When it comes to promotions in the golf shop, I rarely discount any items. Instead, I use promotions to highlight specific products in the golf shop and bring attention and beneficial information to the customer. We like to highlight seasonal products, tournament specific apparel that coincides with the four majors/Ryder Cup/Presidents Cup and local products that support our synergy with camping/fishing/hiking all located inside Palisade State Park. For example, we have used our relationship with OEMs like Callaway, TaylorMade, Srixon, Ping and others to staff custom logoed bags that pair with the different majors and Ryder Cups. These are staged in the golf shop in the weeks leading up to the event, providing both a great visual as you walk into the shop and setting an expectation of what customers can experience from our retail operation at Palisade State Park Golf Course. I find customers are more tied to making purchases based on their experiences. Obviously there needs to be current/desirable products in stock; however, there are so many amazing products and sales representatives in our Section that it is almost impossible not to have current in-demand items stocked in your golf shop.
There is a place for discounted items in the golf shop, but I think more focus should be on creating a positive experience for each customer who comes to your facility. If you are able to do that, you will see an increase in customer satisfaction, repeat customers and, of course, sales in the golf shop. With this strategy, we have seen an annual increase in sales of a little over 15 percent per year for the past eight years.