Return of the CEO Soap Box

Welcome all, it’s been a long time since I’ve done this but the CEO Soap Box is back by popular demand! Time to share some thoughts for the industry and hopefully give you a leg up for your time in reading this…and it’s free advice so take it for what you think it’s worth!

We’re going to call this edition ‘Golf Course 202’, skipping over some easier topics…moving right to some valuable points I fear are being overlooked by many golf course owners and operators. We see this every day, and in my ‘one to one’ (pun intended) conversations with our customers I’ve been bringing these things to light in an effort to increase awareness and help you formulate the proper direction in your business endeavors.

What are the keys to the success of your business?

Every business owner needs to have 'many baskets full of eggs'. Yes, we’ve all heard the term ‘don’t put all your eggs in one basket’…and it makes sense does it not? That way if one basket is broken…it's much easier to fill the void and ultimately replace it. The baskets I want to identify here are the ones regarding the people and tools you need to generate revenue at your facility. So these are pretty important considerations:

1) Have a ‘Technology Partner’ who cares and can empower and support you based on your needs.
2) Facility Staff who understand and ‘buy into’ the marketing and branding equation for your facility.
3) A Tee Sheet / POS Software provider who provides the Internet functionality you need, while also integrating with your Technology Partner and your Facility Staff to create a successful triangle.

You may also need an Independent Marketing or Consulting Agency to complete the triangle. If your Facility Staff is too busy with day to day operations, or do not possess the marketing know-how you need, then consider a local firm or consultant who understands your unique marketplace and can help you develop and implement a successful plan.
    
So here’s where I’m hoping this all starts to make sense. We’ve identified 3 or 4 baskets where you need to store your eggs: Staff, Tech Partner, Tee Sheet/POS Provider, and possibly a local Marketing or Consulting Agency.

Your Technology Partner:

Now this would be someone exactly like 1-2-1, providing the services you’ll find on our website. Of course we’re hoping you’ll choose us, and that our customers remain with us for a long, long time. But only because we do what we intend well, and that we remain fully focused on our part of the triangle. Your tech partner needs to do everything below well:

- provide great website & email marketing software that is effective in accomplishing your goals
- empower you to use the software, making it functional and easy to use
- provide top notch free technical support, where you always feel like it’s a pleasure to chat with them
- focus to remain on the cutting edge of technology, building all the integrations you need
- increase your SEO and the user experience your patrons have on your website and when reading your emails
- brand your business properly through your website, e-commerce & email marketing programs
- always work to hear and understand your own ideas and integrate them into what they already do best

Your Facility Staff:

Do you have someone onsite, working for you, who cares about the vitality of your business? How about its expansion? You need a person there every day, driven to do all the necessary things to make your business grow. Maybe that’s ‘you’ the owner, or your dedicated General Manager, or a bright individual on your staff looking to climb the ladder. It really doesn’t matter who it is, as long as you have someone you can trust to take the initiative and fulfill your marketing needs. Otherwise, you are losing opportunity. So what should the 'point person' on your staff focus on when it comes to your marketing arena?

- spend an hour per week making your website better
- spend an hour per week writing your email marketing campaigns and sending them out
- spend an hour per week analyzing data & feedback avenues about your marketing efforts
- spend an hour per week reading about the state of the industry
- spend an hour per week checking up on the competition and their marketing efforts
- spend an hour per week generating new ideas based on everything they learned that week

Are we seeing a pattern here? These tasks are not rocket science, but they do require some time, thought, and effort from someone with a bit of know-how. Not every task will be ‘an hour a week’…but these guidelines will give you a good idea of what expectations you need to put into action as an owner and/or operator that wants to build a platform to succeed.

Your Tee Sheet / POS Software Provider:

The company you hire for these services is an extremely important factor to help your business succeed. They complete the triangle along with your staff and tech partner. Make sure your Tee Sheet / POS provider gives you fair offerings and the proper technology. How is their customer support? What steps do they take to be involved, making sure you use their product properly and get the most out of it? Do they have a desire to provide integrations for and work with your tech partner? Do they remain on the cutting edge with their services so you have an advantage over your competition?

Very important is that they concentrate on what they do best, and continue to get better and be more innovative through an ever-changing global economy. It’s ok when they provide consulting services, marketing assistance, and advice to use their products. That’s what great support is all about.

Do you need a local Marketing or Consulting Agency?

This is an easy one. Are you happy with your staff’s ability to make you money? If you can’t train your staff to do so, don’t want to replace them with someone who can, and don’t want to run marketing efforts yourself…the answer is…YES. Having the right person that knows how to make you money is a gold mine. So this is where you let another company step into your triangle. If that happens, make sure they can offer you at least 5x your investment, and are local to your facility so you can look them in the eye and be brought up to date on a constant basis. Why would you expect somebody that is 100 miles away to truly know your business, the course conditions, the current weather conditions, and the overall picture of what makes you unique? You desperately need these factors in your marketing programs or you’ll miss the boat.

Be sure you have a way to track your local Marketing Agency’s results for future analysis and to keep them in check. Last, it is imperative that you learn all you can from them, and that you have ownership of all materials they generate and data collection devices they employ on your behalf.

Most Important!

Don’t get into bed 'too deeply' with anyone in the triangle…remember to keep each of your baskets separated. How can you expect one company to be the best at everything? Before you know it you’ll be back to a ‘single basket’...and that rarely works when it becomes your only lifeline. This also gives them too much power and control, and a 'non owner' will then have too much influence over your business.

Why does the philosophy work?

Think of the system of "checks and balances" within our Government: Executive, Legislative, and Judicial. They form a similar triangle.

- If your Marketing Agency wants to also be your Tech Partner, what happens when they fail to make you money?
- Is it a great decision to let your Tee Sheet or POS Provider provide a FREE website for you? How about write your marketing plan and email blasts?
- What if your Assistant Pro or Golf Course Superintendent builds your Website and you need to fire them?
- Should your Tech Partner be writing your email marketing campaigns when their office is 1000 miles away?

If the answers don't jump out at you...please call me personally for more insight. They are all 'less than ideal' situations...

Final Thoughts:

Get your eggs in many baskets, and eliminate the possibility to lose multiple baskets at once. Have a plan not to rely too heavily on anyone and you'll have an easier time keeping everyone in check. Find the right baskets for your business, keep them separated, and make sure you have an accountability plan. Remember, it's your business, not theirs...so if the companies and people in your triangle aren't up to par, replace them with someone who is.

Until next time...

Rob West
President & Co-Founder