Blog

1 Jul 2019 admin

Sun Protection – It’s Not Too Late To Start

By Mark Harman

When I was a young teaching pro in 1991, a lady who was a dermatologist was in my golf class.  She observed I wore a visor one day, and no visor the next.  She inquired about this, and I said on the days I didn’t wear a visor I wore sunscreen, but on days I wore a visor, I didn’t think sunscreen was necessary.  She informed me that what I was doing was inadequate and that I needed to be wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunscreen, and to do this every day that I was outside.

She made such an impression on me that I went out the very next day and bought a straw hat.  Twenty-eight years later, here in 2019, I still wear a wide-brimmed hat and lather on sunscreen before each and every foray into the sun, whether I’m teaching, playing golf, or just spending some time outdoors.

You would think, in this day and age and with all the information we have about skin cancer that this would be the norm, but sadly, I’m an exception.  Virtually every male tour player wears only a baseball cap, and it’s all too common to see teaching pros on the lesson tee doing the same thing.  As for regular golfers, baseball caps are definitely the predominant headwear.

I’m fortunate to be at lesser risk for skin cancer due to my mom being from southern Italy and I inherited her darker hair and eyes, but I’d like to think I’ve staved off some real damage by taking that advice I received in 1991.  The back and sides of my neck are still relatively smooth for someone my age, unlike the leather-beaten skin of some of my baseball-cap-wearing peers.  And perhaps I would have had skin cancer by now.

I realize that old habits die hard and that I might convince only one or two people to adapt a new sun regimen, but I won’t quit trying.  Please, for your health and the health of your skin, start doing more to cover up.

28 May 2019 admin

Do I Need A Website As A Certified Golf Teaching Professional®?

By Kenneth Weaver, USGTF Contributing Writer

Do you need a website? For most golf teaching professionals that operate independently, the answer is typically a resounding yes, although there are a few exceptions that I will address shortly. On the other side of the coin are the golf teaching professionals who are employees of a golf club or golf school who may or may not have the responsibility of bringing students into the business. As we move forward, I will address the variables of these scenarios.

If you are responsible for sourcing your students/customers, you must keep in mind that in this day and age, if a person is looking for goods and/or services, the first place they turn to is the internet. The most common place for them to start their search is to “Google” their query. If you don’t stand out in the search results, you won’t be found, and they will contact the business/person that has a website that answers their basic questions and validates the sought-after qualifications. Others might do their search on social media platforms, looking for golf teachers, golf Instructors or golf schools etc. For most, your website is the face of your business, and often your one moment to convince a potential new customer/student to take an action with your business. It doesn’t matter if you are an individual giving private lessons, a golf school/teaching facility, or a driving range; this is often your one opportunity to show off who you are, what you do and to present your qualifications. Having a professionally designed website that provides potential customers/students with the answers that they seek can give you a competitive advantage in your market niche.

Scenarios

I am an employee at a golf club working as a golf teaching professional

• If your employer does the marketing and provides the students, then the simple answer here is no (website not needed). The only reason you would want to establish a website is if you are wanting to augment your employer’s marketing efforts and to build your own personal reputation/following as a golf teaching professional.
• If you are an employee but have the responsibility of recruiting students, then the answer could be yes, but only if your employer doesn’t have a website for the business. If they have a website and you need to help with recruiting, they could add a “landing page” to their existing website that you can use for recruitment relative to your services. You could drive traffic to that landing page through social media (see my previous article, “Which Social Platform should I use?)

I am and independent golf teaching professional that provides private and/or group lessons

With this scenario the answer is most likely yes, with a couple of exceptions.
• I already have a large following and my teaching schedule is always fully booked! (Website not needed.)
• I have a Facebook business page with a substantial following where I have a reasonable level of success with recruiting new students, but my teaching calendar still has openings! In this scenario, you could set up a targeted Facebook ads campaign to recruit students from your geographical area, which is a well-proven and cost-effective marketing strategy. You could direct respondents from your Facebook ads to call you, although the ideal strategy would be to direct them to a website where they can learn more about you and your services. (Website recommended but not absolutely necessary.)
• I am just getting started and need to build a solid student/clientele base! (Website is needed.)

I have a physical business location that I own/operate (driving range with teaching services, indoor teaching facility with or without a pro-shop, golf school, etc.)

With this particular scenario, the answer is a resounding yes. It would be a great challenge to build a successful business of this nature without a solid online presence. I also highly recommend developing a solid social media strategy (see my previous article, “Which Social Platform should I use?”)

Summary

For each of the scenarios above, I recommend that you give serious consideration in regard to your social media presence. Regardless of the scenario where a website is either necessary or recommended (and you choose to do so), you should have a solid social media marketing plan that helps drive traffic to your website. This is a major part of developing your “brand” and your reputation as a business professional. Internet marketing through your website and social media is by far the most cost-effective and affective method to promote yourself and your business.

This information is provided as a guideline to assist you with the thought process in regard to marketing yourself and/or your business. There are numerous variables that can come into play, and I suggest that you consult with a marketing professional before you make any final decisions as to the marketing plan for your business.

Note: This is the third in a series of social media/website marketing articles. Be sure and click on one or more of the social media icons at the top right of the page to follow the USGTF on your favorite social platform. I monitor all USGTF social platforms and will be posting additional articles through those channels. If you have any questions or need assistance in regard to social media marketing or website development, feel free to contact me through either USGTF social channels or directly via email: Kenneth@weaverentp.com.

If you would like a free consultation session with me, you can follow link to schedule: CLICK HERE to schedule.

In my next article, I will address “Website content and how do I acquire Traffic.”