Golfing in Scotland....

[Kilted Arab]

Hi Guys...

I'd appreciate advice and input please...

As a hobby for now, I'm starting up a website/business to advise golfers who want to visit Scotland for golf but are put off by the organisation involved and the prospect that it will cost the earth. I'm probably aiming mainly for the UK domestic market to begin with - walking before I can run....i.e. small groups of guys who just want 3 or 4 days golf with cheap accommodation.

However, I have had enquiries from the rest of Europe and the States. I believe many people are put off by the organisation involved and the potential costs - I want to dispel the myth that golfing in Scotland has to be an expensive business.

My site is www.golfinginscotland.co.uk - any feedback appreciated. This is currently a project in development, not quite the finished article so any input would be useful.

Thanks

KA

 

[Slingblade61]

I love it!

Except for the bright yellow golfball in the lower left corner.....it detracts from the other excellent pictures.

If my calculations are correct, I should be able to make it over there in 2015, give or take 5 years.

 

[Bravo]

KA:

I have always enjoyed your site and last visited it when you were home playing...

Are you able to get anyone to make the transition from enquiry to customer?

 

[Kilted Arab]

KA:

I have always enjoyed your site and last visited it when you were home playing...

Are you able to get anyone to make the transition from enquiry to customer?

Hi Bravo

I've not paid too much attention to the site recently - too much going on personally and professionally. I've also had a slight technical difficulty in that my bank back in the UK is reluctant to set me up as a business able to accept credit card payments when I'm based out of the country and out of their legal control. 'There must be a way round it, but I havent looked into it too much - i think i'll have to speak to a global bank with an office here...someone like HSBC or Citibank. I'll get on that case in the next few weeks.

I've had a decent amount of interest but so far anything i've done has been on a no-fee basis which gives me experience of the work involved but no liability..!

Still, longer term I want it to be a money-earner so i'll need to get my finger out...


Sling - thanks for the comment about the ball! to be honest, i'd never really noticed it, but now it sticks out a bit!

Cheers guys

KA

 

[DaveE]

I really like your site KA. If I were planning a trip, your suggestions would be very helpful.

It's not just golfing in Scotland, it's any number of places you might be going for the first time. Last year my wife and I went to San Diego for a business/pleasure trip and I would love to have had more info on place to go etc. We did ok but discovered some things too late to take advantage.

Good luck with the site.

 

[Kilted Arab]

I really like your site KA. If I were planning a trip, your suggestions would be very helpful.

It's not just golfing in Scotland, it's any number of places you might be going for the first time. Last year my wife and I went to San Diego for a business/pleasure trip and I would love to have had more info on place to go etc. We did ok but discovered some things too late to take advantage.

Good luck with the site.

I'm currently working on the 'Castles and Courses' tour, aimed at people/groups/families wanting to mix golf with other tourist attractions. Ideal for you and Mrs E !

 

[Bravo]

Since you have already provided assistance to golfers so far (admittedly on a pro bono basis) - why not ask these non-paying customers to write a review/testimonial for you?

You could tell them not to include a comment about the fact that you performed services at no charge - or you could edit this section of their comments out and post it.

Getting some testimonials on your site would be a great way to supercharge it.

I have a hard time believing your bank has concerns about taking international payments. There should be hundreds of banks ready to accept these. Should be a matter of time before you find the right one...

 

[Kilted Arab]

Since you have already provided assistance to golfers so far (admittedly on a pro bono basis) - why not ask these non-paying customers to write a review/testimonial for you?

You could tell them not to include a comment about the fact that you performed services at no charge - or you could edit this section of their comments out and post it.

Getting some testimonials on your site would be a great way to supercharge it.

I have a hard time believing your bank has concerns about taking international payments. There should be hundreds of banks ready to accept these. Should be a matter of time before you find the right one...

Yeah, it's a piece of crap about the banking side of it. I just think they couldnt be bothered with a small set-up which would include a bit of hassle regarding contacting the card companies, the tax implications of me being a tax-exile etc. There were also some legal issues regarding the Data Protection Act, a UK law - they couldn't work out if I was subject to it or not...Basically I reckon they just didn't want the hassle.

When I saw them with my business plan, the guy seemed perfectly happy - but when i got back here there was a 'sorry, but cant help' email. B'stards. So i'll set it up with someone else and move my personal accounts.

I'm not sure about the testimonial side of it - when I look at others I always get suspicious and wonder if they are faked! Who'd know?? But thanks for the input, i'll certainly think about it. Is it something that would make a difference to you when looking at a site?

Cheers

R

 

[Bravo]

I don't think a testimonial makes a staggering difference - but it does seem to lend an air of credibility to a site. Since you feel you will get quite a bit of UK and Continental business, it certainly couldn't hurt to have a quote from an English customer and a Swedish customer etc.


I remember when we were evaluating using tour operators for our trip that their sites usually featured several quotes from Americans (including city and state) concerning their satisfaction with the tour operator's services.

My sense from these sites was that the tour operator had several interactions with their customers during the course of a week...would greet them upon arrival and see them upon departure and perhaps make a phone call during the week to check up. In this regard, a somewhat "personal" relationship developed from the face-to-face encounters and phone calls. I'll bet these customers would agree to accept emails from prospective clients who are enquiring about the tour operator.

I am probably babbling on here....sorry - just an old marketing man...

 

[Kilted Arab]

I am probably babbling on here....sorry - just an old marketing man...

All advice and input welcome! It's been a big learning curve for me...

 

[MBeachGirl]

Hi Guys...

I'd appreciate advice and input please...

As a hobby for now, I'm starting up a website/business to advise golfers who want to visit Scotland for golf but are put off by the organisation involved and the prospect that it will cost the earth. I'm probably aiming mainly for the UK domestic market to begin with - walking before I can run....i.e. small groups of guys who just want 3 or 4 days golf with cheap accommodation.

However, I have had enquiries from the rest of Europe and the States. I believe many people are put off by the organisation involved and the potential costs - I want to dispel the myth that golfing in Scotland has to be an expensive business.

My site is www.golfinginscotland.co.uk - any feedback appreciated. This is currently a project in development, not quite the finished article so any input would be useful.

Thanks

KA

K.A.>>>>>>You and I should talk. I think we can help each other. Seriously, email me via this site.Or better yet, I think the web site of one of the companies I work with(my boyfriends) is on here.

edit: KA, I have contacted Michael and he'll email you today.

 

[MBeachGirl]

Since you have already provided assistance to golfers so far (admittedly on a pro bono basis) - why not ask these non-paying customers to write a review/testimonial for you?

You could tell them not to include a comment about the fact that you performed services at no charge - or you could edit this section of their comments out and post it.

Getting some testimonials on your site would be a great way to supercharge it.

I have a hard time believing your bank has concerns about taking international payments. There should be hundreds of banks ready to accept these. Should be a matter of time before you find the right one...

Unless you have moved very large sums of money via international channels/banks etc lately, then you would know better about these things. So FYI, due to 9/11 and the movement of large sums by terrorists and "419 scam" experts, all transfers are tracked. Most transfers coming out of Africa and much of Europe filters through Deutche Bank and a couple of others.
All I know is the couple of times I have done it in the past 8-12 months has sent red flags up in both Europe and in Australia. They are just making sure that the money is legit.And countries like Nevis and Costa Rica and even the Cayman's are finding it harder to transfer money or recieve money without the FBI/CIA...NSA and the damn IRS all over them to see if it's drug dealers or mid east terrorists.
Probably the last bastion of safe off shore money transfers goes via Panama.They won't say a word about anything to anyone no matter what government organization you may represent. In fact it's against the law for them to divulge info like that.Caymans used to wield that kind of power so did Nevis but after a couple of bad hurricanes and the need for US help...those days are over.