Fore! Your Information - December 2010
Charity Golf Outing - Register & Donate Online Today!
The First Annual Fore! Reservations Charity Golf Outing benefiting The Salute Military Golf Association (SMGA) is Sunday, February 6, 2011 in Orlando, Florida. Click here for event information and to register. If you’re going to be in the Orlando area that weekend to golf why not play for a great cause! Can’t attend? Click here to donate online and help us reach our fundraising goal of $10,000! The holiday season is the perfect time to give to those most in need, so we are graciously asking for everyone’s support of these most deserving American heroes. For inquiries please e-mail Erin Kopecky at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
National Users Conference A Great Success!
Thank you to everyone that attended the 2010 National Users Conference. The event kicked off with the first-ever VIP Welcome Reception held on a Chicago River Boat Cruise! Two days of software training followed, including brand new product and feature reveals, a captivating keynote speaker from the hospitality industry, as well as informative Q&A and marketing brainstorming sessions. Every attendee left the conference knowing more about their software and how to turn their system into a “money making machine” to help their business succeed. Visit our Facebook page to see pictures from the conference! Once the 2012 National Users Conference date is confirmed, it will be announced in an upcoming newsletter.
Regional Users Conferences return in 2011! The conference schedule will be announced soon in a future newsletter. If your facility is interested in hosting a Regional Users Conference, please e-mail Erin Kopecky at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
Steering Committee Meeting/Social Media Symposium
Fore! Reservations held a User Steering Committee Meeting prior to the National Users Conference to discuss “hot industry topics.” The conversations were so intriguing we’d like to do it again around the PGA Merchandise Show. We’re also considering hosting a Social Media Symposium. If you’re going to be in Orlando either the Wednesday before (1/26) or Sunday after (1/30) the show, and are interested in attending either meeting, please e-mail Erin Kopecky at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 630.789.9705 ext. 131 by December 15th. Based on interest level received, we’ll determine the date, time and location of both or either meeting, and announce sign up information in January’s newsletter.
Increase Holiday Gift Card Sales
A great way to increase holiday gift card sales, and an interesting example we have seen used by national restaurants and retailers, is to offer a free gift card with the purchase of a gift card. For example, buy a $20 gift card and receive a $5 gift card free. The purchasing customer could opt to use the $5 gift card as a stocking stuffer, keep it for him or herself, or increase the value of the gift card to $25 without paying more. Here’s how to setup that option in your shopping cart. Simply create a negative priced sales item (in this case -$5) and call it Holiday Promo Gift Card. When ringing in the $25 gift card sale, add the negative sales item in the shopping cart along with the $25 Gift Card Issued sales item so the total the customer owes you is $20. E-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for setup assistance.
Check Your Fore! Marketing Offers
December is an ideal time to revisit your Fore! Marketing offers and make any changes necessary before the start of the New Year. Ask yourself – if many customers redeemed my birthday offer would I be okay with that? The Marketing Team advises that you either make your offer value-added, require additional players to receive the deal, target when it’s valid and avoid giving away a free round of golf without any stipulations. We wanted to remind you of these recommendations as we read a recent Minneapolis Star Tribune article which published all of the Birthday offers from area courses. In case your facility ends up on a list that’s broadcast to a large audience, you want to make certain your business still profits if many offers were redeemed. E-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with any questions and assistance determining offers.
Fore! Reservations Holiday Shopping Trip for Charity
The ladies of Fore! Reservations recently went holiday gift shopping for a family in need. Presents were purchased for a grandmother and her six granddaughters; everything from winter coats to reading books to toys to kitchen items. Visit our Facebook page to see a few photos from the day! Our staff shoppers said the experience was more rewarding than finding that perfect gift for a loved one.
Harry’s Blog – Give the Gift of Charity this Holiday Season
Happy Holidays from Fore! Reservations! This month Harry talks about why charitable giving during the holidays is so important. Click here or the Harry’s Blog button at the top-right hand corner of this newsletter to read his most recent post, share your comments and start a discussion with fellow users.
Did You Know?
Did you know that the Black Box Server does not equal PCI Compliance? The Black Box Server is just one of the pieces of the “PCI puzzle.” Additional requirements are required for businesses to become compliant. A representative from 403 Labs, a full-service information security and compliance consulting firm, spoke at the National Users Conference on this topic and is a great resource for any facility that needs help becoming PCI Compliant. Click here to visit the 403 Labs website, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 877.403.5227. Learn more about PCI by clicking here to visit the PCI Security Standards Council website.
What’s New - Mobile Booking App
A Mobile Booking App enables customers to book tee times at your course right from their smartphones like the iPhone, Android, and newer BlackBerrys. The new Fore! Internet interface is required to create your course-specific App. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it if you’re interested in this new feature!
Tip of the Month - Host a Holiday Party in Your Golf Shop for Your Top Spenders
Reward your season’s top spenders with a holiday shopping party! Offer complimentary cocktails and hors d’oeuvres as well as free gift wrapping. Determine your guest list with the CustSpnd.xls spreadsheet. In Fore! Reservations go to View| Reports | Spreadsheets and set your date range to 1/1/10 - 12/1/10. E-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with any questions.
Upcoming Events
Michigan Golf Business Annual Conference - December 1 - Grand Rapids, MI
PGA Merchandise Show - January 27-29 - Orlando, FL
Fore! Reservations Charity Golf Outing - February 6 - Kissimmee, FL
Golf Industry Show - February 9-10 - Orlando, FL
Monthly Survey
What does your golf shop sell the most during the holiday season? Click here to take this month’s survey!
