Happy Tuesday!
Today we talk about the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida.
For the first time in 19 years I will not be attending but I want to give you a quick guide to how you can get content for the ENTIRE year if you go into the 4 days with a little bit of a plan. I know that I have spend more than a few of these conferences having fun, going to free happy hours, and relatively treating it as a vacation away from home.
However, with a little bit of focus, you can get everything you need in a few hours and enjoy the warm Florida sunshine the rest of the time.
Disclaimer: For anyone that has never attended, the PGA Show is a different animal that it was 15 years ago. In the early 2000’s, all the big name manufacturers were there and most were giving away a TON of SWAG. So much so that you would have to bring 2 large bags a day to carry it home! Now a days, the show has turned into a typical convention, with companies showing you the product, letting you interact with it, and then asking you for a purchase order. THIS IS NOT A BAD THING. It is a great way to start some win-win relationships with these companies instead of getting freebies and never talking to them again.
So just like the podcast, I am going to give you a day by day schedule of what you should do to get the content you need.
TUESDAY
Today is the infamous DEMO DAY!
The day that everyone races out to Orange County National Golf Center to try the latest and greatest golf equipment. Use this day to your advantage! Announce before you leave that you will be doing FACEBOOK LIVE events from PGA’s Demo Day. Even structure it to be at certain booths at certain times to be able to gain the most interest. You will be able to engage with your members or other golfers and get some great feedback.
BRING A FRIEND (or someone to hold the camera…they don’t have to be a friend. 🙂 )
It will make the content so much more interesting if you are not holding the phone out in front of you and trying to show the clubs or even demonstrate the equipment. A cameraperson will free you up to be able to ‘act’ in front of the camera and show the full potential of the equipment you are highlighting. Take some close up shots of the clubs so that you can use them throughout the year.
Invest in a gimbal to stabilize the video. No one wants to watch shaky videos. A DJI OSMO costs about $150. A few golf club sales can easily knock that expense out!
Interview the people at the booths about their product. There is no one more in tune with the new product than the developers and salespeople in those booths. An interview not only is something you can use for the next few months on your sites, but you can take the lead as an authority on the products in your market.
Junior golf has a bunch of stuff at the DEMO DAY. Show it in action with video and use it to entice juniors. you don’t have to buy every junior golf aid or toy out there, but the footage of you trying it out can be funny and a great way to connect with your students. Don’t pass up a chance to make a junior laugh, it is the fuel of a great junior golfer.
WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY
The Orange County Convention Center houses the remaining days of the show.
IT IS BIG, so try to divide and conquer.
If you are going to be there for 3 days, divide the floor up in 3 parts and take your time. Running from one side to the other defeats the purpose. Take your time and soak in the products and vendors that have taken the time to purchase a booth at the show.
Interview anyone that is up for it! Even if you are talking to the inventor of the Martini Tee, it is a great chance to make a connection with a vendor and potential gain some interest at your golf course. Something that you might not like could be something that a bunch of golfer want, these interviews are a great way to find out without spending the money to ‘TEST’ it out.
MAKE SURE TO GET THEIR BUSINESS CARDS! Nothing worse than filming someone and not getting their name. In order to make it a solid content piece you need to have the person’s name and position at the company.
In addition to the benefits back home, you might gain some connections down there. Networking is a HUGE part of the show and there is no substitute on any social site to a hand shake and a good conversation in person. You are in the golf industry, one of the most social industries around, say HI to EVERYONE! You never know where it could lead!
MSR Points Galore!
Make sure if you are a PGA Member to grab all the MSR points that you can. There are TONS of them available down there with very little effort or expense. TAKE ADVANTAGE!
Lastly, HAVE FUN! I have given you a blue print to get the most out of the show, however, you can accomplish this in just a few hours a day. That leaves a LOT of time to go out and enjoy the Orlando sunshine and night life.
As always if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email me at jrockhold@pga.com.
