The Warrior Custom Golf "Field Test Program"

I received an email a couple of days ago from the "VP of Client Services" at Warrior Custom Golf telling me I have been specially selected to field test their 2008 clubs and receive $100 of free gifts. Pretty sweet huh? Apparently the VP of Client Services does not use his or her name. Just the title. email was from "VP of Client Services" email address was vp@warriorcustomgolf.com. I have been in sales a long time and I have never seen people use their titles as email addresses or not give their name at all. Maybe I will change my email address to "el presidente@gogrip.com."

Anyhow, all joking aside, I called to redeem my offer. Warrior Custom Golf (WCG)was very warm and friendly and they asked for my name, redemption code etc.
We established my Handicap and then the friendly support person walked me through the offer. At first I thought that they were going to send me a bunch of Fairway Woods and a Driver customized by their master club fitter for me to try. The email clearly states that I need to pay shipping and handling which is totally cool by me.

Here is where I struggled a bit. Warrior is going to charge my credit card for $139+ per club for this special field test. I pointed out that I could go to a store or web site and buy Fairway Woods and a Driver for a little less money and I would not be obligated to field test them. I also asked some questions about what was required of me for the field test. One thing about me is I am very polite on the telephone. I ask a lot of questions and I don't like to upset people. However, when I started asking a lot of questions about why I have to pay for the clubs and the details of the field test, I was magically disconnected.

I have made this point before and I will make it again...there is no such thing as a free golf club unless you are displaying it when you tee off at the US Open or your mom buys it for you for your birthday.

I would like to thank the VP of Client Services at WCG for the generous offer. Free clubs for $139+ each plus shipping. However, I never got to hear about the $100 of free SWAG that comes with my free field test. Best deal I have heard about in a while.

I hope this guy is a customer

I think when we had "recreational golfers" in mind with our product line we were thinking of this guy. I pray he had a GRIP driver in his hands.

Review Sites

I have a few questions/comments about golf review sites. We need to get more exposure for GRIP Golf. We always need more exposure, media, attention, buyers, friends etc. We also like ideas. Well, we like good ideas.
Anyhow, we are going to encourage our customers to write unbiased reviews of our clubs. However, we need to figure out the best review sites for clubs. Here are the candidates:
1. Amazon.com - we are listed on Amazon, sales have been slow. I think our Amazon.com sales rank just behind the Michael Jackson Home Face Distorter Kit at number at #50,995. The good news is that our Amazon sales really stand to improve. Last year when we went live on Amazon we encouraged our customers to add reviews for us and it went pretty well.
2. Golf-Gear-Review.com - they have a 4 out of 10 Google page rank. I have not used them myself. Are they reliable? Do golfers visit the site? We do have one GRIP Driver review already on the site
3. www.golfreview.com 3 out of 10 Google page rank. I know of them but once again, I don't know if people really use them.
4. Epinions.com - I hear these guys are the best. We have requested that they add us to their epinions golf category. Hopefully we get the respect.
5. Any other ideas?
Please let us know your opinions. We are going to send a note to our customers offering a sleeve of balls for a review on one of these sites. The note will only go to existing customers and not just people looking for a free sleeve of balls. Thanks, we appreciate your feedback.

Hooters Magazine

Unfortunately I am in New York City today. Why is that so unfortunate? Is it because:

1. no golf?





2. too humid?





3. I dont't like crowds?





4. none of the above

If you answered #4 you are correct. The reason I am unhappy about being in New York is because I can't get the latest edition of Hooters Magazine anywhere around here. Not only is this month's Hooters supposed to be filled with information about Wings, Beer, and photos of the fine Hooters waitstaff but it features GRIP Hypersteel Hybrids!

I believe the good people at Hooters sent me a few copies. The magazine is tough to find in the city very tough.

thank you Hooters!

Free Clubs

I have been getting a lot of questions from people about why we don't give away "Free Clubs" to help promote our company and brand.

We ordered a few "free clubs" from some other golf companies. We paid no less than $20 for each free club. Based on the clubs themselves we estimate each club costs about $5-6.75 after assembly costs. This is based on the materials, design quality, and the shaft and grip.

If my basic math correct, I will assume the following:
Cost of club: $6.75
Cost of Box: $1.50 (this assumes they use good boxes)
Average cost of shipping $7.50 (we assume they have the same rates as us if not better) this is from MA to CA.

I have to be honest. I can't compete with this model. At $20-$25 we would go out of business on free wedges. Each GRIP wedge would sell for a substantial loss. At $49.95 our CNC milled Wedge is a tremendous value. At 3 for $99 they are an amazing value. When they go on sale they are unbeatable.

The moral of the story is:

1. Nobody is giving away clubs - the $20-$25 in shipping and handling more than covers the cost of the product, shipping, and handling.



2. giving away your product away for less than it's cost is not a strong business model.



3. I am confident that those who offer "free clubs" make money after shipping and handling.

I am going to belly up. From now until July 1, I will offer GRIP CNC Milled Wedges for $30 each (+$7.95 shipping) if you use our coupon code 'freewedge'

For $5-$15 more than the "Free Wedge offers" we will send you the best sand, gap, or lob wedge you have ever used. I promise. If you don't like it, send it back and we'll give you your money back.

If someone offered you a "Free Car" or a "Free Haircut" would you raise an eyebrow? How about if the Haircut had fees of $12 or the car had an "aquisition charge" of $7,000?

Live Baby Live!

The new gogrip.com site went up last weekend without a hitch! It was a little stressful Friday night because everyone involved departed for the weekend with the words, "Don't worry"

Mike, our club developer: "don't worry, the clubs are clearing customs as we speak, we will have them for assembly Monday afternoon"

Irene, our Media relations person: "We'll have all the promos and press releases set by Monday morning, don't worry (she was actually pretty much done Friday night)"

Wakefly, our web developers "Don't worry, the new site will go live over the weekend. It will all be fine"

Most companies would have their clubs in and their site up well in advance of a launch like this. Not me, not us. The good news was that everyone was true to their word. We are assembling and packing GRIP OWT Wide Sole Irons as I write this.

Everyone did a great job. We are rally happy about the new clubs.

Cover of the April 2007 Entrepreneur Magazine

"Get a GRIP"

My brother bought me a subscription to Entrepreneur magazine as a gift for my birthday last year. Lass than 12 months later GRIP golf gets a mention on the cover of the April 2007 edition. I am just elated right now.