9 Ways to Use Golf as a Business Development Tool if you are a Financial Planner, Insurance Agent, Mortgage Broker, or Real Estate Professional

You have to build relationships, so why not use golf? Most business professionals who are in the financial planning business, real estate business, insurance business, or any other consumer-based business cannot justify treating every client and/or prospect to a round of golf. But they need to get in front of a lot of consumers to be successful. The following are a few secrets about using golf to accomplish this objective (even if you happen to have a healthy expense account, there will be some ideas that will help).

Organize a One-a-Month Golf Outing

Once-a-Month Golf Outings are great for businesses that are geared toward local consumers such as financial planners, real estate agents, insurance agents, accountants, Golf Professionals, bankers, general contractors, attorneys, and retailers. They allow these business professionals to spend time with their clients, prospects and friends in a relaxed setting without spending a lot of money. Most golfers want to play in events that are organized, fun and safe. They want to show up at the club, play golf, but not be responsible for organizing the event. They do not mind paying if it is not an info-mercial for the business professionals who organized the event. This is the definition of fun. If you do not mention your business until asked, involve both Mr. and Mrs. Jones, and make it affordable, you will be successful at starting and cementing relationships that may evolve into business opportunities.

The best method of starting these types of leagues is get together a group of non-competing business professionals who are interested in attracting the same types of clients. A good short cut is starting a group from the members of civic organizations you belong to. Each member of the group is responsible for procuring some number of participants and donating a specified amount of money for the prize fund. It is a good idea to purchase gift certificates from any retailers and restaurants that participate in the event. As you can imagine, the sky is the limit when it comes to procuring players. If a group member is not keeping up with the others in procuring participants, you need to replace him or her in the organization. It is a good idea to invite a Golf Professional who is interested in building his or her lesson business because he or she will be the expert running the event. Help your Golf Professional by setting up a system for when you are talking to a novice who seems interested, but is not comfortable with his or her game. Try to get him or her out for a lesson with the Golf Professional. In turn, the Golf Professional's job is to get the novice comfortable enough to come out and play in the events. Again, you are introducing someone to the game of a lifetime, and chances are earning loyalty to your business.

Speaking of running an event, make sure you make it novice-friendly and not too competitive. Use Beginner Rules along with a scramble format. If you find that you have a group of players that wants a little more competition, run two events a month: one friendly and one competitive. Once you have gotten the basic outing going and successful, you can add a few other events such as a nite lite golf event or a putting contest. When an event is successful and you have happy participants, the sky's the limit.

Create a Networking League

The group that is formed for the consumer golf outing should play golf without the clients once a month. It will assist the members of the group to get to know each other and understand how to better refer clients to each other.

Join a League

Maybe you are not the organizing type. Join a league that is already established. Keep in mind that you do not want to aggressively sell yourself, but as you build relationships the business will come your way. After you feel comfortable with the participants, why not introduce a putting contest or a par-3 event that you organize. The key is to build the relationship before getting aggressive.

Organize a Golf Pool

For some businesses it is either illegal or unprofessional to create a situation where there is the perception of gambling; but, when gambling is OK, run a pool for the majors or if the TOUR comes locally. The NCAA Basketball Pool is incredibly popular with more than just passionate basketball fans. Now that Tiger is at the height of his popularity non-golfers are becoming interested in how he performs. Just be careful - it could mean your job! The best format for a pool is to pick 5 players and add up the money each made. The participant who has the most money wins.

Organize Fantasy Golf

GolfChannel.com does a fantasy golf program. Why not contact a group of clients and start a competition among yourselves. You sponsor the prizes. This gives you a reason to contact your clients more often. Again, be careful if it could mean your job.

Golf Conversations

Make a note of your clients who play and call them to discuss golf. It gives you an excuse to dial for dollar

E-mail or Fax a Weekly Golf Tip

One of the reasons that I deliver a weekly golf tip through www.BusinessGolfSuccess.com is that I am able to pass the tip along to clients, prospects, coworkers, upper management, friends, and referral sources. It's a great way to keep your company in front of the powers that be. (If you are not receiving the tip please log on and register.)

Show Up at the Local Golf Course and Get Paired with Strangers

Give the starter a couple of dollars and let him know that you would like him to point out groups that are looking for a single. This is an excellent method of pre-qualifying people you are about to spend 4 hours with. I suggest looking to see if they are playing with name-brand premium golf clubs. Regardless of who you play with, they know somebody who needs your services.

Sponsor a League or Event

If you are in the retail business, give gift certificates to the players in any league or event that is playing at the local golf courses. This is an inexpensive way to drive traffic into your place of business.

Volunteer for Tour Event

What is great about Tour Events is that most of the volunteers are involved in the community in some way. There are always pre-tournament meetings and social events to organize which give you plenty of opportunities to start building relationships. Since most of these volunteers are golfers, why not invite them to your monthly golf outing.

Put Together a Referral Bonus Program

This idea costs a few dollars, but nothing comes out of your pocket until you have closed a sale. If somebody refers a client to you, treat the referral source to a round of golf or a complementary golf clinic that you host. If the program is working, approach a vendor to help sponsor the program.

If you have clients and prospects that play golf, I can help you. I will be more than happy to assist you in putting together a custom plan on how you can maximize your golf expenditures. Regardless of your budget, you can outsmart your competition and build a better relationship with golf. Give me a call today to see how fun and easy it can be.
David Collins
407-273-0210