Your Golf Club Has An Online Store… Now What?
Whether you’re opening a new coffee shop in town, building a new tech startup or launching an online shop at your club, the same rules of marketing apply. You may have the greatest product or service in the world, but if you don’t market it appropriately, it won’t reach its full potential.
Adding an online shop button or page to your course or club’s main website may lead to mediocre sales, but if your main goal is to drive more revenue, you’ll need to do more.
If your mission is to turn your online store into a meaningful revenue stream, try these 8 things.
1. Send an email to your database announcing the exciting new launch.
Golf courses have a captive audience of fans that come to play the course thousands of times per year. Use that to your advantage!
2. Market the store in your tee time confirmation emails.
Do your golfers book tee times online? If yes, that means you’re potentially sending out thousands of tee time confirmation emails; mention the online store there.
Another thing you can do - send an automated follow-up email the next day or two later thanking them for coming. You can ask if they had a chance to check out the physical shop before they left and tell them about the online store.
3. Put up a display rack with a QR code.
Try putting up a display rack of items available in the online shop. Worst case it draws attention to the fact that you have an online store…best case, you have new customers.
4. Offer a free gift redeemable through the online store.
This is one of my favorites. Do you ever give your golfers gifts such as a bag tag? You could give them a code to redeem their free bag tag or gift through the online store, which educates them about the online store and/or may lead them to purchase something else while redeeming their free gift.
5. Offer limited edition products and logos to drive attention (which gives you an excuse to tastefully use email marketing).
The last thing you want to do is bombard your customers with spam emails about the online store. Offer limited edition logos, shirts and products for holidays such as St. Patrick’s Day, Fourth of July, the annual member-guest, etc. Many golfers already want something unique like this and it also helps you educate them about the online store while creating some buying urgency.
6. Do you have non-golf events at the course? Have people register through the online store so they know you have one.
Many clubs have movie nights, concerts or other events. Even if these events are free, have folks register through the online store for the event. This is a chance to educate them about the store, while it’s also an upsell opportunity. For example, “Want to purchase an XYZ Country Club blanket to lay out on the grass for the concert?”
7. Use tournaments to your advantage.
Many courses host corporate and charity events. These generally come with shop credits. Try offering these credits to the online store so they’re aware it exists and can buy something later.
8. Leverage your social media page
Some courses have a strong social media presence. If you do, use this to your advantage. Mention the online store ahead of holidays like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Tell your followers about a new logo design. Have them vote on new product ideas. Post about new brands you offer.
Every club is different, so there is no one-size-fits-all solution, but at least some of these actionable steps should help you market your store tastefully and effectively.
Don’t have an online store yet and are stuck on where to begin?
Shopify is a good option if you want to put the site together yourself and sell items off your shelves. They have some great tools and were specifically built for that purpose.
If you like the idea of offering an online store to your members and golfers without having to invest in inventory or do the behind-the-scenes work, Tee Commerce may be a good fit for you.
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