Get 'Em in the Gate, They'll Spend in the Park

Six Flags says spending by customers inside its theme parks increased 13 percent over prior quarters, in the fourth quarter of 2007, the first quarter of 2008 and the first two months of the second quarter.

With just about everybody now skittish about the impact of economic sluggishness on consumer spending, that's not only reassuring for Six Flags, but a metaphor for what service providers might consider as well.

"Getting people inside the park" in that case means creating and sustaining a relationship, with virtually any single service. Once that is done, there is an opportunity to sell other things. In Six Flags' case that is food, beverages and souvenirs.

For service providers, it is an array of other services, applications or usage upon which partner revenue streams can be created. An entirely new "targeted" advertising business might be created on the back of widespread "video on demand" or "content on demand" offerings, for example.

It isn't yet clear how current charging mechanisms might change, and there is lots of standardization work to be done so potential advertisers can buy what they want conveniently. Not to mention the "danger" that Google and other application providers get there first.

Still, the analogy, though imperfect, is instructive.