In this episode of Inside VR: Real Operators. Real Money. Virtual Reality, Bob Cooney is joined by Fabian Springer and Emanuel Ulbing from The Reality Escape, a fast-growing VR escape room network and marketing agency. They share how they turned their passion for escape rooms into a thriving multi-location business built on exceptional customer experience, a strong brand identity, and smart, data-driven marketing.

From using fresh popcorn to evoke nostalgia, to creating detailed customer personas and executing AB-tested ad campaigns, Fabian and Emanuel reveal the strategies that drive their five-star reviews, high repeat business, and rapid expansion. This episode is packed with actionable insights for VR operators, escape room owners, and anyone looking to scale an experience-based business.

Time Stamps

0:00 – Introduction and origin story of The Reality Escape
0:41 – Early passion for escape rooms and the leap into VR
1:09 – First experiences with VR and discovering VR CAVE
2:18 – Advantages of VR escape rooms over physical builds
3:21 – Overcoming customer hesitation to try VR
4:04 – Replay value and unique experiences in VR
5:03 – The biggest challenge: getting customers in the first time
5:19 – Business growth path: exponential expansion
6:03 – The role of five-star Google reviews in attracting new players
6:52 – VIP-level customer care and creating memorable moments
8:10 – Scaling passion and customer experience through franchising
8:30 – First impressions: posters, popcorn, and game recommendations
9:57 – Creating emotional connections through game themes
11:14 – Extending playtime and adding surprise bonuses
12:00 – The intentional role of popcorn in brand experience
13:00 – Mapping the customer journey and understanding personas
15:50 – Two key customer personas: tourists and locals
17:20 – Tailoring marketing messages to each audience
18:11 – Google Ads and AB testing to refine campaigns
18:53 – Centralizing marketing across locations
19:36 – Advice for single-location operators starting with marketing
20:48 – Go-to tools for ad testing and tracking results
21:59 – Measuring success at each funnel stage
25:27 – Balancing marketing with business operations
26:23 – Applying the 80/20 rule to focus marketing efforts
27:39 – Percentage of sales from paid digital vs other channels
28:33 – Why Instagram beats TikTok for their audience
29:30 – SEO strategy: when and how to invest in it
33:28 – Building a brand beyond logo and name
34:52 – Using cultural references to connect with customers
36:02 – Designing experiences to evoke emotion at every touchpoint
37:27 – Launching a marketing agency to help other escape rooms
39:09 – How much to spend on marketing: 10–25% of revenue
40:47 – Considering lifetime customer value in ad spend
42:10 – Differentiating spend on locals vs tourists
44:58 – Scaling ad budgets and benchmarking ROAS
46:08 – Franchising and expanding services internationally
47:23 – Where to learn more and connect with Fabian & Emanuel
48:15 – Final thoughts and closing