6 Ways Ambassador Programs Can Drive Your Golf Sponsorships
Posted by Ron Amodio on Tue, May 01, 2012 @ 01:58 PM
Your company is a sponsor of a professional golf tournament on one of the professional golf tours because the television audience is comprised of viewers you want to reach. Its place on the schedule competes with an overseas event that draws many of the top players. So, the field for your event is not as strong as it should be and as a result, its television ratings are trending downward.
To make your CMO’s life easier, you want to contribute an idea that adds to his "inventory of 
options." The option you want him to consider calls for pro golfer endorsement deals with a cadre of Tour Players who would represent your company as golf ambassadors.
While you can point to two companies (i.e., RBC and Zurich) that have very successful ambassador programs, you also want to bolster your recommendation by showing your idea is "on strategy” and connects to the business goals for your organization. To that end, here are six business drivers that can be linked to your ambassador program and have a positive effect on your company’s overall involvement in professional golf.
1. Stronger / More Competitive Marketing Platform
Strengthen the field with several players who are among the top 50 in World Golf Rankings and are part of your company’s golf ambassador program. Marquee names in contention during the tournament can move the needle when it comes to fan interest driving on-site attendance and television viewership.
2. Increased Customer Retention and Lifetime Customer Value
Add value to your key customer entertainment activities with on-site visits by your golf ambassadors to your corporate hospitality tent during tournament week but before the competition begins on Thursday.
By way of example, Davis Love III is one of Humana’s ambassadors and is the USA’s Ryder Cup Team Captain for this year’s Ryder Cup Matches which will be held at Medinah Country Club, Medinah, Illinois.
To show their support for Davis and our Ryder Cup Team, Humana has purchased hospitality and invited their key customers to join them and experience the competition for pride and country. Our strategic partner, Colvin Sports Network, will develop and implement Humana’s event hospitality programs for the Ryder Cup at Medinah.
3. Increased Brand Awareness Through Charitable Giving
Heighten awareness for the charities that benefit from your company’s tournament sponsorship by having your golf ambassadors sign memorabilia that can be auctioned off and raise money for those charities. And you can tap into your golf ambassadors' social media followers to expose your online auction to a wider audience.
4. Revitalized Brand Messaging Through TV Spots Featuring Golf Ambassadors
Reinforce your association with high caliber professional golfers by having them appear in commercials that air during the telecast of the tournament your company sponsors. If they are in contention, your branding on the player’s clothing will appear seamlessly during the telecast as well as during the commercial breaks and increase recognition of your brand’s relationship with the player.
If one of your ambassadors wins the tournament, run congratulatory ads that further help your target audience make the connection between your brand and the winning personas of the players who represent your brand.
5. Increased Employee Loyalty and Goodwill
Tie your ambassador program to your company’s workforce initiatives to show your employees how your golf sponsorship helps foster goodwill and grow your business. A good example is KPMG’s endorsement deal with LPGA Star Stacy Lewis which was pointed out in a previous blog article.
6. Increased Brand Exposure Through Ambush Marketing
When your ambassadors win golf tournaments sponsored by your competitors, it presents the opportunity to ambush them by having your branding on the players’ clothing during the telecasts, trophy presentations and press conferences. A good example would be if Lee Westwood, who is sponsored by UPS, wins the Fedex Cup later this year!!
Bill Colvin , is constantly working with Humana and his other corporate clients to help ensure the success of their golf sponsorships. In fact, many of the golf ambassadors he recruited for his corporate clients have served in that capacity for five years or more.
Bill can be reached on his cell at 216-272-7779 or by email: bill@colvinsports.com. You can also follow him on Twitter: billcolvin.
To learn more about how our strategic partner, Colvin Sports Network, serves as an advocate for companies exploring marketing opportunities with professional golfers, click on the button below.
Image Credit, Leaderboard: CCA / CSN
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