Posted: 4/8/2010
If there’s a place aside from sports bars that will be buzzing over Augusta National this week, that will be the board room of many companies. Believe it or not many executives are fanatics of the golfing world, and marketers can hit their soft spots by giving them promotional golf apparel.
A survey by an international hotel chain found that virtually all business executives believe that golf is an essential business tool. They see it as an effective way to build strong relationships with associates and meet new business contacts. Deals are sometimes sealed right in the golf course, which may explain while junior associates are trading their smart phones for golf clubs as they make their way up to the corporate ladder.
Playing around this strong corporate culture on golf can be an effective marketing strategy. The long list of golf apparel and equipment means that there are many ways to promote a company. A logo, for instance, can be printed on golf balls, bags and umbrellas. It can also be etched on crystal-made golf paperweights or embroidered on shirts and sun visors.
Costs could be a limiting factor for these kinds of items. But if the goal is to attract decision makers in the industry, high-end give-aways may be worth the investment. They will be seen in fairways as executives meet with other business leaders or in hotel lobbies and airports as they walk their way through. There might be no better way to advertise than a pro bono pitch by a credible CEO.
