MMC® has raised over 50 million dollars “in cash” for our clients. This revenue represents thousands of memberships that produced an increase in daily traffic, which in turn, raised millions more in residual income from renewal fees, referrals, and various profit centers.
When you work with MMC® everyone wins. The owner loves us because he is finally making money and not dipping into his pocket to support the golf facility, the GM wins because he can now focus on administrative and managerial tasks as opposed to worrying about raising revenue, and the pro wins because he is now free to teach and “grow the game” he loves. And most importantly, the community wins because they get the opportunity to be a member of their new golfing home.
When faced with hard economic times, a lot of owners and/or operators think of four ways to raise some revenue.
The first thought is to raise existing membership dues on existing members. This is a huge mistake because the fallout of disgruntled members offsets the increased revenue. These members were probably just waiting for a “logical” excuse to quit anyway and now you handed it to them on a silver platter. This plan usually results in a loss of revenue more times than not. The only way this can work is if you are starting off with a surplus of members.
Another ill-conceived plan to increase revenue is to get your existing members/customers to spend more in the profit-centers. This too rarely works since consumers fall into spending patterns and buying habits and it is extremely difficult to change these “conditioned” routines. Besides, punishing your loyal members by always coming back to them for more money is a terrible idea.
Others believe the only way to survive the storm is to cut costs and they usually start with cutting payroll, which in turn diminishes service, which leads to unsatisfied customers/members who leave the golf facility or even worse—the game. No one has ever “cut” their way to prosperity. A quick tip to those of you afraid of losing your is to increase the traffic at your golf property and you will become indispensable.
The best way to raise revenue and enjoy the storm is by bringing in new business and “condition” their spending patterns and buying habits from the time of sale. This is exactly what MMC® does; we bring in new business, immediate cash, and increased revenue from profit centers which equate to long-term residual income.
Many golf facilities have left the marketplace in the last few years. Theories circulate the country as to why ranging from too much inventory and not enough golfers, the present economic climate, golfers that were brought into the game and were not serviced properly and therefore, left the game in frustration, etc.
This plague of closures started years ago, yet this deficit in inventory has yet to equate into increased revenue or rounds for the survivors. “Thinning out the herd” is not the answer. There is room for “all” golf properties if marketed properly.
MMC®’s clients don’t go out of business and our client’s workers don’t lose their jobs. Why is that you ask; because we capture new business and rebuild old relationships. Whether it’s the core golfer or the casual golfer, all of our customers have been selected through a thorough profiling formula to assure the maximum ROI from our marketing efforts at a minimal expense. This is how you grow the game of golf and grow your golf business at the same time.
Research is the biggest and best investment a golf property can make. Start by knowing your competitors and where you stand in the marketplace. How does your golf facility stack up to theirs—pricing, course conditions, amenities, etc? It doesn’t matter if it is an executive par three or just a driving range; if they are receiving any golfing dollars, it is crucial you know how much and why. MMC® does an in-depth competitor overview on all of our client’s properties to make sure we know exactly what is happening in the marketplace.
Next, you want to know your audience and who qualifies as your audience within your geographic and demographic market. No one can afford to incur wasteful spending. MMC® has a research and development department that includes a full-time, 24-hour, seven days a week, call center devoted to capturing pertinent information to better serve our clients.
You must take into consideration all aspects of your targets: lifestyle, spending habits, buying patterns, geographical demographics, income, and education, just touch the surface. Naive marketers look primarily at income as being “the” qualifying factor, but income alone can be very misleading. You probably have your own example of this. Have you ever tried to roll out your own direct mailing or another form of marketing media targeting an area labeled “affluent”, thinking this was your audience, and yet got a dismal return on your investment? In some cases, enormous income on paper, masks enormous debt. These targets can’t afford to pay attention much less pay for a golf membership. You definitely don’t want to be in the collection business. Your desired target is consumers with discretionary income, not consumers drowning in debt. Profiling your targets is an absolute must and MMC® has been profiling consumers with discretionary income for the sports industry since 1991; and best of all, we pay for all of the research, not you.
MMC® also studies the psychology of consumer spending. People buy products and services for emotional reasons and then later justify their purchase for logical reasons. You must know the negative and positive emotions that your golfers and prospects associate with your golf property if you plan on effectively targeting them as potential members/customers.
People are motivated/moved by two driving forces: pain and pleasure. You must eliminate the painful emotions associated with your golf product /service and replace them with pleasurable emotions to your golf product/service. This can easily be accomplished with the appropriate delivery system of the desired message through a well-thought-out marketing/branding campaign designed and implemented by MMC®.
When marketing and selling your golf property you must be able to meet the consumer’s SIX core emotional needs. Significance, everyone needs to feel important. Certainly, everyone needs to have a sense of security. Variety, everyone needs to experience newness and excitement. Connection, everyone needs to feel wanted, loved, and have a sense of belonging. In contribution, everyone needs to feel like they have something to offer. Growth, everyone needs to feel they are moving in a forward direction. A golf membership delivers on all six emotional needs.
To effectively market to your audience you must first know your target market’s core emotional needs and then design your advertisement to trigger their needs; not yours.
MMC®’s team is the experts at selling golf memberships to desirable prospects. We are very aware that some owners/operators have a negative association with selling golf memberships, whether they feel the member is getting too much value for their investment or they have experienced other negative scenarios with golf membership models. MMC® is sensitive to these concerns and assures our client’s measures will be taken to avoid these pitfalls. Creating the perfect balance of value vs. investment is just one of the areas of expertise MMC® brings to the table.
Another great aspect of a golf membership is, “Birds of a feather flock together”. If you capture one golfer out of a foursome and get him/her committed to a golf membership at your golf facility; when it comes time for his/her foursome to choose a golf course to play this weekend, the “member” will be very persuasive in getting the other three to play at his/her home golf course.
Albert Einstein was quoted saying, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result.” Well, doing the same old marketing over and over is insane. Blasting the same old email offerings and newspaper ads with the same old discounted tee times that you have done for the past five, ten, fifteen years, is insane, not success. MMC® has a proven formula that will break you out of this circle of insanity today.
Eighty percent of the population is either broke or almost broke, if you follow mainstream thinking you’ll be broke too.
Our research team conducts and pulls research studies such as communication studies, advertising execution studies, advertising awareness and tracking studies, price studies, and customer satisfaction research to know what has worked, what will work and what does work when it comes to capturing the casual and core golfer.
Marketing requires thinking outside the box. One technique employed by MMC® is to design golf memberships with a low barrier to entry as a “hook” (the draw) for grabbing the attention of the masses. Golf memberships then can be upgraded during or after the point of sale, just like in the airline industry.
MMC® has numerous other tag lines and marketing hooks to grow your golf business that will compliment your current business model and achieve your desired results. Lowering the point of entry (often confused with lowering the barrier to entry) is just “one” used in the “cash” promotion.
Price can never be your only point of leverage, nor can it ever be presented as the superior part of your golf product and services. It can only be used as a “hook” to get the prospect’s attention.
This is where most owners/operators sink the ship when trying to implement this kind of promotion on their own. All they see is the tip of the iceberg, i.e., the initial offer (the hook), but fail to see the enormous substance beneath supporting the tip.
Even when this marketing “hook” is deployed by MMC®, there is no danger of engaging the undesirable consumer, thanks to MMC®’s in-depth research on qualifying potential targets. There is also a built-in safeguard to eliminate any undesirables from procuring a golf membership, and that is your staff who will be collecting all membership revenue and signing all membership agreements. In short, you still maintain full control as to whom you accept as a member and whom you do not.
By listening to the feedback/pushback from other industry consumers like the previous example given, the airline industry; we marketers are able to learn a lot from their successes and failures. It is difficult to change the pre-conditioned buying habits of the existing customer, whereas, it is very easy (with the proper training) to condition the buying/spending patterns of the new golf member. Using the airline scenario; customers that have flown for many years in the past absolutely hate the new airline à la carte system; liking it to nickel and diming the consumer. Whereas, the new customers, new to flying and not conditioned to the old system, love the à la carte system; perceiving it as only paying for what they use.
Unlike the airline industry, MMC® believes existing, pre-conditioned members should be allowed to retain their status quo (avoiding the potential backlash while retaining loyal customers); whereas some of the new members will be brought in on a new “à la carte” golf membership with an option of upgrading to an all-inclusive golf membership.
MMC®’s approach for our “cash” promotion is to design three levels of golf membership. Starting with an entry-level golf membership (limited days of use) with a low point of entry and all other services are à la carte. This system is not discounting; it is simply redirecting the revenue stream (packaging the golf membership a little different). You will collect less upfront but you will receive more over the term of their golf membership.
Next, a mid-level golf membership with no limitations to the days of use, they pay a higher golf membership entrance fee and also follows the à la carte system. In most cases, under this system, these members pay as much or even more than the golf course is currently receiving from its existing golf members under their current dues structure.
The final golf membership is the full, all-inclusive, golf membership you might currently have in place today. This is the golf membership everyone will secretly aspire to. These are the members who play 50 to 100 times a year, they want to play all the premium times including Saturday and Sunday mornings at 8:00, they want people to know their name when they get to the course, and they want to have the cleanest carts, they want to play in all the course events whether tournaments or leagues, they don’t want to be charged additional fees, they want to walk in the golf shop and get immediate attention and recognition, they want to play a round with the pro, charge at the bar and restaurant, attend the social functions, and etc. This quality of service and attention commands a premium golf membership fee.
The level of service from the “entry-level” golf membership to a “platinum” golf membership is like comparing a few peanuts to big beautiful red delicious apples; there is no comparison.
Mastering the various mediums of media is a must for efficient marketing. Today, everyone is looking for the cheapest vehicle of marketing available. Simply put, they are confusing motion for momentum.
Inevitably they turn to some sort of social media, starting with blasting the same old offers to the same email list year after year, month after month, week after week, and sadly, day after day to where the recipients are oblivious to the message and sick of the sender.
Most e-marketing, including text messaging, is an “opt-in” form of marketing. So when you are blasting your email list all of the time with daily offers you are eroding a valuable commodity. Learn to use social media marketing wisely and grow your list just as you grow a business. Think of your lists as a bank; as long as you are making deposits you can continue to make withdrawals. When the deposits stop, it won’t be long until your withdrawals stop as well.
All forms of media have a place in marketing and should be maximized when relevant. Radio, television, newspapers, social media, and e-marketing, along with a host of other mediums available are great support tools, but none are as powerful as personalized direct mail when it comes to getting your message out to your prime targets. Your target market as a golf property is no more than a twenty-mile radius of your golf facility; anything outside of that is wasteful spending (in most cases that is, but of course, there are exceptions).
The power of a personalized offer that is tangible cannot be underestimated. The immediate and residual measurable dividends that are produced from a properly executed direct mail campaign are far superior to any other form of marketing. Eventually, you want your golf course’s name in every consumer’s mind within your twenty-mile radius. Direct mail is the best vehicle to make that happen; all other forms of media should be considered as the support systems and not the driving force of a full-blown promotional campaign.
There is only one downside to direct mail, and that is the cost. But this challenge is completely eliminated from the equation thanks to MMC®’s no-risk/self-funding formula. All the money must be raised in advance before any money are invested into direct mail. In short, if the campaign has not raised sufficient funds to support the direct mail campaign…there will be no direct mail campaign.
MMC® has designed their cash promotion to completely pay for itself.
There are four phases in our campaign.
We start with a soft “internal” launch with signs in the pro shop, letters, and emails to present and past patrons, along with some local newspaper and radio ads. This revenue collected from this soft launch is then used to seed the direct mail campaign. During this time MMC®’s staff is pulling all of the demographic information, compiling data for the profiling process, studying the competitive overview, creating ad copy, ad design, training your staff, etc. in preparation for the “external launch.”
The driving force of the campaign (external launch) is then deployed through four consecutive mail drops to profiled targets selected on a criteria-based formula. Each week’s direct mail launch is determined by the previous week’s intake of revenue. So at no time is the owner “at risk” or “out of pocket” to fund the direct mail.
The close-out is scheduled for two weeks. This is when all mediums of marketing are deployed. We leave no stone unturned. You can easily do 40% of the total gross of the promotion in the last two weeks. Again, the promotion is set up this way with built-in adjusters to accommodate the circumstances. If you have reached the desired results before the “closeout” you can do a soft, quiet close-out; if you are short of our desired result, you can push the closeout as hard as necessary to achieve the desired result.
The final phase of our campaign is “forward-thinking”. Now that you have achieved your desired results you can start preparing your maintenance marketing plans for the future. This is when you should consider joining MMC®’s platinum plus membership where we provide you with two years of marketing and sales systems. Now you can enjoy your life and business worry-free and leave the “raising revenue” to the experts, MMC®.
If you have not already decided to partner with MMC® for your golf marketing and professional sales training needs let us give you some more reasons to make this decision today.
•MMC® increases rounds during your slow times and slow seasons.
•MMC® will guide you through this process, but in the end, you are still the boss, and you approve the terms and conditions of the golf membership.
•During the campaign, any staff member can “take the orders” for the golf membership, from a student at the front counter to the bookkeeper in the back office. There is absolutely no reason to bring on additional staff during the campaign.
•MMC®’s marketing pieces completely outlines the golf membership from cost to content; eliminating any and all required sales skills and/or acumen.
•MMC® still provides in-depth sales training for your staff to ensure long-term prosperity and growth of your golf business through a stronger closing percentage of your future prospects. No matter how much you love “the game”, you must be able to sell it too.
•MMC®’s cash promotions are completely self -funding, if not, you may cancel our agreement anytime!
•MMC® converts fickle, price-jumping golfers into committed, loyal, free-spending members of their new home….your golf property.
•MMC® gives our clients two (2) years of exclusivity within their mailed area, which ensures the client’s ability to dominate their market and knock out their competitors.
•Clients control all funds and deposit all funds into their bank.
•MMC® puts our money where our mouth is; we pay for all of the research, demographics, and market analysis in addition to all of our own expenses.
•MMC® offers our “cash” promotion on a commission-only basis if requested. This means if you don’t make money, you won’t owe us anything.
MMC® gets paid 20% of all gross sales from just the two golf memberships we will incorporate into your current business model. Our clients receive the remaining cash, 100% 0f the daily receivables, 100% of the residual income, and 100% of the renewals.
You will simply pay us every Monday via wire transfer from the previous week’s (Monday through Sunday) proceeds.
Growing a business is similar to playing chess; if you’re not thinking at least three moves in advance, your competitor will inevitably win.
We hope you have found this information to be of great value. Please take time to view the entire site for additional free tips on growing the game, your golf property, and your golf career. Watch the videos (please be patient while they load and buffer), read the text, and pick and choose what is valuable to you and fits your current and future business model.
Thank you for partnering with MMC® today in growing the game, your golf business, and your golf career.