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The Most Difficult Issue For Businesses and Golfers Today

I was recently asked what business owners struggle with most today when it comes to marketing. As I answered, I realized it was equally applicable to the golf course. The biggest challenge today is that there are so many options, it’s hard to know what to choose that will actually work for you. Maybe we can help fix that today.

Business Tip

There is no limit to the advice and programs targeting business owners when it comes to how best to market their businesses. By the time a business owner gets to me, they have often tried a number of things that promised results but didn’t deliver. Some keep trying, hoping the next thing will be the thing that works, and it usually isn’t. Others decide to get off the hamster wheel and stop marketing altogether.

Choosing the wrong marketing tactics will not grow your business. Neither will not marketing. The solution is to choose marketing that works, and here’s how you do it.

A financial advisor wanted to attract five new clients a month. When I asked what kind of client, he said, “it doesn’t matter – any five people will do.” The challenge is that when you’re marketing, it does matter – how you approach a 25-year-old about investing is not the same as approaching a soon-to-be retiree.

The financial advisor chose the 25-year-old. Now we focused on what we knew about how this group made investment choices, and who influenced them. Then we tailored a marketing strategy to reach this group and chose tactics that supported our strategy.

None of the tactics we chose were ones he had used in the past. Most people try to sell their programs or services to reach the masses, and yet, the riches are in the niches, as they say.

When you get specific about who you’re marketing to, it becomes easier to choose the tactics you need to get results because you can more easily eliminate the things that aren’t applicable.  This saves you time, money and a lot of frustration, and you finally get what you want.

Golf Tip

I did a quick search and found that there are probably 60 or so companies that make the majority of the brands of golf clubs. All of them invest significantly in promoting what buying their clubs can do for you. And yet, you have probably purchased a club or two that didn’t deliver the results you hoped it would. What happened?

Well, let’s get specific.

When you’re buying a driver, you probably want to hit it further than the driver you have now. One of the elements of a driver that makes that happen is the flex in the shaft.

The speed of your swing generally determines the weight of shaft that works best for you. There are also shafts that are more flexible near the grip, or near the head of the club, or in the middle. Then there is the option of steel shafts or graphite shafts, with graphite being lighter. The length of the shaft is also important, especially if you are not of “average” height or have flexibility challenges where a different length of club may be more appropriate.

Other specific elements that come into play when choosing a driver can be the weight of the club, the type of grip, the loft degree and the visual appeal of the club. I taught someone who increased his driving accuracy just by changing the grip size, which reduced the stress in his hands.

When you know the elements that are important in choosing the right driver, you can eliminate a lot of the choices in the market that don’t focus on the things that are important to your game improvement.

Bottom Line

There are as many marketing tactics as there are golf clubs to choose from. If you want to make the best choice, focus on the specifics. In both cases, you’ll save time and money.

Upcoming Events

• Free! – I was interviewed by Authority Magazine on increasing the impact of communication. Read the article here.
• July 6 – My interview with The Traveling Golf Diva podcast goes live. This is a neat podcast where golf meets travel, lifestyle and unforgettable adventures. Subscribe for free!
• My interview with Business Legacy Podcast will air in the coming months. You can check out their episodes online.
• My June 22 Canada-wide webinar for Futurpreneur, which has provided $259 million in loan capital for entrepreneurs since 1996, has been moved to September to accommodate a new funding program they have launched.

Resources

I hope you enjoyed this issue of On Course. Here are some other resources you may find helpful:

Forward Thinking for Your Business is a book that serves as your marketing reference, saving you time and money.

Forward Thinking for Future Entrepreneurs is your guide on how to start a business using the experience of those who have actually done it.

Reach out by email at jennifer@fwdthink.ca

Book Jennifer to speak to your workplace or association.