[tennisbiz] Re: Question about the TennisConnect service - is it any good?

Ron,

I am sure that many people would think the same thing as you about
TennisConnect if they only spent a few seconds looking at the product and
all that is has to offer.

However, you are completely incorrect.

First of all this in not a "cookie cutter" system. It can be if that
 is all the user wants it to be. You can completely customize the ENTIRE
look of their website if they choose to do so. They can write their own
code, use Flash plug-ins, create framesets to draw from other
websites. They can do practically anything they want to make their
site look like no other in the world. If they wished they could hire an
outside agency to administrate the site for them if they didn't have
the time or the desire and it would still be less expensive than having
 a stand alone site designed & maintained by that same outside source
  AND still have the benefits of the Player Matching System, Online Court
Scheduler, Interactive Calendar and the Group Email Engine. These are
the type of features that bind our members and potential members
 to our sport and our facility.

Speaking of "inconvenience of doing it yourself". It is NO
inconvenience at all. It doesn't take very long at all to modify a page
 and it is so easy to do. I can actually make an entire new page in
less time than it took me to write this email. They have taken all
of the "Computer Geek" stuff out of it so even the most computer
illiterate person can produce a terrific website that makes their
facility money.

TennisConnect requires ABSOLUTELY NO Advertising. The
website is in complete control of the person running it.

If a facility wants to sell and display Sponsor Ads on their website they
can absolutely do that. It is completely up to them. They can
lay their site out however they wish to do it.

A TennisConnect website is most definitely not a "Faceless" web service.
It is an incredible marketing and communication tool to increase a
 facilities business. Additionally, it is brought to us by the Tennis
Industry Association! They are a non-profit organization trying to
Grow The Game of Tennis bringing this powerful tool to all Tennis
Facilities at a very reasonable price.

All of this for only $595 a year including hosting is a No Brainer for
any Tennis Facility. What would it cost a facility to have your company,
KRC Communications, create a site that provides all of the functionality
that a TennisConnect site offers? $50,000, $100,000 or more?

Additionally a TennisConnect website gets your facility connected with
the Tennis Industry. If a facility chooses its programs can now be
listed on Industry websites like www.Tennis.com and soon will be
on others for anyone to find and participate. This means that a facility
gets visibility across the country. My facility is right in the middle
of a tourist hot spot. Now, when people come here to relax they
can already be registered for a clinic or have even scheduled a game
prior to arriving with out having to pick up a phone.

You can't do that in a standalone stove pipe website. A TennisConnect
powered website is an extremely powerful marketing and communication
 tool for the smallest to the largest facilities. This is a product that every
tennis facility across he country should be using.

You are right on one point Ron, The Internet is much too valuable of a
marketing and communication tool to a faceless static website that
doesn't connect you with your members to keep them coming back.

Matt Allen
 Charge The Net
 Ocean City

[This post was slightly edited by the moderator to keep the
discussion about idea and not about people... --Cliff]
 
Received on Fri Apr 08 2005 - 17:27:37 CDT