Getting the word out, that is the objective. What is the most effective way to get exposure for your event and organization and most importantly get golfers and sponsors?

When creating a marketing and promotions plan there are several ingredients that must be included: advertising, public relations, promotions, and sales. Each area has detailed tasks to maximize your efforts. Let’s talk about each area.

GOALS
The first step is to determine the goals of your promotion. Why should we promote any way? Here are some good reasons and goals.

• More Golfers – How many golfers would you like to have?
• Sponsors Exposure – Sponsors will pay you more if you give them more exposure.
• Organization Credibility – Visibility for your organization added credibility.
• Event Exposure – More exposure gets more golfers and sponsors.
• Public Relations For Your Cause – Further your mission.

Set specific goals and objectives for your promotion and marketing.

TARGET MARKET
Do not waste time and money trying to reach the masses. Focus your marketing efforts on specific groups. Pick a couple of industries that you can get your arms around and target the companies and individuals in those groups. For example: construction, medical, financial, etc. This allows you to buy lists and join groups to network with and allows you to invite specific individuals. This will be more cost effective.

ADVERTISING
Advertising is essential to reach the groups and individuals that you want to reach. Here are some of the key ingredients in your advertising efforts.

• Brochures – Design a quality brochure that shows you have a first class event.
• Website – Create a website that is clear and shows up high on the Internet search engines.
• Blast Emails – Consistent emails to key groups with valuable information will get read.
• Radio – Not worth buying, but if you can find a radio partner it will go a long way.
• TV – Is expensive, but a TV partner will add credibility.
• Newspapers and Magazines – Trade publications that reach certain groups can work.
• Direct Mail – Quality brochures to the right lists can work if followed up with phone calls.
• Telemarketing – The phone can be your most powerful tool.

PUBLIC RELATIONS
PR means free exposure in the media. This starts with a relationship with people in the media. Take the time to get to media personalities and reporters. When you have a good story they will listen when they know you. Here are good ideas to get this free media exposure.

Media Coverage Ideas
• Unique Concept – Come up with an idea that is rarely presented, like snow golfing.
• Celebrity Participants – Any celebrity is a good celebrity, let the media know, they like to talk about their own.
• Offer Different Prizes – If you get a rare painting donated, let the media know.
• Golf Pros Playing – Try to get Touring Pro’s that live in your area.
• World Records Set – Think of some record that can be broken, like fastest round of golf ever played.
• Large Amount of Money Raised – Media loves to talk about money raised for charity.

SOCIAL MEDIA
This is the hottest way to get exposure these days. It is important that you set up accounts in the key social media outlets; Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. Once you have set up pages in these outlets, then contacts are the next step. The more contacts that you have the more exposure you will receive. Make sure that your committee members bring lots of relationships to the table.

PROMOTIONS
Promotions can be used to increase sales. There are many ways to use special promotions to get the attention of golfers and sponsors. Here are just a few ideas.

Sign up early for a discount
Group discounts
Special gift packages
Register at sponsor locations
Website specials
Drawings for prizes
Incentives for promoting the event to their network
Incentives for committee members who bring more golfers

Use promotions to boost sales!

NETWORKING
The secret to your success is relationships. The number one reason that a golfer and sponsor buy into a golf tournament is because they know someone involved. Make sure the committee members that you recruit know people, lots of people. Here are just a few places to look for relationships.

Relationship Prospects
• Clients – Go through your Rolodex.
• Vendors – Review your accounts payable list.
• Relatives – Call your relations and share what you are doing.
• Neighbors – Meet your neighbors.
• Friends – Pull out your personal phone book.
• School Mates – Get out the yearbook.
• Professional, Doctor, Lawyer, CPA, etc. – Look in your checkbook.
• Anyone you know or have met in the past.

How Do You Network?
• Join a club – sports, civic, and ethnic.
• Church – talk to the people at your church about your tournament.
• Meet your neighbors – water your grass or wash your car in the front yard.
• Stay in touch with friends – call them just to see how they are doing.
• Get into politics – don’t run for office, just volunteer.
• Call your clients – go through your Rolodex.
• Check your accounts payable.
• Go to grand openings, parties, and lunches etc.
• Have people over for dinner.

If you create and implement an in depth marketing and promotions plan you will not only get more exposure for your organization, you build a bigger event with more golfers and sponsors.

If you have any questions regarding you marketing plan, feel free to write us at pimmordino@gtaaweb.org. We look forward to serving you.

Phil Immordino has 25 years in the golf industry, is the President and Founder of the Golf Tournament Association of America, has written three books on planning successful golf tournaments and is a national speaker and consultant assisting clients in developing their tournaments and increasing their business. www.gtaaweb.org