Golf Simulator Marketing: Pre-Opening Checklist

Marketing plan for a new golf simulator facility 

After you’ve picked your golf simulator partner, identified your booking software, and figured out which mats wear the best, you’ll need to set up your indoor golf facility for success with a pre-opening marketing plan. The marketing checklist below isn’t comprehensive, but focus on each will create a solid marketing foundation to build your indoor golf business on. 

1. Name & URL

With your name, it’s important to be ownable and clearly communicate what your business is. Bogey’s, Mulligan’s, and Birdies are the industry’s equivalent of John Doe and should not be on your list. 

2. Logo 

Pre-opening, your name and logo together are the de facto first impression for your brand and your business. Readability is key for your logo. It should be a quick read and equally clear whether it’s on a large sign or a hat. Consider having wordmark and logo mark options. Think of the Jumpman logo, the Jumpman logo with the Jordan brand name in text, and Jordan in text by itself. 

 

3. Signage

Regardless of location, don’t underestimate the power of driveby and foot traffic. Once finalized, signage with your name, logo, and a URL to a landing page is critical to get the word out and start generating interest. Make sure this is clear in your lease as well. 

4. Website 

Your goals for the website at opening are to tell people where you’re at, what you offer, and how to book (or become a member). Keep it simple, be clear, and don’t make people click more than twice to accomplish anything. There’s also the opportunity to communicate your brand with the logo, images, and text.

5. SEO

Search is changing daily with AI and constant algorithm shifts from Google. SEO is an area to seek expert help on and make an investment in foundational SEO so people can find you when they’re searching for whatever you’re offering.

6. Email

One of the most valuable marketing assets you can have is an email list. Once you’ve signed a lease, put up a landing page and start collecting email addresses. Pre-launch, this is a customer acquisition channel. Post-launch, it’s a customer retention channel. 

7. Social Media

It’s tough to show off a facility that isn’t built out yet, but you can share a compelling story in your pre-open decisions on location, tech, naming, food & beverage offering, layout, etc. Build in public to bring people along on the journey. There’s also the opportunity to get feedback from social media, e.g. “Which logo do you like?” or “What courses do you most want to play?” You’ll be building community before you even open your doors.

Be sure to secure your business profile on all channels with Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, X, and LinkedIn, even if you don’t plan to use them all. 

8. Local Influencers / Local PR

Identify PR opportunities early on and try to develop a relationship, whether it’s the local paper, a things to do email newsletter, or a realtor that covers what’s new in town on TikTok. All of these are free PR opportunities for media mentions as everyone needs new content. 

9. Business Listings

Get your Google Business Profile right from the beginning and think of it as a second website, continually adding photos and events, and once open, replying to reviews and making updates. While Google listings get the most traffic, don’t forget Apple Maps, Bing Places, and yes, even Yelp. 

10. Golf Merch 

This isn’t as mission critical as the rest of the list but it is something that needs to have plenty of lead time to get ordered and arrive by the open. Hats, polos, t-shirts, etc. are great enticements for founding members and pre-opening bookings. If this is something you’re interested in and when done correctly (See #1 & #2 for name and logo), one-time only drops or limited edition merch for the grand opening get people excited about your business and can set up a future revenue driver. 

 

After the pre-launch marketing, your Grand Opening event is the next priority. A great event can generate a lot of interest and attention, baseloading membership or bookings for the first month and beyond. Check out the upcoming special events webinar from the Indoor Golf Alliance on December 17th. You can also catch the November IGA marketing webinar on-demand on YouTube. 

If you’re opening a golf simulator business in the near future, connect with CAMO Marketing to get DFY indoor golf marketing and get your bays booked from Day 1. 

Article Overview

• The pre-opening marketing checklist for a golf simulator business includes advice and insight for the name and logo, website, SEO, email marketing, social media, PR, online business listings, merch, and grand opening events.
• Marketing done pre-open helps attract members, increase bay bookings, and creates a foundation for a successful indoor golf business.