Although the game of golf has remained relatively constant for the last three centuries, the way people look for leisure opportunities has undergone dramatic changes. From the tried-and-true word of mouth method to newspaper, phone book, and other print advertisements to a whole new world of virtual marketing, golf advertising today is nearly unrecognizable compared to what it was just a decade ago. Amidst the excitement and angst of such an upheaval in club marketing strategies, many golf course and private country clubs face a dilemma: just how do they break into the world of online advertising effectively while still maintaining the time-honored tradition which their golf course or club upholds?
And the problem is multi-faceted. Many of these owners simply lack the technological skills to get an online campaign such as a Facebook page up and running. Others simply don’t have the time to devote to such a lofty golf advertising goal. Unfortunately, with over 750 million active users on Facebook, owners who pass up the opportunity to harness the power of this social media outlet may be turning down an untold number of potential new members. This one hole in their club marketing strategy could be costing their courses and private clubs thousands of dollars a year in lost revenue.
Thankfully, sites like Website are providing club owners with the tools, resources, and assistance they need to remain viable in today’s virtual marketplace. The company, run by Steve Young out of San Diego, California, has just launched its newest online weapon in the battle for increased club memberships and revenue. The tool, called Facebook Done4You, promises exactly what its name implies—an effective and self-automated Facebook page that attracts and engages visitors by automatically posting interesting golf-related articles, videos, trivia questions, and more to the course or club’s Facebook page, taking the guesswork and time factor out of the equation and allowing owners to enjoy all of the benefits of an effectively run online golf advertising campaign without any of the sacrifice.
The Facebook Done4You club marketing service features a whopping seventeen different apps including a sign up app where fans can complete contact forms, a deals app where visitors can unlock special discounts, and a video channel where they can watch YouTube videos right from the site’s Facebook page. Course or club owners can choose which apps best suit their unique golf advertising needs, making the experience completely customizable. By interchanging different apps on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis, owners can maintain Facebook pages that are compelling and relevant, keeping their fans coming back and even prompting them to invite their friends to “like” the page as well. Since a typical Facebook user has an average of 130 friends, word about a specific page has the potential to spread fast, especially if the page is a particularly engaging one. This exact marketing strategy proved invaluable recently for Hidden Valley Golf Course in Corona, CA. as ICP generated over 1000 new fans within a 5 week time frame and business at the course was off the charts!
Interested golf course and private country clubs can visit www.icptoday.com or call 866-636-6789 to find out more about FacebookDone4You and other services offered by ICP. A 30-day free trial of this powerful club marketing service is also available via ICP’s web site.