Member Experience

Good communication keeps the audience in mind. “Focusing on the audience, what they value, and what motivates them helps you build trust and credibility,” according to Hannah Eanes, Marketing and Operations Specialist with KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE. “When your audience feels acknowledged and respected, they are much more likely to tune into what you are trying to share with them.”

Whether it is social media content, email marketing, an informational video, or a letter to members on the state of the club, Eanes recommends crafting the communication from the reader’s perspective. Why does this matter to them? Why do they care? What problem is it solving? These are all good questions to ask yourself. “I think one of the biggest opportunities often missed when communicating is not being patient with the message you are trying to share. We have seen much stronger engagement across all our communication channels by dedicating time to understanding the ROI from the perspective of the recipient,” she explained.

When it comes to communicating with members, consider the following tips from Eanes:

› Keep it simple and clear. Fewer words are usually better.

› Ensure the information is time sensitive and time relevant.

› Be adaptable. If you are sharing something in multiple ways, be sure to make appropriate adjustments to your delivery.

› Create opportunities to learn more and improve your understanding of your audiences as much as you can.

› Respect different perspectives. The people reading the communication have different backgrounds, values, experiences, and viewpoints.

› Be authentic and consistent.

NOTABLE – November 2024

Hannah Eanes, PCM, CDMP, is a marketing and operations specialist with KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE, a consulting firm providing executive search, strategic planning and data analysis services to the private club and hospitality industries. She can be contacted at: hannah@kkandw.com or (214) 535-3070.

Could your club be more fun? Take a moment to think about that question. If you answer “yes,” we have an extreme opportunity. Clubs should be all about fun.

Everyone’s perception of what makes a club fun is unique, but I believe everyone agrees that the club is a place where people go to feel like kids again. Whether it’s the thrill of a great game on the course or courts, spending time with people you care about, or the pride you feel watching your children or grandchildren take their first swimming lessons…whatever it is, clubs can create memorable experiences and unlock the nostalgia in all of us.

So, how do we create more fun? The best part about fun is you don’t need extravagant budgets to achieve it (though sometimes it helps). The key to creating more fun is to experience it ourselves. How can we help our members have fun if we aren’t having fun? Whether at work or home, it’s time to start incorporating fun into our day-to-day lives.

Ask yourself, “What can I do that’s fun?” If you’re having a tough time thinking of something, remember fun is also about unlocking the imagination.

Here are some things I like to do for inspiration:

• Treasure hunts with my kids. Whether at the club before or after hours, or around the house, I love watching them attempt to decipher my poorly drawn maps and find a treasure full of candy and coins.

• Play “The Floor is Lava!” I had so much fun doing this with my kids that I created an event for it at the club, and guess what? It was a huge hit! I transferred to my work the power of fun I unlocked at home.

• Sing. I am an awful singer, but I do some pretty good renditions of Disney songs. (If you follow us on Instagram @championsomaha, you probably know what I’m talking about.) The same applies here—are you hosting karaoke nights at the club? People love to sing. Allow them to have fun and do it.

• Try something new. I have learned so much about fun working with other people to research and identify new things, and then figuring out how to adapt them for our club. This can be challenging and overwhelming, but there is so much fun in the accomplishment and joy we experience from our member families.

Still struggling to find the fun? We all go through ruts, but the good news is you have help. Start by feeding off the people around you—your peers, staff and family. Getting more people involved in the fun encourages sustainability and strengthens the outcome.

Find your fun people at the club and in your life and get them on your bus. Let them know your goal of making time for fun every day and ask them to help you bring the fun to fruition.

Maybe it’s putting some kind of competition together, scheduling time for playing pickleball as a staff team or creating new content for social media.

Speaking of social media, it’s another place to get ideas and inspiration for fun. One best practice that has worked for me isn’t following other clubs for fun ideas. I follow gym teachers and summer camps. These people are in the fun business and live in the trenches of creativity every day.

Lastly, fun and entertainment go hand in hand. “Are you not entertained?!” yelled Marcus Aurelius in the movie “Gladiator.”

Gone are the days of simply having the standard club amenities. Members are looking to be entertained. Whether it’s a creative spin on a traditional golf outing or a belly flop contest with your staff at the pool, members are seeking unique experiences that add value to their membership. Having a championship pool or stunning golf course is not enough.

Ultimately, if you are entertaining your members, they are having fun, and hopefully, you are too. By providing engaging and memorable experiences, you enhance the value of your club and foster a vibrant and lively community. It’s time to elevate your club’s entertainment quotient and ensure that every visit leaves your members eagerly anticipating the next.

Any club lifestyle and culture has time and space to create more opportunities for fun, and as a leader, it starts with you. Never lose the child in you.

In the movie “Hook,” Rufio, one of the Lost Boys, says to Peter Pan, “All grown-ups are pirates.” Never become a pirate. Make your club more fun today.

Need help? I’ve got you. Call, text or email.

THE BOARDROOM MAGAZINE – September/October 2024

Ben Lorenzen, CCM, is a search and consulting executive with KOPPLIN KUEBLER & WALLACE, a consulting firm providing executive search, strategic planning and data analysis services to the private club and hospitality industries. He can be contacted at: ben@kkandw.com or (402) 321-3083.