Generation Y.
The Underserved Generation: Castro Village Bowl appeals to a wide range of consumers from
young kids in preschool and elementary school, to retirees; yet, it skips the entire young adult
and pre-teen generation. This is a large, untapped market the bowling alley needs to take
advantage of.
Research Methods: Key Findings:
Proposed Strategies:
Return on Investment:
With a total investment of $11,306, there is a predicted increase in first-year revenue of
$74,450. The ROI is 558.49%. With an additional 2,630 customers per year, a 1.02% increase,
Castro Village Bowl will see a 4.96% increase in annual revenue, yielding $1,574,450.
SWOT
Analysis
Customer Survey
Social
Media
High School
Student Survey
Review
Sites
Manager
Interview
Little
Social
Media
ManyRecurring
Promotions
Worn
Out
Look
Doesn't Take
Advantage of
High School
Mixed
Reviews
Loyal Customers
Work with Castro
Valley High School
•Battle of the Classes
•"Dragons Aren't Real"
Update
Appearance
•Renovate Outside
•New lightingand
carpeting
Integrate Social
Media
•Twitter
•Instagram
•Facebook

4. II. INTRODUCTION
A. Description of the business or organization
Established in 1961, Castro Village Bowl (CVB) has been a long time favorite for
entertainment among community members. It offers an old school style alley with 32 lanes, a full
cocktail lounge, and a snack bar. However, the “old school vibe” tends to translate to customers
as outdated and rundown, which holds true for their scoring system, lanes, and overall look. The
only modern aspect of the bowling alley is its ability to accept credit cards, which is not much in
2015. Throughout the week, they host numerous regular leagues, kids’ birthday parties, and
themed tournaments. The alley also offers many daily promotions on top of their affordable
regular prices. With an average of 300-400 customers daily, Castro Village Bowl makes a gross
annual income of roughly $1.5 million. Below is a chart including all of the weekly promotions,
offers, and regular rates:
Name Pricing/Offer When it’s offered
Regular Rates -Junior Senior Rate (before 6 pm):
$3.50/person/game
-Adults: $5/person/game
-Shoes: $3/person
Daily
$1.50 Days $1.50/person/game Sunday’s (8am-
12pm)
Monday’s (12pm-
12am)
Friday’s (12pm-
6pm)
Twist & Shout Sunday -All you can bowl: $13/person/game
-Shoes: Free
*Includes music
Sunday’s
(8:30pm-11:30pm)
Meal Deal -Budweiser Draft/Sodas: $2
-Hot Dog & Fries: $3
-Hamburger & Fries: $5
Monday’s (6pm-
12am)
$2 Tuesdays -$2/person/game
-Shoes: $2/person
Tuesday’s (9am-
5pm)

5. After Hours Tuesday -All you can bowl/Shoes: $10/person
-$1 Draft
*Includes music
Tuesday’s (9pm-
12am)
$5 Special 2 Games & Shoes: $5/person Wednesday’s
(11am-4pm)
Thursday’s (11am-
4pm)
Wild Wednesday All you can bowl & Shoes:
$10/person
*Includes music, neon lights, and
drink specials
Wednesday’s
(9pm-12am)
Thirsty Thursday -All you can bowl & Shoes:
$13/person
- One free hot dog & Budweiser
Draft/Soda
-Additional Budweiser Draft/Soda: $1
*Includes music
Thursday’s (9pm-
12am)
T.G.I.F. All you can bowl & Shoes:
$15/person
Friday’s (9:30pm-
12:30am)
Saturday Rock & Bowl All you can bowl & Shoes:
$15/person
-Includes music and EFX lighting
Saturday’s (10pm-
12:30am)
$2 Saturday -$2/person/game
-Shoes: $2/person
Saturday’s (9am-
12pm)
Team
Building/Fundraisers/Group
Events
2 hours of bowling & Shoes:
$10/person
*10 person minimum
Daily
CVB is a very popular location for young children to have birthday parties due to the
exciting entertainment for kids and affordable rates for parents. Castro Village Bowl regularly
hosts 3-5 parties a week and up to 10 during the busy summer months. The alley also hosts 10+
leagues with a standard length of 33-35 weeks, keeping the alley busy year round. Various
league and public tournaments are also held at the alley almost every weekend. Unfortunately,
many of these leagues and tournaments are 18+ or 21+, which excludes most of the underserved
group. The only promotion geared specifically toward teenagers is the junior rate, $3.50 games
before 6 pm.

6. B. Description of the community
Geographic:
The Castro Village Bowl is a local, family-owned
bowling alley located in Castro Valley, California, a small
suburb of the San Francisco-Bay Area. The Bowl is located
within Castro Valley’s Village, the town’s most popular
shopping center with a variety of restaurants, stores, and other
establishments. Its central downtown location offers many
opportunities for the Bowl since it is within a few miles of most Castro Valley residents. It is
also accessible by students and is walking distance from almost all Castro Valley schools. The
Bowl attracts visitors from neighboring towns; however, the alley is most frequented by the
locals in a 5-12 mile radius.
Demographics:
Castro Valley is a small, residential area surrounded by larger cities which are
incorporated and more industrialized. According to the 2010 Census, Castro Valley has a total
population of 61,388. Castro Valley is predominantly Caucasian (52%), with large percentages
of Asian (21.9%) and Latino/Hispanic (15.3%) residents. Most residents are between the ages of
35-55 or under 18. From the age scattering, we can assume that Castro Valley is populated
mostly by families, while young adults and seniors tend to move out of the area. The 2012
median household income in Castro Valley was estimated to be $73,523, placing the town in the
middle-class range. This income paired with the Bowl’s affordable pricing demonstrates that
bowling is a viable entertainment for families in this area.
Castro Village Bowl Location

7. C. Overview of the business’ current target market
The Castro Village Bowl is one of Castro Valley’s oldest and most popular entertainment
centers. The town’s residents have been enjoying the alley’s fun and excitement for over 50
years. According to the manager, Toni Gorhan, the Castro Village Bowl does not have a specific
target market. The alley envisions a “universal” target market and aims to please all groups of
people, regardless of age, income level, or other defining traits.
However, the Bowl does inadvertently create a target market through its leagues and
weekly specials, attracting certain age groups and pushing other groups away. The Bowl has at
least one special every day of the week, ranging from “$1.50 days” to “Wild Wednesdays” to
“Saturday Rock n Bowl”. However, some of these nighttime specials, such as Thirsty Thursdays,
are 21+ events, which pushes away both younger people who are unable to attend and older
people who do not want to bowl in that atmosphere. Castro Village Bowl also closes off the alley
to non-league members for three hour periods for regular league play, which occurs multiple
times throughout the week. Together, the leagues and weekly specials create a target market
primarily composed of adult bowlers (25+) and dedicated, league bowlers, which excludes
students and young adults out for a fun night at the alley.
III. RESEARCH METHODS USED IN THE STUDY
A. Description and rationale of research methodologies
The selected research methods used include: a SWOT analysis, review sites, social media
scans, customer and student surveys, and an interview with the general manager. I used a SWOT
analysis as an effective tool to gather thoughts and figure out the restaurant’s strengths and

8. weaknesses. It also identified competition and helped us create methods for Castro Village Bowl
can surpass their competition. From this, I was able to devise simple strategies by looking at the
restaurant’s overall opportunities and threats.
Review sites were another powerful source to collect information about the restaurant.
Similar complaints and praise from multiple people helped establish the biggest problems and
successes of Castro Village Bowl. Review sites, such as Yelp.com and Bowling2U.com, give
first-hand accounts of what customers liked and which improvements they wanted to see the
bowling alley make. By providing an extensive collection of both positive and negative reviews,
Yelp.com and Bowling2U sped up the process of selecting CV Bowl’s areas for improvement.
A quick internet search for Castro Village Bowl shows the size of its following and its
impression on potential customers. The first link that comes up is their website, which is easy to
maneuver and allows customers to find any information they need on the bowling alley.
Although they have a Facebook, it has not been recently updated and lacks the liveliness and
attention needed for a successful social media page. Other than this page, their presence on social
media is nonexistent. A social media scan allowed us to evaluate their presence and see how they
communicate with customers, especially with younger generations.
A customer survey was conducted while customers played at the bowling alley, which
ensured relevant and up to date information and opinions. The survey asked basic demographic
questions, which improvements customers would like to see, and an overall rating of the
establishment. The survey gave us a simple, categorical way to establish a target market and
determine the needs and wants of the current customers.
Surveys were also handed out to random students at Castro Valley High School, just
down the street from the bowling alley. Castro Village Bowl does not seem to be a popular

9. entertainment place for teens and this survey gave us an insight on why not. Questions about
whether they had been to the bowling alley, what their experience was like, and how they felt the
value was, were asked to get a feel for students’ attitude toward the bowling alley. The high
school student surveys provided direct responses from the generation I wanted to focus our
promotional efforts on.
An interview with the manager, Toni Gorham, was conducted as a way to gain insight
into business operations. Basic questions pertaining to overall background, management, existing
promotional efforts, and finances were asked. Valuable details on history, maintenance, and day-
to-day activities of the bowling alley were very helpful in creating new strategies.
Information from the SWOT analysis, review sites, internet research, customer
surveys, high school student surveys, and personal interview showed different perspectives
and provided useful, accountable data.
IV. FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS OF THE STUDY
A. Findings of the research study
Social Media:
A simple scan for Castro Village Bowl on the internet or any common smartphone app
quickly demonstrates the alley’s lack of social media presence. The alley has a self-run Facebook
page with almost 800 likes and over 16,500 visits. This page gives basic information about the
business including location, phone numbers, hours, and a link to the official website. Facebook
also has a reviews section, where CVB has earned a rating of 3.8 of 5 stars from 158 total
reviews. Unfortunately, even with a relatively large following and positive feedback, the alley’s
last updates were Christmas specials from December 22, 2010. The alley has only one photo on
its page, a white minivan in front of the bowling alley, which is blocked by trees and

10. unrecognizable in the photo. The lack of photos and recent posts clearly shows that CVB’s
Facebook page is obsolete and almost useless to the average consumer.
Furthermore, CVB is completely missing from today’s most popular social media platforms,
Twitter and Instagram. Both of these apps and websites are great ways for the Bowl to advertise
their business, promote exciting specials, and communicate with customers. These are huge
opportunities that the Bowl is not taking advantage of. It seems as if smartphones are in every
pocket and purse these days and social media is a highly effective way to gain new customers
and maintain customer loyalty. Teenagers are infamous for their attachments to social media,
which may be a large factor in why the Bowl under-serves youths today.
Conclusion: By creating and growing a social media presence on Facebook, Twitter,
and Instagram, Castro Village Bowl will attract many more young customers while
creating solid customer-business relationships.
CVB Website:
The Castro Village Bowl has its own self-managed website, the first result on a typical
Google search for the business. The website contains comprehensive information including
hours, rates, weekly specials, league updates, and event information. The site contains is very
useful, but looks outdated and appears as if hasn’t been redone in many years. Although not
incredibly important for the business, a clean, interesting, and modern website gives newcomers
a good first impression of the business.
The alley does not attract many young people but surprisingly has quite a few programs and
specials that have been in place for years. They offer lower junior rates all weekdays before 6
pm, helping make the sport more affordable for teenagers. They also offer junior leagues and a
“Kids Bowl Free” program during the summer, but very little information on either of these are

11. available online. I predicted these programs were unpopular because of the lack of information
and public knowledge.
Another likely reason that young people do not visit the alley is because many of the weekly
specials inhibit people under 18 or 21 from attending. The alley has multiple nights, “After
Hours Tuesday”, “Wild Wednesday”, and “Thirsty Thursdays”, where people under 21 are not
allowed in the bowling alley. Outside of the Junior League, the alley’s other 10+ leagues and
frequent tournaments are generally 18+, which stops most students and teens from participating.
Conclusion: CVB has many special nights, leagues, and tournaments for adults which
inhibits teenagers and young adults from participating in many of the alley’s exciting
events and causes them to lose overall interest in bowling.
SWOT Analysis:
Strengths Weaknesses
 low prices
 loyal customers
 a lot of promotions
 frequent leagues
 active location
 small, tight-knit community
 outdated equipment
 outdated appearance
 little to no social media presence
 2.5 stars on yelp (mixed reviews)
 reports of bad customer service
 older crowd dominates market
Opportunities Threats
 work with high school
 update equipment
 revamp appearance
 consistently good customer
service
 other bowling alleys (Dublin Bowl)
 other entertainment places (movie
theaters, mini golf, Boomers, etc.)
Shown above is a SWOT analysis outlining the positive and negative aspects of Castro
Village Bowl. First, the strengths are what have led to the bowling alley’s current success and
established customer base. These loyal customers promote CVB through word of mouth and

12. bring in many new customers. Low prices make bowling affordable for everyone, especially
families on a budget. This makes the bowling alley much more accessible to a larger group of
customers. They also have at least one promotion a day, driving prices even lower and attracting
more customers. Leagues provide a consistent source of income in high volume on most nights
during the week and on weekends. Castro Village Bowl’s location in the heart of Castro Valley,
The Village, is always bustling with people from the small community. Additionally, the alley is
one of Castro Valley’s few entertainment opportunities, sharing the spotlight with a 1-screen
movie theatre and a 36-hole mini golf
course.
Although the bowling alley has
many strengths attributing to its success,
there are a few factors which hold it
back from achieving even more success.
For example, the exterior appearance
and outdated equipment gives the bowling alley a rundown, boring feel. Also, Castro Village
Bowl has very mixed reviews on sites such as Yelp.com. Many customers report great, friendly
employees who improved their experience, while others say employees were rude and unhelpful.
This inconsistency in customer service can possibly ruin a customer’s experience at the bowling
alley, deterring them from returning and resulting in even more bad reviews. Besides their
website and the review sites, the bowling alley has little to no presence on the internet. They
have a Facebook, but it hasn’t been updated recently and they are not on any other social media
sites. In this day and age, social media plays a substantial role in modern marketing. It is
especially important when it comes to attracting the teenage generation, because they spend so

13. much time on Twitter, Instagram, etc. With older generations dominating the bowling alley’s
main market, it can deter younger potential customers from coming in because they believe it
won’t be fun.
The threats which Castro Village Bowl encounters include other local bowling alleys and
entertainment establishments. For example, the significantly larger and more modern Dublin
Bowl is about 15 minutes away from Castro Village Bowl. Although their prices are higher, the
up-to-date appearance, additional lanes, and modern scoring systems help add value. Boomers is
another type of entertainment establishment which includes mini golf, an arcade, go-karting, and
many other activities. Movie theaters, such as the local Chabot Theatre, are another alternative
for teens instead of going to Castro Village Bowl.
With these weaknesses and threats in mind, Castro Village Bowl has opportunities to grow
and evolve as a business. First off, the local high school is just down the street, and is a great
resource to get teenagers to come bowling. Offering promotions geared toward high school
students or working with the high school to offer programs for students will give students
incentive to go to the bowling alley. Refreshing the overall appearance of the bowling alley will
also give it more appeal, not only to teens, but to all customers. Lastly, having consistently good
customer service will increase customer satisfaction. This will also increase the number of
positive ratings on review sites and ideally bring in more customers from around the area.
Conclusion: The main findings from the SWOT analysis are that Castro Village Bowl
needs to update its equipment and appearance, integrate social media, provide consistently
good customer service, and use the high school as a tool to promote business.

14. Review Sites:
One of the largest, most popular review sites on the internet is Yelp.com. Millions of people
use Yelp to decide whether or not to go somewhere, making reviews very valuable. On Yelp,
Castro Village Bowl has an overall rating of 2.5 stars. Customers praise the low prices and
friendly employees, and love the many promotions the bowling alley hosts. A few people even
mentioned coming for the Groupon offered, which has a 90% recommendation rate. One
customer said, “...the lady
behind the counter could not
have been kinder. The
gentleman who brought the kids
a bunch of 6 pound balls took
his time to make sure we knew
what we were doing and he was kind too.” Many also say they’ve been going to the bowling
alley for years. Ironically, there are also reviews complaining about terrible customer service.
Some are very rude and angry when describing the way they were treated as customers at Castro
Village Bowl. Another review site called, Bowling2U, displays similar mixed reviews. Overall,
Castro Village Bowl has a better rating of 3.5 stars, which may be because there are more league
bowlers who use the site. Much of the praise the bowling alley gets comes from its numerous
promotions driving their already low prices even lower. It also tends to get a good rating from
families and parents who have their children’s birthday parties there.
Conclusion: Castro Village Bowl does a great job offering a significant amount of
promotions, keeping their prices low, and maintaining loyal customers. However, they need
to improve upon having consistently good customer service.

15. Customer/High School Surveys
We went to the Castro Village Bowl twice in order to get more accurate survey results, one
night was hosting two leagues and one afternoon with all types of bowlers.
The following table displays our results from the customer survey:
Age 11&Under 12-21 22-35 36-50 51-69 70+
6 5 8 9 14 8
# of Visits 0 1-10 11-20 20+
2 6 6 36
Value Overpriced Average Good Great
0 10 17 23
Rating 0-5 6 7 8 9 10
2 0 4 9 7 28
The 50-person customer survey helped us gain important demographic information as well
as consumer opinions from new and frequent visitors alike. Most people think the alley is priced
well and generally cheaper than its local competitors. One of the alley’s major selling points is
its lower prices and wide range of specials. As mentioned before, half our surveys were
conducted on a league play night, which explains the large numbers of “20+ visits”. However,
CVB visitors are usually loyal customers and tend to visit this bowl only whenever bowling is
the choice of entertainment, as demonstrated by the 96% return rate. The overall ratings that
visitors gave the alley are positive, with majority of the customers rating CVB as a 10. We gave
customers a chance to tell us how the alley could improve or what they’d like to see in the
bowling alley’s future. Some of the repeat responses we received were: revamped snack bar,
cosmic lighting/music nights, site-wide Wi-Fi, and more promotions and opportunities for
youths. There was a reasonable spread in ages, however, our target market, ages 12-21, had the

16. least representation. We had already hypothesized that the 12-21 age range was underserved and
the survey we conducted directly supports that.
We also surveyed 80 high school students at Castro Valley High School through a short
anonymous survey. All surveys were conducted in the same day from three separate classes. The
following are the results from our survey:
Most Recent Visit < 3 mos. <12 mos. <24 mos. >24 mos.
21 18 5 20
# of Visits 0 1-10 11-20 20+
10 42 17 11
Value Overpriced Average Good Great
2 10 34 20
Rating 1-5 6 7 8 9 10
8 9 22 24 3 3
The #1 reason students said they did not go to the alley often was because a lack of interest.
We followed up and asked students if they would go to the bowling alley if there were events
tailored for high school students, such as student nights, post-game specials, and cosmic
bowling. We received a very positive response with 57 students showing interest and 23 “No” or
“Maybe” responses. Events specifically targeted toward our 12-21 year olds market is the perfect
way to create interest and help the alley gain a younger customer base.
Conclusion: Customers and students alike both thoroughly enjoy the bowling alley and
are frequent visitors who rate their experiences positively. To help the alley serve our
target market more successfully, we should create events and specials that are tailored for
12-21 year olds.

17. V. PROPOSED STRATEGIC PLAN
A. Objectives and rationale of the proposed plan
After conducting extensive research, I concluded that Castro Village Bowl is significantly
underserving the latter part of Generation Y and the beginning of Generation Z, those 12-21
years old. To better serve this market, the alley should begin promotions targeted toward the
younger generation, make use of social media, and update the appearance. Promotions that are
targeted toward young adults will encourage them to participate more. Social media is a large
part of today’s teenage culture, so it is an effective way to interact with a large majority of our
new target market. An updated, modern look will add appeal for customers and increase their
satisfaction.
B. Proposed activities and timelines
Battle of the Classes
Just down the street from Castro Village Bowl is Castro Valley High School, which
educates about 3500 students. During the last full week of October, C.V.H.S. hosts their annual
homecoming, including a parade and rally for students as well as members of the community.
Students begin counting down the days until the next homecoming begins the day after the
current year’s ends. It is undoubtedly the largest activity the high school hosts and nearly 90% of
the school participates. Homecoming also incorporates a competition between the classes.
Throughout the week, students participate in various activities to gain points for their class, so at
the end of the week, they may claim the title of the class with the most spirit. These activities
range from lunch activity contests, to charity drives, to Earth conservation challenges.
Incorporating a battle of the classes at the bowling alley as a fundraiser and competition for
homecoming would make students excited to come bowl.

18. The event wouldn’t be held just for that week, it would be held for the entire month of
October, ending with homecoming week. Students can come in at any time of day during
October and play for the discounted junior rate to earn points for their class. After bowling,
students can turn in their scores to their class box and the points will go toward the homecoming
competition. During the week of homecoming students’ scores will earn double the points for
their class, providing even more incentive for participation. At the end of homecoming, when the
winning class is announced, Castro Village Bowl will donate $1000 to the winning class.
According to our survey of high school students, about 71% said they would participate
in a fundraiser at the bowling alley, about 2450 teenagers. This number could also be higher
because of the event’s association with homecoming. With that, also comes the possibility of
them playing multiple games which increases potential profit.
Conclusion: By utilizing the popularity and competitive nature of homecoming at
Castro Valley High School, we can bring in large numbers of students in our target market
as well as make a substantial profit.
Social Media
As mentioned earlier, the Castro Village Bowl is basically nonexistent on social media
platforms. CVB has an extremely outdated Facebook page that seems to have been given up on.
Instagram and Twitter are today’s most popular social media platforms, especially for younger
people, yet CVB does not have accounts for either. Websites and apps like Facebook, Instagram,
and Twitter are incredible ways to advertise the business, offer exciting new deals, update
customers on day to day activities, and create a modern image for the Bowl.
Social media’s most powerful attribute is its ability to advertise the business to thousands of
people at once, without costing the business a single penny. In a single Instagram post or Tweet,

19. the Bowl can let customers know about new leagues, daily promotions, or special events. Better
yet, every time a post is liked or shared, the audience grows exponentially as more and more
people see the “advertisement.”
Another extremely useful feature of social media is the ability to offer exclusive deals for
social media users, with the added benefit of more advertising. For example, the Bowl could
offer a free shoe rental for customers who “Check-In” on Facebook, post a photo on Instagram,
or use a specific hashtag on Twitter. Our target market, people aged 12-21, are the most avid
users of social media and an increased social media presence is the perfect way for the Bowl to
appeal directly to them.
I propose that the Bowl become very active on social media, beginning with frequently
updating its Facebook page and creating Instagram and Twitter accounts. A frequently updated
Facebook conveniently doubles as a website and can hold lots of basic information, such as
menus, hours, etc., while also providing photo and status updates. Employees themselves can be
assigned the task of posting a few times a day on the company.
Conclusion: Social media is a fantastic way to advertise to thousands of consumers
quickly, easily, and at no cost to the business. Our target market is the largest user of social
media, making a large presence on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter the perfect way to
attract new customers and keepcustomers coming back again and again.
“Dragons Aren’t Real”
Castro Valley High School’s biggest rival is the nearby school, Bishop O’Dowd, home of
the Dragons. The CV Trojans are incredibly spirited students, and all events related to Bishop
O’Dowd games cause an energized stir throughout the school. We decided that the perfect way
to capitalize on this rivalry is to create a rally night at the bowling alley. It is named after the

20. “Dragons Aren’t Real” chant, a Trojan favorite at rivalry games. There would be multiple rallies
which would take place the night before all of the basketball and football match-up games, four
total in the two seasons. The night would last from 5-9 pm and offer junior rates during those
hours for all CVHS students. The “Dragons Aren’t Real” Rally Night would be a great place for
students to rally for tomorrow’s game while bowling with friends, cosmic lights, and great
music.
Conclusion: Offering an exciting and fun event tailored specifically for CVHS students
before the big game is the perfect way to attract more teenagers and keepthem coming for
tons of bowling fun!
Bowling Bingo
Teens love competition and getting free stuff. Implementing daily “bingo” specials on
Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays is a very effective way to lure students to Castro Village
Bowl. Each day will host a new challenge and a new prize. For example, if you get a spare in the
seventh frame, you win a free shoe rental. The possibilities are endless and include, but aren’t
limited to, the following things:
Challenge Prize
Get a strike in the first and third frames Free game at your next visit
score of 123 1 free game, 2 free shoe rentals, and 3 free drinks
Get a split in the 5th frame Snack bar certificate
Turkey deals Free game
Knock down the same number of pins
as the frame you’re in
Free meal from snack bar (cheeseburger, hot dog, or
chicken tenders, and a drink)
I would also like to feature the “Daily Disco Double” where you can win two times your
prize! At random times Disco music will be played and a disco ball will be illuminated for about

21. five minutes, and if you complete the day’s challenge during this time, you win double whatever
the prize is. This adds a fun, extra opportunity for participants to look forward to.
Conclusion: Incorporating added competition to bowling with the opportunity for
free prizes that can be used only at the bowling alley, provides increased motives for
customers, teens in particular to play, as well as, incentive to return if they win.
Renovations
Since its opening, Castro Village Bowl has had no major renovation projects, only
consistent upkeep when needed. The building itself is dull with a plain brick exterior and could
definitely use a refreshing update. Alameda County will
provide for the exterior renovation as the entire Village
is getting a modern, new look as part of Castro Valley’s
Beautification Project. On the inside, the dirty, outdated
carpeting and dull lighting will be replaced to give the
place a more vibrant look. After renovations, Castro Village Bowl will earn a positive reputation
as a modern, functional, and visually appealing bowling alley, and attract more customers.
Conclusion: Updating Castro Village Bowl’s building will make the bowling alley
more aesthetically pleasing and grab people’s attention, bringing in more customers.
C. Proposed metrics or key performance indicators to measure plan effectiveness
I have developed a variety of methods to track and evaluate the success of each of our
proposed ideas. Tracking each proposal individually will allow us to understand which parts of
the plan should be maintained and which promotions should be cancelled.
The Battle of the Classes is an easily quantifiable promotional event. Each student
participant turns in a game card at the end of their game(s) which contribute to their class’ total

22. score. Due to this, CVB can very easily count the total game cards and total number of games
played by CVHS students. All CVHS students are aged 13-18 and fall in the center of our 12-21
years target market.
Social Media is also easily quantifiable and tracked through the various apps and
platforms themselves. Facebook pages are “liked” while Twitter and Instagram profiles are
“followed”. To calculate overall following, CVB can simply look at the amount of likes/follows
on its accounts and watch their reach and influence grow. Additionally, CVB may put up specific
promotions, hashtags, or photos which are also separately tracked by “likes” and “retweets”. I
can use these to see how customers react to certain specials or use it to quickly and easily
communicate with users.
Bowling Bingo is a recurring special focused more on encouraging customers to return
and improve their overall experiences rather than bringing in brand new customers. To collect
reference material for Bowling Bingo, we will count the amount of weekly winners compared to
total weekly customers. This is a simple, cost-effective promotion that will keep running as long
as people keep winning!
“Dragons Aren’t Real” Student Nights allow CVHS students a few private hours in the
alley, rallying for the next night’s big game with their classmates. CVB will be able to easily
count the number of attendees as well as the amount of total games played. Again, CVHS
students all fit perfectly into our target market of young people aged 12-21 years.
The exterior and interior renovations will be extremely difficult to quantify as a separate
promotional idea. However, renovations improve the alley as a whole and it makes sense to
analyze the success of renovations considering all the other promotional plans and internal
changes to CVB. Therefore, I will compare the average number of customers per month before

23. introducing the promotional plan to the average number of customers per month after the new
plan. Renovations alone will not be the sole reason behind all the new customers, but we can be
certain that the new equipment and styling will bring in more customers and keep loyal
customers returning again and again.
VI. PROPOSED BUDGET
Costs associated with proposed strategies
Proposed
Strategy
Description Cost per
Occasion/Frequency
12-month
Extrapolated
Cost
Battle of the
Classes
Donation to winning class $1000/one-time donation =$1000
Social Media Twitter, Facebook, Instagram
(updated by existing
employees)
$0.00/multiple times per
week
=$0.00
Bowling Bingo Various Prizes:
-free game
-snack bar certificate
-free shoe rental
$5.00 x 4 winners/week
$5.00 x 4 winners/week
$3.25 x 4 winners/week
=$1040
=$1040
=$676
Total=$2756
“Dragons
Aren’t Real”
Pep rally for CVHS Students $0.00 x 4 nights/year =$0.00
Renovations Exterior
Carpeting/Lighting
$0.00 (paid for by
Alameda County)
$7550/one-time fee
=$0.00
=$7550
Total=$7550
Initial Investment Cost $8550
Recurring Cost per
Month
$212
Total Cost for 12
Months
$11,306

24. Using various sources, including website quotes and the bowling alley, a realistic budget
has been created for this plan. These numbers were also calculated based on the estimated 350
daily customers and assumption that each person plays two games on average. A survey of high
school students showed that roughly 71% of students from Castro Valley High would participate
in a high school sanctioned event at CVB, which is about 2,300 students. The multiple strategies
will bring in many new customers from our new target market and result in a slight increase in
revenue. These strategies will attract roughly 2,630 customers in the first year, an increase of
about 1.02%.
A summed total of the yearly returns and from each individual strategy in the rebranding
plan yields an increase in revenue of $74,450. This leads to first year revenue of $1,574,450, an
increase of 4.96%. In total, our ROI for the initial year is an astonishing 558.49%.
ROI (%) = [($74,450-$11,306)/$11,306]×100
An ROI of 558.49% is considered incredibly successful and demonstrates the amount of
potential in the proposed plan for attracting those in the latter part of Generation Y and beginning
of Generation Z, making this a strong investment for Castro Village Bowl.
VII. CONCLUSION
While Castro Village Bowl has experienced success with their current efforts, they have
neglected the entire young adult generation including those ages 12-21. With this proposed plan,
the bowling alley will expand their target market, improve awareness of their business, and
increase profit. Implementing promotional activities designed specifically for Castro Valley High
School students is the most efficient way to reach the majority of the new target market.
Activities such as Battle of the Classes and “Dragons Aren’t Real” will create a broader

25. recurring customer base, and introduce the fun and convenience associated with Castro Village
Bowl to the younger generation. The large return on investment and 4.96% increase in yearly
revenue proves this plan is a worthy investment for Castro Village Bowl.

26. VIII. BIBLIOGRAPHY
"Castro Village Bowl." Castro Village Bowl. Bowling 2 U, n.d. Web. 14 Nov. 2014.
<http://www.bowling2u.com/centers/find_detail.asp?ID=65>.
"CASTRO VILLAGE BOWL." CASTRO VILLAGE BOWL. Castro Village Bowl, n.d. Web. 12
Nov. 2014. <http://www.castrovillagebowl.net/>.
"Castro Village Bowl." Yelp.com. Yelp.com, n.d. Web. 13 Nov. 2014.
<http://www.yelp.com/biz/castro-village-bowl-castro-valley>.

27. IX. APPENDIX
High School Survey
C.V.H.S. Anonymous Student Survey on Castro Village Bowl
The results of this survey will be used for a Castro Valley DECA project by students in the
program.
1. How many times have you been to Castro Village Bowl? _____________
2. When was the last time you went? ________________
3. How would you rate your experience on a scale of 1-10? (1=horrible,
10=fantastic) ____________
4. What keeps you from going to Castro Village Bowl more often? (i.e. prices, old/outdated,
not interested, etc.) _____________________________
5. If there was an event for the high school or some sort of promotion for high schoolers at the
bowling alley would you attend? ___________
6. How do you think the prices at Castro Village Bowl are on a scale of 1-5?
(1=terrible/overpriced, 5=great deal/cheap) _____________
Thank you for your time. Your answers and opinions are greatly appreciated.
Manager Interview
Basic Info:
1. Can you give some background/history on the restaurant?
2. What is the mission statement for Castro Village Bowl?
3. When was the bowling alley established?
4. When was your last major renovation?
5. What is the maximum capacity/size of the building?
6. Have you considered expansion or renovating?
7. What improvements would you like to see to the business?
Customers:
1. How many customers do you get on a weekday usually? On the weekend?
2. What is your busiest day/time of day?
3. Describe your typical customer.
4. Does most of your business come from families, leagues, or individuals?
5. Do you have a specific target market?
6. Do you get a lot of teenagers?
Promotional:
1. Have you ever worked with, or thought about working with the high school to have
promotions specifically geared toward teenagers?
2. When did you introduce your most recent promotion?
3. What promotions have you had the past?
4. What kind of advertising do you do?
5. What days/times are your events and promotions are restrictive?

28. Financial:
1. In the last 3 years, what was your average annual revenue and profit? For 2014 alone?
2. What is your projected revenue for 2015? Do you anticipate growth?
3. What does it cost to run the bowling alley for a month? A year?
4. How many employees do you have? Do you employ any teenagers or want to?
5. How much revenue do the bar, snack bar, and bowling generate individually?
6. Could you breakdown basic costs for the business? Just a rough estimate.
7. How much money could realistically be invested in improving the bowling alley?
Miscellaneous:
1. On Yelp, a few customers expressed concerns about security, and frisks to get into the
building? Is this true, and is there a specific reason for it?
2. Are you on any social media sites? Why or why not?
3. Do you get many customers that use your Groupon offer?