Building the GolfSpace Brand
I’m going to keep this article (relatively) simple.
I often find people come to me and say: ‘I know I want your help, I’m just not sure what help I need.’
Sometimes they think they want to create a cool video, sometimes they want to scale their business but are unsure what to do next, and sometimes their mind is clouded because they struggle to simplify their brand and what they do. And sometimes, they feel they’ve lost their purpose.
It’s always a mixed bag.
So I start from the very beginning. Some of the key questions I ask are:
Have you defined your Brand Purpose?
Have you established your Brand Values?
Have you curated your Brand Personality and Tone of Voice?
Have your customers got a clear journey?
If you have any of this already, is it clear enough? Does it inspire you? Does it make your team believe in your mission?
These elements are the foundation of your brand. And for me to do my best work, these need to be defined.
Without this clarity, it’s like doing everything with a blindfold on: Talking to people, selling products/services, posting content, motivating your team, etc.
Let’s look at an example: GolfSpace
GolfSpace, a state-of-the-art indoor golfing facility based in Sydney, has been in operation since February 2022.
It is the brain child of Founder Dean Dewhirst, who holds over 16 years of experience helping Architecture firms attract the best leaders in the industry.
After 18 months of planning, he decided to blend his two passions: Design & Golf, to create a space that golf has been missing.
When I was approached by them, they wanted to elevate their brand with the hopes of expanding both domestically and internationally.
They have an exceptional facility, decked out with a 35m Indoor Driving Range, a World-Class Putting Green, 12x Trackman Simulator Bays and an on-site bar.
They also have credible PGA coaches and held a strong retention rate with their members.
But before scaling could be a consideration, there was a lot of groundwork that needed to be done.
So, where did I start?
I conducted a deep-dive brand audit, which meant getting my head across every element of the business.
Once people were in the door, they were having a great experience. And once members signed up, they weren’t leaving.
So the question was: What was stopping the business from performing even better?
This is what I found:
There were over 15+ pricing options available
Their website possessed an overwhelm of information with different call-to-actions
There were too many new promotions and confusing messages
There were too many sporadic emails going to the database
There were no systems or processes in place for scaling
There was no brand or content strategy
Their brand purpose and brand values did not exist
There was no clear brand personality or tone of voice
There was no clarity on the membership model/member experience
What they did possess, was their mission: Love your game.
What had to happen first?
Firstly, alongside Dean, we paused everything. To name a few: we stopped emailing the database, we stopped posting on socials, and we stopped changing the membership options.
We took a step back and looked at the brand from the beginning.
Important note: The approach I’ve broken down below is different for every client. Approaching it this way, as an already operational business, is what worked best for GolfSpace.
Part 1: The member journey
I reviewed the direction of the business:
‘Redefine GolfSpace to be the only virtual golf provider that is centred around the player, not just the outcome.’
Because it’s the experience that makes people keep coming back, not just the technology (because anyone can imitate technology).
It was important to get the member journey right and live up to the brand mission of ‘love your game’.
I proposed three clear experiences:
Play:
For those seeking to have fun, in a social setting, with cool technology.
Improve:
For those seeking to understand, learn and better their game.
Perform:
For those who are performance-driven and seeking to elevate their potential.
We also broke out each ‘experience’ to have a clearly defined persona. How they speak, what they do for a living, what they’re interested in, and so on.
Part 2: The brand purpose
After starting with the member journey, it gave clarity and justification around why GolfSpace existed:
What:
Making golf accessible for those seeking to enjoy, improve or perform better.
How:
Through a purpose-built facility that harnesses the power of technology.
Why:
So you can love your game.
Part 3: The brand values
Most people don’t realise the importance of brand values. These set up the foundations of your brand, and influence everything you do.
More than an indoor golf facility, GolfSpace has big dreams for the world of golf.
I wrote the values to be:
1. Play Your Way
We are committed to centring our experience around our players (no matter their level).
2. Golf On Tap
We are committed to making golf accessible to everyone.
3. Grow Player Potential
We are committed to showing golfers how they can use technology & coaching to advance their game.
4. Enjoyment Is Evidence
We are committed to giving golfers an experience that allows them to play more, enjoy more and fall in love with the game.
5. For The Love Of Golf
We are committed to evolving the world of golf (indoors & outdoors).
We wanted people to meet a like-minded community of golfers, and be part of a place that is changing the game.
Have a glimpse at one of the assets created below, where we showcased the brand values as part of the onboarding experience for members:
What is happening next?
Wonderful things can happen from here. Because of this brand evolvement, GolfSpace is going to be overhauling its brand.
Over the next 6 months, here are some of the things we’ll be working on:
Refreshing the brand look/feel
Building a new website
Renovating the facility to match the customer journey of Play, Improve & Perform (dedicated areas)
Establishing partnerships with key brands
Bringing in more food & entertainment
Creating exciting and ongoing events: Competitive Tournaments, Social Leagues, Junior Programs, the next PlayMaker 6 Challenge and more
What did the client say?
‘Alessia has been an absolute God-send for us. For two non-marketers, navigating the world of brand and content had been difficult and dare we say it, totally unenjoyable. We had been working with various outsourced agencies, all of whom sold us stuff that we really didn't need and then underdelivered. Our marketing approach was muddled and ineffectual. We really lost our faith in agencies. Then we came across Alessia, who we knew (of) through a brand that she worked on that we knew and liked. So we reached out.
Since Alessia has come on board as our brand and creative lead, it finally feels like we've arrived at the table. Campaigns have been created and delivered and they are on point. We used to have a marketing function that worked at a glacial speed, I mean really! Pluto's revolutions turn faster. Then along came Alessia and bang! Sh*t gets done! And it makes sense, and it works, and the needle on our business is moving. Alessia is creative with business sense, she has been a passionate advocate for our business, and this shines through in everything that she delivers for us.’
- Dean Dewhirst & Nichola Garvey (Founders)
What is important to take away?
Never underestimate the groundwork of building your brand!
Once it’s defined, it will give you a sense of purpose (as well as inspiration, motivation, clarity & alignment)
Everyone will see the dream and be positively impacted (your team, partners, sponsors, prospects and of course your customers)
Note to self: This is not ‘fluffy marketing crap’
Interested in defining your brand? Reach out, let’s see where you’re at.
—
Brand: GolfSpace Australia
Brand Strategy: Alessia Murer
Booklet Design: Ana Maricic