How Knowing Your Market Pays Off. Dick’s Sporting Goods knows golfers and…
By: Sid Khaitan
Tags: Design Thinking, Golf, Sales, Customer Experience, Customer Service

How Knowing Your Market Pays Off

Photo by Jopwell from Pexels

Thwack!

After another rough day at the driving range, I was ready to send my clubs flying. I had decided that it was no longer the user, but the starter golf set that was at fault.

So I rushed to Dick’s Sporting Goods the very next day with every intention of buying an expensive driver. Just as the manager was ready to close the sale, he recommended that I visit another store down the road for a better selection of used clubs. Was he trying to get fired?

What happened next demonstrates the power of knowing your customers.

I walked into ‘Golf Galaxy’

Still somewhat jarred from the experience, I took his advice and entered with caution. An older gentleman greeted me, listened to my story, and pointed me towards a golf simulator.

You could tell that he had done this before, and met plenty of others like me. To summarize: A young guy with a pipe dream of being good at golf after a few trips to the course with his old college buddies.

Photo by DreamsTime. “Rapid customer profile” I made of a frat bro turned golf newbie.

After slicing a few balls, I finally sent one in the right direction. It was enough to convince him that I had played the game before.

He gave me a few pointers on my form, and then began rotating me through a series of clubs to test. It quickly escalated from a fitting exercise to an impromptu lesson.

15 minutes passed. 30 minutes passed. 45 minutes passed.

We came to the conclusion that I wasn’t ready for a new club. Instead, I was better off investing in a few lessons. Point taken.

I made a transaction and found a guide

By then I felt a moral obligation to spend some money there. So I purchased a 64-degree wedge for fun, bought some golf balls, and grabbed a few markers.

I happily gave out my actual email address at the register to get a “membership” and picked up a flier to sign up for classes on my way out.

That’s when curiosity got the best of me. When the friendly old man circled back, I asked him about my peculiar time with the manager across the street. He smirked and answered.

Oh yeah, Manny is awesome. I’ll make sure to record the referral. Dick’s acquired us back in 2006!

Both of the stores sent each other “leads” all the time. If I had to guess, it has a lot to do with capturing different types of golfers and connecting them with personalized products and services. A few months later…

I literally told everyone I could about it

Created by me for illustrative purposes.

By applying a journey framework, I reconstructed the customer flow.

Stage: phase of the journey through the lens of a brand or product, from initial awareness to engendered advocacy

phase of the journey through the lens of a brand or product, from initial awareness to engendered advocacy Insight: a summary of key attitudes or behaviors written in the voice of the customer

a summary of key attitudes or behaviors written in the voice of the customer Message: the brand or company’s main point or feeling to convey

the brand or company’s main point or feeling to convey Tactic: a “catch-all” for specific touchpoints or interactions

This helped cast a bright light on the most important piece of the puzzle. Knowledgeable staff and “no pressure” shopping.

And it truly was a puzzle pieced together, from the categorical need to consumer advocacy. The retailer sparked my interest, won my trust, and brought me into their ecosystem.

By knowing the customer. The culture. The sport. The market.

With that insight and awareness, they knew they didn’t have to make a sale that day. Instead, they were better off winning a customer for life.