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For golf ranges, the overarching goal of advertising is to have a continual presence in the marketplace, especially during your busy season. As the saying goes, shoot while the geese are flying. Always be top of mind, so that golfers and families will think of your range first.
Before you advertise, take time to define both your geographic and demographic targets—and then overlay them. Your geographic target will be the 10-mile radius around the facility. The primary demographic target for ranges is male golfers 25 years of age and older. Families are the secondary target, if you offer family-oriented amenities and activities.
TV time. Cable TV advertising is usually the easiest to target demographically, is fairly accurate geographically and is considerably cheaper than ad time on network affiliate stations. When buying time, ask for a delivery estimate of reach and frequency. Opt for a plan that reaches at least 50 percent of your target audience and a frequency level of four, meaning that on average, 50 percent of targeted consumers will see your commercial four times. To optimize frequency, consider buying numerous spots on your local cable station’s Golf Channel, which has a small reach, but is highly targeted to the male golfer. To broaden your reach, place your ad on the ESPN channel, which reaches a high percentage of sports-minded males.
Radio. Although affordable and easily accessible to consumers, it takes more exposure on radio to deliver the same messages seen on TV. When purchasing radio spots, look for a frequency level of seven or eight. Choose stations that your target audience listens to—even if you don’t.
Print advertising. Before you purchase a print ad, ask two questions: How many people will it reach? What will be the average cost per person to reach them? You’ll get more value for your dollar by advertising with community newspapers (think weeklies and shoppers) than with the regional daily press, which may only reach 25 percent of your geographic target. Coupons—a chief advantage of print advertising—enable you to gauge the effectiveness of both the medium and the strength of your special offer.
As a rule of thumb, allocate 5 percent of gross sales to your ad budget—after you’re up and running. At startup and during the first couple of years in operation, you’ll need to make a larger investment, perhaps 8 percent to generate awareness in the community, introduce your range to newcomers and build a customer base. After that, continue to advertise so that when people have the urge or opportunity to hit balls, they’ll seek out your facility. |
