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Membership Renewals - Don't Bury Your Head In The Sand

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Last week I was listening intently to The Private Club Radio live podcast with host Gabe Aluisey talking to Leighton Walker about the current climate in the UK golf market. The show has a great live Q&A function so given a number of my clients are coming into their membership renewal period with some trepidation, I asked the question..."What advice do you have for clubs worried about their membership renewals?"

The answer..."Take them out of the pain of the present and into the pleasure of the future"

With the 3rd national lockdown showing little sign of easing, clubs are becoming increasingly anxious about their membership renewals and the expectation from their members that a discount or reduction for lost months will be forthcoming.

Unfortunately, for many clubs this is simply not an option so here are a few ideas, hints and tips that you could use to have a positive impact on your membership renewals.

Clear, honest and regular communication

Be open and honest about the clubs' financial position at present but also publish plans for the future for your members to get behind and support. Don't be afraid to remind your members of the role they play at a members golf club and the importance of their support through thick and thin. This will all be a distant memory soon and members will be enjoying a great golf course in the summer sun...make sure you remind them of this positive image.

Subscription Rebates

For many clubs, financially this is simply not an option and could have devastating effects on the short term viability of the club. Some clubs committed early following the first lockdown to some sort of subscription refund and my advice would be to deliver this if it was previously promised. However, delivering the refund doesn’t necessarily have to be in the form of a monetary rebate.

Giving you members a few choices of how they receive the promised refund could help soften the blow for many clubs and show that they are still committed to looking after those members who have lost out during the lockdown months.

Perhaps give your members some of the following options or come up with other inventive ways to provide value without giving the full refund.

  • Have the subscription reduction if this was promised it is still important to have this as an option

  • Have the same amount due placed onto their bar card - costs the club much less

  • Have the refund in the form of guest vouchers - you may get new members from this

  • Gift the amount back to the club as a donation and all money that is donated back will then be put into a project to improve the course or clubhouse.

    • With this, there could potentially be 3 project options to choose from so the members are fully involved in the decision

    • As a thank you for gifting it back to the club they receive some vouchers to bring guests to the club

Having spent many years in the golf club office and undertaking the often stressful task of the bill run for membership renewals, I’m fully aware that offering each member a choice does provide a significant amount of additional admin depending on which membership admin provider you use. But, this is likely to be one of the most important membership renewals the club has ever undertaken so no stone should be left unturned in an effort to maximise the membership revenue brought in.

Invest

This doesn’t have to be huge renovation projects costing hundreds of thousands of pounds. What is absolutely vital at this time is showing your membership that you are still committed to improving the facilities, course and service.

If you are in position to deliver those major winter projects then ensure your members know all about what is being delivered and how it will improve their experience as a member.

For many clubs this simply won’t be an option but it is absolutely essential that you do not completely retreat into your shell and cut all spending. The improvements you make could be as small as a lick of paint in the changing rooms or clubhouse, some enhancements to the 1st tee, a new menu or drinks offering, enhancing the clubs patio area or even opening a members forum to improve communication. Perhaps consider whether you can invest in some staff training to improve the customer service your members experience whilst onsite or upskill your green keepers for the season ahead.

The point here is to show that the club is still very much forward thinking, has the member experience at the forefront and is looking to continuously improve despite the difficult situation we find ourselves in. Most of all, communicate those investments clearly to your membership!

Add Value

Another way to show that your membership is at the forefront of your thinking is to deliver a package of added value. Use this time during lockdown to get in touch with local businesses, other clubs or form links with additional services to provide your members with a package of benefits that will not only benefit your renewals but has the potential to impact your recruitment and retention in the long term.

Additional ways to add value to your golf club membership

  • Free reciprocal golf at a number of partner clubs

  • Build links with the local business community and secure exclusive discounts for your club members for things such as restaurants, leisure activities, hotels even car leasing companies

    • If you can form links that will benefit the whole family this would deliver significant added value

  • Create a section on your website to allow members to promote their business to fellow members

  • Create a networking group for members wanting to meet others

  • Form a link with a golf travel provider for an exclusive discount

  • Form links with UK golf resorts for a preferential rate on “staycations” booked directly

  • Regular free clinics from the club professional - could be delivered online (due to COVID restrictions)

  • Create additional onsite services

    • Physiotherapy

    • Weekly yoga/pilates sessions

    • Personal training - can now be done outdoors

    • Kids breakfast club on a Saturday or Sunday morning

For the majority of golf clubs, now is the time to communicate with your membership as regularly as possible, constantly reminding them that the golf club plays such an important role in their lives. When we come out of the current lockdown health and wellbeing will be at the forefront and we as golf clubs provide the perfect vehicle for our members to relax and get away from the stresses caused by the pandemic.

If we can show our members how much we value them and care about the experience they have as a member of our clubs, membership renewals can be positive and we can still continue to build towards a prosperous future. The time to act is now.

View more articles at www.spgolfmanagement.co.uk/blog

Download our membership retention guide at www.spgolfmanagement.co.uk/retention


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