Tag: relevant

Webinar: A Changing Future for Golf Course Superintendents

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This webinar was originally aired by the Florida Chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.

The Florida Chapter of the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) and Henry DeLozier, GGA Partners, have a frank discussion on golf and what the future might look like for golf and golf course superintendents in Florida.

Speaking with Nick Kearns, Director of Green and Grounds at The Oaks Club and President of the Florida GCSAA, Henry shares his big picture perspective on changes resulting from the global health crisis and the details to which golf course superintendents need to be paying attention.

Spotlight:

 

  • Budgets will come under pressure, anticipated economic slowdown and its impact on golf course maintenance budgets.
  • The significance of the golf course superintendent and his/her ability to provide patrons a safe platform to enjoy golf will increase.
  • Emerging trends and best practices in the industry, pre-vaccine and post-vaccine.
  • Accelerated pace of change and impacts on supply chain.
  • Heightened expectations for expertise, prioritization, and communication.
  • And much more.

 

(29 minute watch)

Tactics for Financial Stewardship in a Crisis (Part 2)

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This article continues a series of communications from GGA Partners to help private club leaders address challenges confronting their businesses and their employees as a result of the global health crisis. Today, in the second of two articles discussing financial stewardship, partner and head of transaction advisory, Craig Johnston, outlines information and tactics which should be considered in developing your club’s financial plans in times of crisis.

As businesses across North America begin to re-open, ever-changing social and economic circumstances further complicate the decision-making process, and now more than ever it is imperative that business leaders have access to the critical information which impacts their business.

In the midst of a crisis, we believe prudent financial stewards should embark on a phased approach to financial planning and analysis. The three phases are:

1. Cash Preservation

2. Sustainability

3. Opportunity

The immediate focus should be on cash and cash preservation. The familiar adage Cash is King takes on even greater importance in crisis situations. Next, the focus shifts to reviewing key risks to long-term sustainability and developing plans to reduce and combat those risks. Once a game plan is understood for sustainability, business leaders should explore opportunities to enhance member experience, reduce operating or capital costs, and increase return on investment.

To navigate these three phases, two critical financial platforms are required: a detailed annual budget and a club financial model.

Often these platforms are considered one in the same, but they are not. A detailed annual budget should be designed on a monthly basis and based on agreed upon key performance indicators (KPIs) and specific circumstances for the year. A club financial model should be designed on an annual basis and based on historical and budgeted KPIs as well as other economic inputs. The monthly budget is important to support cash preservation analyses while the financial model supports long-term sustainability scrutiny and enhancement opportunity exploration.

Both platforms should be dynamic, both platforms should encompass all three financial statements, and both platforms are a must-have. By “dynamic”, we mean easily adjustable for various economic and club-specific KPIs and, by “all three”, we mean income statement, cash flow statement and balance sheet. (Yes, a club should set and approve a budget at the outset of every year, but that does not mean the platform it was developed under needs to be static.)

The information required to develop both platforms include:

  • Historical audited financial statements, including notes.
  • Detailed department financial schedules, including breakdown of fixed and variable expenses.
  • Membership information, including counts, fees, attrition rates and sales expectations.
  • Debt agreements and schedules, including covenant calculations, coupon rates and terms.
  • Labour contracts and employment agreements.
  • Supplier and vendor contracts and agreements, including terms and pricing.
  • Capital project listing, including historical expenditures, reserve studies and facilities plans.

The specific tactics under each phase of planning and analysis will vary from club to club, but some predominant examples include:

1. Cash Preservation

a. Analyze current club liquidity: evaluate the club’s current balance sheet, including available cash, receivables and payables based on an up-to-date budget, then leverage the monthly budgets to assess the near-term (three to six months) liquidity based on estimated revenues and expenses.

b. Scenario analysis: complete various scenario analysis within the annual budget platform (designed on a monthly basis) based on potential closure and re-opening scenarios. This requires a realistic evaluation of the impact of each scenario from department managers.

Based on the results of the above, determine if any near-term adjustments (staffing changes, discussions and negotiations with suppliers and lenders) are required for cash preservation.

2. Sustainability

a. Anticipate attrition rates: depending on the timing of annual dues payments, attrition rates during times of crisis can be significant. Running scenario analysis based on various levels of attrition and their impact on the club’s long-term sustainability is essential.

b. Estimate decline in membership sales: some clubs may rely on entrance fees to support operating expenses, or more predominantly capital maintenance expenditures. Evaluating the potential decline in new membership sales over the short and medium-term, and its impact on club sustainability is critical.

Based on the results of the scenario analyses, scrutinize the club’s operating model to address discrepancies between cash inflows and cash outflows. This may require moderate or significant reductions to the club’s operating profile, including hours of operation and levels of high-touch service, for example.

3. Opportunity

The review of enhancement opportunities may come about during the focus on sustainability, as the club looks at unique ways to better align cash outflows with cash inflows. However, for clubs where sustainability is straightforwardly achievable, the focus on opportunity will follow sustainability. Areas of opportunity include:

a. Staffing profile: use times of disruption to consider changes to your management team and right sizing of your staffing profile.

b. Debt re-structuring: meet with the club’s lender(s) to discuss revised terms to the current debt agreements. Interest rates are near all-time lows, and although the numerator on certain coverage ratio calculations has declined, a preferable rate or term may be available.

c. Capital projects: favorable prices may be available on large-scale projects or purchases during times of crises. Consider moving ahead with large-scale projects if the potential savings are meaningful and there is a high degree of confidence in the club’s financial sustainability.

Navigating through crisis in this phased approach – while adhering to the guiding principles of financial stewardship – will help clubs develop financial plans which offer short-term solutions and lasting success.

Podcast: The Changing Face of the Golf Industry

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This podcast originally aired by the American Society of Golf Course Architects as part of their ASGCA Insights.

Speaking with Marc Whitney, Director of Communications at the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA), Henry DeLozier of GGA Partners provides his unique business perspective on the changing face of the golf industry in light of the global health crisis.

“Control the things that you can control. Adaptability for all parties is the key going forward. Now is the time for clubs and architects to come together. Architects can bring forward cost effective designs and ideas to make clubs more successful.”

Listen to Henry’s perspective on where golf finds itself today and how the industry can focus on the future while also learning from the past.

 

(13 minute listen)

The New Normal?

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This article continues a series of communications from GGA Partners to help private club leaders address challenges confronting their businesses and their employees as a result of the global health crisis. Today, Henry DeLozier discusses steps to take in advance of reopening and ramping up operations.

We may not know what our world will look like after the current crisis subsides and our clubs reopen, but we should be preparing for it nonetheless.

When asked what steps they are taking to prepare their business for the post-coronavirus environment, many small- and medium-sized business owners and managers say they’re taking a “wait-and-see” approach. That attitude may be understandable, with conditions and health and safety guidelines changing by the day, but it’s not advisable.

The more effective strategy is the one that many other businesses are taking to navigate the crisis in creative and productive ways. Their leaders may not know what the future holds, but they’re getting ready to adapt to whatever is necessary to succeed.

As clubs begin to ramp up into a post-virus world, private club leaders, in concert with key operational managers, well-informed members and designated board members, are following four important guidelines:

1. Updating the club’s financial plan.

The business interruption and financial impacts will be profound and may even threaten the club’s existence. The board must reset the club’s financial plan by evaluating the current in-flow of dues revenue and the realistic projection of pending banquet and catering activity. Refer to the club’s historic reference points for revenue as the key component in ramping up successfully. Balance revenue projections with the probable attrition rate caused by members who will leave the club for health and financial reasons.

Plan to restart programs and services in a phased manner that focuses on the most popular and engaging programs in the eyes of your members. It’s important to remember that members may have different priorities in a post-recession world. Knowing what those are through surveys and focus groups is far more advisable than assuming the old normal is also the new normal. Keep in mind that the club may not be able to restart at a level and pace that meets members’ expectations without what may be significant investments.

In a financial sense, the club may be starting over. This can be good for clubs overloaded with expensive debt since it gives them incentive to renegotiate their debt structure. Interest rates are at historic lows and will remain that way for some time. This makes it a good time to restructure the club’s financial plan to remove historic flaws, such as membership-optional communities and outdated governance practices.

2. Strengthening the team.

Every club in your area is affected differently by the pandemic. Some will retain staff with little change. Others will be forced to reduce operations, programs and staff. Some of your own employees will decide not to return or may be unavailable. Be prepared and recruit aggressively to fill and strengthen key positions on your team. It’s also a good time to review and update personnel records, roles and benefits.

3. Introducing new social programs.

As leaders hit the reset button, remember that private clubs enjoy an emotional relationship with their members far more than a transactional one. When evaluating and creating programs, consider the following:

Members will want to see one another and be seen. There will be a great opportunity for friends to be reunited and reminded that their club is a safe haven for their families and friends.

Look at events that are either successive – where one event sets the stage for the next – or part of a series of similar events. Give members the sense of ongoing relationships rather than one-off types of events. (Example: “around-the-world” theme parties featuring different destinations members traveled to without leaving the comfort of the West Bay Club in south Florida, executed by Brian Schultz, the club’s former manager.)

4. Host member information exchanges.

As members anticipate their clubs reopening, they will have lots of questions, which can be boiled down to “What’s changed – and what hasn’t?” Get ahead of the onslaught of questions by anticipating as many as you can and communicating the answers widely through email, newsletters and social media.

We may not know what the new normal will look and feel like until it arrives. Meanwhile, we know members will be anxious to return to their clubs and to take advantage of all it offers them. Taking the steps outlined above will help get your club ready.

Guiding Principles for Financial Stewardship (Part 1)

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This article continues a series of communications from GGA Partners to help private club leaders address challenges confronting their businesses and their employees as a result of the global health crisis. Today, in the first of two articles discussing financial stewardship, founding partner Stephen Johnston outlines the guiding principles for being a prudent financial steward.

Despite the opinions of pundits and experts parading before our television screens, no one can accurately predict how long this pandemic will last or its economic impact. By the same token, it’s impossible to anticipate every challenge club leaders will face in the days ahead. But we can say with certainty that long-term financial stability is an issue confronting every club leader. Those who evaluate the challenge and develop a strategy with both short-term and long-term plans give their clubs the greatest opportunity for success.

From our perspective, actions in these uncertain times should follow these guiding principles:

1. Fairness. Prior to a final decision, step back and ask yourself if the anticipated action is fair for all parties, starting with members and the employees. This crisis will pass, and people will remember how they were treated.

2. Transparency. Do not take anything for granted, especially when it comes to sharing information with employees and communicating with membership. It is important for members to understand and appreciate the conscientious approach and the lengths taken to ensure the viability of their club. Video conferencing and electronic pulse surveys make timely communications and opinion convenient and efficient.

3. Value. It is important for members to understand the club carefully considers the value members receive for their fees, dues and other financial support of the club. The value for money proposition for each club and each member is different; “we’re doing what other clubs are doing” discounts this uniqueness.

4. Ownership. Ensuring members maintain their club participation and pride of ownership during challenging times is critical. Maintaining a sense of ownership in the club will help members appreciate the difficult decisions being made in the face of unprecedented circumstances.

5. Right Things Right. Make sure each critical action or decision is conscientiously considered and prudently implemented. By considering the long-term economic and social consequences of your decisions, leaders often realize that efficiency and cost savings are not automatically the top priority.

6. Think Long-Term. Short-term planning and tactics are the priority. But before executing, assess how the short-term actions affect the long-term plan and vision for the club. Always measure the impact any action will have on cash preservation, club value, member and employee satisfaction. Adjustments to the short-term plan may be necessary to reduce the impact on your long-range strategic plan.

7. Preparedness. It’s easy to say we should be prepared for the worst, but it’s impossible to anticipate every calamity. What we can do is make sure all the club’s business information and resources are readily available. This generally means putting in that extra hour or two each week to stay organized. As we prepare for reopening and the new normal, develop a reopening plan and adjust this daily based on new information which comes available.

8. Listening. We are a firm believer in the importance of empowering the general manager to make critical business decisions. We’re equally committed to the idea that managers need to listen to the ideas, challenges and concerns of their board members, department heads, members and industry and government leaders. Their input and feedback are essential in making informed decisions.

Financial stewardship matters most in times of crisis. Even the most prudent financial stewards cannot anticipate every obstacle they will confront. But experienced, poised, and attentive leaders will follow proven guiding principles to protect the club’s members, brand and overall financial health. In our next article, we will explore specific tactics for developing a financial plan to ensure short-term success and long-term sustainability.

Crystal Ball Thoughts on the Shape of the Next Normal

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This article continues a series of communications from GGA Partners to help private club leaders address challenges confronting their businesses and their employees as a result of the global health crisis. Today, Henry DeLozier highlights GGA Partners’ crystal ball thoughts on what the post-crisis environment will look like for club and leisure businesses.

Gordon Gecko wasn’t the good guy in the Faustian tale Wall Street and, yet, the character played in the 1987 movie by Michael Douglas left behind some memorable advice, “The most valuable commodity I know of is information.”

In early April, GGA Partners gathered its team of trusted advisors and thought leaders for the express purpose of developing strategic tenets to guide GGA clients across the globe. Following are glimpses of impacts for private clubs and club leaders:

Expect Longevity

Murray Blair and Fred Laughlin, directors at GGA Partners, observe that the effects of the epidemic will be lasting and may be sortable now into certain phases:

Pre-Vaccine – Until a reliable vaccine is developed, tested, and made available for widespread usage, conditions for most clubs will change only slightly from current circumstances. Baseline operational methods will change significantly as partial- and full-closures are showing operators and members new – more attractive, in some cases – methods which satisfy members’ concerns for caution and dining at their clubs. Many clubs are finding that demand for dining options at the club is growing as so many previously competitive restaurants are closed.

Operating costs will vary widely. Housekeeping budgets will increase substantially as members want to experience highly obvious signs of the club’s emphasis on sanitary conditions, cleanliness, and personal safety for members and staff. Labor costs will vary widely based upon local supply/demand balance as many workers will be less mobile than before.

Post-Vaccine – After a vaccine has been found and put into use, members will renew their active usage of their clubs differently. Bennett DeLozier observed that club members who previously were nonchalant on matters of strategic planning at the club will demand that their club have a clearly stated and broadly understood game plan. Many members who are responding GGA attitudinal surveys observe that there was no expectation of a health pandemic and, yet, believe “The club should have had a disaster preparedness plan.” Strategic planning, which was previously an indicator of the best leadership in clubs, will be important to most private clubs more so in the future.

Continued & Reinvigorated Family-First Focus

Barb Ralph, one of GGA’s most tenured team members, opined that members will seek more family-oriented facilities, programs and services. The notion of “clanning”, first suggested by futurist Faith Popcorn in her 1996 book, Clicking: 7 Trends That Drive Your Business–And Your Life, documents Barb’s thinking on the importance that causes many to want to keep those dear to them in a safe haven – like their club.

A New Normal

Linda Dillenbeck, a director for the GGA Partners Club Communications Practice, looks beyond the pandemic to underscore the critical importance of effective and trusted member communications from the club to its stakeholders: members – their families and friends, employees, neighbors, suppliers, and vendors.

Linda suggests that in a time when new standards are being established, the necessity of effective communications from clubs to their members will be a difference-maker to the clubs’ future economic durability. “Club’s with a proactive communications approach will be at a distinct advantage throughout and after the coronavirus epidemic,” according to Dillenbeck.

Shifting Operational Needs

Speaking from the perspective of the millennial generation, Alison Corner, Ben Hopkinson, Andrew Johnson, Mingye Li, and Andrew Milne agree that clubs will change significantly and – in some ways – toward operational needs and priorities previously reported through GGA Partners’ millennial research installments.

To summarize the ideas from these brilliant young minds, clubs will shift dramatically into (a) high-gear focused on membership recruitment and retention; (b) new activities, like musical events and performance art; and (c) new membership types, categories, rights, and privileges.

Martin Tzankov, a GGA manager, expects the new normal to bring a focus to financial durability to clubs. Martin notes the importance for club leaders to mind the strategic priority of balance sheet management and the financial health of their clubs.

Many club leaders forget the four cornerstones of board service: leadership, governance, strategy, and finance. Looking ahead, the clubs that perform best after the coronavirus pandemic will be those holding the best information. Perhaps Gecko was right.

Smart Moves by Smart Leaders

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This article continues a series of communications from GGA Partners to help private club leaders address challenges confronting their businesses and their employees as a result of the global health crisis. Today, Henry DeLozier offers several examples of the right things to do if you are a crisis leader.

Excellent leadership is a mixture of many important ingredients and information – access to it and knowing how to use it – is critical to the mixture. Smart leaders are using time during the novel coronavirus outbreak to sort through many sources of information to choose the most relevant and insightful information sources available to them.

During this pandemic, leadership qualities are being revealed in no uncertain terms. Those who have reliable information and can explain circumstances succinctly, consistently, and timely are viewed as “crisis leaders”. At GGA Partners, we consider someone to be a “crisis leader” when they are able to do the right things right.

Following are several examples of the right things to do, if you are a crisis leader:

Understand the significance of trustworthy leadership.

Achieving trustworthiness requires having reliable and current information, maintaining an on-going dialogue with those relying on you, and being truthful in your dealings. If the news is bad, trusted leaders are able to convey the combination of truthful expectations or projections in an empathetic manner.

After England suffered the fall of Dunkirk, Winston Churchill described “a colossal military failure” when reporting to the House of Commons at Parliament. He did not mince words and aligned accountability – his own – with the authority given him. People trust those who can step up in tough times.

Manage information aggressively.

Keep your stakeholder groups of members, employees, suppliers, and extended business partners – like bankers and insurance carriers – well-informed. It is essential to be inclusive, informative, and accurate. Do not make any incorrect statements.

Club leaders serve many stakeholder groups which often have different needs and priorities. Evaluate your stakeholder groups and refine communications which decisively and clearly address the expectations and needs of each group.

Express optimism.

US President John Kennedy focused his countrymen on a goal of putting a man on the moon in May, 1961, when he told the US Congress, “This nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth.” At the time, this was not a popular idea as 58% of American’s polled were opposed to the idea. And yet, in July of 1969, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins fulfilled the slain President’s goal.

Churchill’s ability to deliver dreadful news, like the fall of Dunkirk and Singapore, was supported by his bull-doggedness in telling the British people that they would “never surrender” as he pointed out that Britain’s far-flung empire and the New World powers would come to the rescue, as they did. Bitter truth was supported by an optimistic outcome.

Be present.

Maintain regular – if even predictable – contact with your stakeholder groups. Address their concerns in the context of updated information. See that your information updates are available using multiple media – such as email, social media, direct mail, and conference calls – and be willing to repeat certain key bits of information for the sake of emphasis.

Communicate your plans – and act on them.

Your members want information, to be sure. Even more importantly, they want confidence that their club is in steady hands. They want to see evidence – action more so than talk – that the club is taking measured steps and addressing the key strategic issues without distraction with petty short-term matters. This capability requires a reliable game plan.

In her 2018 book entitled Leadership in Turbulent Times Pulitzer Prize winning historian, Doris Kearns Goodwin, cites several specific lessons that can be drawn from Franklin Roosevelt’s first term in leading America from the depths of the Great Depression. First and foremost, indicate that there is a center-point of leadership and direction. Roosevelt made clear his understanding that he was chosen to lead. Then, came the Hundred Days and the New Deal…so there was a plan. Now, as for Roosevelt, planning must be very dynamic and agile.

 

Sound leadership is a matter of thoughtful and comprehensive planning. The clubs that will prosper after these difficult times are the clubs with a plan that is comprehensive in nature and not drafted in piece-meal fashion.

Club Leadership for Tough Times

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This webinar continues a series of communications from GGA Partners to help private club leaders address challenges confronting their businesses and their employees as a result of the global health crisis. 

In case you missed it, this webinar – hosted by the National Club Association (NCA) in early April – explores the ways effective club leaders are responding to challenges and evolving circumstances posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

In it, Henry DeLozier, Partner, and Patrick DeLozier, Director, feature as experts on crisis response and facilitate discussion about how the board and management at one of the world’s best clubs are dealing with today’s pressing issues.

Nicholas Sidorakis, GM at Southern Hills Country Club, and Bryan Johnson, Southern Hills Board President, explain how they are navigating the everyday challenges of the current health crisis while focusing on the future well-being of Southern Hills Country Club.

View or listen to the webinar (54 min)

View or download presentation slides (.PDF)

A special thank you to Henry Wallmeyer, Joe Trauger, John Good, and Cindy Vizza at the National Club Association for the opportunity to participate.

 

Lifting the Fog of Crisis

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This article continues a series of communications from GGA Partners to help leaders of private clubs address challenges arising from the COVID-19 coronavirus that are confronting their businesses and their employees. Today, Henry DeLozier, a partner of our firm, highlights that now is the time to remind members of their club’s relevance and value. 

Lifting the Fog of Crisis: Now is the time to remind members of their club’s relevance and value.

The “fog of war” is a term coined in the 19th century to describe the uncertainty military troops often experience in wartime situations. Amid the deep uncertainty that the coronavirus has brought to our families, communities and businesses, many of us find ourselves in our own fog of war.

As club leaders reckon with the impacts – both immediate and long-term – of the current pandemic, lifting the fog of misunderstanding and encouraging engagement are important to your club’s longevity and success.

Here are two important steps to make your club a beacon of hope and inspiration to club members, their families and friends:

Make your club a positive influence for members.

Members appreciate knowing how the club, its members and staff are responding to current challenges. They are especially interested in how the club is taking care of its employees. In addition to e-mail updates enhanced with photographs and short videos, also consider:

Organizing virtual events. Using such technologies as Zoom and Google Hangouts, host a virtual happy hour. Keep the number small enough that everyone can be part of the conversation. As the organizer, start with a general update from the club and then let members take over with questions and updates of their own. This is an opportunity to lift people’s spirits, so keep it fun as much as possible.

Telling stories that inspire. Tell members about staff who are volunteering to care for others, including other members, while continuing to do their jobs at the club. Many members have special relations with club staff and will appreciate staying connected through stories.

Encouraging members to take away meals and snacks. Brad Bourret, GM at Cabarrus Country Club in Concord, NC, launched Take-Out Tuesdays before the crisis. He now reports that take-out for his club has exploded in volume. In troubled times, keeping connected to the things and people familiar to them gives members a greater feeling of safety and well-being. Think of it as comfort food.

Increase members’ understanding of club matters.

Provide regular updates. These are obviously not normal times, but retaining some level of normalcy is comforting. Members will appreciate knowing what is taking place at their club. Maybe a new freezer has been installed or the locker rooms and bath house have been fully steam-cleaned to ensure the club’s usual high sanitation standards. If spring flowers and shrubs are blooming, send photographs or a short video that reminds members of the natural beauty they enjoy at their club.

Introduce learning opportunities. Many members don’t understand how some aspects of their club functions. For example, club finances, board governance and the process for recommending members are unclear to many members. In addition, basic operations, such as housekeeping standards, the care and maintenance of facilities and kitchen storage and cleanliness practices, are obviously timely subjects. Now may be a good time to capture their attention and communicate important information on these topics through a podcast.

Conduct single-topic surveys. If you want to know what your members are thinking, what questions they have and what suggestions they would like to make, ask them. Short member surveys – which typically require less than 10 minutes – are great ways to update your understanding of members’ wants, needs and expectations.

The most serious crisis most of us have ever experienced has settled a fog over much of our lives, including our clubs. Efforts to lift the fog, including making your club a positive influence for members and increasing their understanding of how the club operates in good times and bad, reminds members of the importance of the club in their lives.

Your club’s relevance is among the many things being attacked by this virus. Now is the time for club leaders to take the steps that keep the club a meaningful and valuable part of members’ lives.

A Better Way to Communicate

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Churning out communications to your members with little thought for who you are speaking to and what medium you are using is not a recipe for success.

As GGA’s Henry DeLozier explains, putting a little more thought and attention to detail into your communications is an impactful, and cost effective, way to make your members feel valued and included.

“Communication in our club is poor”

A phrase that is commonplace in surveys and focus groups we run on behalf of clients across North America – often despite the best efforts of club leaders to improve communications at their clubs.

As much as we would like to prescribe a formula that is guaranteed to improve member relations, the reality is that the communications world evolves continuously, including the ways members consume and exchange information, and the platforms on which they do so.

While this can present a challenge, the evolution in communications technology has also brought opportunities to the fore: opportunities to increase the relevance of your communications, learn more about your members habits and preferences, and branch out to networks of potential new members.

With that in mind, there are some tactics you may wish to consider to enhance your communications relationship with members and club stakeholders:

1. Keep your club website relevant.

As Linda Dillenbeck, a director at Global Golf Advisors and a communications expert, observes, “Most clubs’ websites are outdated, disconnected, and dysfunctional.” Dillenbeck estimates that a private club website has a relatively short shelf-life of around three years. When did you last update your website?

Incremental improvements which factor in the latest in web technology enhancements can increase the aesthetic appeal, user-friendliness and accessibility of your site ten-fold.

Think too about regular updates to your image portfolio and news sections. Investing the time and not letting them become dormant shows members that you care and invokes a sense of pride and belonging.

2. Empower club members to communicate.

The advent of mobile camera technology has handed the power for members to become regular content creators, some of whom may produce high quality photographs and videos of your club.

While you cannot control what they say or post, compelling content drawing on the attributes of your club and amplified to member and stakeholder networks can enhance the club’s reputation among members and the outside world.

Vindicate their efforts by engaging through club social media channels, via email or otherwise. It shows you are interested and supportive, and gives a sprinkling of kudos to what they have produced.

3. Organize information into communication “bites”.

The relative attention span of most recipients is shrinking, so the club should look to communicate in small “bites” – morsels of interesting activities, friends enjoying mutual interests or snippets from club events. Keep it short and to the point.

4. Use tailored media.

Rather than indiscriminately provide all things to all members, ask them to personalize their information expectations and preferences into a member profile so that the club may communicate with each member on the member’s terms.

Regular prompts to update their preferences can provide useful insights into any trends developing over time and how this should be translated to what and how you provision information to them.

5. Measure effectiveness.

Monitor engagement levels from all outgoing communications. Track which members are – and are not – receiving and engaging with information from the club.

By doing so you can start to build out segments of members (starting with engaged / not engaged) and begin to increase the relevance of your communications methods and messages.

 

Crafting the right messages takes time and attention, as does knowing how to communicate them. By better understanding what methods and messages are most influential to members and stakeholders, you can start making meaningful progress and increasing engagement.

In any case, make it personal.

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