Justin Klemballa is the PGA Director of Instruction at Paradise Valley Country Club in Paradise Valley, Arizona and the PGA Director of Instruction at Forest Highlands Golf Club in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Justin Klemballa on the importance of sending weekly golf tips to students:
Traditionally, walking the range and providing tips to golfers is a good way to attract new students. It allows you to show your value as a golf coach while meeting a variety of golfers. In recent years I have started sending weekly video tips to my students in a newsletter. One of the reasons I started this was to avoid having students view my emails as spam, and instead value them for the information provided. If I were to only email my students when I have an upcoming clinic or special deals on lesson packages, they would think that all emails from me are just a sales pitch in some form. However, by offering value in the form of weekly video tips, my students look forward to my emails because they know there is information there to help them. I post the videos on YouTube which makes it very easy for students of all ages to access my content. If I were only posting videos on TikTok and Instagram, I would likely have certain clients who wouldn’t have accounts on those platforms. An added benefit of filming weekly video tips is that it has forced me to learn how to speak in front of a camera and convey my ideas in a clear and concise manner. It also challenges me to get creative and develop new drills and ideas to share with my students. If I were to start resending old content or repeating content I have covered in the past, students would gradually lose interest and get less value out of my weekly newsletters. This could result in fewer students opening my emails. The startup costs for my weekly newsletter were very low. I only had to purchase a tripod. I carry the tripod in my golf bag and whenever I have an idea for a weekly golf tip video, I quickly and conveniently set up my camera and start filming. In terms of managing my contact list, I use a simple spreadsheet software.
Justin Klemballa on the business impact of sending weekly golf tips to students:
Since I started providing these videos, my email database has grown organically through my current students recommending and sharing my content with their friends. I can now reach over 1,000 people with the click of a button. By consistently providing value in emails and only occasionally sending a “sales” email, the chances of students opening the emails has increased. The weekly video tips have helped develop my brand and have directly resulted in new students booking sessions with me.
If you would like to email the author of this Best Practice directly, please email justin.klemballa@gmail.com.
