Are you maximising equipment opportunities mid-season? David Murch, Business Development Consultant at Foremost Golf discusses the importance of capitalising on equipment sales mid-season when the footfall traffic and demand are much higher. It’s all about making hay while the sun shines. With the season now in full swing, it’s essential that retailers are putting their best foot forward to maximise this opportunity and capitalise on the wave of enthusiasm in the market. Turning this buzz and excitement into motivated consumers who are ready to make a purchase is a key differentiator among the best retailers. Regularly Engaging with your Customer Base You need to be the first place your customer thinks of when they are thinking about new equipment. Even with it being mid-season and footfall being high, you need to ensure you are constantly showcasing your offering and why customers should be buying equipment from you. Being able to regularly engage with customers when they are not at the golf course is essential as it keeps your business and services in their minds when they are away from the golf course. These channels include your: weekly newsletter, social media, website product pages and designated special mails. Website As the central hub for all digital communications with members and customers, it’s vital that your website is up to date with recent images of the shop and studio facilities. The more informative the website, the better members and visitors will feel about taking the next step and making their next equipment investment. Brands We Fit is a custom webpage within a Foremost pro’s personal EMP website, displaying the latest information on which brands they provide a fitting service for, as well as digital content displaying product information and custom fitting expertise. Enticing Displays We are all fully aware that ‘wallpaper stock’ has decreased over the years with an extremely high proportion of equipment sales taking place in the swing studio or on the driving range. However, what stock you do have in store should be presented well. The stock should have clear ticketing on it with supporting signage highlighting the fitting service you offer. This will allow your customers to see that you stock the brand, and you have a fitting service available that can optimise the equipment for their game. Super Fitting/Demo Days When executed correctly, they represent a brilliant opportunity to generate sales. ‘Super Fitting Days’ (Multi-Brand Fitting Day) can be hosted by the Pro Shop Team. The main advantage of a Super Fitting Day is it allows your customer to try multiple brands in one session. It also allows you to run a date and time that suits you and when you have the ‘optimum window’ for maximum bookings, which would include the opportunity of running one at a weekend. Foremost members can benefit from full digital marketing support for fitting days to ensure the day is optimised. Going one step further, once the interest has been obtained from the digital marketing, customers can book a slot directly online via the automated fitting day support service. Testimonials/ Member Case Studies Look to promote success stories to your customer base. The best practice example would be your ‘relatable golfer’. An example would be a gent in his 60s that plays off an 18 handicap. Showcase the performance gain he has experienced from an expert fitting with the latest technology. Ensure you showcase all the steps from the fitting process. This allows you to stand out from the competition and reinforce the message that you ‘care’ about your customers and their performance. The desired outcome is fellow golfers at the club book in for a custom fit session to see if they can enhance their game. Trade-Ins Do you offer a trade in service? This year we have seen an exceptional level of trade-ins going through the EMP Trade-In service. This works hand in hand with selling new equipment as the traded in items can act as deposit towards the new hardware purchase. This solution can be the difference in getting someone over the purchasing line. In summary there are multiple areas you can look to optimise during the season to ensure your equipment business is performing. It’s important not to just rest on your laurels and simply rely on the increased footfall to drive the business forwards. For more information on how Foremost can assist you and your business in simply email membership@foremostgolf.com or call 01753 218 890 June 24, 2024By David Muller General 0 Comment (0) Comments are closed.