Entertainment industry in last years made a huge breakthrough. It turns out that adults love games as much as children and are willing to pay for unforgettable emotions. Now you can become a spy, detective, the last surviving person on Earth, or visit the lair of a former killer, solving complex puzzles and secrets. All this is possible in quest rooms, which blur the line between reality and imagination.
As a business, quests look no less interesting - high profitability, project profitability, excellent development prospects and the opportunity to do a really interesting job. On the other hand, the businessman also faces some difficulties, pitfalls - a high barrier to entry, fixed costs on advertising, dependence on a good new script, scenery and special effects.
Expert opinion
To get more up-to-date information, we interviewed current players in the quest room business. These people, like no one else, know the nuances of starting and running of this business, since they know about it not from theory, but from practice.
We have put the interview on separate pages. You can get acquainted with them by following the links:
If you are also an expert in this field and are ready to answer a list of prepared questions, write to us through the page Contacts. Free of charge.
Concept development
Until recently, the word “quest” surprised most people, but today it is a very popular area of the event business. Marketers who claim that the crisis does not affect demand in this segment, since people want to forget about difficulties and plunge into a new reality, are being a little disingenuous, but there is still some truth in this. In addition, this business has distinctive feature- in it competitors do not compete so much as help each other, perhaps without meaning to. After completing one quest, not everyone can stop and start looking for something else interesting in their city.
The first step in building a business is choosing a format and developing a concept. The following types are distinguished:
- escape the room– the team must get out of the room within the allotted time (usually 60 minutes), solving problems and solving complex puzzles;
- performance or quest in reality– players are also in a confined space, but their task is to complete a certain quest, achieve a set goal, which is facilitated by selected attributes, light and sound effects, and sometimes supplemented by the performance of guest actors;
- quests around the city– team games that set a specific goal, which can be achieved by completing a series of tasks in stages on a designated area.
Script writing
How to open an quest room? The basis successful business– well-constructed, and most importantly – exciting scenarios. They are similar to creating scripts for films or plays. Large network companies spend a lot of money on their writing, attracting professional screenwriters and directors. For projects with a more modest budget, you can use the services of freelancers who have experience in this field. When working under a franchise, the franchisor himself takes upon himself the issue of developing the script.
Scenarios are based on a mystery, the outcome of which must be logical but unpredictable. It is advisable to have several stories that can be selected for a specific audience depending on age and interests. Before introducing a new scenario, it must be tested on volunteers. For this purpose, acquaintances or simply interested people from social networks are involved.
Financial calculations
How much does it cost to open an quest room? Starting investments depend on the region, the chosen scenario and other details.
Let's consider an approximate business plan for an quest room with calculations:
- repair work, design – 200,000 rubles;
- purchase of equipment, decorations - 400,000 rubles.
Total – 600 thousand rubles.
Fixed expenses:
- monthly rent – 70,000 rubles;
- salary for staff (4 people) – 100,000 rubles;
- advertising – 40,000 rubles;
- tax deductions – 10,000 rubles;
- additional expenses - 30,000 rubles.
Every month you need to pay about 250 thousand rubles.
Is it profitable to open questrooms?
The approximate profit in such organizations for the second month with an attendance of 4 people on weekdays and 12 on weekends is (with an average check of 2 thousand rubles per person):
- 22 weekdays – 176,000 rubles;
- 8 days off – 192,000 rubles.
Total - 368,000 rubles.
Net profit in this case will be 118 thousand rubles. (368000 – 250000).
The payback period of the project in this case will be 5 months.
Room
For one quest, 50 m² is enough, for two - 90 m². It’s great if there is a possibility of expansion in the future. Since clients receive their main information from online advertising, you should not overpay for rent in the center or in a place with high traffic.
Advertising
The target audience is young people aged 22-35, although this is not the limit - both 14-year-old teenagers (in this case, an adapted script for a younger age group) and 60-year-old adventurers can complete the quest. It is very profitable to cooperate with corporate clients. Often employers use quests as an element for team building corporate culture.
All potential clients are active Internet users, so the website and pages in social networks- the basis of marketing. Advertising campaign includes placing banners on other sites, posts in thematic forums, and website promotion. But don’t forget about the traditional options - business cards, leaflets, flyers in your locations potential clients. Many organizations use discounts and discounts for regular customers.
Equipment
What does it take to open a questroom that will be successful? The main thing is the script and surroundings, so get ready to spend quite a lot of money on repairs and creating an appropriate environment. The room must be in the same style as the written script, and be equipped with visual and sound special effects. Experienced players in this business recommend not saving on equipment and creating really high-quality quests. Also, a lot depends on the theme - if you are creating a performance in the horror style, a dark basement is enough and half the job is done. For intellectual quests you need a lot of details. At a minimum, you will need CCTV cameras, recorders, a computer and microphones.
Required documents
The advantages of the business idea of opening an quest room are that it does not require special licenses and permits. It is enough to register your activity with the tax service by selecting the OKVED code and legal form. The easiest option for registering a business is an individual entrepreneur with OKVED code 92.72 “Other activities in the organization of recreation and entertainment”. If you plan to open new branches or work with partners, it is better to register as a limited liability company.
Staff
The number of employees on staff depends on the scale of the project and the chosen format. Typically, well-known companies hire:
- administrator - meeting guests, recording, answering calls;
- directors, editors, scriptwriters - creating and testing the quest;
- marketer - website promotion, advertising campaign;
- actors (to participate in quests);
- coordinator (to monitor clients during the game).
Beginner and more budget projects are limited to the administrator, and the creation of scripts is transferred to the shoulders of freelancers.
Quest in reality - form active rest in the shape of intellectual game. There are several forms of organizing a business of this kind. Optimal shape start: purchasing a franchise.
What a quest is is known to many, especially fans of computer games. This is an adventure involving solving various problems and puzzles, the goal of which is usually to find the most favorable way out of the situation. Bringing the adventure “to life” is becoming such popular entertainment for a wide variety of categories of consumers.
Who's playing?
The main target audience of this business is young people. Students, office workers 20-35 years old. It is they who, having played enough quests on the computer, are ready to try their hand at reality. But these lively adventures are also in demand among family people, including children and middle-aged people.
Now this business is at the stage of rapid development, that is, for those who want to realize themselves in this direction - the most favorable time. Even despite the crisis, and perhaps thanks to it. After all, quests can complement what is already working: a cafe, club, event agency, children's studio and other similar types of activities, thereby expanding and strengthening your position.
This is what one of the founders of the Claustrophobia company says about his project.
There is a choice
Currently, there are 2 models for organizing this business.
The first is the so-called room quests.
Players of 2-6 people are locked in a room, and within an hour the participants need to find a way out of it. The room is equipped thematically according to the scenario and contains appropriate props. Details carry secrets, clues - everything you need to uncover " main secret", and will help you get out of the room. This model requires the presence of at least one equipped room, hiring staff, that is, the initial costs are quite high. But the profit in this option is considerable.
The second model is away quests.
Here, each participant is assigned to a specific role, and together the players must solve the main mystery games.
There are three types of this model:
- open, where anyone who submits an application can participate. They are held in various predetermined public places: cafes, shopping malls, recreation parks, etc.
- Individual, which are usually ordered for a group of 7-20 people for some holiday and are held in places determined by the customer: at home, in a cafe, at a picnic and others convenient places.
- And corporate events, designed for large (more than 25 people) groups of participants and held at the request of enterprises. The initial costs in this model are minimal. All you need is a script, handouts and simple props for the participants, as well as a presenter. The profit in this option is less, but quite stable.
| Indoor | Outcall |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Closed (individual) | Corporate |
||
| Start-up costs | ||||
| Payback | ||||
| Expandable | Costly (purchase/rent of premises, equipment, script) | No significant costs (scenario only) |
||
| Number of games according to one scenario that can be played per day | ||||
| Number of game participants | ||||
| Cost of the game for a group of participants, thousand rubles | 0.2-0.7 (per person) | |||
As you can see, each of the models has its own advantages and disadvantages, but both options are quite in demand among clients and are easy to implement.
In addition to these two main models, there are also quest tourism, local history games and some others, but they can be considered varieties of the second option.
Addition 2016: The new kind quest: Virtual reality (the player is immersed in a virtual world and performs various tasks and missions in it) and Quests based on famous films and TV series - Quest House.
How to start?
The most difficult thing in the quest business is the scenarios. Of course, the course of the game open games and its ending is indoor, largely depends on the actions of the participants, but a high-quality plot is the basis of everything. Therefore, it is necessary to start with writing and developing a script, and then build on it in the future when equipping the premises and thinking through the props.
However, it is worth understanding that even for professional producers and screenwriters, starting on their own and from scratch is long, difficult and risky.
Another option is franchise work. In this case there is no need for any special education or special skills - the franchisor provides ready-made scripts, advertising strategy and general concept development. It is enough to have a desire and basic knowledge in the field of doing business. Below we will look at franchise options from the main players in the Russian market in more detail, but their essence is similar. The new franchisee receives a package that includes a brand, 1-3 game scripts, overall strategy development, a set of instructions and developments, advertising support is provided on the main website. This will allow you to start working immediately after preparing the premises in the version of indoor quests, and in the case of open ones - after only slightly testing the game.
What to start from when thinking about a quest business?
The first thing to consider when calculating a new project is the population in the city. The lump sum fee depends on the size of the city. The practice of the main players shows that cities with a population of one million are the most optimal for the quest business. 400-800 thousand is also not bad. In cities with a population of less than 400 thousand, it will not be easy to get promoted; downloads, and therefore the return, will be weak with comparable costs for advertising and running games.
It wouldn't hurt to study the competitive situation. In the complete absence of competition, promotion can take a long time, since potential clients will first need to explain what a quest is and why it is needed.
If there are 1-2 competitors, promotion will go faster. The essence of entertainment will already be known to people, but a person will not go to the same plot a second time, he will look for something new.
A large number of competitors in a million-plus market will not be a particular obstacle, especially if the quest business is launched not as an independent business, but as an additional one.
Let's look at the main players in the quest market in reality.
Questrooms
There are still few companies working with closed quests, but they are developing quickly: new companies appear once a quarter. And although common features Everyone is similar, each company tries to initially add its own flavor, be it the general atmosphere of the games, the complexity of the scenarios, technical equipment and other nuances and little things.
Let's compare the first two players Russian market questrooms. (Table 2)
Claustrophobia is the first company of “room quests” in Russia. It has been operating since December 2013 and during this short time it has reached a monthly network turnover of 40 million rubles. It has franchisees in more than 20 regions of the Russian Federation, as well as abroad.
Questrum.rf is a company with its head office in St. Petersburg. Operating since the beginning of 2014. Presented in 15 cities of Russia, Belarus, Sweden, and Canada.
| Claustrophobia | Questroom.rf |
|
|---|---|---|
| Total number of stories as of February 2015 | ||
| In developing | ||
| From 350 thousand rubles (in large cities - 1 million rubles and more), depending on the population and the presence of competitors and other franchisees. | From 200 thousand rubles, depending on the population and the presence of competitors and other franchisees. |
|
| From 15% of revenue depending on population |
||
| 1.0-1.5 million rubles (excluding lump-sum franchise fee) | 1.2-1.5 million rubles (including lump-sum franchise fee) |
The cost of a franchise for both companies includes 2 scenarios, premises equipment projects, instructions for staff, specific equipment, a reservation system on the website, a brand and brand book, special software, expert support, new scenarios (after working out the existing ones).
Both companies claim approximately the same payback period: 3-4 months in million-plus cities and 6-8 months in small cities.
As can be seen from the table, the terms of cooperation are not much different. It is best to navigate your choice by obtaining specific conditions for your city, as well as by playing 1-2 games (which are starting games) from each of the companies, that is, based on your own subjective opinion.
Open or away quests
This direction has been known in Russia since 2009, and thanks to the ease of starting, it is widespread throughout the country. In this format, virtually no investment is needed other than a lump sum contribution; the royalty rate is at least 15%, and often much higher (35%). In addition, new scripts are sometimes also available for an additional fee.
So, let’s compare the most popular organizers of away quests.
Questime. Start of work - 2012. As of the beginning of 2015, it is represented in 12 cities of the Russian Federation, as well as in Riga.
Questoria. Operating since 2009. At the end of 2014, it was represented in 55 cities of the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.
| Questime | Questoria |
|
|---|---|---|
| Total number of scenarios as of February 2015 | ||
| Maximum number of players in standard story | ||
| Duration standard game, hours | ||
| Possibility of holding holidays and corporate events (for a large number of participants) | ||
| Franchise cost. Starting (lump sum) fee | From 40 to 100 thousand rubles depending on the population | 60-85 thousand rubles depending on the population |
| From 15% depending on population | 0-35% depending on population (for cities with a population of less than 400 thousand there are no royalties) |
|
| Estimated initial investment in the project | Lump sum plus 20-30 thousand rubles |
|
| Purchasing new scripts | Individual conditions | For large cities it is included in the royalty, for small cities it is available only for an additional fee. |
The cost of the franchise includes 2-3 scenarios, handouts for participants (except Supplies and suits), marketing strategy, advertising support, including layouts of advertising materials, a booking system on the website, training for presenters, expert support at all stages.
The payback period is stated to be 3-4 months in large cities and 4-8 in small cities.
Review of the Questoria franchise.
What to choose?
As can be seen from comparative analysis, any of the quest models in reality - great idea business for both beginners and those wishing to expand their existing business or invest free funds. Beginners will certainly appreciate the second option - open quests - as it does not require significant investment and provides the opportunity to simply earn extra money in their free time. It will also be of interest to cafe and restaurant owners as an excellent tool for expanding and retaining their customer base.
Those who are looking for an option for capital investment, or an idea for a device own premises with an area of 50-100 m2, questrooms will certainly be of interest.
But no matter what you choose, exciting work awaits you, bringing a decent profit.
Many young people like to play computer games. Quests in which the plot develops according to a certain scenario are very popular. Recently, such games have moved into reality and began to be held in special quest rooms. Their popularity is increasing every year. So, how to open an escape room from scratch?
An quest room (questroom) is a specially equipped room in which the game takes place. Typically, the goal of a quest is to find a way out of a room. From 2 to 5 people take part in this. There are quests that allow a larger number of participants.
During the game, people solve puzzles, puzzles, select codes using hints and surrounding objects. As a rule, they are given an hour to do this.
A distinctive and pleasant feature of this business is the fact that competitors help in its promotion. If your scenarios are different, then people, having been in one room, will definitely want to visit the other. Therefore, there is no need to be afraid of competitors here.
Sample certificate of state registration IP. Premises for an quest room
The closer to the city center the building is located, the better. This way, more people will see your sign.
The ideal option would be if you offer clients several quests to choose from. The best option– 3. Accordingly, this requires three different rooms. To begin with, you can limit yourself to a room with an area of 120-150 square meters. m.
Questroom interior
This is the most important thing in opening a questroom. It is the setting that creates that amazing atmosphere for which people come.
The interior of the room must correspond to the quest format that you have chosen. To do this you need:
- Create decor sketches
- Select the necessary materials
- Develop a layout of items involved in the quest
Try to create an environment that will best suit the plot of the quest.
In addition, the interior of the quest room needs to be changed every few months, to attract both existing players and new ones.
Plot and performance
If you decide to work in the format of a story quest or a quest with performance elements, then be prepared for additional difficulties.
The script must be written by professionals. If no one has done this, then it is better to abandon the idea of doing it yourself. Hire someone who will write an interesting script for you. IN large companies This is done by a whole team of directors and screenwriters.
Working on a script does not end with writing it. After this, testing needs to be done. Try the quest in a ready-made room on friends and acquaintances. You may discover flaws during testing. Take this seriously, because your income will depend on the quality of the quest.
What is an anti-cafe and how to open a cafe of this format in your city - read
In the case of a performance, you also need to work out the image of the actors, as well as various options patterns of interaction between the actor and the players.
Don't forget about the soundtrack, it also helps create the atmosphere.
Quest room staff
For the full functioning of the quest room, two administrators and a PR specialist will be enough. We also need a cleaner, but not full time. If the script requires it, actors should be included in the staff.
Because Since the plot requires periodic updating, the services of a screenwriter will be required every few months.
Business promotion
To promote, you need to create your own website and group on social networks. Materials must be constantly updated. Be sure to add photo reports there so that potential clients can assess the situation.
There should be information about prices on the website and on social networks. Work out a discount system. Often the owners of quest rooms hold a promotion in honor of the client’s birthday, he receives a discount. You can also enter gift certificates. They will be popular, because going to a questroom is a great gift.
At the very beginning you can spend "Day open doors» , when you won’t have to pay anything for entry. Organize different competitions periodically to keep your audience active.
Escape room from scratch: business plan with cost and income calculations
Equipment costs
- Video surveillance system – from 25,000 rubles
- Office furniture – from 40,000 rubles
- Wardrobes – from 20,000 rubles
- Sofas – from 50,000 rubles
- Armchairs – from 30,000 rubles
- Decorations – from 500,000 rubles
- Costumes for actors (if necessary) – from 100,000 rubles
Fixed costs
- Rent – from 30,000 rubles
- Personnel costs – from 60,000 rubles
- Utilities – from 20,000 rubles
- Office supplies and cleaning products – from 5,000 rubles
Recurring costs
- Script update – from 30,000 rubles
- Updating the scenery – from 200,000 rubles
- Advertising costs – from 10,000 rubles
According to the quest room business plan, the minimum starting capital to open a business is 920,000 rubles.
Quest rooms are a rapidly developing entertainment industry. People of any background want to “tickle” their nerves, get new impressions and just have fun in the company. And for a business idea, creating an quest room is a good source of income. After all, the demand is high and at the same time the initial investment for the purchase of inventory and promotion is minimal.
The article builds step by step detailed business plan quest rooms with calculations.
Important: this business plan - similar to other projects from the Business Plans catalog - is developed on the basis of average expenses and income from open sources. The numbers may vary for your project! Make individual calculations based on the current exchange rate and the situation on the industry market in your city.
Project Summary
The business plan was drawn up for a company that organizes quests in reality - intellectual role-playing games in special rooms. For each room, a game scenario and thematic equipment is developed, which includes various secrets, tasks, tips and special effects.
The task of the players (clients) is to get out of the room in a limited time. Along the way, players work together to solve puzzles, find hidden clues, use objects and technical devices rooms. In some games, according to the script, players play a fictional role.
Objective of the project- Creation small business for 4 quest rooms. The main income of the enterprise is payment for completing rooms. Number of participants - 2-6 people. Entrance price - 2,000 rubles for a company of 2-6 people. The average time to complete a room is 75 minutes.
Schedule dictated by the entertainment nature of the services, peak loads are from 18:00 until closing. Usually by this time all locations are booked.
Approximate schedule for registering for quests:
Monday 11:00 - 21:00 → 10 h
Tuesday 11:00 - 21:00 → 10 h
Wednesday 11:00 - 21:00 → 10 h
Thursday 11:00 - 21:00 → 10 h
Friday 11:00 - 22:00 → 11 h
Saturday 10:00 - 23:00 → 13 h
Sunday 10:00 - 23:00 → 13 h
Number of working hours per week: 77, per month: 308. Lunch break time is “floating” when the load on quests is minimal.
The entertainment industry involves working seven days a week, that is, 7 days a week and even on holidays. From Friday to Sunday are the most profitable days. For weekdays, it is reasonable to set discounts for visiting quests during hours when clients usually do not come.
Primary Audience- young people from 18 to 40 years old.
The reason for visiting can be any significant date: national holidays, birthdays, graduations, family outings, romantic dates, or just looking for fun for the weekend.
It is worth considering an audience with above-average income, because, if you compare the average bills for the entertainment services market, entertainment is not cheap (from 1,500 rubles).
A separate type of customers are corporate clients. These are the people who come to relax with work colleagues. Corporate parties in 9 out of 10 cases include visits to escape rooms for the sake of a group game (both HR personnel and business leaders themselves insist on this). People come from offices, departments, just groups of friends - for any reason or no reason. This is a very grateful audience, which provides a significant share of income with virtually no promotion costs. A far-sighted step at the start is to notify about yourself and offer a discount to all possible companies in the city.
Market analysis
Modern quest rooms are extremely popular both in Russia and in other countries of the world. According to Wikipedia, the first quests appeared in 2007 in parallel in Europe and Asia. Abroad they are called “escape rooms” (English: Real-life room escape). The first such quests in Russia arose in 2018 in Yekaterinburg; today similar projects are presented in all major cities of Russia, Ukraine and Belarus.
According to LiveQuests ( independent aggregator escape rooms), at the beginning of 2018, over 1,000 quest rooms were opened in Russia. According to the Quests in Moscow section, 116 rooms are registered in the capital. In St. Petersburg - 67. Check the website for information on your city.
In large cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg, such businesses are widespread, which means the organizer of a new business will face fierce competition and significant start-up costs. However, there is also an established demand, which will simplify the task of attracting customers and speeding up payback.
It is optimal to open a project in a city with a population of 300,000 or more people. The larger the city, the more solvent the population, the higher the demand for entertainment services. Business activity and the number of “young companies” in the city play a role, because quest rooms are favorite places for corporate parties.
The first step in creating your business plan is to research your competitors. The search for quest rooms in the city can be done through Yandex; all companies (and their rooms) are presented on the Internet, because this is the main sales channel.
Competitors are divided into 2 types:
- Franchise network companies famous brand . An example is “Claustrophobia”. Such companies have a number of advantages, such as brand awareness, a proven sales model, their own technical developments, franchisee training, well-functioning sales channels, tools for attracting and retaining customers. However, this does not guarantee that the local franchise owner will make good use of all this wealth. Competition is possible - a small company is mobile in terms of strategy, can concentrate on nuances and make decisions faster than a large, centralized network.
- Local organizations that independently opened a project in the city. Their resources, capital investments, knowledge and experience are inferior to network companies. The number of rooms does not exceed 2-4. Competition with local companies will not cause difficulties, because their offerings, budgets and sales channels are significantly limited.
We recommend that you get to know each local competing organization personally, exchange contacts, offer mutual advertising or another way of cooperation. The demand for quest rooms significantly exceeds supply, so cooperation is beneficial for both parties.
Example: the client completed all the quests in one company, he is ready to pay for new rooms, but there are none. Then the administrator can recommend a competitor. Depending on the agreements, the competitor pays a reward for each recommendation or similarly recommends you.
In Russia, there is still an increase in demand for quest rooms; over the 6 years of the existence of the event business, taking into account the crisis years, the trend has not lost its relevance, as evidenced by data from new escape rooms from open sources of franchisees.
Renting premises
When searching for a location, it is important to be guided by the high traffic volume of potential clients who may be interested in quests.
When choosing a premises, it is wise to focus on local shopping centers, which are located even outside the city, main criterion- the number of potential customers who come for shopping and in search of entertainment.
Rental space for quests can be a creative space in the city where various exhibitions and youth events are held. Often, quests organically fit into the atmosphere of the unique offers of such spaces.
The best option is local shopping mall in a residential area of the city with high traffic, where the rental price will not be excessively high. It is a dubious idea to place quests in large chain shopping centers (MEGA, etc.), high rents will most likely make the project unprofitable.
After you have decided on the room where the quests will take place, we solve the issue of locations. The best option is 2-4 rooms for a new project in conditions of scarcity of resources. Footage - from 100 m2 excluding the bathroom and the room where the guests will be met and briefed.
In this business plan, we take as an example the placement of quest rooms in a local shopping center of a millionaire city (with a population of over a million people) with an area of 120 m2. The rent for the premises is 80,000 rubles.
Staff
To operate the project you will need 1 person, who is also an administrator, instructor and operator game rooms. For the first few months, it is best to assign this role to the founder of the company, which will give an understanding of the “internal kitchen”.
It is important to plan the time for completing quests correctly:
Short briefing - 5-10 min.
The game itself lasts 60 minutes.
Preparing the room for new players - 5-10 minutes.
Session duration is up to 1 hour and 15 minutes.
Purchase of equipment
The main production work is the development of scenarios and the preparation of play areas. In similar projects important role The theme and the interestingness of the plot play a role. Common mistake aspiring entrepreneurs - self-creation games without regard to competitors and the involvement of a screenwriter. In 80% of cases with this approach, the game has low demand.
Be sure to analyze the games of large online brands and involve screenwriters and writers to create a plot. As for the latter, we recommend looking for science fiction writers who have at least several printed books published by the EKSMO publishing house (the largest publishing house in Russia).
| Name | Price | ||
| Game rooms | |||
| Game items (interior) | 20 000 | ||
| Furniture | 40 000 | ||
| CCTV | 20 000 | ||
| Voice communication with operator | 15 000 | ||
| Location management system for the operator | 20 000 | ||
| Special effects | 25 000 | ||
| Customer service area | |||
| Wardrobe | 7 000 | ||
| Sofa | 17 000 | ||
| Telephone | 12 000 | ||
| Computer | 25 000 | ||
| Table | 13 000 | ||
| Chairs | 8 000 | ||
| Expenses 222,000 | |||
To finish the locations, you need to assemble a team that will include an electrical engineer, a sound and video surveillance specialist, an inventory buyer, and a finishing and remodeling specialist. It could be just 2-3 people who will work under the guidance of a screenwriter for a month.
Legal registration, taxes, accounting
The work will require legal registration of activities. The choice is to register a company (LLC - limited liability company) or an individual entrepreneur (IP) represented by the founder of the project. The option with an individual entrepreneur is cheaper, faster and easier to register, but an individual entrepreneur is an individual, and physical persons are liable with their property.
When registering an individual entrepreneur, you will need to indicate OKVED ( all-Russian classifier species economic activity) - numeric code activities of the enterprise. Such codes are created for each activity. Suitable OKVED codes for quests:
- “Creative activities, activities in the field of art and entertainment”
- “Activities of multi-purpose centers and similar institutions with a predominance of cultural services”
- "Activities in the field of sports, recreation and entertainment"
- "Activities in the field of recreation and entertainment"
Also, when registering, you must select a taxation system. For individual entrepreneurs with entertainment services, the so-called simplified taxation system - simplified taxation system - is suitable. There are 2 formats to choose from: “Income minus expenses” (more for production, catering, goods) and simply “Income” - fixed 6% taxes on all income. The last format for a business with minimal expenses is the best choice.
After registering a business, it is important to open an account for legal entity in one of the city banks. For example, in Sberbank. You will need to pay a fee to open and maintain an account. An account is required when concluding a rental agreement for premises, accepting payments from cards, as well as any settlements with other companies. Officially: all funds must go through a bank account.
To accept cash, a cash register (KKM) is required. We recommend that you immediately connect the opportunity to conduct non-cash payments through credit and debit cards to a bank account.
Make sure to connect payment systems on the site in advance. To do this, you will need to enter into an agreement with one of the service companies (for example, Robokassa, Payanyway, Assist) and implement them technical solutions to accept payments. For its services, the service will take a small percentage of the commission from each transaction, the remaining funds will go to your bank account.
When renting premises for game locations a contract will also be required. In 99% of cases, payment is by bank transfer, i.e. through the transfer of funds from a current account. Payment for electricity, heating and other fees - separately.
This business format does not require a license. Game scenarios, genre and themes of games do not need approval. The only thing is that the organization’s activities should not violate the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.
Marketing plan
The main work of any entertainment enterprise is based on finding the best sales channels. Different channels work for different niches. Internet advertising works ideally for a quest project. These include (in order of importance):
Website creation and promotion. This should be a separate website with which customers can find you on the Internet.
Creation and development of the VKontakte community. In the community, it is necessary to publish photos of quest locations and guests, inform about news and promotions, organize competitions, answer questions, and make reservations through personal messages. The VK group is a live communication between the company and clients and endless opportunities for attracting new audiences.
Creation and development of an Instagram account. Similar to VKontakte, this social network is today the second most effective in terms of advertising opportunities.
Coupon and discount services. This is the most effective channel for sales and growth of brand awareness. However, the conditions of the services are such that you will have to work with a very small margin - on the verge of profitability. For new projects, this makes sense to increase awareness and start word of mouth. More details: Free advertising on the Internet on coupon and discount sites.
Addition to well-known quest catalogs. Large directories invest significant resources and knowledge into attracting customers, so having a presence on their site is a good idea. You will have to pay to be added to directories, but the costs are worth it.
"Traditional advertising" City media, radio, street banners, leaflets, participation in events - all this can produce results. However, it is necessary to test each advertising channel and identify profitable promotion tools. Still, as practice shows, most clients are on the Internet.
Calculation of projected income
- Duration of the quest is 1 hour 15 minutes.
- Number of quests 4 pcs.
- Working hours per month 308 hours.
- The cost of the quest is 4,000 rubles.
- Average workload 40%
308 working hours per month = 18,480 min. Time of one session - 75 minutes.
Gaming sessions per month: 18,480/75 = 246.
Calculation of the number of sessions for 4 locations per month: 246 × 4 = 984 sessions at full capacity.
The average cost of a gaming session is 2,000 rubles.
Revenue per month with 4 locations fully occupied will be: 984 × 2,000 = 1,968,000 rubles - Average occupancy of locations - 30%. 1,968,000 × 0.30 = 590,400 rubles - monthly revenue with an average load of 4 locations.
Monthly income will be ≈ 590,400 rubles.
Start-up costs and payback
The starting investment amount is:
- Legal registration persons (IP) - 800 rub.
- Opening a bank account - 2,000 rub.
- Location renovation - 300,000 rub.
- Location development - RUB 222,000
- Scenario - 100,000 rub.
- Renting premises - 80,000 rub.
- Site development - 100,000 rub.
- Advertising for the launch of the project - 50,000 rub.
Initial investment 854,800 rub.
When planning expenses, it is important to consider periodic updating of scenarios and locations. This is specific to the project. Over time, the demand for any quest decreases, so it is necessary to update the assortment every 6-12 months. Take into account the costs of refurbishment of locations - allocate 100,000 rubles from the revenue every month. for future content updates.
Let's consider monthly expenses when opening the quest room:
- Rent for premises + communal payments — 90,000 rub.;
- Staff salaries - 70 000 rub.;
- Tax and social contributions - 21,000 rub.;
- Location updates and scenario - 20,000 rub.;
- Advertising and promotion - 20,000 rub.;
Total: 221,000 rubles.
Profit before taxes: 590,400 – 221,000 = 369,400 rubles.
Calculation of taxes according to the simplified taxation system (STS) 6%: 369,400 × 0.06 = 22,164 rubles.
Net profit after taxes: 369,400 – 22,164 = 347,236 rubles.
Project profitability: 347,236/590,400 = 0.59%
Return on initial investment: 854,800/347,236 = 2.4 months with stable average demand.
SWOT analysis
The primary task of an entrepreneur creating a new business based on quest room services is a SWOT analysis, which determines the external internal factors of the enterprise. The founder of the company cannot influence external factors, but their analysis will help to create a competent strategy: in some places to minimize risks, and in others - even turn them into benefits. TO external factors relate:
Potential Opportunities:
Low startup costs, low entry threshold (≈ RUB 900,000).
High profitability, quick return on business - 3-4 months.
Insignificant competition in cities with a population of up to 1 million people.
Low competition due to a limited number of offers.
Unmet demand, limited supply on the industry market. Clients visit rooms once and then contact other companies.
Wide scope for creative work by scriptwriters and designers, great opportunities for experimentation in the entertainment industry
Opportunity for exponential growth in demand through the introduction of innovative ideas (example: playing in the dark).
Risks and threats:
Falling demand for specific rooms. This happens when most clients have already completed the game. Once every six months or a year it is necessary to re-equip the “spent” premises: develop new script, organize redevelopment, change the surroundings and launch new advertising campaigns.
The difficulty in forecasting demand for game themes is the lack of experience. To minimize risks at the start, we recommend borrowing successful ideas from major market players in Moscow and St. Petersburg, after making sure that there are no analogues in your city.
Dependence of demand on many factors. They must be taken into account: seasonality, weather, holidays, weekends and weekdays, beginning and end of training sessions, etc.
A decrease in the solvency (purchasing power) of the population due to the crisis situation in the country - rising prices, the value of the ruble. A clear impact on demand in any entertainment and leisure industry. Exception - big cities with a population of 1 million people.
Safety when completing quests. The organizer is obliged to take care to eliminate risks to the health and life of clients when participating in the game ( Fire safety, protection from defeat electric shock, hazardous areas, etc.). All responsibility, including financial and criminal, falls on the organizer.
Periodic repairs of premises due to wear and tear. Games involve the interaction of players with the room and its objects; there are frequent cases when the client breaks some finishing elements or game equipment. Prudently include periodic repairs into your expenses.
Internal factors directly depend on the business qualities of the founder and well-structured processes within the organization. These are the advantages of your specific offer compared to competitors in the city. Internal factors include:
Strengths:
A unique offer on the market, no analogues in the city.
Using the most popular sales channels on the Internet: organic promotion in search engines, contextual and targeted advertising, announcements on social networks, use of discount services, etc.
Competent brand positioning, which includes a well-thought-out policy of interaction with customers, brand design, and pricing.
High level of services, expert review game scenarios and locations, mandatory split testing.
Exclusivity of the offer, for example, in pricing policy and/or special conditions for companies of 4 people or more.
Potential weaknesses:
Absence practical experience in the creation and development of similar projects.
Difficulties in finishing the first premises, purchasing gaming equipment, developing scenarios, training staff, etc.
Lack of knowledge about your own audience, difficulties in identifying profitable sales channels.
Lack of knowledge about the pitfalls, ignorance of the nuances of doing business in this niche. Risks and threats, as we know, lie in the details.
A SWOT analysis will help determine the main objectives and methods for translating them into reality. Main objectives of the project:
- Search convenient location premises that meet 3 criteria: located within the city, have high public traffic and low rental costs. Perfect option- a shopping center or an independent facility located within walking distance from the central streets.
- Search optimal premises for gaming locations. Minimum Requirements: footage from 100 m2 (excluding reception) and the possibility of redevelopment.
- Development of scenarios (for 2-4 locations), based on the capabilities of the rented premises. It makes sense to hire a screenwriter for a fee.
- Carrying out finishing works, electrical and location design tasks.
- Search and purchase of game props, according to the requirements of the script.
- Split testing of games on different audience groups, subsequent refinement.
It is important to approach problem solving with particular scrupulousness, because... the level of demand will directly depend on the original quest plots, convenience of location, unique features locations and the rest from the list.
Risks
The main risks in entertainment projects are a decrease or lack of demand. Main risks:
- Lack of demand for a specific quest. A case where the game developer misinterprets the interests of the audience. As a result, the room remains unattended by the audience and customers do not book games. The reasons can be very different: a problem with the script, genre, poor technical performance, lack of original ideas quest rooms, special effects, weak team component, etc. To avoid risk, always analyze your competitors and their proposals, and in your work - this is important - involve real screenwriters and writers..
- Poor quality of the room. Today, clients are spoiled by high-quality locations of large network companies, who invest large resources in development. Therefore, new companies are obliged to do at least no worse. Customers will definitely compare and talk about new game familiar - the quality of the location determines whether it will be a recommendation or bad reviews. The quality and coolness of games is what attracts customers.
- Negative reviews. Word of mouth is extremely relevant for this type of activity, reviews of games are almost always a reason to visit. This also applies to reviews on the Internet. However, the opposite is also true - negative customer impressions immediately affect the level of demand.