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TwinCitiesGolf.com 5,000 Golfer Database Program

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Courses,

This document contains an overview of an exciting new program we are offering that we used in 2005 to add more than 6,000 golfers to databases in less than 5 months.  It provides a very realistic way of adding thousands of golfers to your courses database in a very short period of time.

I have never been more excited about a service or program.  In my opinion, this is without a doubt the most beneficial thing you could do to help increase revenue and profitability for your facility this season.  Plus there are no upfront fees or long term commitments…continue for as long as you feel you are getting benefit!  Best of all, you only pay for RESULTS…a refreshing alternative to the poor returns many courses are seeing for their marketing investments these days.

If you have any questions regarding this 5,000 Golfer Database Program, please call me direct at 952.240.1020.  We hope to be able to add you to our growing list of client success stories!

Kevin Unterreiner, Founder and Director

-----------------------------

PROGRAM:
The TwinCitiesGolf.com 5,000 Golfer Database Program


OVERVIEW:
This program helps you capture names and emails of golfers participating in events at your course.  The course offers a $500 Hole-in-One contest as the means to get golfers to sign up for the course email database.  We piloted and perfected this program in 2005 and had over 75% of golfers register when given the opportunity…adding 6,000 golfers to databases from 100 events.  The course simply places on the registration table a Hole-in-One sign and a sign up sheet.  Then after the event, course staff faxes the Sign Up sheets to the TwinCitiesGolf.com office for (1) data entry and (2) creation and sending of a customized “Thank you for playing in the <name> event” email.  Emails are then added to your course master database to use from there forward.  All emails are strictly the property of the course and registrant privacy is protected.  All email correspondence is done in accordance with the CAN SPAM ACT of December 2004.  Requires only 5 minutes of staff time per event.  Our experience with clients has shown that once a course achieves a database size of 5,000 golfers, they significantly increase their revenues and profitability…hence the name for the program.
 

COST:

There is no initial or upfront fee for a participating course and the first group is free to assure that the course finds the process of doing the program and working with TCG a valuable and rewarding relationship.  There forward, TCG charges the course $0.99 per email address added for future outings…invoiced to the course on the last day of each month.  A course has no obligation to continue and may terminate at any time.  Initially, the course receives (1) training on how to implement and succeed with the program; (2) one 18”x24” Hole-in-One sign; (3) a custom-created sign up sheet for their course.

BENEFITS:

(1)  More Revenue.  Our analysis with clients (more than 100 nationwide) has shown that EACH email added to a golf course database produces at least an additional $10 in gross annual revenue.  Eg.  1,000 emails added = $10,000+ in additional gross revenue.

(2)  More Rounds from New Customers.  Our surveys also show 40% of golfers that participate in an event have never played the course before.  This program allows a course to remain in communication with those golfers and increases the likelihood they will return to play.

(3)  Feedback for How to Improve.  Surveys can also be done in the Thank You emails to evaluate the public opinion of course conditions, staff, amenities, etc. to figure out what components of your facility needs improvement as well as your areas of strength.

(4)  Protects Price Integrity at Your Course.  When a course has a large database to market to, they are less dependent upon outside promotional programs (radio, newspaper, coupon books, third party services, etc.) and can actually force upward pressure on their rates due to supply and demand.  When a high percentage of courses in a market work cooperatively, they can positively influence consumer expectations and spending behavior (eg. Collectively decide not to offer “Fall Rates”).

(5)  Additional Mass Exposure.  Participating courses receive free advertising in the TwinCitiesGolf.com email newsletter that is distributed monthly to more than 17,000 MN golfers as well as an upgraded special listing on the www.twincitiesgolf.com website that receives more than 300,000 visitors annually.

(6)  Cost Savings.  Participating courses also receive a 30% discount on any TCG-provided internet marketing service including website design/ hosting, email marketing services, or golfer mailing list purchase.  This discount applies to our currently-listed standardized pricing (visit www.twincitiesgolf.com for details).

(7)  Provides Additional Revenue Opportunities.  Courses with large databases are often able to attain advertising revenue from local businesses.  This program creates availability for ad spot sales in the confirmation email sent to participants.

(8)  Increases Loyalty and Adds Value.  Group outing coordinators view this program as a value-added “perk” of utilizing the participating course…increasing the likelihood that the group will return in the future to that course.  Added value enables courses to maintain price point that allows for increased profitability.


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

Q1. "Why wouldn't we just enter them ourselves and save the $0.99 per golfer?"
A1.  You could but most course staff is overburdened and doesn't have time to manually enter names and emails.  REALITY:  To pay someone who is qualified to enter names AND handle managing the technology component of this program to make sure it gets done promptly and properly would end up costing you much more in the long run and cause a lot more headaches.  If you get 5,000 names, it costs you $5,000 ... that is a very cheap part-time staff person and you have gotten a fantastic result!!  To hire a part-time marketing person capable of adding 5,000 or more golfers to your database each year would cost you far more than $5,000.  You are guaranteed it will only cost you a maximum of $0.99 per name and you don’t have to worry about whether or not it is going to get done, employee hassles, or us calling in sick.  The best part of this program is that you only pay for results!  If a course does not place a value of more than $0.99 on a qualified (they are a golfer and played your course) addition to their database, they have never tracked return.  Remember, if a golfer plays ONCE more because of this effort that is a return of more than $30 (or whatever your green fee is) for your $0.99 spent.  Timing is also critical with this type of marketing…golfers need to receive a confirmation follow up within 3-4 days for it to be effective.  We target a 72 hour or less turn around time.

Q2.  "We can just send out an email blast through our POS system or outlook."
A2.  This works OK until you get 500 or more emails in your database.  After that, the undeliverables, bounce backs and remove requests create a tremendous time burden on staff to manage manually.  Many local internet service providers also only allow you to send out a maximum of 500 emails per day (spam protection for consumers).  Beyond 500, you need to utilize what is called a “List Service” … this is a special service that can send out tens or hundreds of thousands of emails simultaneously without triggering spam blockers.  These services also automatically remove bad emails, block bounce backs, and allow subscribers to remove their email or modify.  If you pay for this type of service as an individual business, you often pay $50-$200 per MONTH.  If you do this improperly, you may be subject to fines for violating spam laws or, worse yet, create angry customers.  Golfers need to be able to remove themselves, change their email, or forward the email to friends to prevent huge headaches and EXTRA work for you and only a list service can properly do this.

Q3.  “When are we billed for the emails added?”
A3.  At the beginning of each month, TCG prepares a report is for your course documenting the prior month’s events/ numbers and an invoice is sent with results for the prior month.  The reports and invoices are sent out on the 7^th of each month.

Q4.  “What if we want to discontinue?”
A4.  Courses are under no obligation to continue.  As with any program, results are directly proportionate to the amount of effort put into it.  Fortunately with this program, it literally requires 5 minutes of staff time per event.

Q5.  “Can I sell advertising spots in my email confirmations sent to participants?”
A5.  Absolutely!  If you are sending emails to thousands of local golfers, businesses are willing to pay to reach this ideal demographic.   All you need to do is send the details of the ad to TCG to integrate into your program.  Let us show you how to actually MAKE money while building a huge database of golfers.

Q6.  "What does the Hole in One Sign look like?"
A6.  See below

Q7.  “How do we get started?”
A7.  Call the TwinCitiesGolf.com office at 952.947.4001 and we will personally deliver your starter kit (Hole in One display and Sign Up sheets) and need only 15 minutes to have you fully trained on implementing this program right away.

---- Below is our sample promotional letter to courses ----
 

The 5,000 Golfer Database Program

How To Add Thousands of Golfers to Your Database Each Year
and Significantly Increase Your Revenues and Profitability

____________________________

PROBLEM (and National Fact from more than 10,000 surveys):
- More than half of golfers who play in an event at a course do not return to play that course again within 12 months and 45% of event participants have never played your course before.

SOLUTION:
- Add golfers to your course database, invite them back and keep in touch with them.

____________________________

Having worked with hundreds of golf courses around the country since 1997, we have identified that courses with databases of 5,000 or more:

(1)  Significantly increase revenue and profits
(2)  Rarely have open tee times
(3)  Can maintain their price integrity and even raise their rates over time
(4)  Can move away from discount programs

(5)  Can generate advertising revenue from local businesses & establish strong cross promotional relationships

In 2005, we introduced, tested, and perfected a program that resulted in more than 6,000 golfers happily adding themselves to databases at golf events and producing thousands of dollars in ad revenue.
 
How Does It Work?
TwinCitiesGolf.com provides you with the materials and trains your staff how to work with group outings to get participants to sign up their golfers for YOUR database.  The best part about this program is that it only takes 5 minutes of time per outing on your staff’s behalf and results in more than 75% of golfers who play in outings at your course joining YOUR course database.  Outside of the 5 minutes it takes your staff to distribute the sign up sheets and fax them to us, TwinCitiesGolf.com does all the work:  (1) Adds names to your database; (2) sends a welcome email to all who join; (3) distributes a monthly email newsletter for you; (4) works with local advertisers to try and generate additional revenue for you.  NOTE:  All names and email addresses are strictly the private property of the course.
   
How Much Does It Cost?
Our fee is $0.99 per golfer added to your database AND YOUR FIRST GROUP OUTING IS FREE so you can test it out and make sure you like the program.  There are NO setup or training fees and your course receives a full color, 18”x 24” Hole-In-One sign.  No hidden fees.  Plus, your course receives 50% of any advertising revenue we are able to generate!  NOTE:  Our results have proven that for every golfer added to your database, it results in $10-$15 extra dollars to your gross annual income.  Eg. 1,000 extra golfers = $10k-$15k additional gross revenue.  As a bonus, some courses are even able to sell ad spots in their email confirmations to help them generate additional revenue!

How Do We Get Started?
Call Kevin Unterreiner at (952) 947-4001 today to reserve your course for our program in 2006.

NOTE:  Any business that has an active email database of 5,000 customers will tell you that it drives at LEAST $50,000 a year in additional gross revenue.  Let us show you how!

 GOLFERS:  Register to Receive News and Special Offers from our Course and Win $500 in Free Golf if you get a Hole-in-One Today!
 

 ---- Below is the recommended script to say to the group outing coordinators the day of the event ----
 

SCRIPT FOR PERSON CHECKING IN GOLFERS:

“After I get you checked in here be sure to register for a $500 Hole-in-One contest the course is offering today!”

PROCEDURE:

1.  When the group outing coordinator arrives (the person who will be checking golfers in), ask them if they would like to offer their golfers a $500 Hole in One contest…inform them that this is a free service to their group in appreciation of them bringing their event to your course and that if any golfer gets a hole in one, they win $500 in free golf from the course.  If they say yes, then bring them the sign up sheets (on page 1 of this document), TAPE them to the table next to the registration area, and put up the Hole in One sign.

2.  Inform the check in person that all they need to do is recommend that participants register for the hole in one contest and that GOLFERS MUST BE REGISTERED before the start of the event to qualify for the prize.

3.  After everyone has checked in and the event has begun, pick up the sheets and fax them to the TwinCitiesGolf.com office at 952.826.1049.  That’s it, your done!!!  TwinCitiesGolf.com will enter names into the database and send a customized email to each golfer on behalf of your course thanking them for participating and encouraging them to come back to play your course.  TCG then adds all names to YOUR course email database for you to email them forever at no additional charge!


NOTES:

1.  For winners, award them Mon-Thurs gift certificates valid for X number of greens fees that add up to $500.  Do not include riding cart in hopes that they will purchase when checking in.  eg.  If your green fee is $50, award them 10 passes.  Be sure it says on the gift certificates “Subject to availability of tee times.  Please call or book online to reserve your round.”

2.  This literally takes 5 minutes of course staff work per event and results in thousands of names being added to your database each year.

3.  Our experience has shown that for every golfer you can add to your database, it adds at LEAST $10 a year to your gross revenues.  Many courses see a $15-$20 return.
 

>> To download a PDF version of this webpage, click here <<