MEDIA & MARKETINGThe new Golf Industry Forum aims to meet the challenge of increased competition
GOLF IS now very competitive and not just on the putting green. There are 450 golf clubs across the State chasing members and overseas tourists.
The boom days of the Ryder Cup are long gone and the euro exchange rate against the dollar and sterling have both made Ireland an expensive holiday option this year.
Against this challenging backdrop, how can golf clubs and resorts improve their marketing? This is one of the issues on the agenda for next weeks first meeting of the newly established Golf Industry Forum, which will be chaired by Dan Flinter, the former chief executive of Enterprise Ireland.
The lure of golf is an important plank of international tourism marketing undertaken by Fáilte Ireland.
However, owners of golf facilities claim that that the State organisations marketing programme is too small and is targeting the wrong tourists.
The Golf Club Owners Association has 47 members and its president is Ian McGuinness, who is also managing director of Roganstown Golf Club.
According to McGuinness: This current season is effectively lost to us. The immediate aim of the industry forum must be to come up with a short-term strategy to tackle the 2009 season.
"We need Fáilte Ireland to allocate more money to marketing golf in Ireland. The current budget is just €2.7 million. We need a review of the markets being targeted and we need to develop our product better."
Of the €2.7 million Fáilte Ireland spends marketing golf holidays in Ireland, €1.7 million goes on sponsoring televised golf events, €300,000 is used on promotions in the North American market and the balance is divided between other markets, according to Paul Keely, director of business in Fáilte Ireland.
Says Keely: "Let's put our marketing spend on golf into context. Of 7.8 million visitors to Ireland in 2007, just 100,000 came exclusively to play golf. The biggest issue we face is a competitive one. The new golf forum is an opportunity to develop a new marketing strategy. But a total business perspective is needed. We need to build value in to the golf product we offer and we need more strategic pricing strategies."
Ian McGuinness argues that the US should only be a small part of the marketing mix. He says the bigger emphasis should be on the growth markets of the UK, Scandinavia and Germany.
Whatever the extent of State hand-holding for the sector, golf facilities still have to make their own efforts to secure customers. Bill Donald, director of golf at the K Club, is very aware of the difference between marketing and sales.
He explained: "Marketing helps create awareness and sales is a 'call to action'. Golfers want to come to The K Club but you still have to create packages that appeal to your target market. And when they get here, you have to try to exceed their expectations."
To drum up business, Donald believes in making the sales pitch to blue chip firms as well as local companies, using direct mail followed by a phone call to try and secure a personal presentation.
He also watches out for strategic advertising opportunities and recently ran an ad for K Club in Hello magazine when it featured an interview on K Club members Ronan and Yvonne Keating.
Stephen Masterson, sales and marketing manager in Powerscourt Golf Club, believes that golf venues need to show more appreciation to their customers. He said: "Over the past few years, customers contacted clubs to arrange golf days instead of clubs chasing business. Now relationship building will be key going forward. The céad míle fáilte experience will drive repeat business."
Masterson is a fan of text messaging to build relationships. "Its direct and cost effective and easy to respond too," he said
Rathsallagh House Hotel and Golf Club won an award for its marketing efforts last year and director Joe OFlynn travels abroad once a month to spread the word abut the facility at trade shows and tournaments. He said: "These trips give me the opportunity to meet golfers face to face and make the hard sell to them in conjunction with the tour operators from those countries.
"The golden rule is to sell Ireland first and your resort second.
At Carton House, marketing director Áine Mangan says golf resorts need to look for ways to add more value rather than discount green fees. She favours direct mail for her marketing, though she says its success depends on the database. "Very few clubs collect the details of avid golfers in their area or visiting golfers as they come through their facility.
"Once they have the data, they can do an awful lot with it to entice golfers. There are quite a few automated systems available now which can help clubs to develop this approach and grow their sales.
Mangan also emphasises the importance of an effective sales focused website as a marketing tool. "A site that represents the clubs brand and product effectively is fundamental to sales and must be supported by a booking facility."
She added: "Increased competition means that clubs cannot rely on repeat business. People are also playing less frequently and there has to be greater emphasis on really looking after your customers in order to encourage them to return. Clubs cant buy loyalty with discounts. They have to earn it through customer service, consistent course presentation and delivering good value for money."
Eagle Star is spending in excess of six figures on a six-week advertising campaign to raise awareness of the change of name from Eagle Star to Zurich.
Eagle Star has been part of the Zurich Financial Services Group for 10 years but the Irish operation is the last in the group to rebrand.
The campaign, which depicts seven different personalities discussing their nicknames, was devised by CawleyNea\TBWA and is based on the concept that while names can frequently change everything else remains the same.
The Zurich brand will be used across all life and general insurance business in Ireland, while the Eagle Star name will remain in use for its pension, investment and product range.
siobhan@businessplus.ie
