Get out of the sand trap with a direct marketing plan

Recently, the golfing industry has seen the number of golfers declining while the number of golf courses built continues to rise. More and more, course owners are to turning to direct mail to successfully maintain their growth, notoriety and as a reliable source for creatively increasing their profits. Whatever size golf course you manage or own, you must competitively market it today to keep your business growing while maintaining your regular players as well as gaining new ones.

Marketing remains one of the most important strategic investments to get a golf course noticed and direct mail advertising should be an essential element in annual marketing and advertising programs to keep those tee times coming.

Direct mail marketing and advertising offers golf course managers and owners the unique opportunity for measurable advertising results. Golf courses can be landscaped beautifully and be a sight to behold. Direct mail marketing offers the opportunity to visually share the lovely sculpted lawns, clubhouse and to help get more people interested in your services. It also remains the most affordable, targeted and trackable advertising opportunity for both well established and up and coming golf courses.

Getting started

With various direct mail marketing opportunities available, there are many different ways in which to utilize the services for an effective marketing campaign. Solo direct mail letters, newsletters, free-standing inserts, postcards, brochures and other direct mail devices can illustrate how your golf getaway is exactly what they’ve been dreaming of. Because assembling the perfect composition maybe a difficult and time consuming task, it’s recommended to hire a professional graphic designer or a marketing agency to design the direct mail campaigns rather than to create something that may look unprofessional.

Use quality photographs, logos and colorful illustrations

Remember that today’s athletes and golf course clients tend to read advertisements by colorful photographs and logos that are supported by strong headlines and great offers. You must be able to stop potential golf enthusiasts with strong visual presentations. Consistency is also important. For added effectiveness, try to maintain a very consistent visual look and image throughout each of your advertising campaigns.

Use golf course and clubhouse photographs. Show clients on the course with friends and family or get a shot of those business deals on hole 7 going down. Lots of courses have special putting areas at their golf courses for families and children. Fun action oriented photographs like these are great ways to get entire families interested in your golf course, driving range and if available – your complete athletic facilities. Most importantly, be sure to illustrate all of the many amenities, features and benefits of your golf and athletic facilities in your marketing campaigns.

Have any local or nationally respected golf celebrities been sighted at your golf course? If so, don’t be afraid to let the public know. This is a sure fire way to help bring in more business. If you do not have any photographs, ask your direct mail resource what they have in their library. Prospective new clients will read all of the big offers as well as the small details, once they are attracted to your beautiful photographs, logo, colors and headlines.

Teeing off the message

“Free” always works great - Nothing beats "free" and it can surely help to close the sale and urge customers to buy. Consider offering a free gift with purchase or a purchase with purchase incentive. Offering a free meal for two with a membership is a great way to persuade customers to purchase from you. Or for the casual golfer, who just wants a day on the course, offer smaller deals such as weekend packages or getaways. Or how about a free basket of balls with the purchase of a large basket at your driving range?

Dollars off, not percentages - Research has proven that customers react much better to strong dollars off discounts and incentives. Percentage discounts really are not perceived to be as strong, especially if they are only 10 to 20 percent off. Unless you use a 50% discount off or higher, they will be perceived as weak offers and ignored. With a plethora of great golf courses to choose from today, is 10 percent off really going to excite customers to choose you?

Use care with disclaimers - Try to avoid excessive disclaimers and rules for what is not included in these varied offers. Try to keep your special offers simple with words like, “No Double Discounts. Expires 00/00/07.” Use expiration dates of no more than 60 to 90 day to keep your offers timely.

Safety in numbers or the power of one?

If you are going the solo direct mail route, it is a good idea to send colorful postcards whenever possible. The postage for a postcard is less expensive than standard mail and unlike envelopes; they don’t have to be opened for a potential golf enthusiasts to immediately see your offer. Use a high quality paper stock for your postcards. They are more durable and they are more appealing to the recipient. For solo direct mail, you will need to write copy, create artwork, provide professional photographs, determine your targeted markets and hire a local direct mail house to facilitate these mailings.

As you investigate the price of a direct mail campaign, you may discover the wonderful financial and creative benefits of nationally respected direct mail resources like Clipper Magazine, Savvy Shopper, Paper Mint, Val Pak, Money Mailer and others that are available in your local community. 

For example, Clipper Magazine is respected as a unique premier quality full color glossy direct mail magazine, while others utilize an envelope format, with a myriad of advertisers who market themselves together. The cost of cooperative and magazine format direct mail is usually only three to four cents per home as opposed to solo direct mail campaigns which can cost between fifty cents to one dollar per home. When you add up the costs of artwork, printing, mailing labels and postage, it is a greater advantage to use cooperative direct mail or a combination of both. Full color glossy direct mail magazines like Clipper will offer you the most premier quality representation of your facility.

Complimentary marketing consultations

Direct mail program resources, like Clipper Magazine, also offer complimentary marketing consultations, artwork and the use of professional photographs, mailing lists, printing and postage all in one simple package. In addition, their marketing consultants can share examples of other successful golf course owners from around the country. You will be able to review a small library of photographs, offers and special promotions that get tangible results. If needed, they can supply testimonials and telephone numbers from others in similar businesses to yours, so you can also call them for advice.

Clipper Magazine sales representatives are prepared to help you plan the most effective annual direct mail marketing campaigns with customized advertising solutions. They work with tens of thousands of sports stores and other businesses that you want to be associated with -- from across America. Take advantage of their experience, expertise and library of knowledge.

Patti Loftus from The Golf Zone in Lansdale, Pa., used Clipper Magazine’s servies. “We have been advertising in this magazine for over four years and believe it is an above average advertising media," She says. "From one advertisement we received 150 to 250 coupons. We like the Clipper readership, coverage, and the fact that people look at the advertisements. We would tell others that this magazine was well worth advertising in.”

Realistic expectations

Advertising with direct mail really works, especially with very strong offers and ongoing campaigns. Like any advertising, promotion or marketing concept, it takes a long term investment to successfully market your golf course. Visit with your direct mail sales consultant to set realistic expectations, so you are not disappointed. Coupons and mini gift certificates are easy to track. Many people will be attracted to your course to come in without the coupon or direct mail advertisement. One new customer may result in several thousands of service sales dollars per year – so as few as 5, 10 or 20 new clients from any one advertisement needs to be considered a big success. 

Belinda Schurman and Joan Erickson of Greenleaf Golf Course in Gresham, Ore., also tried direct mail marketing through Clipper Magazine. “With our very first advertisement, we were flooded with coupons from the first day it came out.”

To determine the statistical effectiveness of your direct mail advertising campaigns, plan to ask every client how they first heard about you. Many clients will bring in their coupons or mini gift certificates. Some will still ask their friends or co-workers for a referral or recommendation after seeing your direct mail advertisement, creating a winning combination for you. You will also need to measure your total sales volume each week or month, especially on items that you are promoting with your direct mail efforts.

Adam Lucas works for Marketing Solutions.