In the first article in our membership development series, we detailed how to identify the key target groups for new member recruitment. When it comes to membership development, though, simply identifying the best member prospects isn’t enough. Once a club determines which groups to target and how to best court each prospect, the club needs to carefully examine both its short- and long-term recruitment goals and develop strategies for campaign goals.
Most clubs can’t simply snap their fingers and be presented with a fresh crop of ready and willing prospects. Membership development is a process, and it takes both time and planning to see it through to the desired results. Establishing clear goals and objectives can help guide the club’s membership development staff by influencing their approach to new member acquisition while ensuring that efforts are specifically directed to meet the club’s needs. Clear goals also determine how the club will evaluate the success of membership development initiatives.
When setting goals for a membership development program, it’s important that they be realistic. Unattainable goals set up the program for failure—regardless of the efforts put forth by the membership development staff. When determining whether or not a goal is realistic, be sure to consider important factors identified when the club examined its target groups: how many prospective members are there in a particular target group; do the ages, incomes, levels of education and occupations of member prospects fit within the established club culture; do prospective members live and/or work in close proximity to club facilities, etc. Understanding the potential member pool will help ensure that goals are attainable.
Once it’s clear what the club has to work with, it can begin to set clear goals for the membership development process:
How many new members is the club seeking?
Though most clubs have membership caps, in this time of economic uncertainly, some clubs may be inclined to answer with, “As many as we can get!” When answering this first question, a club should consider it’s ideal membership levels—how many golf members can the club’s green support for regular play; does the club need more social members or families to attend club social activities; or, at what membership level does the club feel, if not full, at least not empty? To help reach these ideal levels and—dare we say it—eventually develop a waiting list, clubs that are far below their cap can set interim goals or smaller goals for particular campaigns or types of members to help set a steady pace for membership growth and ensure that the club has a good overall composition of members. Once a club reaches its cap, it can start to develop goals for its waiting list to help ensure that there is always a steady supply of members.
What short- and long-term milestones would the club like to reach?
Clubs should consider whether they would like to establish a set of specific goals for a particular recruitment campaign. Recruitment campaigns can vary in length from several months to a year or more, and often pair short-term incentives with a longer-term strategy for identifying and recruiting streams of members to replace normal attrition.
What strategies will be used to achieve these goals?
When determining what strategies can be used to attract new members, clubs have an incredible number of options. Many potential members are looking for value-added services and personalization in the club experience. The next generation of up-and-coming club members is also a prime target, and clubs across the board are creating different types of memberships specifically tailored to recruit younger members and those interested in lower dues. Some clubs will waive initiation fees or discount dues for certain demographics, and most clubs offer reduced rates for those only interested in having access to the clubhouse or for those who only play tennis instead of golf.
Differentiating services to different kinds of members and target groups is a strong strategy for appealing to potential members. Be sure to clearly define the club’s value proposition for the general target market and then tailor it to each prospect category. Different kinds of prospects are looking to gain different things from club membership. An older, single prospect may want a place to meet peers or practice his golf game, while a young family may want a place to dine, bring the children and attend club social events and activities. Creating unique strategies and developing specific tactics to reach each individual target group can help illustrate to prospects exactly how membership can enhance their lives, and ultimately, make them want to join.
Depending upon what target demographic a club is approaching, they can highlight certain club offerings to appeal specifically to those prospects that can help the club meet its membership goals. Facility improvements and new programs are some of the ways to appeal to prospective members.
Clubs can focus on creating campaigns targeted to certain prospect groups to help focus their membership development efforts and enable them to differentiate within their membership development program.
Who will be responsible for executing various parts of the program?
Execution is a prime concern when developing a plan for membership development. Designating tasks to particular individuals, groups or committees and staff departments and assigning them each a specific goal encourages both efficiency and accountability.
How will the membership committee interact with staff?
The membership committee and the membership marketing staff obviously need to work together to accomplish a particular goal. When establishing goals for the membership development process, it’s important that each participant understands the chain of command and which elements of the plan fall under the jurisdiction of the membership committee and which elements are the purview of the staff. The membership committee often suggests, and once approved, implements all policies, procedures and activities dealing with the introduction, consideration and admission of candidates for membership. The membership committee can serve as an excellent resource for ideas and member leads and may also assist in evaluating and recommending nominated candidates for membership to the board for approval.
What roles will the board and individual members play?
When planning the membership development campaign, it’s important to remember that the best source of new members is referrals from current members. Oftentimes, members can be intimately involved in the courting process and can be a great resource for bringing guests to the club who turn into new members; sponsorship is an important part of the membership process. Club members can also provide testimonials and serve as a reliable source of information and experience for new members. Likewise, the board also has a role to play, as club boards must approve new members and often must sanction and allocate funds for new membership development programs.
Is there an action plan?
Finally, clubs should create a detailed action plan that summarizes the club’s starting point, details its desired end point and outlines a comprehensive course of action to move from where the club is to where it wants to be in terms of membership development. Clubs can create action plans for specific campaigns or for the overall membership development process as a whole. When creating a campaign action plan, here are some elements that a club should include:
- Name your campaign
- Evaluate club membership goals
- Select your target group
- Determine your recruitment strategy
- Adjust club programs and/or events as necessary in preparation for the campaign
- Establish the campaign team and assign primary recruiters
- Develop recruitment tactics and techniques to be used
- Create methods for campaign assessment and adjustment
- Establish a campaign timeline
Now that you have clear and attainable goals and a plan of action to help you reach them, stay tuned for the next installment of our membership development series on recruitment tactics and techniques.
Jackie Abrams is NCA’s communications manager.