Marketing amusement parks isn’t easy. Most families aren’t thinking about rollercoasters and water slides for the majority of the year – but fall too far out of sight and your amusement park definitely won’t be on their mind when planning summer vacation. It’s important to maintain a connection with past park visitors throughout the entire year, but doing so can be tough when they aren’t interested in visiting for another few months.

Sure, there are amusement parks in certain parts of the world – like right here in Southern California – that are able to keep their gates open year-round, but even then seasonality plays a big roleAmusement Park Advertising in ticket sales and revenue. Their peak times of the year will also fall during the summer months when families are on vacation and their wallets are open. Without revenue coming in, it can be difficult to justify spending money on marketing, so most amusement parks look for the most cost effective ways that they can advertise throughout their slow season.

One of the most cost effective ways to advertise your amusement park during the offseason is by printing custom postcards, and mailing them to your current list of previous visitors, as well as any prospect lists that fit your target demographic. Offering a discount on season passes for people who purchase prior to a certain date can help to produce some immediate ROI, while still effectively staying in front of everyone else who will wait to buy tickets at the gate.

Making the Most of Memorial Day through Labor Day

Offseason amusement park advertising strategies are all designed to push families to visit during peak months, but marketing efforts can’t stop there. Your best selling tool is the amusement park itself, so it’s key that you make it easy for guests to have as much fun as possible. This includes providing clean facilities, great amusement park food, fun rides, memorable souvenirs – and the ability to navigate the park without getting lost.

Many parks have opted to print mini brochures small enough to fit into a pocket, that include a map, with list of rides, restaurants, and other attractions. The more rides they ride, and fried food they eat, the happier they will be with their experience – and more likely to become a return guest at your amusement park.

Leaving Them Wanting More

Make sure they have a great time while they’re at the park, but also leave them wanting more. Highlight coming attractions and new rides opening soon with large format posters around the park, and near the exits to entice visitors to start planning their next trip before they’ve even left the parking lot.

Published by Nick Artounian

I am the CEO of a successful online printing company in the Greater Los Angeles area. I enjoy professional networking with clients and members of the design community.