Story Time:

Recently, In one of my many impromptu social media discovery sessions I was covering how social media is changing and what has changed over the past 6 months.  Naturally, in these sessions there is no way around NOT talking about Facebook and how it is dealing with the monster it has created. 

The fact will remain clear for now businesses and business people have to be on Facebook if for nothing but the validation you exist.  The question will always be if Facebook will survive the changes being made in social networking.

As I showed my Facebook account to the group as a demonstrate how Facebook should be used, one of the gentleman remarked he is on Facebook all of the time and really likes the ability to broadcast business realated information out to his friends.  When I asked how his interaction with his friends on Facebook was going naturally I got … “Outstanding..I love the site and my friends.”

I inquired if I could see his site.  He graciously signed in and here we go.  As usual, there is always something I see the owner of the site or page or account has not seen.

In this case I saw where he had posted regularly on his Facebook Wall providing his friends with content on his whereabouts using Foursquare; a couple of comment or two on sporting events and remarks on some events he had attended. Pretty average posts.  Of course I took a moment to warn the group of the dark side of the location based platforms like Foursquare before I moved on to reviewing the gentleman’s site. 

Out of the 25 or so post he made over the past month we could only find two responses and those were from someone he did not know hitting the “Like” button.

After me making comment on his Facebook Wall as looking like he had a slow month of responses and showing him where he was not getting very many responses to his posts, nor were his friends, I then asked if he knew why.  The usual shrug of the shoulder and the remark.. ”I guess people are just busy”.

I replied, …or they have left Facebook. 

Shock Factor

This kind of statement always arouses people who live and die on Facebook.  Many of the people who are today very active on Facebook have been there for years.  They have accumulated vast numbers of Friends to their account mostly in an effort to market to the masses.  A few stay true to their personal cause of visiting with Only Friends and Family but overall even interaction is brief and sometimes not what anyone would call being social.

However, for the addicted Facebooker, just the mention that someone they allowed to be a Friend on Facebook would even thing twice of leaving the site is a form of blasphemy. The fact is, more and more people are leaving Facebook for social networks with greater social ability.

In an attempt of being fair, and to prove me wrong, I suggested we take a look at the gentleman’s Friend’s list to see how his Friends are doing with their Facebook Account.

I asked him to look at his most popular Facebook Friends.  After looking over more than 25 of his ‘A List’ we found 20 had not posted anything on Facebook for over two months.  Several had not posted in over a year.  And a few had not even finished setting up their profile.  This was just 25 of the over 2500 Friends he had accumulated.  The rest of the friends in his community he did not know well or at all.  He was just accumulating as many Facebook Friends as his friends told him he needed to do to be influential.

Naturally this was rather embarrassing to the guy but illustrated the change Facebook is going through and will have to deal with if they plan on keeping their advertisers happy.

More and more people are just walking away from Facebook for a number of reasons.  Rough estimates show over 85% of the Facebook populations is getting less and less interaction from their Friends and only around 5% are seeing the same or more interaction in their Facebook Community.  There are still a large number of posts made on Facebook seemingly to appear purely for promotional reasons which also is another reason more and more people are leaving Facebook. 

Realities

The main reason given from people who have left Facebook deals mostly with the lack of response and interaction from their friends.  The large number of Location Based posts are sited as being games people play with those platforms to gain some material goods. Other reasons given for leaving Facebook have to do with the intrusion of privacy and the limits Facebook places on what can be posted.  Many leave because there really is nothing being said in their Facebook community that is of real interest anymore.  Several state they leave due to their attempts to be social with the people in their Friends list does not get any response.

I have heard from many people who are very frustrated with the many posts their Friends make to their Facebook feed but do not respond to any comments made to them.  The example given that is most frustrating is when their friends post to Facebook from third party platform and do not actually go to their Facebook account for days.  Then they post a response back to a remark made days earlier which just causes confusion and does not make sense. 

Still others are not finding anyone of interest or those they have found of interesting now post only Blah Blah self promotions; photos of stuff they are not interested in or just other content only a family member would appreciate. Just like the gentleman attending my session, there are many who have found the people they have Friended have left Facebook for some of the many reasons given.

Change Is Here

All methods of social networking change frequently and Facebook is not immune to people loosing interest in the site. Facebook will still be a site for the people who are not out for adventure or interaction.  However, as the consumer’s demand for interaction with their community increases they will eventually migrate to sites that offer that interaction.  Facebook is quickly loosing ground to other sites that make it easier for people to interact socially and professional with each other.

As a result, businesses are going to gravitate to those sites where they can interact with their consumers.  Then where will the ghost town be?  Things are changing in social networking which will change social media…just hope more people learn how to make the change. 

Let me know how I can help.

It seems I have been around the world with this issue with businesses only being interested in managing one Social Network.  As I can see their logic in how the economy is forcing them to quit using the shotgun effect of marketing online I have to wonder if there ever will be a single social network.

I am sure as more and more businesses start evaluating where they are getting the most sales from they will quickly jump to the conclusion they only need to be in that one space. I am sure many in the Digital Strategy industry will disagree with them on focusing on just one space.

However, I see in the near future businesses who advertise heavily on a social network to start pulling out of less productive social spaces because that space is not working and/or they are finding another one is working better. This move of revenue from one site to another will eventually level out the playing field in the social spaces.  This move to a more productive online environment could very quickly sift out to there really only being one place to go to find value these businesses are demanding.

In reality..these social networks..Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter and the multitudes of others..are only out for the money, not the people in the network. They are going to go where the money goes or change to keep the money.

Which network will it be the site of preference?  Can we tell today?  What do the social spaces have to do to keep the businesses who write them the big checks each month? How will the people in the special spaces react?

All these questions are being asked. I wonder if the social networks are listening? I would say they better be.

I have always been very concerned with how open online social networking can be and have been vocal on how using location based social platforms like Foursquare send out more info to more people than most people realize.

In a recent article posted in the Dallas Morning News: Leave Facebook at Home, the Dallas police warn people on posting in their social spaces information about them being on vacation.

I agree. Since the criminal element is now becoming even more tech savvy and social friendly than ever before and more reports are coming out on how what someone posts in their social network..Face, Twitter and others…was how the criminal used to find out someone was not at home or locating their whereabouts.

There have been reports from all over the world on how Foursquare has served as a radar system for burglars and muggers.  It simply is amazing how so many people completely disregard their personal safety in an effort to gain influence or win a prize.

The world has changed in so many ways.  Now you can’t go on vacation and enjoy it with friends afar without worrying who else is enjoying your absence.

Let’s be safe out there over Spring Break and let me know how I can help.

Following is a little teaser of the interview I did with my business partner Dave Bisbee.  The full interview will be published tomorrow on Mr Business Golf and the Biz Golf Guru sites. Enjoy!

Dave Bisbee – Biz Golf Guru Founder

Meet Dave Bisbee who runs the ultimate in comprehensive game improvement center at Sedona Golf Resort, Sedona Arizona and provides the only integrated system combining golf instruction, custom club fitting, and mental  conditioning available today.

Anchored by Dave Bisbee the Center provides an environment that welcomes new golfers to the game, helps the seasoned golfer achieve higher levels of performance, and offers a unique series of programs for business executives.  A proprietary “Mental Game” program helps golfers gain a deeper understanding of self which leads to a clear cut plan for setting and achieving goals

With more than 35 years of experience Dave is renowned for his innovative methods and easy going style helping thousands of golfers gain greater satisfaction through improved performance.  Known by his peers as a teacher of teachers, Dave has pioneered an integrated system linking mind, body, and Golf. This holistic approach connects the dots that lead to achieving goals.

Dave has authored several books, articles and instructional videos as well as many innovative programs for Fortune 500 companies that combine golf with executive development.

Following is my interview with the Biz Golf Guru.

Mr Business Golf: We have been out talking a lot about business golf over the years but I have never asked you straight up What is Business Golf to you?

Dave: To me it is any of a number of golf experiences that are intended to affect a business objective. It could be to establish or strengthen a customer relationship… or to have the opportunity to bond with team members… or to uncover potential new business opportunities.

MBG: We share in our push towards bringing business golf to more business people as a way to enhance their enjoyment of the game. What are your thoughts on How can Business Golf help Golf?

Dave: By making the game a part of their business strategy. Many companies have shied away from golf over the past few years because of the perception that it is a wasteful use of time and money. If they know how to use it the game can be one of the most powerful and cost effective methods of CRM and relationship marketing that there is.

MBG: You and I have been round and round with thinking out are joint approach to helping Golf find solutions to what is keeping it from growing, Why do you think Golf is not used by more business people?

Dave: I think it probably boils down to the 2 most common challenges which you and I have talked about so often… Time…and Money. Maybe there is some hesitation with regards to skill level but I don’t think that is as much of a factor.

MBG: I am asked by business people who are finding golf as a great addition to their business networking what to expect as they use it more.  To you What is a perfect round of Business Golf?

Dave: Well if there is any such thing… but for me it is when I have picked the right people for the experience and matched it with the perfect venue, and I have managed to foresee all of the potential mishaps so there are no surprises. Oh and at the end we all have agreed to next steps.

MBG: We both are contacted by golf courses, private golf clubs and other golf related business people asking for our advice on possible solutions we see they should consider to get through the slumping economy and grow their business.  In your view What has Golf need to do better or change to encourage more business people to play golf?

Dave: I really believe that the industry has to do a better job of selling the multitude of ways in which the game can be experienced. Too many people in and outside of the industry keep trying to sell golf as 18 holes and that’s it. That just perpetuates the notion that the game takes too much time. We need to develop a more a la carte approach. A business lunch at a golf course is a golf experience… a visit to the driving range after work hours to hit a few balls and share a drink is a  golf experience… and 9 holes at the end of the day or on a weekend can suffice. We just need to change the mind set of “golf takes 5to6 hours to play”.

MBG: We talk nearly daily hammering out are approach to enlighten more people to how golf can be used as a business tool and discuss in detail how as a business, or recreation, Golf has got to change to survive.  Where do you see Golf in Five Years?

Dave: That is a really BIG question. There are so many things that can affect where the game goes…for the most part I think there will be a resurgence of it’s popularity because it is becoming such a global game…I mean the economy can’t be bad everywhere at once can it? And I hope that people like you and I will have some influence on the strategic benefits of the game as it pertains to business. Ask me again in 2017.

Dave and I will be having our annual summit meeting this Spring out in Phoenix, Arizona.  I hope to be able to expand upon these and more questions with Dave while I am out there so I can bring to this forum more insight into what Business Golf can to do help the golf industry.  Big thanks to Dave for taking the time to provide you his views and until later, let me know how I can help.

Hard to believe social media has been around for more than ten years.  You would think by now more businesses would be using it.  Could it be most businesses still don’t believe in a social style of marketing really working…or will work for them?

The question, What is Social Media, has been asked a large number of times over the years and each time there is a change made in the world of online social networking the question is asked again.  The issue on how social media is best used remains the same after all these years and what remains constant over time is still most businesses just do not know how to be social.  The root cause resides with the fact most businesses lack the interest in being social. 

Over time the lack of understanding how social networking works turned into businesses developing the belief there is NO ROI in social networking.  From there the drums from both sides of this debate started pounding out articles saying how social media can improve business or saying how much bunk there is to using social media. 

What has been found to be very true is social media works for some and doesn’t for others.  However, what is overlooked is the fact that social media would work for more businesses if they knew how to use social media and once learned dedicate ample time and resources needed for the social media to become the mainstay of their marketing campaign.

The Bottomline: 

Businesses want immediate profits from their marketing campaigns.   Consumers are looking to the internet to find out who they can trust in the business world.  There is still a complete disconnect between businesses and consumer since the message being delivered is not what the consumer is looking for.  Businesses have to understand what social media is and how it works in order to benefit from its value.  Businesses have to learn that social is being personable and media is how that the personable message is delivered. 

Pretty simple, once you understand what social is.  Hope more businesses learn this quickly and not waste another 10 years arguing how social media will not work.  Let me know how I can help.

I’ve answered this question a few times in my career which spans across a long period of time.  What is interest now about being asked this question is the answer I give is usually never the same.  I guess that is what makes playing Golf different than playing other sports or games.  There are just so many reasons to play golf.

Overall, I play golf for relaxation.  Yes, golf is relaxing if you play it knowing you are not going to beat Tiger Woods, but could take down you 9 yr old grandson..for now.  I also play golf for business.  No, I am not a professional golfer per say, just a golfer who plays golf with clients or potential clients to get a better understanding of the true person I am dealing with.

Many people don’t use golf as I do and that is perfectly OK.  That is what makes golf the versatile activity for many.  I find most people who ask me why I play golf don’t play golf and in nearly all cases have a complete misunderstanding of golf.  Many say they have tried golf and hate.  However when I drill down to how they started to play golf or learned to play golf I found they have never stepped off the mats of a driving range to play golf on a golf course…or, never was taught to play golf.

It really is a shame how golf is negatively perceived by so many people.  Granted, if your only exposure to golf is watching it on TV then it is understandable how so many people can get the impression golf is only played by a bunch of conceded snobs.  Same goes if your only view of golf is from viewing comments made about golf on Twitter.

I wholeheartedly respect when someone I just played golf with asks me why I play golf.  It does not shock them one bit when I answer…I just like it!

Hopefully, I get to play golf with you someday so you can understand what I am talking about.  Let me know how I can help.

(This issue keeps coming up around the country so I thought a recap of the blog written July 2011 would be appropriate)

At a dinner gathering last evening a few of women golfing members of a private country club reported on the latest policy changes made to their club’s summertime tee times.  The reason given for the strange policy change for tee-times on weekends was based on ‘Industry Standards’.  The question for the rest of the evening became…when does ‘industry standards’ override logic? The policy this private country club felt was needing to be changed dealt with the seasonal ‘Double Tee’ starts in the mornings. Teeing off on both sides of the golf courses during the summer months was to accommodate more members to play in the early morning before the heat of North Texas days becomes unbearable.  This method of course management has been more than a tradition for this club to offer members split tee starts in the morning.  This process of split tee starts included a crisscross after each 9 holes played.  This has worked for years.

Nature of the Problem

However, the club was experiencing a problem for which they felt a drastic change in policy was needed.  It seems many members were falling out after nine holes f play.  The fallout at the turn was causing gaps of groups of golfers.  These gaps, the club manager assumedly felt, were a waste of club resources. The club management felt the unpredictable and random open slots could have been filled with ‘Golf Cart Renting’ members.  Obvious, this seemed to be a ‘missed revenue’ opportunity for the club.  As a result the only solution the club’s management team could make to capitalize on greater revenue was to change the policy on how the split tee-times would be managed. So out of the great wisdom of the club’s management team they mandated, by change of policy, that the tee-times booked on the back nine portion of the double tee-times starts would be for 9 holes only.  This meant the tee-time requests for the few members (approximately 75 to 80 members from 7:30am to 9:30AM on each golf course) who requested weekend morning starts on the front nine of the golf courses would win the honor to play a full round of 18 holes, while the same number of members who selected to tee off on the back nine only got to play 9 holes. Yes, the ‘WTF’ statement was used several times during the dinner gathering.

Lack of Communication Causes Problems

Amongst a number of  major concerns these members of the private club had was in the effort the club made to communicate the policy change to the membership. The gaps in communication from the club management to the membership was again a contributor to the problem the membership was having with accepting the policy. The only form of notification on the change of policy offered the members was a flyer placed in the clubhouse and on the online tee-time program.  It was also assumed there was a notice in the club newsletter sent to all members in their bill which generally is never read by the majority of the membership. For private clubs’ with weak connection to their membership ineffective forms of communication on changes in a major policy will work against them. Weak communication produces;

• a membership who has a lack of confidence in the club’s management
• low morale amongst employees who catch the blunt end of the lack of communications from the members who are angry about the change
• an intolerant atmosphere resulting in members eventually leaving the club out of discuss
• negative publicity towards the value of being a member of the club

This seems to be happening now at this private club as a result of how this issue was handled.  However, there are a few contributing factors related to why  policy changes are not communicated effectively and why written notices are not read..which results in the policy changes not being readily accepted. Here are three of the top reasons communications breakdown at this private country club..

1. Approximately 60% of the golfing members, of this particular private country club, do not come into the new members’ clubhouse or locker rooms, before or after a round of golf, due to those facilities no longer being accommodative to most members’ needs or interests.  Seems the recent multi-million dollar remodel of the layout of the clubhouse’s gathering places, to be more of a ‘Resort’ feel instead of ‘Private Club’ feel, is pushing more members, of all ages, to develop a lack of interest in going into the clubhouse…not to mention the price gauging the club administers to those members who do come into the clubhouse for after round socializing and drinks.
2. Almost 50% of the golf members who use any online tee-time request system do not read any of the notices posted on the system since most systems are marred with a large number of erroneous messages.  Most golfing members prefer to use the traditional, more personable, method of calling the pro-shop to set up a tee-time for the weekend.   Resentment to being forced into using a non-personal, online method of requesting tee-times also results in the lack of interest in the notices being made online.
3. A growing majority of the membership do not read the newsletters or notices provided in the monthly dues bill mailings.  The notices provided with the monthly bills have become marketing promotions for functions and events of no interest to most golfing members resulting in the notices being passed on to the trash can like most direct mailing promotions.  There are also a significant number of members who have their bills paid through a trust fund provider or CPA’s for which the member would never see the newsletter under any circumstance.

Root Causes

This club’s Online Tee-Time Request system was put in place due to the club’s very large golfing membership and to manage the large volume of play over three golf courses.  Over half of the members prefer to play golf only on the weekend and nearly all of them want the early tee-times to keep from playing in the blazing summer heat.  The rotation style selection for tee-times allowed an opportunity for every member to eventually obtain the tee-time they preferred, or requested, for the weekend. The concept seemed fair enough until the the club places tee-times too close together for the average golf skill level of the members who play on the weekend.  Too close tee-times, and unmanaged pace of play naturally is going to cause slow play.  Compound the slow play with 100 degree temperature in North Texas and you have a flammable (pardon the pun) situation for which members leave after tolerating only nine holes as part of their ‘anger management’. With only half of the membership not being aware of the change in the split-tee tee-time policy for those members who won the honor of playing on the back nine were treated to a very rude awakening when they finished the back nine to now find a line at the first nine holes was filled with members who had booked tee-times.

Adding Fuel to the Fire

This is when the ‘stuff’ hit the fan and this group of livid member’s started emailing the club manager to state their dissatisfaction of the policy change and the lack of communication on this change. After getting back to my office to read the email exchange one of the members had with the club manager.  I was very concerned with the reasoning the club manager used to approve the change in the ‘double tee’ policy.  Making policy changes in the private club sector based on so called ‘Industry Standards’ is a very poor position to take especially when the policy change the vast majority of the private country club industry should be made from the interests of the membership base.  Private Club Policy standards are set by its members since the members are who pay the club’s bills.  Even basing a rule change on what is presumed to be accepted by ‘society’ is very risky way to manage a private club.

‘Oop’s, I Take That Back’

As the evening wound down I was told the change to the double tee policy had been recently rescinded by the club management team and was done so, coincidently, after several of the prominent men members of the club (who financially support the club heavily through elaborate social function with huge bar bills) were given the back nine tee-times on the weekend and did not know of the policy change.  The policy change came late Saturday morning immediately after those gentlemen made the turn. Funny how money and the men of private clubs get so much attention over the women concerns (I wonder if that too is done by ‘industry standards’).

Ultimate Solutions

What could the club have done to avoid this situation?  After reading the reply the club manager made to these dues paying members I would take it any practical solution offered by this club’s management team would probably be not to rely on so called ‘industry’s standards’. The biggest measure this club could make towards solving future problems is in putting forth an effort to reverse the trend in their business downsizing and to immediately hire more people to be the mouthpiece of the club to the general membership.  Then assign these employees a number of members to represent.  These club’s employees’ assignment would be to become concierges for their assigned members.  Their sole responsibility of these club employees would be to get to know their assigned members.  Lean what their attitude is towards thing are..what their likes and dislikes are…and then be the person who communicates immediately with these members, face-to-face..or by phone..,to tell them there is going to be a policy change.  At this point this action taken is the only way for this club can do damage control. This method of beefed communication would also provide feedback to the club’s management on what reaction to expect from a change to a policy.  Plus it would also give the club an opportunity to develop a personal profile on each member to know what level of Golf skill each member has so they can administer their golf policies, training, golf schools and activities according.  This process would also set an ‘Industry Standard’..wink, wink! There are a number of solutions a business golf consultant could offer if the club management is open to real solutions and not just stop gap fixes. Let’s hope this club makes the right decisions in the future before they find themselves losing more members than they are gaining…again.