The bad news was heralded by Golf Inc. almost one year ago. That’s when private clubs first began to feel the crunch of the coronavirus, with a 65% in non-dues-related revenues that month. That was about 30-days after many clubs were forced to close due to the pandemic. As we reach the one-year mark for our COVID-19 challenges, how to grow country club memberships when the economy isn’t as robust and customers just aren’t sending as much?

Country Club Marketing During COVID

Some of the best tricks for marketing your business during COVID rest within the idea that your services must mesh with what your target audience wants. What most consumers want right now is value. This gives you an opportunity to craft some product-service bundles that encourage new people to visit your facility, participate in amenities, and make purchases.

Think about your region and what’s important to residents. Do you have existing customers that like to golf but are reluctant to pay full club price? Do you have customers that just love to come to eat but do little else? What if you offered a tiered membership that caters to these discerning tastes? Maybe a big discount off of golf supplies or equipment rentals if they sign up for a year, or perhaps discounts on a certain number of rounds. Make it more attractive for other visitors by offering discounts on ala carte services and then advertise them frequently to get the word out.

Have you created an incentive program for your members yet? Everyone loves discounts or freebies. Why not capitalize on this by creating a “frequent shopper” rewards program to increase customer loyalty. You can create tiers—so many visits equal discounts on dinner or shopping in the pro shop. While you don’t want to make these too complex, because you have to administer these programs after all, they are wildly popular in most businesses so why shouldn’t they be in yours?

You can also increase member loyalty by giving them more “free” services, experiences, or opportunities they just wouldn’t have access to otherwise. A simple punch card program along with a few extra special benefits will help build customer loyalty by proving the ROI of club membership.

Encourage renewals with an early-bird discount or a rate reduction if they refer another member to the club who subsequently signs up. Why not reward for referrals that help your business? Also, focus on programs that retain your existing members. The data shows us that just a 5% increase in member retention can increase your profitability by 75%. If you can find a way to get through each month by retaining 100% of your members and then adding just five more, that is pure money in the back for your club.

Gecko can help you in your efforts to increase customer loyalty by provided best-in-class employee talent to help treat your guests well. Talk to our team about your needs for seasonal help this summer and let’s get back to work.