Keep Your Golf Course Busier During the Off-Season
If you’re somewhere like where I am and there’s snow on the ground right now, chances are that your golf course isn’t raking in the green fees this time of year. In all seriousness, just because it’s winter and we can’t play golf, that doesn’t mean that we can’t already be building steam for the coming spring. For most of us in the golf industry, the off-season is a time of planning, strategizing, and thinking ahead to what we’re going to do different and do better next summer. But why do we have to wait until next summer to implement new ideas and changes? What if we could start impacting our facility’s bottom line right now? Here, I’m going to share a few things that you can do at your facility to start driving more revenue and keep your club busier during the off-season, and particularly how we can do that with marketing. Let’s check it out.
Drive lesson revenue by posting videos on social media
If you have an indoor space to practice or give lessons during the winter, a great way to get more lesson revenue, for you as the pro and for your facility, is to share swing tips and instruction on social media. Not only do you show the world that you know what you’re talking about, but you get people thinking about golf! Even better, share snippets of actual lessons. Showing people what actually goes on during a lesson is a get way to get them off the fence and into the simulator bay with you.
Not only that, but posting videos in general is the best way to grow your social media audience. Engagement on videos is up to 7 times higher than engagement on still photos. Videos get people interested, and your chance of reaching more people goes way up when you’re creating video content. It doesn’t need to be hard to post videos either. Start with simple swing tips that are great for beginners OR prop your camera up during a lesson and document. You’ll get some great snippets just by letting the camera roll (be sure to let your student know that you’re filming and only do it if they’re okay with it).
Promote golf shop sales with holiday deals and gift card offerings
Nobody knows what a golfer wants more for the holidays than your golf shop staff! You have great gifts galore from the season’s inventory, and you may even be getting new gear in already for the next year. There’s no better way to clear old inventory or advertise new than to promote it for the holidays. Include holiday gift ideas regularly in email newsletters and social media posts, and don’t forget to promote gift cards too. They’re great, versatile gifts and will always drive more customers to your shop.
Go behind the scenes with your staff
If you really want to get creative with social media, go behind the scenes with your staff and showcase some of the personalities that make your club run. The Head Pro can write a column in the monthly member update and can narrate some of the videos that go on social media. Give some camera time to the Chef as he or she cooks the food for the holiday party. Let the Bar Manager show the world his best holiday cocktails. All of these are super easy ideas that you do use at your club, and all you have to do is document what already happens on a daily basis. See? Creating content doesn’t have to be super hard!
Organize Simulator Golf Leagues for everyone
Finally, if you have a simulator or multiple at your facility, organize leagues for members. Leagues can take many different formats and you can add additional events to accompany them. Include special appetizers and cocktails, giveaway gifts like headcovers or hats as part of the entry fee, or start a trophy for the league champs. There are many ways that you can put your unique spin on a winter golf league. No matter how you do it, one thing is for sure. It’s way more fun to play and compete with friends that to just golf alone.
Wrap It Up
We all know that the off-season is long, but it doesn’t have to be boring! Implement these ideas at your club and keep people enjoying all that your club has to offer all year long. Your members will appreciate having more things to do, your club will love having more people active on social media, and you’ll look like a genius for putting it all together;)
The off-season is also a great time to re-strategize your marketing, update your website, and get on social media. If you want help, you know where to find us.