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A change of season need not put a chill on cash flow—if you’re prepared to shore up sales and manage expenses with a creative eye. Before the last leaf falls, you should be rolling out a marketing plan that will help you make advance sales for the coming year.
Recruit members. Introduce a range membership program that offers customers a discount on ball token prices in 2005—if they buy now. The higher the level of membership purchased, the bigger the discount on buckets of balls.
Appeal to your regular customers by offering a 100-bucket token at a value price for a limited time. Generate some buzz with a countdown-style campaign. Post a sign in the clubhouse announcing “30 Days of Value for 50 Savvy Customers.” Fourth-quarter sales of the special-value tokens will bring money to the range when it’s most needed and guarantee that customers will be back next year.
Sell gift baskets. Get into the holiday spirit by offering a special bonus gift package. It should be a high-value, high-ticket item that will appeal to customers shopping for themselves or for others. At a special price of $199, for example, the package might include tokens for 100 buckets of balls, a golf glove, a sleeve of balls or a polo shirt or hat with the range’s logo. Increase the value of the package by including two-for-one gift certificates for local restaurants or a coupon for free greens fees at a nearby golf course. It’s easier than you think to partner with other local businesses to cross-market and drive traffic to each other.
Draw attention to the holiday package by arranging the items in an attractive basket and displaying it prominently in your point-of-sale area starting Thanksgiving weekend.
Curtail expenses. Keeping a close watch on expenses will also help you weather the off-season. Suspend printed newsletters and other costly direct mail promotions and keep in touch with customers via e-mail during the winter months. Reduce operating expenses by closing a couple of hours early on weekdays or possibly all day on Mondays.
Negotiate with your equipment lessors for a payment schedule that will allow you to skip a payment in predetermined months and catch up later in the year when the cash is flowing. Ask the utility and electric companies if they offer budget plans with a fixed monthly payment. If the range is in need of basic repairs, consider bartering golf equipment or a supply of ball tokens in exchange for handyman services. |
