Member-get-a-member promotions have been around forever. Most golf marketers know them as “buddy referral promotions” where golf courses recruit golfers and golf members and offer them an incentive for referring new golf members.
I personally love buddy referral promotions because birds of a feather flock together, people within the same income bracket hangout together, people like people who are like them, and people who golf socialize with people who golf as well.
When you have buddies as potential golfers for your golf course, you increase your closing percentage or percentage of being able to lock-up the relationship by at least 50%. Almost all of the work has been done for you. You already know they fit the same (or at least close to the same) demographic profile as the golf member they are being referred by. You know they have an interest in golf because their buddies golf. You know they have (or most likely have) the financial resources to pay for the golf membership because their buddy is a member of your golf course, etc.
Ninety per cent (90%) of the work is done already before the golfer even called or came in the golf course. You just have to make sure you don’t do something, or say something wrong that turn will turn him/her off. The idea is to give enough of an incentive to your existing golfers to get them to bring in their buddies but yet not give them so much you take away from the income they are already providing the golf course.
On MMC®’s website, we offer a free download (https://www.golfmarketingmmc.com/free-download-registration/) that has a buddy referral sheet to help you get contact information from your members to engage their buddies. If you haven’t run a professional buddy referral promotion this year and you are in golf membership sales, you can easily take this buddy referral sheet and design something similar to it that is attractive to your golfers.
Put it at the front desk or in the golf shop and ask the staff at the golf shop to encourage each golfer to fill it out but don’t forget to give them some type of incentive. Maybe for every three golfers your existing golfer provides you with their names and contact information, you will give them a free logo ball or a free bucket of balls and for every ten prospective golfers they provide, you will give them a free cart. You want to make sure the valid phone numbers and e-mails are also provided.
Having that common denominator of the original member referring them is a great way to introduce your golf course to the new golfer. Member-get-a-member golf course marketing programs are excellent ways to grow the game, grow your golf course and grow your golf career.
For more free tips on growing the game, increasing rounds through golf course marketing, golf marketing, golf course campaigns, golf campaigns, professional golf membership sales and advancing your golf career visit us today @ www.golfmarketingmmc.com or call 904-217-3762.