| How to be a Big Fish in Any Pond | | | | What about giving your Marshalls Instant Replay |
| Many golf courses attempt to gain a competitive | | | | vouchers for disgruntled clients? Have them give balls |
| advantage by continuously dropping their price. This | | | | away to people hunting for their lost balls! (This really |
| marketing strategy will inevitably fail over time | | | | helps improve slow play and just makes people feel |
| because you create a perception of being a discount | | | | better. The marshall is now seen as a friend rather |
| golf facility. You will begin to attract the | | | | than a policeman). |
| ''Bottom-feeder Golfers'' who rarely spend any cash in | | | | How about fun, cute Cart Girls who have been given |
| your proshop or bar and usually carry baloney | | | | great training and know how to make people smile. |
| sandwiches in their golf bag. Why not just become | | | | Why not take a digital photo of every golfer at your |
| more appealing to people who like to spend money | | | | signature hole and send it to them by email? (How's |
| for quality services? There are several good lures | | | | that for collecting email addresses? Disney now does |
| you can use to catch these golfers with money: | | | | takes digital pictures with some of their rides - and |
| 1. Throw in the Towel | | | | even charges you if you want the printed photo!) |
| DON'T DISCOUNT YOUR PRICES - INSTEAD - ADD | | | | What about having a few more ''Fun Tournaments'' |
| VALUE! Price cutting is ultimately a losing game. A | | | | with crazy prizes and great social events afterwards. |
| better approach is to add value so you can increase | | | | Build a sense of community. |
| rather than decrease prices. Your focus should be on | | | | The point is, you should make it your goal to have |
| finding creative ways to differentiate your golf | | | | your golf course become ''The Happiest Golf Course |
| course and your customer service. Increase demand | | | | on Earth!'' |
| so much that you no longer have to compete with | | | | 3. Do it Like Cheers! Remember the TV Show |
| the price cutters. Simply do more effective marketing | | | | Cheers? Why did people keep going to Cheers? The |
| and get so busy that you have to raise you price. | | | | answer is in the song, ''Where Everybody Knows |
| All your ads should create value propositions that | | | | Your Name.'' |
| provide enticing offers and premiums for a great | | | | It teaches a great lesson - Build loyalty through |
| golfing experience. You can ''Throw in'' a golf towel, | | | | incredible personalization. Here's several personalization |
| hat, complimentary lunch (Hot dog & Coke), | | | | hooks you can use: |
| range pass, yardage book, poster or a screensaver. | | | | Create a Preferred Golfer Loyalty Program where |
| By adding these types of premiums, you can easily | | | | you reward your best customers. If you'd like to see |
| raise your price to more than cover the cost of the | | | | more about a complete loyalty marketing program |
| premium and create a higher percieved value at your | | | | we've developed, view details at Train your staff on |
| club. However, you may want to limit these | | | | how to remember names. Create photo directories |
| promotions to your tee spots that are already in high | | | | of your members for staff review. Have a rewards |
| demand (such as weekend mornings) so you can | | | | and incentives for the best ''Name Rememberer.'' |
| raise your fees considerably without it affecting your | | | | Create all kinds of special social events at your club |
| traffic flow. Consider how the Airlines do this with | | | | where it's very easy for people to get to know each |
| ''Space Available'' in First Class. | | | | other in a fun, informal way. Make sure there's some |
| The exception to the rule of discounting is to use it | | | | ''Intentional Interaction'' so it makes it easy for people |
| as a reward for your most loyal customers. Give | | | | to connect, even if they're new to a group. |
| financial incentives to people who buy in volume and | | | | 4. Become Heroes In Your Community How would |
| pay upfront. Have discount programs for the players | | | | you like to make a positive impression on your |
| who want to buy a 20 round pass or a series of 10 | | | | community and earn the right to get some ink from |
| lessons. | | | | your local media? Here's a few ideas: |
| 2. Make it like Disneyland | | | | Have programs for kids to build birdhouses through |
| Think about how much fun it is to go to Disneyland, | | | | the school woodshop for your golf course. This |
| ''The Happiest Place on Earth.'' The Park is always | | | | program can be especially effective with special |
| immaculate and the staff are highly trained to make | | | | needs kids - allow them install the birdhouses on the |
| people smile. | | | | course and make a meaningful contribution to their |
| Disney is in the entertainment business - and really, | | | | community. Have your staff become experts: Let |
| so are you. | | | | your chef host cooking classes. Have your |
| Everything at Disney is designed for fun and creating | | | | superintendent host workshops on flower gardens, |
| memories. It's more than just a theme park with | | | | pruning, thatch control, lawn fertilization and |
| rides. In the same way, your golf course should be | | | | maintenance. Have your golf pros teach etiquette |
| more than just golf - it's about the experience you | | | | classes to the juniors - complete with a nice |
| help them have. | | | | graduation ceremony. |
| Think about how you can raise the level of customer | | | | 5. Use Exceptional Photography to Create an Indelible |
| service and improve the ''WOW'' factor at your golf | | | | Impression You only have one chance to make a |
| facility. How can you make the whole experience at | | | | good first impression. Great golf course photography |
| your course more enjoyable and entertaining. | | | | is critical to improving your image and branding. Make |
| How about making sure your washrooms are | | | | sure you have at least one outstanding photograph |
| impeccable (Women rank this as the #1 most | | | | of your signature hole so that people will be enticed |
| important value in a quality golf course). | | | | to play your course. Great photography is the easiest |
| Why not serve vanilla scented towels at the turn? | | | | lure you can use to catch golfers with money. |
| Make them hot in a microwave on cold days and icy | | | | Want to see some stunning Golf Photgraphy? Check |
| cold on hot days. Very refreshing. | | | | out the work of 2 times "Golf Photographer of the |
| How about having a friendly guy that greets you as | | | | Year" John Johnson at Using these 5 strategies will |
| soon as you arrive and takes your bags to the range | | | | allow you to differentiate your club from the |
| or starting tee? Dress him in white coveralls like at | | | | competition and you will |
| the Masters. | | | | BECOME A BIG FISH IN YOUR OWN LOCAL POND! |