Private club promotional video effectiveness?

[prorobo]

So if you were looking to join a private club (or even a public track with membership), would a promotional video like this on the club's website in any way factor in your decision to join/visit/consider applying for membership at said club?

 

[media=]

[/media]

[Shambles]

To my mind, the best club to join is either the one nearest your home, or the one that has your best buds as members...provided you can afford to do so comfortably.


Shambles

[prorobo]

Those are good observations but my question pertains to the video effectiveness. In your case I assume it wouldn't weigh in on your decision. Anyone else?

[dartboss04]

I would imagine a club needing a promotional video may be struggling. I know these are difficult times, but I think the best clubs would have no need for this type of marketing. I think it is a good way to get a quick view of the course, amenities, etc.

[teejaywhy]

For me, it would not be effective. There was but one element that was of interest, and that was the shot of what appeared to be a walking golfer.

My decision to join a club would be focused on #1 - the golf course and how it is maintained, #2, the financials, #3 the membership.

Things like the clubhouse facilities, pool, tennis and all that are distant considerations. The majority of the video focused on those elements, and at the end just a few random shots of the golf course, none of which piqued my interest.

[Swisstrader98]

These days all about viral marketing, so would cost close to zero to go with a YouTube video and get word out via Facebook and other social medium

[KILLEDBYASHANKEDWEDGE]

No smiling faces to meet/greet you. The Club looked like a ghost town until the very end. As previously stated, show me more about the course, along with smiling faces enjoying it instead of a deserted view. The Bar was [i]empty[/i], the dining hall was[i] empty[/i], the pool was [i]empty[/i]. Gives you the impression that the place is abandoned. It would not get my approval.

The quality of the video was excellent, the content needs more work to excite someone to visit and possibly join.

[Shambles]

[quote name='prorobo' timestamp='1348633598' post='5696917']
Those are good observations but my question pertains to the video effectiveness. In your case I assume it wouldn't weigh in on your decision. Anyone else?
[/quote]

Granted.

I would think about how you are going to publish you video. Persuading your market to have the patience to view it might prove difficult. Would it be more cost effective to post pictures, a location map and a review on local blogs ?


Shambles

[prorobo]

I appreciate the feedback guys. Though just to clear up a few things, at this particular club, they are "closed" on Monday's (with exceptions for outings) but members are obviously welcome to walk so that is why it looks like a "ghost town." The video was a concept developed out of the fact that whenever you visit a course's or club's website, all you see are a few crappy photos and read a blurb on how historic the course is and the amenities that they offer. For me personally, I'd like to see some sort of video showcasing what they have to offer to at least get a true idea of what to expect. I've been let down visiting new courses on several occasions by the scarce photos on their site. Going by the responses here, I guess the sentiment is not shared throughout the golf community although I'd like to get a bigger sample size before axing the potential series.

Obviously with an unlimited budget, we'd rent a helicopter and give you true ground and bird's-eye views of each and every hole, but that's not the case. So what suggestions would you make for content that you would [i]want[/i] to see in a course's/club's potential video? Would you want to hear testimonials from the president and members about the history and feel of the club? Would you want to hear and see course tips from the professional on staff? Maybe just a condensed video of a round showcasing some members? Or nothing at all?

[highergr0und]

Honestly the video is too long.... and you don't even show the course until about 2 minutes in...... do I want to belong to a clubhouse that has a course or a course that has a clubhouse? I was fast forwarding after shot after shot of the dining room and hallway..... And enough with the focus in, focus out move.... we get it.

I think you should either show the course first or break the video up into a few parts.... course, clubhouse/pro shop, family amenities.

I like the idea though.... although before you go too deep, I'd look at the website stats. Do you really get traffic through the door out of the web?

[Swisstrader98]

Hey, you just did some viral marketing already with posting here on WRX! A few thoughts and not meant to be negative:

o The video while professionally done, is a bit depressing, starting with the music and I would not be inclined to join. Would suggest a narrator and music in the background that's much more upbeat.
o Agree with others that you need people smiling and having a blast on the course, in the bar, eating, etc.
o Too much focus on the dining room, complete with closeups of forks and knives?? The main asset of the club appears to be the golf course and thus, the pool, dining facilities, and everything else can be part of the video but not the star of the show.
o Would not begin the video with a pic of an asphalt driveway with cracks in it.
o Pick a bright sunny day for filming and find a bunch of people to fill up the bar, the course, etc and tell them to look like they're having a blast.
o May sound corny, but golfers want to hear a bit about history of the course, improvements to the club, and what amenities members can enjoy.
o if you are serious about all this, you should hire a professional video company to put it all together.

[dporto]

All good suggestions. The dining area looked particulary dreary and in need of an update/upgrade.

[sabram]

The video might weigh on my decision, but that would be NOT to join. For me, the focus needs to be on the golf, not the lockers, pool, dining room etc. The course looked too tree-lined and tight for my taste. It looks like it could use a good tree removal program. As others have pointed out, it also needs to show the facilities in use, not empty.

There are several target prospects that you can focus on. If you are looking for players who are focused on golf, this video doesn't work. If you are looking for families to eat, swim, hang out etc, this could work. A friend of mine is a member of a club in Westchester that was struggling. The new owner focused his marketing to young families (and updated the facilities) and the place is now crowded with kids at the pool, families playing tennis and in the club house. A better version of this video could work for that market. However, I think most readers on this site are more interested in the golf course than the other amenities.

[AC168]

The idea for a video is a good one, but this one has a lot of problems. The video-graphy quality is high, but the content is not good. I would think the primary demographic you are targeting would be interested in seeing more of the golf course and much earlier in the video. If you did more on the golf course, I think this would be an effective marketing tool. A lot of people would be intrigued to want to see if first-hand.

[CheckJV]

I agree with all the above comments and suggestions. The video as is looks more like a real estate advertisement...like the property is for sale.