How to organize a quest and make money from it - a step-by-step guide for a businessman + an example of a ready-made business plan with calculations

What are quests

Recently, my friends and I decided to have a fun and unusual time, and I started looking for a place to relax. I didn’t want to go to the movies, theaters and concerts didn’t inspire optimism either, and going out into nature could easily be canceled due to rain.

On social networks I found photos of a friend of mine who organizes quests. A couple of years ago she worked as an animator at a children's center and now she has her own entertainment (events) company. We got on the phone and Lisa shared her work experience.

This is what she told me:

1. Quests are exciting games that turn into a real adventure. They are especially popular among young people and teenagers. The point of such a game is to collect objects (hints, keys) that will help solve the main problem, for example, getting out of a sinking ship.
2. Many people mistakenly believe that such entertainment began to be used during the advent of computer games and that at first they were virtual. This is not true: "Scrapbook games" were popular at summer camps, where the team receives a description of a location with the following clue. Moving from stage to stage, the squad gets to the main prize.
3. Even if you have never participated in a quest, you have read about it. Where? In fairy tales, and this is not a joke. Often the main character must successively overcome several obstacles (find a guiding ball, defeat Koshchei, etc.). After this, he receives the main prize: a beautiful wife, half a kingdom, and untold riches.

What types of quests are there?

Main types of quests:

• story - the most common adventure in which the leader gives tasks to the players;
• sports - the plot uses elements of outdoor games and strength exercises;
• theatrical - in which a small performance is performed by real actors;
• in a confined space - players are always in a closed room (questroom, location);
• unrealistic - participants have their eyes securely closed and move by touch.

The quest is organized in a closed room (of the “find a way out” type), in open spaces (in nature or city streets), in various anti-cafes, even in ordinary apartments.

The choice of location largely depends on the number of participants.

How to organize a quest and make money from it - a step-by-step guide

If you are planning to organize leisure time, then this form of entertainment is a popular recreation option for children and adults, and not only on birthdays.

Let's talk about organizing a quest indoors.

Step 1. Develop a scenario for the quest

The answer to the question of where to get a script depends on your previous experience and budget:

• if you, like our heroine, have experience in organizing and holding holidays, then writing several versions of games yourself will not be difficult for you;
• if there is a lack of creative imagination, an idea for a script can be found on the Internet;
• If you don’t rely on your own experience, you can buy the game script.

One example of free tasks can be found here:

Step 2. Choose a suitable room and make repairs

Before choosing a room, it is worth determining how many people it should be suitable for (four at one table or 20 with movement around the room).

The area of ​​the game room is calculated by the number of meters per participant:

In all cases, the reception area and operator's area are added to the obtained figures (they can be combined and occupy from 6 meters). The minimum area of ​​one location, reception and recreation area is 19 m².

We make repairs

The company of participants stays in the location for the entire period of the game. Therefore, interior design has a significant impact on creating atmosphere and mood.

How to save on repairs:

1. Transform the script to fit the existing design.
2. Change the surroundings without carrying out cosmetic finishing, but by adding specific equipment.
3. Add removable hanging elements. According to Lisa, this option is useful for those who have only one room and use several game scenarios. Such draperies are also used at outdoor events, so they will quickly pay for themselves.

Step 3. We purchase the necessary equipment

Having decided on the budget, scenario, location and design of the room, we move on to the interior decoration of the location.

What equipment will you need:

• furniture;
• lighting;
• accessories;
• audio and video equipment;
• specific equipment.

Purchasing furniture and equipment is a significant expense for a startup’s budget. If you want to save money, buy used furniture. But you shouldn’t take risks with technical equipment - purchase from official suppliers who provide guarantees for the goods and documents.

With some types of taxation (STS), an entrepreneur can reduce the tax burden by documenting his expenses on the purchase of equipment, furniture, rental premises, etc.

Step 4. Selecting personnel

One of the important conditions for the success of the quest is the competent choice of employees.

The effective operation of the project is ensured by:

• registrar-cashier (aka administrator);
• leading;
• special effects specialist or camera operator;
• actors (at theatrical events);
• accountant.

Look for them using resumes on the Internet or through recommendations.

It is not necessary to immediately enter into a long-term contract with all employees. At the start of the project, with a light workload, an employment contract with an hourly wage is quite suitable.

Step 5. We prepare the necessary documents for registration

Registration of an entertainment services company is not complete without collecting documents.

When opening an individual entrepreneur, the minimum package of documents includes:

1. Passport.
2. TIN.
3. SNILS.
4. Application for registration.
5. Receipt for payment of state duty.
6. Application for transition to the simplified tax system (if this tax system is chosen).

To register an LLC, the following will be added to this list:

1. The decision of the sole founder (if there are no other founders besides you).
2. Minutes of the meeting of founders (if the company is organized by 2 or more people).
3. Agreement on the establishment of an LLC.
4. Receipt of payment of the state fee for registration.
5. Letter of guarantee confirming the provision of a legal address (if you are renting premises).
6. Certificate of ownership (of the real estate you own).

Step 6. Looking for clients and starting a business

If a business has found its client, it is guaranteed financial success. The main visitors to quests are from 15 to 35 years old. They will see information about new entertainment on the Internet, on banners, and on the pages of youth magazines where you advertise.

After that, all that remains is to set the opening day, inflate the balloons and hold the games.

Features of registering such a business

Possible organizational forms of enterprise for a questroom: LLC and individual entrepreneur.

There are significant differences between them.

Which organizational form of enterprise to choose?

It is most preferable for our type of activity to open a company of the second type, which is confirmed by the table:

Which tax system is the most profitable?

The correct choice of taxation system for an organization seriously affects the entrepreneur’s profit. Entertainment services are not included in the list of activities under UTII, PSN and Unified Agricultural Tax. Therefore, the choice of tax system for an event is between OSNO and simplified tax system.

We looked at the differences between the options in the table:

According to Lisa, most gaming industry entrepreneurs prefer the “income” option to the simplified tax system. The exception is events with a large number of expensive consumables (here “income-expenses”).

Do I need a license for this type of business?

The entertainment sector is not a licensed activity. No certificates, patents or certificates are required for it.

Availability of franchises

Today, there are 61 questroom franchises represented on the Russian franchising market. The franchise package usually includes:

• developed script;
• technical support;
• requisites;
• software for monitoring and controlling the quest;
• developing a room plan;
• consultations on room decoration;
• consulting support at the time of opening and further operation of the franchisee company;
• brand book (logo, naming, attributes);
• work with personnel;
• Well-established system of reporting and recording clients.

Marketing plan - advertising methods that work most effectively

The genius Henry Ford believed that “the client pays the wages.” It is with the search for your own target audience that the project should begin.

The marketing plan for advertising includes several promotion options:

Method 1. Social networks

Groups on social networks bring together people with similar interests. In such a situation, it is easier, and therefore cheaper, to find clients.

Quests in social networks are still a profitable niche

Creating your own group also attracts visitors. In it, people share their impressions of the quest, choose a convenient time for the game and post photos. What could be better than unusual photos? Only reposts, likes and comments on them.

Method 2. Contextual advertising

It is effective among young people, and this is our target audience, due to the targeted impact on the potential client. The only thing that stops us from constantly using it is the growing cost of one click.

Method 3. Distributing leaflets

The least effective way to attract customers: the vast majority of flyers end up in the trash without receiving attention.

Method 4. Commercials

According to Internet marketers, the era of visual advertising has begun. Fragments of tasks and interviews with participants and game organizers are suitable for filming.

Method 5. “Word of mouth”

The best advertising is advice from friends or acquaintances. Clients trust her unconditionally and there is no need to spend their budget on her.

The number of friendly recommendations directly depends on the success of the quest and the flow of clients who visited it. By increasing these two indicators, you can save significantly.

Target audience and advertising

Business on quests is quite a profitable business. The main target audience, of course, is young people aged 18-30. Although sometimes older office workers also become players. However, more often this happens at the suggestion of the company’s management, which in this way decides to unite the team. Such “therapies” are practiced mainly in large cities of the country.

Since the main audience is still young people, there are certain nuances regarding the advertising of the establishment. The best way to spread it is through social networks and the Internet in general. It is worth saying that financial costs are also reduced.

Advertising a room

Brief business plan with calculations

Business planning and market analysis precedes the start of any commercial activity. In this case, creative ideas stand firmly on financial well-being.

For the project to be successful, the company's income must exceed its expenses. Let's draw up a business plan for 4 simultaneously operating questrooms.

We forecast income:

With this option for business development, the projected income will be: 4*300*1600/100*40= 768,000 rubles/month.

We forecast monthly expenses:

Projected expenses for operating locations 10 hours a day will be 160,000+ 60,000+ 140,000 +60,000 +10,000 = 430,000 rubles/month.

With the simplified taxation system “income” option, they will amount to 6% of revenue: 768,000/100 * 6 = 46,080 rubles/month. If an entrepreneur has chosen the simplified tax system of the “income-expenses” type, then the tax amount will reach 15% = (768,000 – 430,000)/ 100 * 15= 50,700 rubles/month.

The net profit of 4 locations will be: 768,000 – 430,000 – 46,080 (or 50,700 simplified tax system “income-expenses”) = 291,920 (287,300) rubles/month.

Profitability will be 291,920 / 768,000 * 100 = 38%

If the investment in the initial launch of the project amounted to 800,000 rubles, then its payback: 800,000/291,920 = 2.74 . This means that investments in business will pay off in 3 months, provided there are no deviations from the budget.

When borrowed funds are used to start a project, interest payments on the loan are also included in the calculations.

Please note: the average occupancy of locations is 40%, that is, throughout the year it will fluctuate from 10% in the first months to 95% during the New Year period. This means that payback cannot be expected earlier than 6-7 months, when a minimum customer base has been formed.

Market and competition analysis

Escape rooms are a unique area of ​​entertainment in which competitors not only take customers away, but also give them. They teach young people to relax in gaming locations. Event companies have a limited number of stories in their arsenal. Having visited them, young people go to play with other organizers, that is, with you.

The Russian quest market is waiting for you!

The following can be said about market competition:

• in Moscow and large cities the questroom market is close to saturation;
• network projects and their franchises occupy a smaller part of the market;
• the success of a company in the market directly depends on the complexity of the script and props, and therefore on the amount of money invested in it;
• network projects have low costs and are more difficult to compete with.

Specific examples can be easily found on quest aggregator sites; there are a lot of them now. For example, on the Moscow quests page of the LiveQuests.ru website you can see actually working projects at the moment.

The site has convenient sorting by quest type, city, number of players, difficulty, and so on. There is also a detailed description for each quest; if you wish, you and your friends can go and see how everything is organized.

How much money do you need to start a project?

It makes sense to calculate all financial indicators for the specific location of the project: prices for real estate, construction work, etc. differ significantly in Moscow and Saratov.

Lisa and I tried to average the calculations. Here's what we got:

Risk factors

If you decide to start your quest, pay attention to the possible risks:

• seasonality;
• dependence on the quality of themes and decorations;
• high franchise price;
• market fullness in large cities and unprofitability in small ones.

Features of starting a franchise business

If you have no experience in the entertainment industry, buying a franchise is best suited. It makes it possible, under the brand of a well-known company, to legally promote a business using technologies developed by its employees.

Franchise advantages:

• popularity of the organization;
• availability of a full package of legal, sanitary and technical documents;
• ready-made business model;
• proven promotion methods;
• rolled scripts;
• brand support (providing your website, call center, advertising products, etc.).

Disadvantages of the franchise:

• limited number of scenarios in stock (up to 3);
• lack of flexibility to local market specifics;
• inability to realize one's own creative potential;
• large lump-sum contribution (from 350,000 rubles) and royalties (with 10% of turnover).

Franchises are offered by more than 60 companies on the Russian market. Choosing the best conditions is not easy.

What to look for when buying a franchise:

1. Brand promotion.
2. Scenarios of quests included in the service package.
3. Number of games.
4. Maximum number of participants.
5. Complete set of support package (documents).
6. The price of additional services provided by the franchisor (website, advertising, etc.).
7. Possible penalties.
8. Customer focus.
9. Availability of other entrepreneurs in your area with the same franchise.

Purchasing a franchise looks like a tempting idea. Carefully study the conditions offered by the franchisor so as not to fall into financial bondage.

Script writing

How to open an quest room? The basis of a successful business is 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.

Remember

1. There is a big difference between an interesting idea and a profitable business. Before opening a questroom, evaluate the demand for the service in your region, the success and range of competitors, and the financial prospects of the project.
2. The success of such an enterprise directly depends on the size of the initial investment.
3. The quest market is interesting, but already saturated in most cities.
4. There are many offers to sell a franchise, but the justification for purchasing it must be carefully weighed.
5. If preliminary calculations do not give a comforting forecast, then it is better to visit game locations only as a participant.

Good luck to you and see you again!

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What is the best way to register a legal entity, yourself or contact a special company?

If quests are your first business and you are a curious person, you can register as an individual entrepreneur yourself. It's very simple, just make two visits to the tax office and one to the bank to pay the state fee.

In the case of opening an LLC, the situation is different; here we would still advise you to contact a company that will take on this task.

In general, it all depends on the principles. We have a principle - everyone should mind their own business. That is why we write scripts and help entrepreneurs open quest rooms anywhere in the world, and lawyers, in turn, protect us. Accountants help control the bureaucratic side of revenue. Of course, you can do this on your own, but you will have to learn a lot and make mistakes. Yes, you will save 3-5 thousand rubles monthly, but you will lose more because your time as an entrepreneur is worth more.