Now this information makes you think….:

70% of the U.S. population regularly use the Internet
Over 1 billion people in the world are online
The average adult spends 3 hours more a day online than watching T.V.
These are all encouraging statistics for small business owners. It means you have a very large target market, and as long as you have a website, you have a better chance of being found online than in a phonebook, flier, or other advertisement.

But…
There are over 400 million active websites &
The average person only gives a website 10 seconds before deciding whether the site is worth their time.
Which means, you’ve got ten seconds (or less) to:

1) attract the viewer
2) declare your message &
3) get them to take action

IMPOSSIBLE YOU SAY.  Hell NO!

I think I am like most people.  I get bombared each and every day with TV ads, direct mail pieces in the mail…etc. etc.  You all understand where I am coming from.  The think I hate most about these advertisements is that it is very rare to find one that engages me.  I am looking at it, I am reading them before they go into the trash.  Bloody Hell…someone get me excited about their product or service!  Enough already with the fancy pictures and the features and benefits.  Blah Blah Blah.  Where is the story?  Where is the excitement?  Where is the freaking call to action?

Enough ranting by me.  It is becoming a lost art.  Well someone sent me a couple of examples of advertisement copy and I just thought it was great.  So here you go.  I hope you steal some of the nuggets these ads have in them.

Good Ad – Oprea

Good Ad – Offer

I was sent this article on the changes going on in the golf market. Great read! Enjoy!

http://www.golfdigest.com/magazine/2010-10/jerry-tarde-letter

Not having your golf course’s website show up on the first or second pages of the search engines when potential customers are searching for you is costly.  We don’t mean when they type your exact name.  We mean when they type in…hmmm let’s say GOLF COURSES ONTARIO (12,100 people a month do this) or GOLF NAPLES (27,100 per month).  That is a bunch of TRAFFIC that you are missing on.

So what does it cost you not to show up there.  Here is some examples.

The average #11 ranking site in Google will get a relative 0.66% click through ratio (CTR), yet the average #10 ranking will get a 2.97% CTR.

Put simply, this means a 450% increase in traffic simply by moving from position #11 to #10. The same applies for lower positions such as #20 (a 0.30% CTR), a 990% increase by moving to position #10.

WOW!!!

You better learn how to get to the top of those pages!  We don’t mean buying ads to get there either.  Because only 1% – 5% of the people that come to that page even click on it.

We can show you how!  That is us bragging!

We have been in meetings (face to face, group, online, etc.) alot over the last couple of weeks, and one thing we have noticed is every owner, head pro and general manager of their golf facility has CORE VALUES they seem to stand on.  The other thing we noticed is that each individuals core values were not the same as their colleauges.  Hmmmmmmmmmm.   Maybe that’s why they are running in twelve different directions!

Try this as an exercise.  Write down your top 5 core values.  It is a great way to get yourself, and just maybe your facility, company on the same page.

Here are mine: (not in any specific order)

1.  If its not FUN stop doing it

2.  Failing is a good thing…as long as you learn from it

3.  Give first, then give again.  You will get a return far greater than what you gave

4.  Negative in any form – people, thoughts cannot occupy your brain space ( 5 sec rule applies here)

5.  If its the right thing to do (legal, moral and ethical) just do it, even if it ruffles some feathers