Group News

How to Maximise the Sales of Putters and Wedges

Stuart Kerr, Business Development Consultant, Foremost Golf (Scotland & Ireland) advises on how to sell more specialist short game equipment.

Look to showcase your technology through your online channels

Be the Experts
It’s imperative that you and your team are fully up to date on the latest product launches that enter the marketplace for your in-store suppliers. Look to attend supplier product training be it online or in person. Gaining accreditations with leading coaches or fitting technicians for short game and putting can only enhance your expertise and reputation. Make sure you promote your attendance of these training sessions via your online channels, including social media.

Promote yourself as the expert

Showcase Your Technology/ Facilities
Communication is key. If you utilise launch monitor technology such as TrackMan/GC Quad or you have a putting monitor such as Sam Putt Lab/Capto, it is essential that you tell your customers about them. Make sure you have an impressive, informative website and are doing regular newsletter articles, videos, customer testimonials and social media posts to ensure that when golfers think about short game, they think about you. You can also look to showcase your launch monitor technology on busy competition days at the club. This can be achieved through the use of competitions in store or in the studio/practice ground. This will provide a large selection of your customers the opportunity to see first-hand how informative and powerful your technology can be.

Create Events
The more you can position you and your team as experts, the better. These events will directly result in more curiosity, engagement, enquiries and sales. Plan them in a marketing calendar so it commits you to doing them and you have time to adequately prepare, publicise the event and book appointments. Involve as many staff as possible so the whole team feel empowered and you avoid customers coming in and just asking for one person. You could also expand the education offering by inviting one of your hardware suppliers to offer further ‘expertise’.

Impactful imagery of your facilities will only increase customer leads

These events can prove very popular, so make sure your booking system has a reserve list or the ability to register interest if all appointments have been booked. This provides an excellent reason to host another event, follow up with those customers or increase the number of appointments. The bottom line – don’t let them go elsewhere!

Make more of gapping sessions
With pitching wedges being such strong lofts these days, most golfers need multiple specialist wedges in the bag. Nothing proves this point more than a gapping session with you on a launch monitor, however I do not see enough focus on promoting this key service. You could offer a free / reduced price session for everybody that purchases a set of irons, put on a dedicated event with limited spaces, or simply target golfers if you identify insufficient equipment. You could offer a small multi-buy deal to encourage the purchase of 2 or more wedges. Give customers either a physical or digital summary of their yardages to take away.

Educate your customers on the importance of gapping their wedges

Product Reviews/Testimonials
Your customers will be more interested to hear the views of you and your team rather than someone online. Therefore when you receive your demo stock look to put together a short product review video, this will allow you to highlight the key features and benefits of the product in question. Go one step further and explain the variety of options available to suit the needs of every golfer. This will also provide you with a further opportunity to highlight the importance of custom fitting. This will once again demonstrate your point of difference over the high street and online competition.

For more information on how Foremost can assist you and your business in 2022 simply email membership@foremostgolf.com or call 01753 218 890