We all have needs. In fact, fulfilling our various needs make up our very existence. This not-so-trite statement comes from any number of college philosophy courses. How can this knowledge help our tennis business? Simple.
Since tennis needs are far less prominent than eating and sleeping, it is up to us to point out those needs to our customers. This process is at the core of all marketing strategies; namely, identifying a specific need to a customer and showing them how they can get that need met. Here are some ideas to get you started in deepening the marketing connection you have with your customers.
Clothing
Dress like the pros. Everyone wants to look like his or her favorite pro and the sponsoring clothing manufacturers are more than happy to give you free posters for your shop. The key is to spend a few dollars and purchase poster frames that allow you to easily interchange your posters. Too many pro shops frame a poster of a player wearing a clothing line or using a popular racquet. But, the poster becomes outdated and is neglectfully left hanging on a prominent wall collecting dust. Draw attention to these posters by rotating them monthly. Then you can fulfill your customers’ desires to look their best by simply showing them how good their favorite pro look in the very same clothing they can buy in your shop.
Set up a clothing committee. A fact of life is that female tennis players will annually purchase at least 70% of all the clothing you sell in your shop. How about setting up a committee of three or five of your most supportive female members to actually help you select the clothing you will sell? It may take a little more time than your sales reps are accustomed to, but it will pay big dividends. Offer members of the committee the ability to purchase their own clothing for the season at 10% above cost. Then, as soon as the line arrives on your racks, prominent members are already wearing the clothing. It’s called walking advertising. The need to look better and wear nice clothing always exists. Just put your tennis business in a position to fulfill that need.
Racquets, strings, and grips
Posters, posters, posters. Use the same approach as explained under the clothing section of this article. It is not a big stretch for most people to believe that their forehand can improve at least a little if they use Andre Agassi’s or Roger Federer’s racquet and strings.
Demo racquet days. There’s no better way to sell racquets than to put one in a player’s hand. Everyone knows this trick but, surprisingly, few programs offer events combined with racquet demos on a regular basis.
Free racquet regrip days. There’s nothing like the feel of a new grip. Since it takes an experienced stringer only a few minutes to regrip a racquet, why not offer a “once-a-week” free regrip day? How about every Saturday from 9 am – 12 noon? Most recreational players do not realize how much better their racquet will feel with a new grip. And, what better way to deepen relationships than to help someone feel better about their tennis?
Shoes
Trade in discounts. Most tennis specialty stores will carry one or two shoe lines, but seldom more. The goal of the small retailer is to carry a shoe that is not broadly found in large discount stores, and to create product loyalty since shoes are consider disposable products, meaning they have to be replaced regularly. Your tennis shoe goal, as a specialty retailer, must be to get your customers to try your line of recommended tennis shoes and keep buying them. Emphasize the unique features of the shoes you sell over other brands to create a need in your customers’ minds. On top of that, how about offering a shoe trade-in discount of $10 and donate the used shoes to a local charity that services people in need? In this scenario, you have created and fulfilled three needs at once: Good product features, a money-saving offer, and a convenient contribution to the welfare of others in your community.
Lessons
Identify needs with themes. Try using clinic themes like: Backhand giving you a backache? If your forehand fails you, this clinic is for you! Play better doubles in one hour. Slow-ballers driving you crazy? Tired of power-hitters knocking you back?
Offer a guarantee. All shopper like a guarantee. It creates trust and builds long-term relationships. The problem is that guarantees are seldom offered with personal services. After all, what doctor refunds your money if he doesn’t cure your illness? And, what attorney has ever returned fees paid if you lose in a court of law? Publish a written guarantee for your tennis lessons. Rarely, if ever, will you have to refund fees, but it will build your business. People have a need to trust and you can fill this need easily by placing a guarantee on your tennis lessons.