In a larger market, an FEC perhaps could be a bit more selective with its marketing messaging.
“You may target just 20- to 30-year-olds and be successful,” says David Novstrup of Thunder Road in Brown County, South Dakota—population south of 40,000 people. “However, we only have so many young professionals in our area. We have to focus on families, teenagers, and grandparents and create a message that appeals to all these demographics.”
To achieve this goal, the FEC emphasizes the fun to be had on all its attractions, including go-karts, mini-golf, and bumper boats. This way, if one segment of a family isn’t wild about a particular attraction, they learn about other entertainment options through its marketing.
Also, because of the area’s population makeup, Thunder Road casts a wide net of a 60-mile radius with its marketing; the one exception: church groups, where it stretches to 90 miles for this more travel-friendly segment.