You have seen enough of all the hype and song-n-dance promotions for everything under the sun for golf. Does it work..truthfully, No.
So, since you know and have seen all of these things people in golf businesses are doing wrong lets take a look at how the New way of doing business online for anything golf is to be done.
In order to do business with a golfer you have to understand golf. Golfers have one advantage over the non-golfer who lives online and that is a golfer can leave all the scams and go offline to find what they need or want. Golfers also have an advantage over non-golfers consumers since a bi-product of playing golf is trust. Once a golfer understands how golf develops and displays a persons trustworthiness it makes it hard to not demanding of that aspect of golf in everything they do which includes dealing with anyone online.
So how does a golf business build trust with the golfer consumer?
Social Media for Golf
How does Social Media work with Golf? Unlike the other noise makers online that use other methods of social media, that noise making will not work much longer for golf. In order to understand why the “tag everyone” and “follow anything” methods of social media will not work in golf is simple. Golfers demand Trust. If they do not get the feeling they can trust someone or something they are off to the golf course to find those people they can trust.
The other methods of throwing up a logo or product in the avatar of every social networking group joined and then posting nothing but information on the product just does not work in golf..not sure why people think it works anywhere for that matter.
In order to use social media effectively in golf you have to think like a golfer..for which if the person is in a golf business and is a golfer should be easy to do. The goal with social media in golf is to build trust and the first thing that starts the ball rolling to building trust is a photo of the person who owns, manages, is employed by or represents the business. There is no exceptions and my studies show that golfers will click off a profile that does not have a person’s photo 90% of the time. That is a lot of potential business lost because some people feel posting the product or logo catches the consumers eye or have some vanity issues with how they look in photos. Can you afford to loss this volume of business because you didn’t post your photo?
Be Real at ALL costs
The golf consumer thrives offline and are use to dealing with the realities offline marketing presents. They are use to talking to a live person, an authority..again, they are testing if they can trust the person to be straight about the product or service just like they would do with someone they are playing golf with.
When golfers come online they are looking for that same reality. If they come to a golf site not presenting itself to having any connection to a real person they are off to using their offline resources so they can do commerce with someone they can trust.
With golf online, a business person should provide balance in their efforts to present themselves as a real person instead of a Brand. The goal with golf online is to present yourself as a Real caring person. This one action has a huge ROI and is a mystery why more businesses are not realizing how powerful using effective social media can be to improving business development.
Become Part of the Golf Community
Golf consumer’s lives circle around their involvement in their personal golf community. They have their golf buddies and golf leagues they socialize with nearly daily. It is this intercircle of friends and acquaintences that can make or break an online golf business.
This offline golf community is where the online golf consumer will go to validate a online golf business. If the online business does not project a trustworthy image then that word hits the offline communities as fact and it is impossible to turn that around once the word about a online golf business is out that they are not interested in showing their face.
Golf consumers and business people look for this same business/social golf community online. Being surrounded by golfers is a golfer’s comfort zone. The same principles apply in the online golf communities as in any other social network group. Trustworthiness has to be displayed or the golfer is out of here.
Dealing with golfers online is totally different than dealing with regular consumers. Golfers have developed choices through playing golf that connect to more people proven to be trustworthy. If more golf businesses would take these tips on how the do business with golfers they will find they would be building a much more solid customer base than before.
Let me know how I can help.
The Business Golf Country Club is a business/social networking club that sits in the center of the developing online golf community. The BGCC’s mission is to provide a safe environment, free from spammers and scammers, so golfers can connect and socialize with likeminded people who share the one thing they all have in common..the love of golf. Come join today at http://bizgolfcc.com
