Page 19 - GBC English Winter 2022

Customer Engagement & Data Collection
your professional staff the ability to follow up and monetize it later through additional emails or posts that invite them to contact the team with any questions, comments or requests including additional information or lessons.
In addition, we always have emphasized the need to keep social media social. Rather than posting the next specials, promotions or sales why not post engaging infor- mation on how much fun your club is. Mrs. Smith’s hole-in-one, a beautiful picture of a deer crossing in front of the 9th green at sunrise, a long-time member celebrating their birthday dinner in the lounge. Regardless of the content, the more social it is the more engaged your customer becomes.
Doug Quick, General Manager at Kingsville Golf & Country Club utilizes the Wix Owner app, which allows him to add a feel-good post on his website and social media channels in a matter of seconds. We have proven the success of this concept through analytics as the opens, views, etc., are often if not always 20 times greater than other sales related posts.
The other communication channel widely used is e-blasts or email marketing systems. Over and over, we see nothing but sales and promotional items being sent out and believe that most recipi- ents grow tired of these communi- ques very quickly and often opt out. One operator who I have known and worked with for years, Don MacKay, Owner, Muskoka Highlands Golf Links, sent out a weekly continuation article that arrived in my inbox titled, “How did you end up owning a golf course?” Don says, “The response to this article (customer engage- ment) has been tremendous, as we continue to try to place an emotion- al stake in our customers’ heart.”
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This concept, coupled with additional ways to stay connected with the customer such as customer surveys, unique promotions (e.g. free gasoline) has proven to be a great part of recent growth and continued success. Don’t be afraid to be different is a great way to sum this up, as Don says.
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