Marketing a private golf course, either from scratch or building on an existing strategy, is no easy feat. With more and more people not having enough time to dedicate an entire afternoon to playing golf, private golf club managers need to get creative.
Old tactics that used to work even a decade ago are simply not going to cut it, so if you want your private golf course to keep up with the times, it’s time to act. Get ahead of the pack with these seven essential tips for successful private golf course marketing.
1. Analyze your competition and do what they don’t
Unless you’re the manager of the only private golf course in the county, it’s essential to start by analyzing your competitors and look for holes in their marketing strategy. Make sure you do everything they do, but also focus on doing everything they’re not.
By being somewhere they’re not, say on Instagram, the local chamber of commerce, or in partnership with local hotels, you’ll be able to make your golf course more visible to potential members who aren’t aware of the existence of golfing opportunities in the area.
2. Make sure your website is responsive
Mobile devices have become ubiquitous over the past decade, which means that most people are now browsing the internet on their phones. Your website needs to be responsive and quick to load on mobile devices. After all, you don’t want a potential client to change their mind about visiting just because they became frustrated with your website when they browse for information.
Making a website responsive means that it needs to adapt seamlessly to all devices, so the user experience is great whether visitors are browsing on a smartphone, tablet, or computer. What’s even better, mobile-friendly websites rank better in Google and other search engines, so you’ll likely get more traffic and customers from searches.
3. Implement a simple online registration system for tee times
Golfers who want to arrange a tee time need to be able to do so without any difficulty. If your current method is clunky, it might deter clients, who may even choose another golf course that has a modern registration system.
The good news is that today’s technology makes it super easy to accept online reservations for tee times. By making it easy for golfers to book their tee time with a couple of clicks or taps on their phone, you’ll have a streamlined reservation process
and you’ll also be able to attract new people who want to try their skills but are put off by cumbersome registration methods.
4. Advertise your golf course on social media
If you’re not on social media, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, get to it right now. If you already have your social media profiles up and running, you may look into using some of the paid options that allow you to advertise on these platforms.
Experimenting with paid ads is not always an effective method for golf courses, as it depends a lot on your audience. However, it’s always a good idea to try some targeted advertising, as this has the potential to bring you huge reaches. If you have never tried paid advertising on social media before, don’t worry — setting it up is very easy. Try to run a couple of ads as a test and keep an eye on their performance to determine whether you should incorporate them in your permanent marketing efforts.
5. Grow your email list and create relationships
If you don’t already have an email list, it’s time to start growing one. It’s not very difficult for golf courses to capture emails, as you are probably gathering them already if you offer online registrations. However, you shouldn’t limit growing your
email database efforts to that.
For example, you could offer a rate reduction in exchange for users subscribing to your email list. Alternatively, you could collect email addresses in exchange for short ebooks or courses for beginner golfers.
Having a robust email database isn’t very helpful if you don’t send regular emails that can help forge lasting relationships with your members. From offering weekly golf tips to letting readers know about the latest specials and events at the golf course,
there are lots of ways to connect with your audience without spamming your list.
6. Increase your online visibility with video
Video is an amazing way to make potential members realize what makes your golf course special. From posting regular short videos promoting events and any new features you might be offering on social media to creating a YouTube channel for the course, there are multiple ways to harness the power of video to engage your audience.
Posting regular videos on YouTube is a great way to offer an inside look at your course and use calls to action to encourage viewers to check it out in person. Moreover, this is also an excellent opportunity to promote any equipment you might sell and educate beginners by demonstrating various golf techniques.
7. Analyze your performance
No matter how on point your marketing plan is, it’s vital to analyze its performance on a regular basis. The fast-shifting golf club business doesn’t allow too much room for mistakes and outdated practices, so it’s important to keep your plan up to date.
It’s always a good idea to pay attention to external events and shifts in the social and economic environment in your area so you get a better idea about the effectiveness and profitability of your marketing strategies.
For a private golf club to be successful, it’s vital to tap into its full potential. As such, exploring all the marketing venus available to you, both online and offline, is key to standing out and increasing your membership.
