The Club at Olde Cypress, Naples. Fla

TIMELY LESSONS

Key Takeaways and Tips from C+RB’s Membership & Marketing Webinar Series

By Melissa Hansen • Director of Membership & Marketing The Club at Olde Cypress • Naples, Fla.

AS MEMBERSHIP INITIATION FEES surge and waitlists around the country continue to grow, clubs have had to quickly adapt to the boom the golf industry has experienced over the past two years. As Membership Directors and Club Managers, our daily tasks have continued to expand, as we continually anticipate and adjust to “what will happen next.”

There is no better time to come together for education and insight, and I was honored to participate in and serve as Coordinator for the four-part webinar series, “Making the Most of Membership Departments’ Expanding Roles,” that Club & Resort Business presented at the end of 2021 (with sponsorship by ForeTees and Strategic Club Solutions).

It was gratifying to see the interest and attendance that the series generated, as well as the response we received after the presentations. For those who may have missed it, as well as those who did join us and might like a refresher, I thought it would be valuable in this month’s column to recap the series and highlight some of its most valuable takeaways.

Session One: What Clubs Should Now Expect from Their Membership Directors and Departments—and How to Properly

Structure and Support Them. (Featured Speaker: Melissa Hansen, Director of Membership + Marketing, The Club at Olde Cypress)

Studies show that more buyers are conducting their research online prior to setting foot in a private club. And that shift has brought about vast changes in the role of a Membership & Marketing Director. From increased marketing budgets to the constant tasks of social-media management, updating the club website design, digital marketing and blogging—it’s time that General Managers work with Membership Directors to reevaluate the goals of the club and what is needed to achieve those goals.

During this session, I highlighted five key areas in which General Managers can support their Membership Directors and Departments:

Education: Continuing education is essential for growth within the membership role. It’s important to allocate both the time and the budget for your Membership Director, to gain knowledge and insight on the latest trends.

Connection: Encouraging your Membership Director to take the time to connect with other professionals within the industry is key. Making the time to visit area clubs and have conversations with colleagues will develop confidence through the value of knowing your competition, rather than assuming. Conversations and connections inspire and provide opportunities for transformation and growth.

Creative Time: This one is so important. From website content to member communications, a Membership Director needs time to be creative to provide the best experiences for members. Set aside at least a half day per week in which you allow for uninterrupted time—no e-mails, phone calls or drop-ins. Creative time can be done in the office or in the comfort of working from home.

Tools to Succeed: From CRM systems to design platforms, e-mail marketing tools and project management systems, a budget needs to be set aside for the right tools to succeed.

Proper Budget: Whether your club has a five-year waitlist or is looking to gain new members, the membership and marketing budget should be reviewed each season, and shifts may need to take place. From new-member gifting to a detailed prospect database, dollars need to be budgeted to provide a proper experience and prep for the future.

Session Two: Providing Effective Training and Resources for Today’s Membership Department Needs

and Personnel. (Featured Speaker: James James Cronk Cronk, Golf Industry Guru)

“If you want to figure out where you are going, you have to figure out where you’ve been.” – James Cronk

James kicked off this action-packed session by touching on the importance of identifying the wants and needs of our members. We know that members value human connection, but it’s essential to identify exactly what drives our members to join and stay at the club. Conducting surveys, as well as welcome and exit interviews, allow us to have data on exactly what members are enjoying, and what needs improvement.

James shared a method called “The Power of 10”—an exercise he urges every member of the staff to complete each year:

What are three things you can do that will have a positive impact on the member/guest/customer experience?

What are three things you can do that will improve and enhance the employee experience of those you work with?

What are three things you can do to improve the financial bottom line of the club?

What is one thing you can do to better yourself?

3 + 3 + 3 + 1 = 10

Diving into this exercise allows you to define your “why,” and encourages staff members to provide the ultimate guest experience for many years to come.

Session Three: How Membership Departments Must Work with Club GMs, Departments and Boards/ Owners to Ensure Short- and Long-Term Strategic Success

(Featured Speaker: Ryan Granruth, CCM, General Manager/ Chief Operating Officer, Lancaster (Pa.) Country Club) Ryan jumpstarted this session by discussing the evolution Ryan Granruth of the Membership Director role and revealing the shocking statistic that 15 years ago, less than 50% of clubs employed a Membership Director. Fast forward to 2022, and clubs are finding that it’s one of the most vital and rapidly developing positions within the club space.

Ryan believes that Membership Directors are the hub for data collection and that new-member surveys should be conducted frequently at many critical intervals (60 days, 90 days, 1 year, 3 years).

But it’s what you do with that information that sets you apart from the rest, and the team at Lancaster Country Club has worked hard to implement a dynamic strategy that breeds tremendous results.

Ryan outlined five steps that are key to successful new-member engagement:

Step 1: New Member Survey

Step 2: Distribution of Survey Results to Department Heads Step 3: Department Head Reach-Out

Step 4: Recovery (if needed)

Step 5: Higher Member Engagement

The unique part of this process is that if recovery from a negative experience is needed—for example, a poor dining experience—then the Chef personally reaches out to the member to make things right. If the member reported a bad experience on the golf course, the Superintendent reaches out. This ensures higher member engagement over time, and allows each department head to create an ongoing and lasting relationship.

Session Four: Congratulations, You Have a Wait List—Now What?

(Featured Speaker: Ricky Potts, Assistant General Manager, Valencia (Calif.) Ricky Potts Country Club)

In the final session of our four-part series, Ricky—who only recently became an Assistant GM, after many years as a Membership Director—walked us through a typical sales cycle (from inquiry to approval) and the importance of personalizing the prospective member’s journey from start to finish.

Three valuable takeaways from Ricky’s session included how to create a discovery visit, the importance of a CRM system, and calendar invitations to staff members.

The Discovery Visit (Not Your Typical

“Tour”): Ricky shared that simply changing the name of the common clubhouse “tour” to a “discovery visit” assisted in the success of reaching a waitlist. For Ricky, a discovery visit is unique because it’s customized for each guest. Not interested in tennis? Then he will skip the tour of the tennis courts. Looking to play the golf course? Then he will personally pair you with an Ambassador for the best overall experience. Each moment on property allows ample opportunity for discovery.

The Importance of a CRM System: If you haven’t yet implemented a customer relationship management system at your club, then you are missing out. As Ricky noted, one of the keys to achieving a waitlist when he was Membership Director at The Fountaingrove Club was spending 85% of his day in his CRM. Customer Relationship Management systems allow you to collect the data, store it, and build a profile for a prospect for many years to come. You can also create a sales funnel and rank the likeliness of someone joining, and well as shape customized experiences and store the information in one easy-to-access database.

Calendar Invites: Ricky stressed that the most important task among the entire membership development process is proper communication with your team, especially on the day of a tour. All of the information stored in your CRM system—including a photo of the member, their tastes, special interests, and hobbies—should all be shared with your team before the guest arrives on site. Ricky suggested sending a calendar invitation out to your staff members, as well as the prospect, to ensure that the proper communication is delivered.

What’s next for the club industry—who knows? But having the proper tools in place to provide a more modern and personalized experience for members and guests is key. After all, in a world of algorithms, hashtags and followers, it’s important to embrace the power of human connection.