GolfEtail Social Media Marketing Success Back in 2010 [Case Study]

The Challenge

GolfEtail, a Massachusetts-based discount golf equipment retailer, came to us in July 2010 with three goals to meet:

• Increase Facebook ‘likes’
• Promote brand awareness of GolfEtail
• Engage readers in GolfEtail’s social media

The Social Media Marketing Strategy and Solution

We created and managed a Facebook-based social media promotion that asked entrants to pick the winner of the PGA Championship after liking the GolfEtail.com Facebook page. Participants were entered for a chance to win a free TaylorMade Burner Driver. We marketed the promotion in the following ways:

A targeted and evaluated email blast sent out to GolfEtail’s existing email subscribers:

• Initial blast sent with 3 different subject lines just after midnight PT on Monday; 15% of the list received one of the 3 subject lines
• The system evaluated the number of opens each email received
• At noon PT, the system sent out the email to the remaining 55% of the list with the ‘winning’ email subject line

Blog and Twitter updates to build enthusiasm:

• Seeding on a daily basis – We shared news about the PGA Championship and suggested ‘something big’ would happen next week
• Daily announcements and links to Facebook contest entry tab across all social media channels
• Blog updates, including video with a GolfEtail employee announcing the contest and displaying the prize

Facebook push:

• Created a promotion-specific Facebook landing page
• Updates with pictures of GolfEtail employees and warehouse to put a human face on the company
• PGA updates and information about who entrants were voting for
• Facebook ads promotion targeting golf lovers / PGA tournament lovers

The Results

Between August 9 and August 12 (the duration of the promotion):

• GolfEtail’s Facebook fan base increased by over 1,000 likes
• 1,927 contest entries were received from GolfEtail’s email list, homepage banner ad, blog, and Twitter
• 246 entries were received from Facebook Ads
• Follow-up social media oriented discounts of 12% site-wide and 10% off coupons for email subscribers led to further engagement, with over 3,500 likes a year out from the initial promotion

Check out our social media marketing page to see how we do awesome social stuff now!