If you own a driving range, you know that it is no secret that retaining customers is more cost-effective than going out and finding new customers. In these tougher economic times, most driving range operators are reluctant to ask more out of their current customers. With this being said, did you know that your current customers are willing to pay more for your products and services through up-sell offers and refer your driving range to their friends and co-workers?

Creating more revenues through a good golf marketing plan takes a little brain power as well as some common sense. You can do this through implementing a marketing plan that includes purchasing the correct technology such as a launch monitor that will not break the bank, a competitive pricing plan as well as a referral program.

Launch Monitor – Purchasing a launch monitor will allow you to expand how creative you can become with your marketing plan. Not only will you be able to use the launch monitor to add credibility to your staff while they are administering a golf club fitting, you can also rent it out for corporate outings or events. The corporate outings and events can introduce your driving range, services and staff to a new group of potential customers.

Bulk discounts – All of us have seen this being used in a variety of different businesses. A simple example is probably in your wallet right now. Mine is the card from getting my haircut at Sports Clips. The card gives me a free haircut after I have had six. You can create a similar program at your driving range that provides customers with a free bucket for every five or ten that they purchase. This will assist in building loyalty since they have the incentive for the free product. If you work through a token based system, volume discounts also work well. Proven approaches are selling an unlimited number of tokens for an annual fee, or the more common “buy-more-pay-less” sale, where you offer 50 tokens for the price of 30. If you have children you have been offered this deal somewhere.

Bounce-back coupons - A special offering a buy-two-get-one deal for a bucket of balls will encourage new and occasional customers to come back and use the facility. Allow your staff to give away tokens or coupons as a thank you for using your driving range. This will encourage your customers to return and spend more time and more importantly money.

Referral programs – When most people hear the words referral program they immediately think complicated and expensive. It simply does not need to be that way. There are many different ways you can easily structure this. For every current member that refers a new "rack rate" member, you can place them in a drawing monthly, quarterly or even yearly. The prize for the drawing can include donations from vendors to a golf lesson or lesson package to a golf club fitting from your staff. Not only will you create excitement about the program but anytime your staff can spend with a member or customer it is a marketing opportunity. Your staff can ask questions of your patrons about hot topics to gather good and bad information that will help you improve your facility, inform your customers about new services, such as a golf launch monitor and inform your customers of new specials or programs available to them.