Crushing Club Marketing

Why Your Club Website is the MVP of Your Membership Team

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 having a website that could drive new members, increase revenue and answer questions for members an...

Managing Shifting Demographics in Private Clubs - John Schultz, CEO of Club Leadership Alliance

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 shifting demographics of new, younger members with longstanding members, facilitating town hall disc...

Private Club Success in a Post-Pandemic World: Frank Vain CEO of the McMahon Group

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 future of private clubs, and what he believes will be critical for their continued success. Va...

A Private City Club Your Granddaughter Can Love [Ep. 34]

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 generating about $7 million in annual revenue to a club that does about 100 million annually....

Conversational Marketing for Private Clubs [Ep. 33]

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 what we want without having to wait. So what’s the secret?  Originally recorded coming out of ...

How Great Leaders Create Great Followers [Ep. 32]

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 the kind of people who will tell you when you get off the rails? Do they help you, help yourself?...

Managing Private Club Waitlists with Jason Becker

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 converted into full, dues paying members. Jason Becker, the CEO of Golf Life Navigators, rece...

Managing Private Club Waitlists with Jason Becker [ep. 31]

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 converted into full, dues paying members. Jason Becker, the CEO of Golf Life Navigators, rece...

Strategic Club Marketing Straight from School [Ep. 30]

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%.

Private Club Marketing Driven by Innovation in a Pandemic [Ep. 29]

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.

The Crisis This GM Faced Helped His Club Through the Pandemic [Ep. 28]

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.

The Impact of the Coronavirus on the role of the Membership Director [Ep. 27]

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 her professionally. 

What Club Marketers Should Know About Neuromarketing and New Members [Ep. 26]

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.

Adding "Traction" and Structure for Private Club Management [Ep. 25]

Turning Your Club Communications into a Member Engagement Asset

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 following and observing what athletic departments from the University of Michigan, the University of...

Talking Twitter with Hazeltine Superintendent [Ep. 23]

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 Twitter handle @CT_turf. Chris started his account in 2009, a time when Twitter was just stepp...

How Overcommunication Helped This Club Grow Membership During Renovations

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, membership coordinator, to learn their secrets to success.

Club Marketing for Multiple Generations

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 home or office. If you find that hard to believe, then you’ll want to check out this episode...

How Strong Leadership Can Propel Your Club Marketing Efforts

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 Crushing Club Marketing episode with guest Jackie Singleton, the director of communications an...

The Right Match: Online Process Connects Clubs and Prospective Members

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-Founder and CEO Jason Becker, who shares valuable insight from the service's matching process and ho...

Choosing a CRM that Works for Your Private Club

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 episode, we chat with John-Erik Pszenny, a customer relationship management (CRM) expert at ...

Making Video Accessible for Your Club

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 there's one thing that will always remain the same when it comes to marketing — the story behi...

From Boomers to Millennials: Club Marketing Across Generations

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 Karen Hinds, the CEO and Founder of Workplace Success Group, a firm that focuses on the next gene...

Financial Sustainability for Clubs Starts with Solid Club Operations

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 lived in the nightmare for a number of years. Now, we’re seeing some visionary folks who see wha...

Creating a Sales Culture: Experiencing Exponential Growth at Columbine

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 excess of $400,000 - a number not often associated with private clubs. He's accomplished this by ta...

What Facebook's Changes Mean for Your Private Club (Shanna Bright)

Earlier this year, Facebook changed its algorithm to eliminate spammy content and reward content that is actually interesting to people. In this episode, Shanna Bright of Private Clubs Online shares the reasoning behind the changes and how club marketers can create posts that will still be seen.

Creating a Video Strategy to Grow Revenue and Reduce Expenses

Look around online and it's hard not to see video - in your social media feeds and on websites and yet it's not enough to produce one video and post it on your club website. Video is a strategic digital marketing tool and it's critical you have a strategic vision for your video assets. Not only does it help to know what you want to produce, but also how you're going to produce your video so you can turn your project into a cost-effective tool that can be used in multiple places on various di...

Building the Perfect Club Website (Joe Jerome)

When did you last update your club website? If it's been more than three years, you're likely not realizing the full potential of your online presence. Your website is more than a digital brochure. It should be your greatest sales asset. But creating a website that accomplishes all of your various initiatives takes careful planning and thoughtful design. In this episode, Joe Jerome from Brand Builder Solutions joins us to tell you where your website might be falling short and what you can ...

Search Marketing Isn’t Just “Golf Club Near Me” (Mike McAnally)

Do you still expect people to find your club by typing “golf club near me” into their favorite search engine? That might have worked in the past, but now people expect geotargeting to handle the “near me” portion, and voice search is replacing all of it. So, what does your club need to know about search marketing to keep getting found? Mike McAnally is a co-founder and partner of NordicClick Interactive, a digital agency that specializes in helping businesses get found online by expanding ...

Bold Leadership: How Robert Sereci Drives Innovation at Medinah

Robert Sereci has a unique background and a unique approach to leadership as the general manager at Medinah Country Club, just outside of Chicago. Medinah has hosted three U.S. Opens, two PGA championships, and the 2012 Ryder Cup matches, yet some of the outside-the-box things he's done to build the brand have caught the attention of people inside and outside of the club industry. Who else would add a chicken coop and a food truck to one of the nation's great private clubs? Robert is a resul...

Effective Communication: Skills to Help Your Club Thrive

When things go wrong, we like to point the finger at people or policies, putting the blame on individual personalities or misguided plans. But more often than not, problems arise simply because of a breakdown in communication. Within a private club, effective communication is critical for achieving shared goals and developing a productive and respectful culture amongst members and leadership. By taking simple steps, leaders can enhance their communication skills and improve operations for th...

Storytelling for Clubs

Storytelling has become popular vernacular in the marketing world, and why not? We love stories! Especially stories that inspire us or make us feel something. Best of all, for marketers, people remember stories and share them (more on that in a moment).

Drone Footage at Your Club : DIY and Hiring a Pro (Flight Creative)

Breathtaking aerial videography used to cost thousands of dollars to capture, but with drone technology that has changed. Thanks to drone videography, it's never been easier or more cost-effective to shoot breathtaking video from high above your property. Finding a reliable and capable partner is the challenge. Sure, you could hire an amateur to handle this job, but what should you look for if you're looking for a pro to really nail the shots you need?   Jack Knudsen is the Co-Founder an...

Email Marketing that Engages

What's your email strategy for your members and for prospective members and club clients? Is it spray and pray? Do You have a routine schedule for communication that goes to all members regardless of their interest? How much more effective would your efforts be if your strategy was targeted, segmented and even automated based on recipient's preferences and opening habits. In this episode, we visit with Mike Donnelly co-founder of Seventh Sense, an email optimization platform. Mike'sinsight a...

Blogging Basics for Clubs

It's been proven for years that businesses that blog receive more leads than those that do not. Even businesses like private clubs are benefitting from blogs that are built-in to their existing websites. Not only are blogs an ideal platform for you club stories, they're also an excellent medium for communicating club news. In this episode, Ed Heil and Evan Dean, a channel consultant for HubSpot, talk about the benefits of blogging and how clubs can create content that helps them increase m...

Transforming Internal Communication to Drive Member Engagement

How does a club with more than 130-years of history transform its member communication and drive engagement? With tremendous vision, team buy-in and persistent commitment to execution and member benefit. That's what Jackie Singleton and the team at The Country Club in Brookline, MA learned when shifting their member communications. In this episode, we talk to Jackie about what prompted the change, how The Country Club made it possible and what they've done to get staff buy-in.

Telling Your Club's Story Through Branding | Derek Sussner

Derek Sussner, President of Sussner Design Company shares his insights on how clubs can leverage their best stories through branding. Branding is about so much more than your logo or brand colors — it's about the impression you leave with every interaction you have with a visitor, prospect or member.

Hazeltine National Golf Club Grows Membership, Events, and Catering Every Year | Ruth Glaser

We're joined by Ruth Glaser, Director of Sales and Marketing at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, MN. After implementing inbound marketing best practices, Ruth has helped Hazeltine add over 250 new members and increased catering revenue year over year. Ruth tells her story of transforming the marketing process at Hazeltine and how she began to implement this new way of thinking for her club and shares some lessons she learned along the way.