| Educational opportunities designed to highlight ways successful facilities are putting customers first – and reaping the benefits – are integrated throughout the 2012 NGCOA Annual Conference in Las Vegas. The conference opens on Feb. 27 with a day of interactive education at Angel Park Golf Club where attendees will participate in sessions that focus on successful food-and-beverage operations, social media’s role in special events, sustainable maintenance practices, winning merchandise displays and innovative range programs. Nikki Gatch, assistant executive director for the Southern California PGA, also will discuss how alternative golf formats such as Get Golf Ready and Family Tees make the game more fun and attract new players. The conference’s second full day of education – at the Renaissance Las Vegas, the host hotel – includes sessions dedicated to the power of online marketing and strategies to appeal to a new generation of players. Among the day’s highlights: Tim Peter, founder of an e-commerce and internet marketing consulting firm, will discuss ways to use search-engine marketing, social media and web analytics to put pricing power back in operators’ hands; and Gregg Patterson, general manager of the Beach Club in Santa Monica, Calif., will show attendees how to design programs and promotions that attract young consumers to golf and their courses. The conference will include three general sessions featuring respected speakers. Don Peppers, founding partner of Peppers & Rogers Group, will discuss strategies to attract, retain and increase customers; James Chung, president of Reach Advisors, will suggest how operators can take advantage of consumers’ changing leisure-time habits; and Dan Danner, president and CEO of the National Federation of Independent Businesses, will help attendees deal with macro-economic issues affecting their businesses. The NGCOA’s Annual Conference is the golf industry’s largest gathering of owners and operators of daily fee, private, resort and municipal courses. NGCOA members and non-members can register for the conference at www.ngcoa.org/conference. A discounted conference registration fee is available through Jan. 13. The NGCOA conference occurs in conjunction with the Golf Industry Show, Feb. 29 – March 1. The show, which is presented by the NGCOA and GCSAA, showcases the golf industry’s latest products and services throughout an expansive exhibit area and offers a wide range of educational opportunities for attendees. Popular television personality David Feherty will deliver the show’s keynote address on March 1. |
NGCOA to hightlight customer-first strategies at annual conference.
Industry’s largest gathering of owners, operators scheduled Feb. 27 - March 2 in Las Vegas.
