Thinking of opening a karaoke box?
7 common questions asked and answered

So you've got a venue that welcomes the general public (a hotel, a casino, a bowling alley, an ice rink, a family entertainment center, you get the idea) and in addition to the diverse activities that you already make available to your customers, you're debating installing a karaoke room.

Not only are private karaoke rooms on the rise (read the data here) but opening a karaoke private suite has the added advantage of easing your customers' minds following the health crisis, as private karaoke rooms give customers the possibility to meet in small groups.

Whether you want karaoke to be your main activity or simply a complimentary one, private karaoke rooms increase customer satisfaction, help reach a new audience, compensate for off-peak hours, and increase revenue streams thanks to increased booking (for a night out or team-building workshops, birthdays, a bachelor(ette) party, etc.), food and beverage sales, the karaoke room is definitely a cost-effective solution for a moderate investment.

The benefits of installing a karaoke room in your business may already be clear to you, but you've likely still got tons of questions. Not to worry, the KaraFun Business Team has specialized in karaoke for the past 16 years (did you know a KaraFun karaoke party is launched every 10 seconds somewhere around the world!?) and we are here for you to answer any questions you've got. And since we can read you like an open karaoke catalog, we've already anticipated the few questions you might be asking yourself and even those that you might not have thought of! Read on....

How big should my karaoke room be?

Theoretically, the only limit for your project depends on how much space you own since there isn't a standard size for a karaoke box. It all comes down to the surface of your business, the space you'll dedicate to karaoke in comparison to the rest of the activities at your venue, etc.
That being said, if you'd like to stick to what is more commonly done, let's crunch some numbers together.

Number of people per box

First, you should know that the rooms that tend to be more profitable are the ones that can welcome between 6 to 10 people.

Surface per person

The other piece of information you will need is the surface per person. Allocate enough space for the comfort of your customers. Based on our experience, anywhere between 11 ft² and 16 ft² (1-1.5m²) is an ideal surface area.

If you are needing help, reach out and our team of experts will be happy to assist you in making the most of your space.

What about soundproofing?

There is nothing worse for karaoke box singers who are trying to enjoy a drink and have fun rocking out to Metallica than to hear a group of passionate Celine Dion fans at the neighboring karaoke box.You'll want to make sure that you soundproof each karaoke room. To this end, we highly recommend checking the current regulations in your city concerning noise limitations and talking to a sound insulation expert.
Our team of karaoke box specialists can point you in the right direction, so don't hesitate to get in touch for more details.

How important is the decoration of the karaoke boxes?

You should not overlook the welcoming feel of your rooms. A nice decoration, comfortable furnishings, a particular concern for the design of the door with, say, a porthole so people can look inside, all these things will encourage your customers to enjoy their stay and to want to come back. If you have several karaoke rooms, why not consider themed rooms?

What equipment, lights and sound do I need?

With the KaraFun Business solution, we're here to help you ever step of the way! We'll provide you with a list of materials and diagrams to get you set up in the best conditions. Have a look at our Help Center or contact us for more info.

What about Internet access?

KaraFun Business is a service that relies on live streaming. Therefore, you need to have a reliable Internet connection via DSL or fiber optic of at least 20 Mbps. But what is most important is not the speed so much as the stability of your internet connection. You can find the main questions regarding your internet access also in our Help Center here. You should also know that it's possible to access the karaoke catalog offline. Thereby avoiding the inconvenience of not being able to access your songs in the event that your network connection is lost. While you can synchronize the entire catalog of tracks for offline use, this isn't necessary as it represents a massive amount of data.
The average song is roughly 5 Mb, therefore it might be a good idea to create an emergency backup of maybe 10 to 20,000 songs (between 50 and 100 Gb).

How much can I price a karaoke session and hourly or per person?

This will depend on multiple variables: the nature of your activity, the diversity of the events held, the city in which you operate, whether or not you include drinks to your overall rates, etc. Our sales reps can help you estimate appropriate revenue if needed.

How can I increase overall Food and Beverage sales in the rooms?

There are several options to increase consumption in your karaoke rooms:

  • Consider in-room service rather than at the bar (Our KaraFun Experience turnkey solution provides you with the technology to easily set up this option).
  • Provide the possibility to pay from the karaoke room via integrated payment systems.
  • Introduce a rate that includes both karaoke and orders.
  • The impact on your bottom line is significant, a customer who opts for the karaoke session and a drink has an average basket worth between $20-27 (18-24€).
  • Take advantage of the scrolling banner option available in the KaraFun software settings, allowing you to highlight promotional messages, like a Happy Hour, for instance.

How many bookings and persons can I expect on any given day?

You've likely got lots of questions about bookings and when to expect maximum occupancy. While this may depend on your type of activity (FEC vs a karaoke room bar for example) you'll likely notice disparities between occupancy rates on different days of the week on some days while others have no problem filling all their slots.

Generally speaking, even if it depends on your city, the type of clients or the other activities you offer, people tend to go to karaoke rooms on Thursdays-Saturdays and between the hours of 20-23h. Your average karaoke session will last from 1.5-two hours. After a while, when you're able to take a step back and really look at your business' activity, you'll have the ability to think about how to promote the days and slots that are harder to fill (think promotional offers, themed evenings, targeted discounts, bundled offers, etc.). Also, don't hesitate to rely on mass communication for these operations (posting, social networks, flyers, etc.)

Still have questions? We've got answers!

Don't hesitate to contact us: business@karafun.com