5 reasons to start selling group lessons & programmes
Many golf professionals swear by private lessons. Private lessons undoubtedly help the golfer to improve his or her game but if you are looking to grow your instruction business, focusing on private lessons only may not be the best thing to do.
Here are five reasons why we think you should at least consider developing your group lesson business.
1. You can only sell so many private lessons
If you browse through golf instructorâs websites, most of them seem to be selling the very same thing: individual golf lessons in 30-minute, 45-minute and 60-minute slots. Many swear by private lessons as the best and the most effective way to improve oneâs skills and get personal, targeted guidance.Â
Though we agree that individual lessons are impactful, selling individual lessons may not be the best choice if youâre looking to grow your tuition business. (Unless of course youâve reached the point where you can really charge premium prices for your lessons!)Â
You only have a limited number of minutes and hours in your week, and you quickly reach a point when youâre âsold outâ and thereâs nowhere to grow.Â
To maximise your income from tuition, you need to think creatively on how to make the most of each hour you spend teaching. If youâre currently making ÂŁ40 for each hour your teach - imagine if you could make ÂŁ60, ÂŁ100 or even more.
2. Sell more with the same effort
Selling individual lessons can be a tough task. No matter how hard you market your lessons, if all you get out of your marketing efforts is a one private lesson booking worth of ÂŁ40, the payback is quite small.
However, if you promote an entire package or a programme thatâs designed to make a bigger impact and to lay out a well thought-out training schedule, you might be surprised how many golfers might choose that instead. Your average sales prices goes up, and youâre most likely to get happier customers in the end.
3. Longer training programmes for better results
If you think about it, how many golfers actually benefit from just taking a single lesson? You probably agree that most golfers could reach results faster through a structured training programme that helps to keep up motivation, and includes concrete steps on what to do next.
For many, a goal oriented way of training might be exactly what they are after and they are willing to put effort and time into improving their game if someone just showed them the steps to get there.
For the most hard-core enthusiasts, you might even consider âunlimited trainingâ package or a âall inclusiveâ package, and see the reception you get. Selling a 1-month programme, a 3-month programme or even a 6-month programme is vastly different than selling a single lessons. The programmes wonât be cheap but those might be exactly what your the most committed golfers are looking for.
4. Reach new customer groups
Many of us prefer to train in groups. Training in a group is fun and affordable and itâs the way people are used to training in many other sports. Hence, the concept of joining a lesson with others is a common thing to do, and the social aspect of a group is vital for many to keep training fun!
Itâs also worth keeping in mind, that some golfers may actually find booking an individual lesson with a coach a bit intimidating. Group lessons are quite relaxed and easy to join - even for those who do not wish to be the center of attention. You can get tips and hints on how to improve your game but still âsit on the back rowâ.
If you have been previously selling private lessons only, there are likely to be many golfers visiting your club or even members whoâve never bought a lesson from you simply because itâs not a format they prefer.
5. New online tools make group lessons easy to sell
If youâve mostly been operating with pen and paper or odd spreadsheets and registration forms, managing a group lesson - let alone dozens - may seem like a nightmare.Â
With modern digital sales and marketing tools, setting up and selling group lessons is quick and easy. All information on groups and packages can be nicely presented online and customers can self-register quickly, see which groups are full and which are not, and also pay for their attendance. The online booking system can automatically monitor how groups are filling up, manage payment transactions and remind customers of their upcoming lessons, also minimising the amount of no-shows.
Weâd love to hear what you think: Do you think it might be worthwhile to explore the benefits of selling training programmes and results instead of minutes and hours?Â
To find out how Birdietimeâs digital sales and marketing tools can help you in growing your business with group lessons, request a demo.
For more inspiration on golf instruction group lessons and packages, visit our free catalogue of product examples for golf professionals.
