With just days left before the holidays, let's give your pro shop the tactics you need for a strategic assault to drive sales and create a memorable shopping experience.
What will drive them to your pro shop?
In order to attract people to you this weekend, let's use two powerful psychological triggers: urgency and scarcity.
Urgency creates an immediate call to action. It's the ticking clock that says, "Buy now, or miss out forever."
Scarcity amplifies desire by highlighting limited availability. Together, they're a marketing weapon that compels customers to act.
Psychological Triggers That Work:
- Fear of missing out (FOMO): This is when people worry they’ll lose out on something great if they don’t act quickly. It’s that feeling you get when you see others having fun, getting a deal, or experiencing something exclusive, and you don’t want to be left behind. For example: "We just received an exclusive shipment of Titleist’s new ProV1 limited edition course logo golf balls. Only 10 boxes available, and once they’re gone, they’re gone! Be the first to grab them before your foursome does."
- Perception of exclusive opportunity: This is when something feels special or limited, so people think they’re getting access to something not everyone can have. For example, “Only selling 3 custom head covers at this cost” makes you feel lucky to have the chance to grab one.
- Reduced decision-making hesitation: This is when it’s easier for someone to decide quickly because they don’t feel overwhelmed or uncertain. Clear information, limited options, or a sense of urgency can help people make up their minds faster. For example, "We're only selling this blue quarter-zip at this cost until Sunday".
- Increased product perceived value: This is when something seems more valuable than it might actually be, based on how it’s presented. For example, fancy packaging, glowing reviews, or a higher price can make a product feel premium, even if it’s not very expensive to make. For example, "Our Elite Golfer Bundle for every driver sold, you receive a free custom club fitting, and a stylish branded headcover — a $300 value." You've added more value to buying a club, even if the extra value doesn't cost you a great deal - the $300 value means more to the consumer.
Three Tactics to Use this Week
1. Golden Ticket Promotion
The Golden Ticket Promotion is all about turning shopping into an exciting game, like a treasure hunt. It doesn't have to be a golden ticket, it could be anything. Maybe something unique to the club? A tee-marker? A funny holiday photograph of your head pro/GM? A simple certificate.
Here’s how it works:
- Golden Tickets Hidden in Merchandise: The pro shop hides 5-10 golden tickets inside products like shirts, golf balls, spikes, or gloves.
- Prizes to Be Won: The tickets could win players anything from a free club fitting to a complete custom club set, making the prizes highly desirable.
GG POV: Whatever you decide to give away for this, it needs to be high enough in perceived value but you also don't want to break the bank. Maybe its a guaranteed slot in the member-guest this year? Chance to pick their tee time for the first round of the club championship? It doesn't have to be something of high monetary value, but the perceived value has to be high. You know what motivates your members and customers, so lure them in!
- Treasure Hunt Atmosphere: Customers are drawn in because they’re excited to search for a golden ticket while shopping. It feels fun and exclusive—like winning a mini jackpot.
- Immediate, Excited Foot Traffic: Golfers who hear about the promotion will want to get to the pro shop quickly to increase their chances of finding a ticket. The fear of missing out (FOMO) and the excitement of winning drive immediate action.
2. The Flash Sale Countdown
This tactic is designed to create urgency and competition among customers. Here’s how it works:
- 24-Hour Extreme Discounts: For just 24 hours, the pro shop offers deep discounts on select items—like drivers, apparel, or golf accessories. These discounts are bigger than usual, making it too good to pass up. Use a combination of your most popular sales or items, or use this as a way to liquidate stock.
- Visible Timer: A countdown clock (physical or online) in their pro shop or using the countdown feature in Instagram story posts reminds customers how much time they have left before the deals disappear. This adds a sense of urgency.
- Hourly Changing Deals: Every hour, a new product goes on sale. This keeps customers checking back throughout the day, either in person or online, to snag the next deal.
GG POV: These can be communicated beforehand if you want to, however, dropping them on social media then makes your accounts more valuable to follow for your customers and members (FOMO!). Since people may not be able to physically get to your pro shop for the last minute deal, be sure to offer the ability to pay reserve or pay over the phone.
- Competitive Buying Atmosphere: With limited-time offers and low inventory, customers feel like they have to act fast or someone else will grab the deal first. This creates excitement, urgency, and energy in the pro shop.
These tactics combine excitement and urgency to drive foot traffic and increase sales while making the shopping experience feel fun and rewarding.
3. Limited Quantity Exclusives
The Limited Quantity Exclusives promotion taps into the idea that scarcity creates value and urgency. This triggers our competitive purchasing instincts. It's when we as customers know there’s a small number of products, so we feel a competitive drive to get it before someone else does. It turns buying into a bit of a race.
Here’s how it works:
- "Only 7 Available" Messaging: Clearly communicate that the product is in very limited supply—“Only 7 of this exclusive custom logo cable knit sweater are available!” This makes customers feel like they need to act fast before it’s gone.
- Visible Inventory Trackers: Display a visible counter (online or in-store) showing how many items are left. For example: “Only 2 remaining!” This builds urgency as golfers see the inventory shrinking in real time.
This promotion leverages scarcity and urgency to create excitement and drive immediate action. By combining clear messaging, visible inventory trackers, and exclusive products, it taps into customers' natural desire to act quickly and secure something special before it’s gone. This strategy not only increases sales but also enhances the perceived value of the product, making the purchase feel rewarding and unique.
GG POV: This is probably the EASIEST tactic to execute. You just have communicate the items that are low in stock, while also touting the benefits/positive feedback of the product. For example: "Our members favorite hat is almost gone, only 3 left." Then each time you sell one, you have to recommunicate that on social to make your customers really believe that they have to act now.
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Conclusion
Whether you're able to execute on these ideas this weekend or not, the concepts of urgency and scarcity are important to remember when plotting sales for your pro shop. With more time to prepare, you could expand upon these tactics with items your members really want - like exclusive gear drops or priority access to tee times, simulators, or pickleball courts.
By understanding what motivates your customers and creating a sense of excitement, you can turn routine shopping into a memorable experience. These strategies not only drive immediate sales but also build long-term loyalty and attention to your communications (social and email). The key is to communicate clearly, act creatively, and always keep your members’ desires in focus—whether it’s a limited product, a special promotion, or a can’t-miss opportunity.
🆓 Social Media Calendar UPDATE for April
I've updated the Social Media Calendar for April 2025 - including a number of ideas for your course or club to execute for The Masters this April. If you haven't download it yet, it's right here for you. Click to Download
👀 Up Next: Taking Time Off
Grow Golf is off for the next two weeks. With our Tuesday publishing falling on the 24th and 31st, those are not ideal days for content publishing :) However, don't be surprised if you see an email from me at some point of the holidays. If there's good golf content out there, I'll be sure to share it.
Cheers, everyone!
-Rich
ICYMI
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