Ray Richard’s Golf Course

Final Marketing Plan

By: Kevin Newberger, Ian Humsey, Jeremy Gusass, Daryn Skjefte

Situation Analysis

• Where are they now?– “just getting by” with help from UND; did not make a profit last year

• Product Offerings?– 9 hole course – Driving range– Chipping and putting green– Limited food and beverages

• Pricing Strategy?– UND Students $13 for 9, $24 for 18– Public Weekday - $15 for 9, $24 for 18– Public Weekend - $16 for 9, $25 for 18

Situation Analysis continued..

• Market growth potential?– UND students and new products, young

professionals-retirees ages 25-65

• Potential challenges?– Other courses, 9 holes, location limits expansion,

no liquor license, limited staff, lacking social media expertise, no golf-pro onsite

Competitor Analysis

• King’s Walk• Lincoln Golf Course• Valley Golf Course

King’s Walk

• 18 holes• Wide variety of leagues (men’s

seniors, ladies)• Partnered with Holiday Inn

Express and offer Stay-and-Play packages

• Well developed website• Virtual hole tours• Book tee times

Lincoln Golf Course

• 9 hole course• Biggest competitor to Ray Richards• Developed club house

• Beverage counter• Snack bar

• Kid friendly 9 hole course• Senior & ladies league

• No men’s league • Secluded from city streets (good

location)• Scenic course

Valley Golf Course

• 18 hole course• Offer events and banquets

room• Golf pro onsite • Only offer a men’s league • Membership packages

• Specials • Book tee times online • CRM mailing list on website

SWOT Analysis

• Proximity to campus• Flexible scheduling• Holds campus/community activities• Most affordable golf course• Family friendly

• Social presence• Children activity camps• Contacts with UND athletes• Rewards programs• Location• Changing of UND President

• Lacking of social media• No liquor license• Unprofessional appearance• No customer data/database• UND athletes do not play at course • Low Pricing • Too heavily relying on students as

customers • Lack of pro-golfer expertise

• Others courses in Grand Forks• Weather• Administrative decisions• Lack of modernization• Poor conditions with lack of revenue

Strengths: Opportunities:

Weaknesses: Threats:

Brand Strategy • Current Brand positioning market

• Most affordable relative to competition• Least alcohol friendly• Not as well kept as other courses• College student friendly

• Aspirations • Affordable, bang-for-your-buck course,

enjoyable for everyone • Focus on different target markets during

different time periods of the year • Become a well-known part of the community

• Brand Attributes • Relaxing, original, historical, healthy,

rewarding, pure

Primary Target:• “Matt”

– Demographics: 18-24; college student, male, works to support himself

– Behaviors: Sleeping, spends a lot of time on phone and computer, always hungry, constantly busy, consume news/media through all types of social media, attending sporting events

– Needs/Goals: working out, being with friends, measures success through money, wants good job

– Best to focus on this target market during times when school is in session

Secondary Target• “Gary”

– Demographics: retired, 60+, works for fun, mostly male, low to medium income, solid retirement fund

– Behaviors: likes to drink cheap coffee, works for city as lawn mower or Zamboni driver, not married, lives in Florida during the winter

– Needs/Goals: enjoys each day, looks for something to do, likes to find new hobbies, goes to bar around 2pm, doesn’t pay rent—owns his house, doesn’t cook too much, wants to stay active and feel included

– Best to focus on this target market during the summer months

Negative Target

• “Robert”

• Demographics: 40-65 years old, not married, male, high income, fancy vehicle, if he does have family, he does not value family time

• Behaviors: works way too much, top of management at job, always on phone, purchases high quality products, likes to be pampered, uses social media platforms

• Needs/Goals: must impress people, status seeker, way too big of house, must feel better than everyone

Brand Positioning Statement

Ray Richards is a unique golf course located in the Grand Forks community that serves the

University of North Dakota’s students as well as community members. This golf course is one of the rare university owned courses in the nation. Golfing at Ray Richards is a relaxing experience

designed to help you unwind and have an enjoyable time with good company.

Creative Brief

• What is the product?– A great and profitable golf course

• Who is the competition? – Lincoln, Valley, King’s Walk

• What do consumers need?– A more focused marketing campaign that will help

show why Ray Richards is a great golf course in Grand Forks, ND

Creative Brief continued…• What does the consumer currently think about us?

– “This is a very nice well kept 9 hole course I've played it about 8 times now and feel I need to give this course a review. It's very walkable with very little terrain changes. The greens are very smooth with only a few unfixed pitch marks. The fairways are generous and even your missed fairways offer a chance at hitting most of the greens. There is a little creek and a pond that come j to play on a few holes. Give it a try you won't be disappointed.” (Yelp.com)

– I played the Ray Richards course only because the pro shop at the Valley Golf course in Easy Grand Forks decided not to honor my tee time at 6:30 am. By 7am they were still not open and I'm waiting around looking like an idiot. So to Ray Richards I went.The course plays stretched out and plays away from other holes enough that you don't feel abandoned. The course was in fantastic shape with really no difficulty at all. The greens are large and very nice.The pro shop staff were a bunch of college kids that were highly unmotivated as the golfers started stacking up trying to pay their fees.Great course for a quick 9 if you are in no hurry. (golfadvisor.com)

Creative Brief Continued…

• What do we want them to believe?– Ray Richards is a great golf course that is

committed to their customer experience • What can we tell them to make them believe

this?– Offer a more concise marketing campaign that gets

them excited about Ray Richards • What is the tonality of the Advertising?

– Upbeat, casual, social, inclusive, and inviting

Creative Strategy

Ray Richards is a place to kick back, relax, and spend time with

good company.

Overall Objectives

1. Increase golf rounds among UND male students from 38.9% to 55% by June 30, 2017

2. Increase revenue brought in by students from 44% of earned revenue to 60% by June 30th, 2017

3. Increase revenue earned from memberships from 16% to 25% by June 30th, 2017

4. Get 500 new customers by June 30th, 2017

Objective 1:

• Increase golf rounds among UND male students from 38.9% to 55% by June 30, 2017– Increase overall brand awareness

• Tactic 1: social media usage increase– Increase FB likes to 2,000+– Become more active (daily/bi-daily postings)

• Tactic 2: increase course advertising signage (corner of 42nd/Demers)

– Would only pay for signs, we own locations• Tactic 3: sponsor a NoDak Nation prize (free round per so many

points)

Objective 1 continued…– Tactic 4: offer 1 free pass per student ID (available at the

Student Government office) • Similar to Grand Forks bus passes

– Tactic 5: Have bookstore put a coupon in each bag when any purchase is made

– Tactic 6: Offer an intramural class for 1st half of semester (8 weeks)

– Tactic 7: Offer prizes for raffle during study-a-thons put on by the University

– Tactic 8: Promote golfing at Ray Richards by using iHeart Media and Leighton Broadcasting

Objective 2:

• Increase revenue brought in by students from 44% of earned revenue to 60% by June 30th, 2017– Strategy: Increase # of golf rounds

• Tactic 1: Offer daily deals (Family night, Ladies night, Student night)

• Tactic 2: Do an in-game sponsorship at UND Men’s Hockey game (winner gets free rounds of Golf in spring)

• Tactic 3: offer a frequent visitor pass (electronic, linked to name)

– Purchase constant contact• Tactic 4: email blast student emails 1 time per semester

– Use constant contact

Objective 3:

• Increase revenue earned from memberships from 16% to 25% of total revenue by June 30th, 2017– Create a better customer relationship

• Tactic 1: Purchase and use software to create customer database

• Tactic 2: Be interactive with customers on social media – Posting polls, questions, pictures, etc

• Tactic 3: Sponsor Wild Hog Half Marathon and other youth events

– Make community aware of Ray Richards

Objective 3 continued…

• Tactic 4: Have UND Golf hold youth camp in the spring

• Tactic 5: Offer Holiday specials• July 4th, Memorial Day, Labor day, Mother’s Day, Father’s

Day

• Tactic 6: Hire a Marketing Intern • Per semester (available to be renewed)• Unpaid • In charge of social media (better adapted and more

aware)

Objective 4:

• Get 500 new customers by June 30th, 2017– Better cater to defined target market (male college

students)• Tactic 1: increase social media usage

– (FB, Twitter, Instagram, Yelp, Snapchat)http://www.yelp.com/biz/ray-richards-golf-course-grand-forks

– Only use free sites to save money• Tactic 2: offer deals via social media

Objective 4 continued…

• Tactic 3: create on-campus feel/presence • Tactic 4: Work with UND to create a bus stop at Ray

Richards– More convenient for all students– Create awareness

• Tactic 5: Coordinate with student housing to workout signage deal and sponsorship opportunities– (Grove, Sonoma, Boden, McEnroe, On-campus student

housing, etc) -Flyers, direct mailers, promotional tables

Flowchart of events

16-Jan 16-Feb 16-Mar 16-Apr 16-May 16-Jun 16-Jul 16-Aug 16-Sep 16-Oct 16-Nov 16-Dec 17-Jan 17-Feb 17-Mar 17-Apr 17-May 17-Jun

Promotions

Free pass by Student Govt

InGame Promotions

Radio

Leighton Broadcasting

Iheart Media

Signage

Permanent sign on course

Flyers/Pamphlets

Flyers in bookstore bags

Flyer in Memorial Union

Budget

Example of corner signage

Resources:• http://event.on24.com/eventRegistration/console/EventConsoleNG.jsp?

uimode=nextgeneration&eventid=1083506&sessionid=1&username=&partnerref=aw_events&format=fhaudio&mobile=false&flashsupportedmobiledevice=false&helpcenter=false&key=733A48E7E10785C35252B23B743BC9D1&text_language_id=en&playerwidth=1000&playerheight=650&overwritelobby=y&eventuserid=130064631&contenttype=A&mediametricsessionid=102107276&mediametricid=1600752&usercd=130064631&mode=launch#

• http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/why-snapchat-becoming-hottest-social-tool-ad-agencies-167972

• http://www.adweek.com/news/technology/why-running-ads-both-facebook-and-instagram-likely-be-new-normal-168061

• http://www.yelp.com/biz/ray-richards-golf-course-grand-forks• http://www.golfadvisor.com/courses/10367-ray-richards-golf-course/