The readership of the blog has grown exponentially since its
inception in 2008 to the point where there are readers in over 40 countries.
While some of these readers arrive at the blog as a result of Google searches
and the like most come to it because an existing reader has forwarded them the
Blog address. In other words, the major growth has come about as a result of
those in the industry who have an interest in improving their business have
networked to their friends and peers who have similar interests that reading
the blog may have some value. Two things have become true as a result of this
growth:
· Sending out entry announcements becomes
too burdensome in volume for normal email services and can be perceived as
spam.
· Services that are in the business of
email marketing become more expensive as the readership grows and people ask to
be added to the announcement list, and even as that growth is desired the blog
was not supposed to become an expense.
In an effort to facilitate the networking
aspect and evolve the value of the blog to the next level I have set up ‘The
Successful Pro Shop” Group on LinkedIn.com.
LinkedIn.com has over 39 million members in over
200 countries including executives from all the Fortune 500 companies. It is
the business version of Facebook or Myspace and will allow members of the group
easy access to other group members, the profiles of other group members and the
profiles of other groups such as “Global Golf’ and the ‘USGA’ group. It is also
a great place to post your resume and network job opportunities. It allows me
to send a weekly announcement to members about what’s new on the blog with no
expense or spam issue.
If you haven’t already received an email invitation
to join this group please accept this entry as that invitation. If you are
already a member forward this entry to anyone you think may have an interest in
this type of networking. The link to LinkedIn is to the right under ‘Sites to
Visit’ and will remain there. Leaders in the industry from all sides of the
table have already joined and I hope you will take a look and realize the value
the Group can provide.
There is a Discussion area for ‘The
Successful Pro Shop’ Group where members can post and have others comment on
what they would like to know more about from one another as well as from the
blog. Stay tuned but better yet join the group to stay in touch not only with
the blog but potentially all those in the industry who realize that the BIG
PICTURE is to improve Golf retail collectively.
