Market Yourself and Your Facility Through Social Networking

Today’s PGAmagazine.com Blog moderator is PGA Head Professional Brendon Elliott. Brendon has been at at Winter Park (Fla.) Country Club for 11 years, the last three years as of which he has served as head professional of the public facility.

Finding efficient and cost-effective ways to market ourselves as golf professionals, instructors, sales reps and association leaders is vital. Advertising through print and television media is very expensive, and unless you are a major brand or big-name instructor you usually don’t have that money. So what can one do to promote the services they offer, the course they manage or the product they sell, all on a tight budget? The answer for me has been social networking.

I know some are very reluctant about “exposing” themselves, but that is the whole idea. I can personally sing the praises of social networking, which has opened up so many doors for my facility, my new teaching business and my Web site. I have made new business connections, new golfers have teed it up at my course, people recognize my teaching business’s brand and I have learned so much.

Below is a list of a few places to get started.

General & Business:

• www.FaceBook.com (Build a Profile for yourself, business or golf course and start a group or “Fan Page”)
• www.MySpace.com (Build a profile or start a group or “Fan Page”)
• www.Twitter.com (Share quick ideas, thoughts, links or promotions with thousands)
• www.LinkedIn.com (A professional networking site)

Golf Specific:

• www.TheGolfSpace.com (Build a profile and connect with thousands of other golf fanatics)
• www.10thGreen.com (Build a profile for yourself, business or golf course. Instructors can have their own page and give lessons online.)
• golfpronetwork.ning.com (This is my own golf-industry-specific network, which is still in its infancy stages)
• bizgolfcc.ning.com (A fantastic golf networking community from one of the best in online golf networking, Mr. Scott Duke)
• www.golforlandoflorida.com (A new regional golf community site)

The sites above are just a sample – there are literally dozens and dozens more. The best thing about most of these sites (other then my Web site) is that they are free, providing a low- or no-cost way to get the word out about you and your facility.

You can also showcase your expertise through your own Web site or blog. To get a better idea of how I promote myself online, check out www.BrendonElliottGolf.com, brendonelliottgolf.blogspot.com or www.OrlandoGolfBlogger.com.

So spread your wings, do better business, make new connections and have some fun.