At Broken Tee Golf Course in Englewood, Colorado, management was accustomed to spending all of the club’s advertising dollars on print, radio and other forms of traditional media to generate business. Though effective, they were looking for something different. “We decided to spend those dollars on our actual users of the golf course to reward them for being loyal patrons,” says golf manager Bob Spada.
Now, Spada and his team allocate a portion of their marketing budget to print business cards that feature discounts to the course’s restaurant. One card may offer something inexpensive like a free drink, while another might entitle the recipient to a free meal. The staff hands the cards out to existing customers for a variety of reasons, from a simple thank you for visiting to an incentive that encourages faster play.
“For example, if I approach a hole that’s backed up, which is usually a par-3, I’ll challenge the people in the group to get their ball on the green,” Spada notes. “The winner of the challenge gets a free appetizer.”
As simple as the promotion may be, it’s proven quite popular among guests. “Both our sales and customer base has increased from this promotion,” says Spada, adding that the marketing dollars are used to reimburse the restaurant. “We have a happy restaurant and a happy customer.”