Can Your Tennis Customers Find You Online?
A strong web presence is key to the success of any modern business, including tennis clubs and organizations, as well as providers of tennis products and services. In fact, it is quite surprising when a business does not have a website these days.
Most of the time we hear the following reasons for not having a website:
- The business is too small and the owner cannot find the time to make one.
- Business owners do not understand how a website could help their business.
- They’re “doing just fine without it” or “never needed one before because they get client referrals.”
- The business owner is not tech savvy.
- It is too expensive.
The problem: window shopping is not what it used to be
We live in a world where we "google" things and places before we go shopping. Same is valid for tennis programs and tennis professionals - tennis players look for your website and for other customers reviews before they make the decision whether they want to visit your business or not. If your website is non-existent, they may think your business is not legitimate. If your website does not look good (e.g. has fuzzy images, looks outdated, is full or spelling mistakes), they may question the quality of your business products and services. Therefore, first impression counts. It is quite likely they will dismiss you entirely should they believe your website does not reflect the type of business experience you should offer.
Having a website will not only provide the information about the tennis programs you offer, but it will also give your business credibility - it says that you spent the time and effort to make a good website, and therefore, you mean business and you are here for the long haul.
Bad website vs. no website
We have now come to the conclusion that you need a website. This said, if you have poorly designed website, it might be better to have no website. That is correct - while no website means many missed business opportunities, bad website means you and your business look bad, which is even worse. We also do not recommend "freeby" or "DIY" websites - there is nothing professional about a website that says “Hey, look, I used a free website platform to make this!” A website designed and developed by a professional will save you money in the long run!
Time to show off you tennis website
There are many important aspects of having a good, SEO optimized website. We will go over those in detail in a separate blog. Few basic guidelines to follow:
- Have your contact information available: include your street address, phone number and email. Those should be easily visible.
- Social media links should also be included if you are active on social media.
- Strong photo images - ones that you have taken is usually more authentic, but you can also use royalty-free stock photos.
- Use clean, polished, functional, user centered approach.
- Have a website that looks good on mobile phones and tablets (mobile-friendly).
- Use good typography with no spelling mistakes.
- Make the navigation easy.
Resourcely Marketing is a consulting company specializing in marketing for tennis businesses and organizations. Our company services (web design and development, social media management, email marketing, content writing, marketing training) are perfect for busy tennis club owners and teachers who want to improve their marketing but just cannot find the time to learn how. Contact us if you have questions or would like to schedule a free consultation.
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Tennis Club Marketing 101
Marketing Ideas for Tennis Club Owners, Managers, and Coaches.