Golf clubs taking the initiative ? Unique selling points (USP)

In this new featured section, Golf Industry Central will highlight some great marketing successes that have been done by local operators in our region. We’ve been hearing and reading about several facilities that have been taking the initiative to make them stand out from the rest. Please send any info on your successes to possibly be included in our future magazines. Also feel free to take a short video regarding some industry news that we can use on our website. (Keep maximum 2 minutes) The entire industry will benefit by the sharing of your successes. Ultimately, it’s up to each of us as individuals at the grass roots level to really make a difference for our industry. Carbrook GC- “Our hazards are very dangerous This is a great example of the club promoting their Unique Selling Point (USP) and in a very big way. The following timeline includes a log of the media groups that GM, Scott Wagstaff dealt with directly. “There were a heap of others that picked up on the story I have no idea about as it went nuts through the world after the Sky News story. says Wagstaff Shark Video Timeline ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~““““~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~“““““““““~~““~~~~““““““““““““““ Video taken of the sharks on a Saturday morning posted direct to youtube. Saturday 2 April Placed on facebook Monday 4 April Sent email to Channel 9, 10 and 7 with links to the youtube video Wednesday 6 April Sylvia Jeffries contact the club and came out with camera man and shot article that went to air that evening on Channel 9 news. http://news.ninemsn.com.au/video.aspx?tab=7&videoid=84f40e12-67d6-46f0-8823-0cb72035a9acTuesday 12 April Picked up by Yahoo Sports in America which send the video viral. Gathers almost 1.5million views in the next 24 hours. By the end of April 1.883 million views on youtube. Tuesday 27 September Sky News UK Jonathan Samuels (Australian Correspondent) arrives on course and films sharks for news story. Sunday 9 October Article goes to air on Sky News UK and features around the world. Monday 10 October Courier Mail visit photographer takes photos ABC News (TV) does a feature for the evening news goes to air at 7:25pm Tuesday 11 October Photo features on front page of the Courier Mail 4BC live interview 6:30am SEN in Melbourne 1116 live interview 7:10am ABC news radio visit to do a live cross Anne O’Keefe 7:30am Triple M Brisbane Live Interview 8:10am New Zealand National Radio Recorded Interview 11:30am Cameron Luke Regional network radio interview 12:00pm Thursday 13 October The Clubhouse- SEN Melbourne recorded interview with Cameron Luke and Mark Allen 6:30am Saturday 15 October BBC Radio (Coventry & Warwickshire) live interview with Malcolm Boyden 7:45pm Tuesday 18 October 2011 Pre-recorded radio interview with the morning crew 96fm (Perth) 1pm Revenue impact Written byPeter VlahandreasOperations ManagerThe Eastern Golf Club “With regards to extra rounds and revenue it was hard to perfectly measure the direct impact but we did increase green fee and membership revenue last year which was pretty good considering the impact of the inclement weather we had, says Wagstaff. Green Fee income – increased by 4.5% (with 5 months rain affected) Membership income – increased by 24.42% These provide some good measures of the club’s overall marketing success which includes the shark media frenzy. The shark picture is now the background to our new website which launched recently with the new logo being introduced throughout the club. www.carbrookgolfclub.com.au Revenue Management (Yield Management) has been used within the hotel industry for decades as a way to maximise occupancy year round.So in this ever demanding and competitive industry of ours, how can we adapt to the principals of Revenue Management into our Clubs Business & Marketing plans and ultimately our Clubs Culture to maximise our occupancy year round?Here are three key principals for you to consider as a way of understanding how your Club can adapt to this management concept:1. Know your Members & Customers an in depth understanding of their trends and behaviors is paramount. Clubs must understand the movements of their members and customer before marketing.2. Forecasting tied closely with point one, however forecasting starts with the vast collation of business data and predicting your Clubs trends for specific periods. For example, understanding what your function room occupancy rates are and targeting the quieter days such as Monday or Sunday evenings. Clubs must not over sell and under deliver!3. Price Discriminate not all customers will be prepared to pay a premium for your products and services all year round, so target your quieter periods to a new market of customers. When promoting to this new market, promote value, promote quality and promote yourself, this is a great way to get people through your doors and when done correctly, you will convert the thrifty customers into loyal customers who are willing to pay full tote for your products and services.To put these principals into context for you, The Eastern Golf Club went from having 65% occupancy on their time sheets, to 80% occupancy through following these principals, how?1. The Club recognised that there is a large demand for social golf in the market, especially on private golf courses.2. Through forecasting, the Club had an in depth understanding of the days which could accommodate the extra players on the course with minimal impact to their members playing routines. In addition the Club had also conducted sensitivity testing to understand exactly how many extra players they could fit in without compromising or adding to their staff resourcing, whilst still providing the service which the Club was renowned for.3. The Club knew that in order to get maximum exposure and traffic through their doors, that the price point had to represent value as a way of getting the new customers to purchase and allow the Club to have an opportunity to wow as many new guests as possible at the Club.Another example is the increase in catering options and days for our members whereby we followed the same three step process:1. The Club knows that there is 22% of members who are of an Asian ethnicity who regularly visit local restaurants, instead of frequenting the clubs lounge for lunch.2. The Club forecasted that if we could attract just half of these members that the catering department could justify two things: One, a change in menu options to cater for our Asian members and Two, opening the kitchen on Thursdays (as this is primarily when our Asian members play socially with their guests)3. We undertook some market research to understand Asian restaurant price points and found that the majority of lunch options in the local area were under the $10 price point. From this data, we then priced our new menu accordingly.Our final example of using the theory of Revenue Management into practice is our Membership Options at the Club, and more specifically our six month Introductory Membership:1. We took the time to understand that the current golfing market wanted a low entry price structure in order for them to commit to a private golf club environment. This structure must include at least one day on the weekend (in order to appeal to the young professional/family market) and it must be obligation free, so that if the members circumstances change (such as work or family commitments) then they can walk away.2. Our timesheets had sufficient room for extra players, especially on Sunday afternoons and non-competition days and increasing our six day playing membership by even 50%, we would still be able to offer the same level of services to our members without additional labor resourcing.3. Our price point is very competitive, just over $4 a day ($745 all inclusive of GV fees, Insurance and $50 House Levy) for six months with six day playing rights. After this period, if the new member would like to join as a playing member then their entrance fee is reduce by 61% ($610) and fees are paid pro-rata.Since beginning this membership category, we have had a conversion rate of over 50% into a playing category. Which proves the theory principals and that if you as a Club promote value, promote quality and promote yourself, in order to get new people through your doors then you will convert these customers into loyal members of your Club.In summary, The Eastern Golf Club allowed itself with an opportunity to wow new markets of golfers to its Club whilst significantly increasing their bottom line, Clubhouse and Golf Shop traffic and converted numerous new members into loyal promoters of the Club through these Revenue Management Principals. Riverside Oaks – RedBull Cliff Diving The jaw-dropping spectacle that is the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series returned to Australia in 2012, with the Riverside Oaks Golf Resort hosting the qualifying round on Saturday 4th February. What a great and unique venue to hold with golf course on one side and the river on the other. With new competitors attempting breath-taking dives from 27 metres, the event – which was open and free to the public – wowed punters against the stunning backdrop of the Hawkesbury River.Fifteen international divers travelled to Australia to compete in the qualifiers, performing gravity-defying, three-second flights and hitting the water at up to 85kph. The four qualifying divers from the event earned a prestigious spot amongst the world’s best in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series. The 2012 Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series pushed the world’s high diving elite to their limits. Australia is where it all began, and only those who shined on the Hawkesbury River gained the right to compete for the high-diving crown! A great example of a cross promotion to utilise an international recognised brand to promote your golf facility. Visit www.redbullcliffdiving.com to view video. Nullarbor Links “The World’s Longest Golf Course The Nullarbor Links concept is unique and gained worldwide coverage when it was first launched in . The 18-hole par 72 golf course spans 1,365 kilometres with one hole in each participating town or roadhouse along the Eyre Highway, from Kalgoorlie in Western Australia to Ceduna in South Australia. Each hole includes a green and tee and somewhat rugged outback-style natural terrain fairway. The course provides a quintessential Australian experience and a much-needed activity/attraction for travellers along the renowned desolate highway. The idea for the course came from Alf Caputo and Bob Bongiorno, both active in the Eyre Highway Operators Association, over a bottle of red wine at theBalladoniaRoadhouse.(Source Wikipedia) The Nullarbor Links concept was developed to complement and enhance the tourism industry along the Highway, by providing travellers with an additional attraction and hence a reason to spend more time and money in the region. The project marries tourism, the world’s largest industry, with golf, one of the world’s most popular sports. The course provides a much needed attraction/activity along the Highway. It slows traffic down and encourages visitors to stay longer, and hence spend more time and money in the region. The course has the potential to place the region in the travel spotlight, and attract increased traffic flow. Golfing tourists spend more money, and stay longer than an average tourist, making golf tourism a lucrative market. The Nullarbor Links has a “flow-on” effect to the communities of Dundas, Coolgardie, Kalgoorlie-Boulder, by providing employment to attract people and new businesses to the region. The course officially opened on 22-10-2009, although public play began on 15-08-2009. *A new course record of 72 has being established for Nullarbor Links. Mandurah Country Club golfer Ian Darwen played the course completing it on the 31st of December 2011. www.nullarborlinks.com/