Retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Launches National Niche MarketingCampaign...

Retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Launches National Niche Marketing Campaign for Golf Course Homes

Professional REALTOR's169; Mark Douglass recently unveiled his hard-working, highly-targeted niche website that is the centerpiece of his national multimedia marketing campaign. I wanted a good-looking website that was user-friendly and did not waste my prospect'ss time, explains Mr. Douglass. A golf enthusiast relocating to the Augusta, Georgia area from Michigan or
Germany doesn'st want to have to wade through a dozen non-related property listings when he'ss looking exclusively for a home on or near a nice golf course.

Augusta, GA -- Professional REALTOR's169; Mark Douglass recently unveiled www.GreaterAugustaGolfHomes.com, his hard-working, highly-targeted niche website that is the centerpiece of his national multimedia marketing campaign. I wanted a good-looking website that was user-friendly and did not waste my prospect'ss time, explains Mr. Douglass. A golf enthusiast relocating to the Augusta area from Michigan doesn'st want to have to wade through a dozen non-related property listings when he'ss looking exclusively for a home on or near a nice golf course.

It Was Tougher Than He Expected

Mark was clear about what he wanted when he asked Bert Dean, president of The Clarion Company, to help him make it happen. Bert and his art director on the project, Ruskin Yeargain, had already conceptualized and designed a magnificent six-page, full-color brochure with a new logo, letterhead, direct mail pieces, etc.and I knew I had to have a website that incorporated those design elements and content, Douglass adds. But I also realized my website had to work even harder than any real estate website I'sd ever seen before.

The new website features a Flash's8482; map of the Augusta metro area on the home page, with flagsticks at each prominent golf course community. Online visitors can simply click on the community of their choosing and immediately view the current Homes For Sale listed on or near that golf course property. It literally took us five monthsand a lot more money than I had originally budgetedto achieve the results I had specified, reflects Mr. Douglass. Nonetheless, I have complete faith that it will be worth the time, expense, and effort in providing an excellent home-shopping experience for my potential clients.

Mr. Dean reports that most of the delays were not attributable to design or content; the big stumbling block was finding programmers who could write the right kind of scripts to funnel the golf course community listings to their respective flagstick links on the map, and have that data updated every night. We also had to have separate hosting arrangements for the website itself and the nightly data infusion, explains Bert Dean.

I believe my website captures everything into a phenomenal 'sone-stop shopping's online experience, asserts Mark Douglass. For example, if you want to know how and where to register your car or boat, or locate the best restaurants, you'sll find it listed within each geographic community along with the corresponding website link.This is an incredible resource tool.

You belong here's8230;Living the life you love.

Douglass'ss marketing theme, which is the tagline for his brochure and his website, fits who he is like the proverbial glove. Golf-loving outdoorsman Mark Douglass believes in living what he loves. And he enjoys sharing his passion with others who know where they want to call home.

About Mark Douglass

As a teenager in Hamilton, New York, Mark enjoyed an outdoor life. In fact, enjoyed is an understatement. Deer hunting with his father and brother-in-law; trout-fishing after school; hockey and snow-skiing at nearby Colgate University; as well as jockeying snowmobiles and motorcycles.

If it was outside and it was fun, Mark Douglass was there.

But having to be inside didn'st stop him from his never-ending quest for active fun: Mark was also into bowling, swimming, racquetball, and many team sports.

Of course, life wasn'st all play. Mark served as a limousine driver during the summer months, and worked on the maintenance crew at a local golf course, driving a tractor and mowing fairways. And Mark still managed to play golf almost every day. The more I could play, the better, Mark explains.

And that'ss how the lifelong love affair with the game of golf began.

Where eagles fly

It'ss only natural that this award-winning Eagle Scoutwho was a member of the prestigious Order of the Arrow--would have an innate love of country and commitment to service. Mark first attended Furman University,then transferred to St. Bonaventure University, where he became involved in ROTC and earned his BBA in marketing.

After a year in the civilian workplace, Mark Douglass began a career in the UnitedStates Army, where he would spend his next 24 years. He started in Oakland, California, was stationed throughout the U.S., and spent a number of tours in

Korea and Germany. Mark was also deployed in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield and then Operation Desert Storm. He served on the staff of General Norman Schwarzkopf, and saw duty in Bosnia, Kosovo, Israel and throughout Europe.

Mark Douglass retired from active duty as a well-decorated Lieutenant Colonel. While in the military, he received a Masters of Science in Human Resource Management and an MBA in Management from Golden Gate University. Mark'ss Army career also included advanced education at Command and General Staff College at Leavenworth, Kansasan honor reserved exclusively for the Army'ss top officers.

More than merely a passion

For the last seven years of my Army career, I traveled extensively but often brought along my golf clubs to anywhere that I could play, says Mark with his trademark big smile. I even rented a set in Saudi Arabia and played on a sand course in the desert - Wow, what a wild experience! Camels and other creatures all over the place. I also played in Portugal, Spain, France, Africa, and Germany. I played in the snow, wind and rain. It became a battle against the elements.

When you love golf that much, it'ss more than a hobbymore than a passion.

Another generation catches the fever

When his son Kristopher was four, everything changed for Mark Douglass. His wife Yukyong forced Mark to take the little toddler with him to a local course one Saturday. I dragged him with me and he watched. The next thing I knew, Kristopher was at my side on the course every weekend, remembers Mark. I had no choice but to buy him some kids's clubs; that'ss how it all started. I took him to the range and started teaching him to play well enough so he could play on the Heidelberg Golf Course, which frowned on kids playing, and despised slow play.

Thankfully, Kris was naturally gifted, very talented, and loved going to the range at all hours. Father and son often did not get home until 10:00 on school nights. We'sd hit balls on the lighted range at night, even in the winter. I would take him out on the course at night, bringing along hot chocolate and snacks to make the outing more like a party, recalls Mark. When no one was around, I'sd let him hit pitch shots and sand shots until it was completely dark.

Father and son often played one unusual game that Mark Douglass won'st participate in any more. I would go the 50-yard marker and catch his shots in my baseball cap, explains Mark. Since that time, Kristopher has become the golfer that I will never be, winning over 30 tournaments, beams Kristopher'ss proud dad. My focus shifted to making him the best player he can be, and helping him take his talent as far his desire will allow him to go.

A family affair

Golf has been a wonderful way for Mark to teach his only son all the life lessons which go with playing competitive golf. Leaning to control emotions's8230;Learning to never quit's8230;The lesson that hard work does have its rewards's8230;.How important honesty is, in golf and in life 's8230;How to be calm under pressure and never be intimidated by others's8230;To have the confidence to win.

Mark, Yukyong, and Kris live in a golf community (surprised) in the suburbs outside of Augusta. He works with all types of real estate properties, specializing in golf communities throughout the Central Savannah River Areawhich boasts some of the top golf courses and golf communities in the world.

For more information, give Mark a call on his cell phone at (706) 589-7355, or visit him online at www.GreaterAugustaGolfHomes.com. Or you can reach Mark at the Columbia County headquarters of CENTURY 21 Larry Miller Realty (706-860-0000). Mark Douglass is a Professional REALTOR's169;, licensed in the State of Georgia and the State of South Carolina, who is well known for excellence in sales performance and customer service.

↑ Grab this Headline Animator

This article has been robotically scanned and tagged by Prnewsnow with the following search tags. No human manipulation of these tags take place.
| Defysupply | Defysupply Com | free annual membership |

4910 readers online...

, Local News

Subscribe in a reader