Why heavy discounting is a common default
Discounting is often the first idea because it is simple to execute and produces a fast, visible response. Post a lower price for a slow window and some bookings usually follow. The tradeoff is less visible up front: a discount that runs long enough or wide enough can reset what customers expect to pay, including for hours that were never underused to begin with.
This is not an argument against discounting altogether. A narrow, time-limited offer aimed at a specific slow window is a different thing than an ongoing broad discount, and the two carry different risks.
What tends to go wrong with broad discounting
- It can spread beyond the slow window. A discount advertised generally, rather than tied to a specific time block, often gets booked against the hours that were already filling anyway.
- It can become the expected price. Regular customers who see a recurring discount may start timing their bookings around it, or simply expect that price going forward.
- It does not address why the window is slow. If the real issue is that the right customers do not know the window exists or do not have a reason to choose it, a lower price does not fix that on its own.
Alternative 1: target the right customers instead of the whole list
A specific invitation to a segment of customers likely to want a specific window is often more effective than a discount sent to everyone. This is the same approach covered in How to Reactivate Golfers Who Have Not Booked Recently: knowing who is likely to book a given block and reaching them directly, rather than broadcasting an offer and hoping the right people see it.
Alternative 2: build a recurring commitment around the window
A league, ladder, or membership block scheduled specifically inside a slow window creates a standing reason for that time to fill, rather than requiring it to be refilled from scratch every week. Recurring commitments also tend to bring a group rather than a single booking, which can fill more bay-hours per outreach effort than an individual discount claim.
Alternative 3: add value instead of lowering price
Extra time, a bundled lesson, priority access to a popular slot on another day, or inclusion in a small event can make a slow window more attractive without discounting the base price. These additions can cost less in effective margin than a straight percentage-off discount while still giving the customer a real reason to book that specific time.
When a targeted offer still makes sense
None of this means discounting never works. A modest, clearly time-boxed offer tied to one identified slow window, and communicated to the customers most likely to use it, is a narrower and more controllable move than an open-ended broad discount. The distinction that matters is between a discount used as a scalpel on a specific problem and a discount used as a default response to any empty bay.
Measuring whether an approach is working
Whatever approach is used, comparing bay utilization for the specific window before and after, using the method described in How to Increase Golf Simulator Bay Utilization, is what shows whether it actually worked. A general sense that "bookings feel up" is not as reliable as tracking the specific window against its own baseline.
FAQ
Is discounting always a bad idea for slow hours?
No. A narrow, targeted offer tied to a specific window can work well. The risk is with broad or ongoing discounting that is not tied to a specific problem.
What is a lower-risk alternative to a discount?
Targeted outreach to customers likely to want a specific window, or a recurring commitment like a league or membership block scheduled inside that window, are both alternatives that do not touch base pricing.
How do you know if a discount is being overused?
If a discount that started as a specific slow-hour offer starts getting booked broadly, including during hours that were not previously slow, that is a sign it has moved beyond its original purpose.