Golf and Growth

We must be into sports analogies around here...first basketball, now golf!  Check out this bit of insight and learned lessons that Dave (an avid golfer) shared with readers of the Ladue News.  


5 Things I Learned Playing Golf Can Help Grow Your Business

I grew up in a little town in northern Missouri called Milan.  There wasn't a lot to do in a small town growing up.  But we did have a public golf course.  I learned some valuable lessons playing with my friends.  Here are five things I learned playing golf that can help you play a better round with your business in today's still-struggling economy:

First, think about your round before you get to the first tee.  In other words, plan ahead.  Think about what clubs you'll need, where you want to hit your shots, and where you can take chances.  You can't expect your business to do its best unless you have a plan.  That requires a clear mission statement, strategic plan, and marketing plan.

Second, "you drive for show, you putt for dough."  My buddy John could hit the ball a mile, but he couldn't putt and rarely won our matches.  Marketing is not about flashy commercials or fancy websites. It's about doing the things that are most important for your business.  It's about delivering your brand story in meaningful ways and doing it consistently, and even under pressure.

Third, sometimes you can't choose who's in your foursome.  Companies cannot control the marketplace or the competitive environment.  You must be able to adapt and differentiate your company from the competition.  It's about telling your brand story to the right audience in a compelling manner that makes people want to do business with you and no one else.

Fourth, use shot management to play the hole.  You use the terrain, the wind, club selection, the best approach.  The same is true in marketing a business.  It needs to be a holistic approach with all the strategies and tactics working together.  A tactic here and a tactic there makes for a very long hole.

And finally, use your score to help you improve.  So, how did you shoot?  Better than last round?  Just like you keep score on every hole, you need to keep score with your marketing efforts.  Measure results and see if they delivered as expected.  Many companies don't measure, do the same things year after year, and wonder why things don't improve.