Crushing Club Marketing

Most successful businesses have a defined sales process. One that identifies the best prospects, converts them into leads and then nurtures those leads with emails into customers. Most private clubs are missing this process. If your club has enjoyed a waitlist, this isn't a big deal, but what happens when the well runs dry? In this episode we're talking about lead management with Kevin Page, Manag...

Websites are constantly evolving. No longer is your website an online brochure. It should be a critical part of your membership and marketing team. Remember the early days of websites? Some businesses didn't think they even needed one. They were really basic and let's face it, were more of a digital brochure. Lots of copy, a few pictures and of course, no video. In the early years, the idea of hav...

John Schultz, CEO of Club Leadership Alliance, has been around the block - a bunch of times! Prior to his current role, he was the GM for over 20 years at Carmel Country Club in Charlotte, North Carolina. Taking over a club with financial challenges, he put his flywheel in motion and turned the club around with more than 60 million dollars in capital improvements in 2 decades. Balancing the shifti...

The private club industry enjoys a steady resurgence, with waitlists becoming the norm in markets across the U.S. Furthermore, experts predict the greatest generational wealth transfer in history, from Boomers to Gen X and Millennials, by 2045. So, how will this new generation spend its time and money? Frank Vain, CEO of the McMahon Group, joins us this episode to share his perspective on the futu...

In the world of City Clubs, Jeff McFadden is well known and well-respected. As the CEO of the Union League of Philadelphia he has developed a national reputation as a club leader. Ask GM's who know him and they use adjectives to describe him like "Brilliant", "Visionary" and "remarkable." In this episode, Jeff shares his involvement in transforming the Union League from a club in financial trouble...

You've seen them on websites and whether you choose to use them or not "Chatbots" and text communication is here to stay for the foreseeable future. On the good side, text and chat can simplify your life as a website visitor, improve your efficiency and filter out your best prospects for membership. On the other hand, it can feel cold and impersonal. And yet, we're learning how to use them to get...

Hiring outstanding people is really hard and keeping them can be equally difficult - especially if there are management or leadership issues. If you're a leader trying to figure out how to inspire your team, elevate those who surround you or maybe you're trying to get more out of your team you may need to take a look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself am I my own worst enemy? Do you have t...

For the first time in years, many private clubs have a waitlist for new members. For the clubs who have always had waitlists, this is nothing new. On the other hand, hundreds of clubs are learning to manage a waitlist for the first time. This is both exciting and terrifying with members lined up to join clubs and with membership directors wanting to make sure these "hot" prospective members can be...

By developing and implementing a strategic digital communications approach to the club's marketing and communication, Cathy Zehms has created a content ecosystem at the Green Bay Country Club not seen in most private clubs. In her first 4-years membership increased more than 160%.

What does it take to keep your private club membership thriving during a crisis? Engagement and innovation. That's what Dave Porter and his team at Greystone Golf and Country Club in Birmingham, AL did when the pandemic swept the country in 2020. Listen to how he helped lead his staff and membership through this incredible time.

When Minnesota golf courses were forced to close at the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Joel Livingood was already preparing for the next step. It's what he's done since taking over as GM at Interlachen Country Club in Edina, MN in 2017. With solid financial footing and a steady hand, Livingood led his team and membership through one of the most extraordinary years in U.S. history.

At the start of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, private clubs, like most businesses were cast into a future of uncertainty. One role that proved to be critical at Bethesda Country Club is that of the membership director. Kris Butterfield, Director of Membership Marketing and Communications expanded her responsibilities in ways she never would have expected and it paid off for her club and for he...

If the goal of private club marketing is to influence thinking and behavior, then a basic understanding of the brain can increase the chances of success. In this episode, we speak with Laura Leszczynski, Vice President of Marketing and Brand Strategy at Strategic Club Solutions.

Chris DeConna is a marketing coordinator and graphic designer at The Ranch Country Club in Westminster, Colorado – and he's changing the game for club communications. Even though he's spent about 4 years working in private clubs, Chris's background is outside the industry. His most formative communications training coming while working in college athletics as a media relations specialist. By follo...

Getting your club to buy into the idea of social media and starting a Facebook or Twitter account is challenging enough. Getting your staff to participate with meaningful and helpful content can be even more difficult. Yet, Chris Tritabaugh, Superintendent at Hazeltine National Golf Club is elevating his club's international prominence, engaging members and building his personal brand through his...

Proactive communication using social media and video kept the team at Pelican Isle Yacht Club ahead of the conversation when it came to a multi-million dollar remodeling project. It was also a key part in a record-setting membership drive that occurred once the renovation was complete.   We connected with Pelican Isle's Kathie Pedit, marketing sales and membership director, and Megan Somerville, m...

You want a younger membership yet you need to retain your existing legacy members, as well. But each demographic has different needs and interests. What's more, each demographic values things like luxury, status, and relaxation differently. While some of your older members may go to the club to get away from work, your younger members may want a place to hunker down and treat the club as a second...

Adapting to a changing industry is difficult no matter the business, and the private club industry is going through that today. The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, is one of the most historic country clubs in the industry, yet they've been able to stay on top of the latest marketing and communications trends. This club may ring a bell to some of our listeners who tuned into an earlier  C...

What if finding your ideal golf club was like online dating? You get matched with the club that's right for you based on location, commonalities, and shared interests. It's a concept the online service  Golf Life Navigators  is based on, and the site has revolutionized the way members are conducting their search. In this episode of Crushing Club Marketing, we talk with Golf Life Navigators Co-Foun...

The sales cycle in the private club industry can be a long one. It might even take years from the time a prospective member expresses interest to the time they finally become a member. Because of this, it can be a challenge for club marketers to manage, organize, and engage with contacts — all of which are crucial if you want to increase and maintain membership. In today's Crushing Club Marketing...

Feeling like you're always one step behind in your marketing efforts? If you're a club marketer, you're probably nodding your head. It's a perpetual feeling on this side of the club world, as marketing trends continue to evolve at a much faster pace than most can keep up with. But before you feel overwhelmed by the thought of adding more hiccups to your current marketing plan, keep in mind that th...

Connecting with your target audience is essentially the purpose of marketing. The challenge is, relating to an audience that continues to evolve. From baby boomers, millennials and rising Gen Z-ers, your marketing tactics need to continually embrace generation change to be successful in relating your message to the right crowd. This is a hot topic and the focus of our podcast conversation with Kar...

The road to sustainability for private clubs is one that requires vision and discipline, according to Professional Club Marketing Association Founder, Rick Coyne. And the good news is that clubs that navigated the turbulent waters of the financial meltdown in 2008 are now on the way back.   "Vision without action is a daydream, action without vision is a nightmare," he says "And I think we've live...

Columbine Country Club just outside of Denver Colorado has experienced exponential growth over the last three years due to what Director of Sales and Marketing Leader, Robert Cuillard says is a "sales culture" at the club. After a 7-year decline, Columbine has a new clubhouse and a full membership. What's more, Cuillard, who started with the club in 2015, also has an annual marketing budget in exc...