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more scientific look at skillsets/ traits of a salesperson please refer to the side bar “Top 5 Characteristics of Successful Salespeople.”
MEET THE GOLFER’S NEEDS
A salesperson can guide golfers through the process of how this lifestyle membership can impact their lives. It’s not simply walking potential members through the membership package, it’s about learning what the potential member is looking for. For example, is it spending more time with family? Is it entertaining guests and clients, is food & beverage important to this person? Is this person a golf fanatic, where course playability, conditions and challenge are core to their decision?
It could be as simple as location. Can they walk to the course, or perhaps evening golf and chasing the sun is their priority. Selling a lifestyle is more than only giving them the options and telling them the price. This is an intimate decision, remember you have this member for the foreseeable future.
There are some 9-5 jobs that exist but sales jobs, specifically sales jobs in the golf business are not one of them. Potential members often want to talk golf after 5pm or on weekends when they are available and in Canada especially, when the snow flies people become disengaged. You have to make yourself available and make the sale when the opportunity presents itself, whatever time of the day/ week that may be.
A salesperson incrementally drives top line growth, filling tee times that need attention and banquet rooms that sit empty. There should be a view of short term goals and long term goals, small groups or small get-togethers which can take no time to book and be completed in the short term.
Tournaments and weddings are long term goals as it takes time to attract these types of business opportunities and that should be kept in mind when hiring that salesperson. Waiting for the phone to ring isn’t the right strategy. The pipeline doesn’t fill itself.
Not all facilities sell member- ships but those that do can incorporate this product into a job description easily. Purchasing a membership is actually a lifestyle decision. It is a big decision that is not only about the money they will need to come up with, it’s a way of life as people feel they need to commit to playing more golf and making the course a part of their life.
THE BIG PICTURE
General managers or head pros often don’t have the time to guide and nurture a potential member through the process. They often don’t have the time to go out and recruit new tournaments or events that would expose new golfers to your facility. The difference between getting a new event and new revenue, may be the time and effort someone makes to get that prospect comfortable enough to say, this is the club I want my event at or be a member at.
Remember, everyone has a good product and good pricing so your facility needs to stand out. Is your representative a good ambassador for your club? Do they have the time and willingness to put the effort in to differentiate between your facility and the rest of the facilities in your area?
It’s about the big picture when you look at sales. Tee times, food and entertainment are your products - don’t let creativity and imagination be your shortcoming. Think outside the box and you’re destined to have a lot of fun along the way and benefit your bottom line.
Golf Business Canada
ToP 5 Characteristics of Successful Salespeople
1. Empathy
The ability to identify with custom- ers, to feel what they are feeling and make customers feel respected.
2. Focus
Internally driven to accomplish goals and can stay attentive to one topic.
3. Responsibility
Does not place blame on other people when placed in a difficult situation, gets things done and when obstacles arise, accepts any errors or omis- sions that have occurred.
4. Optimism:
Must have persistence, which is a trait that is critical in the sales world because of the frequency of rejec- tions that salespeople experience.
5. Ego-drive
Persistence for the purpose of succeeding and above all winning.
Source: Canadian Professional Sales Association, Mar 17, 2010, https://www.cpsa.com/articles/5-characteristics- of-successful-salespeople-(part-1-of-6)
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