David Christenson PGA, Director of Golf at Circling Raven Golf Club in Worley, Idaho has twice been named PGA of America Merchandiser of the Year / Resort Category. He shares his Top 5 Ways to Boost Pro Shop Sales.
Put on a Show
Have showcase events for your club members. Make them in the early evening on a weekday so they don’t conflict with their work day or your busy weekend operation. Even better, make them after hours in the shop, when it’s closed. Include some refreshments and some special merchandise sales for attendees as an incentive. If you’re not a private club, invite your best customers. Members and customers will respond positively; they love to be treated special. Connecting with them in this social setting will help reinforce your retailer/customer relationship.
Do your Diligence
Talk with your customers and find out what products they are excited about, or brands that are making an industry buzz (Tiger Woods’ Bridgestone golf balls and Nike mock shirts, for example). Can you stock the items in a timely fashion? Too many retailers go through the motions. Customers respond to timely, relevant creative thinking and merchandising.
Secret Shop
Visit the best golf shop in your region and study their strategy and tactics. Take it further and go to a department store or local fashion shop and learn from “pure” retail specialists. You’re likely to be inspired with fresh ideas.
Commissions and Incentives
Motivate your team to sell more apparel. Set a weekly team target. The first time you hit it, buy the team a meal and give team members little gifts while celebrating together. Offer commissions for sales above a certain weekly or monthly threshold. This will build team confidence and spark more active selling.
Educate/Learn
Knowledge is power. Direct your team to learn about the brands and products they’re trying to sell. Task individual team members with informing the group about various products and their benefits. This educates the team and creates sales knowledge and pride among staff. Build a professional sales team and get professional sales results.
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