What does marketing do anyway?

[RJP]

I

Country clubs are bursting with new initiates. Most dive shops are in strip malls. Go figure.

New initiates is actually a sign of a problem. Any decent country club has a waiting list.

:d

By and large, country clubs are hemorrhaging members. Big name, big money clubs with major waiting lists are hanging in there... but mid-tier local clubs are lowering bond commitments, waiving initiation fees, offering large F&B credits, member-get-a-member offers, etc. Here in Somerset County NJ (in the top 10 income counties in the U.S.) the majority of clubs are struggling. The closest course to me opened one of their two courses and their restaurant to the public. I can play almost 100 rounds a year there as a non-member for what it would cost me to join. Even the local PGA club (TPC Jasna Polana) is offering deals.

In all seriousness, in this area anyway, any club that is bursting with new members is likely lowering cost and other commitments to fill a growing number of available spots as older members die off and younger (esp legacy members) stay away in droves.

 

[Octopusprime]

New initiates is actually a sign of a problem. Any decent country club has a waiting list.

:d

By and large, country clubs are hemorrhaging members. Big name, big money clubs with major waiting lists are hanging in there... but mid-tier local clubs are lowering bond commitments, waiving initiation fees, offering large F&B credits, member-get-a-member offers, etc. Here in Somerset County NJ (in the top 10 income counties in the U.S.) the majority of clubs are struggling. Even the local PGA club (TPC Jasna Polana) is offering deals. In all seriousness, any club that is bursting with new members is likely lowering cost and other commitments to fill a growing number of available spots as older members die off and younger (esp legacy members) stay away in droves.

Yes RJP country club memberships are way down... However, those still able to pay would be great potential customers.

 

[RJP]

Yes RJP country club memberships are way down... However, those still able to pay would be great potential customers.

Absolutely. And I would think that for some clubs, offering something like scuba lessons might be considered a draw. Would be interesting to see what they would want in return.

 

[Octopusprime]

Absolutely. And I would think that for some clubs, offering something like scuba lessons might be considered a draw. Would be interesting to see what they would want in return.

I think ink that you start by just offering a one day discover scuba for members and families. The pool at the CC is always full. If you did a Saturday discover scuba if you could cover air fills it would be worth offering for free. If the CC wants a piece of the fees you just tack on on top of your regular fee they can afford it. Depending on how many take part in OW cert you may be able to plan a trip to cancun etc and cover your travle costs for open water dives.

 

[Wookie]

I think ink that you start by just offering a one day discover scuba for members and families. The pool at the CC is always full. If you did a Saturday discover scuba if you could cover air fills it would be worth offering for free. If the CC wants a piece of the fees you just tack on on top of your regular fee they can afford it. Depending on how many take part in OW cert you may be able to plan a trip to cancun etc and cover your travle costs for open water dives.

You don't have to pay the Country Club anything. That's the beauty. You offer the pool session during dinner. You get the club to let your students in for meals after the pool session. The folks at dinner see the students at class, raising the "what's that?" factor, the club gets a Saturday morning DSD out of it for the kids who don't golf, the shop has a scuba rangers course Saturday morning that's always full, it's a win all around.

You just have to market yourself correctly.

 

[Octopusprime]

You don't have to pay the Country Club anything. That's the beauty. You offer the pool session during dinner. You get the club to let your students in for meals after the pool session. The folks at dinner see the students at class, raising the "what's that?" factor, the club gets a Saturday morning DSD out of it for the kids who don't golf, the shop has a scuba rangers course Saturday morning that's always full, it's a win all around.

You just have to market yourself correctly.

Do they charge for discover scuba? Just wondering often I see discover scuba used as loss leader or marketing tool.

 

[RJP]

None of the clubs I've ever belonged to over the past 48 years - from snooty 100yr old clubs to modern high-end corporate to mid-market family country clubs and even local "anyone can be a member" clubs - would allow non-members in for something like this. The whole idea of being a club is about keeping people out. The exception would potentially be guests of members... though you might need to wrap the course up in two days since most have a strict limit on the number of times the same person can be a guest. Typically 2x in a given month, 6x per season. And often not on weekends.

For a country club partnership to work, I think you'd need to be prepared to have your pool of potential students limited to members for the most part.

 

[Octopusprime]

None of the clubs I've ever belonged to over the past 48 years - from snooty 100yr old clubs to modern high-end corporate to mid-market family country clubs and even local "anyone can be a member" clubs - would allow non-members in for something like this. The whole idea of being a club is about keeping people out. The exception would potentially be guests of members... though you might need to wrap the course up in two days since most have a strict limit on the number of times the same person can be a guest. Typically 2x in a given month, 6x per season. And often not on weekends.

For a country club partnership to work, I think you'd need to be prepared to have your pool of potential students limited to members for the most part.

you would be surprised... I go to a lot of non member events at the CC. With membership down they are trying to bring people in "to see the club". If you spin it as divers are potential members I bet they would do it.

 

[RJP]

you would be surprised... I go to a lot of non member events at the CC. With membership down they are trying to bring people in "to see the club". If you spin it as divers are potential members I bet they would do it.

"Divers are potential members" might be of some interest.... if you were bringing divers in to play golf. Though even then if I were on the club board I would want to understand how you are screening YOUR students to ensure that every single one of them are legitimately (ie financially, socially, etc) potential members of MY club. As a marketer I'd question the idea that someone who you are training for a sport that - if you do your job well - will occupy much of their leisure time and funds in the future would be a likely membership prospect. Certainly worth a try (and I am looking into this myself) but if you're not familiar with the mindset you'll encounter you may be surprised at the reactions/resistance you're likely to encounter. We've got a club near here which has famously denied sitting and previous presidents' requests to play a round. There's another that apparently bumped the wedding of a treasury secretary's daughter because a member exercised their right to bump a non-member function with 14 days notice.

The primary focus of any club is to benefit the membership. This includes getting THE RIGHT new members in... as that benefits the current members. When you've attended non-member events at a club... were you brought by a member? Most clubs focus new membership activities on referral/networks of existing members. It's the best way to ensure new members are very much like existing members.

Strategically - from a "live your brand" standpoint - it would be a bad idea for a country club b to allow non-guest non-members to make use of club facilities/benefits. If someone at a true country club asked what I thought about the idea from a club/membership perspective I'd recommend against it. Vigorously.

On the other hand if you're talking about much more casual swim focused clubs and the like, that might be a better fit.

PS - when I got seriously into diving (at the age of forty) I gave up golf... and my club membership.

 

[Octopusprime]

you would be surprised... I go to a lot of non member events at the CC. With membership down they are trying to bring people in "to see the club". If you spin it as divers are potential members I bet they would do it.

"Divers are potential members" might be of some interest.... if you were bringing divers in to play golf. Though even then if I were on the club board I would want to understand how you are screening YOUR students to ensure that every single one of them are legitimately (ie financially, socially, etc) potential members of MY club. As a marketer I'd question the idea that someone who you are training for a sport that - if you do your job well - will occupy much of their leisure time and funds in the future would be a likely membership prospect. Certainly worth a try (and I am looking into this myself) but if you're not familiar with the mindset you'll encounter you may be surprised at the reactions/resistance you're likely to encounter. We've got a club near here which has famously denied sitting and previous presidents' requests to play a round. There's another that apparently bumped the wedding of a treasury secretary's daughter because a member exercised their right to bump a non-member function with 14 days notice.

The primary focus of any club is to benefit the membership. This includes getting THE RIGHT new members in... as that benefits the current members. When you've attended non-member events at a club... were you brought by a member? Most clubs focus new membership activities on referral/networks of existing members. It's the best way to ensure new members are very much like existing members.

Strategically - from a "live your brand" standpoint - it would be a bad idea for a country club b to allow non-guest non-members to make use of club facilities/benefits. If someone at a true country club asked what I thought about the idea from a club/membership perspective I'd recommend against it. Vigorously.

On the other hand if you're talking about much more casual swim focused clubs and the like, that might be a better fit.

PS - when I got seriously into diving (at the age of forty) I gave up golf... and my club membership.

Most of the CC events I have been to are limited in scope. Usually where they are hosting lunch, or golf outing. Many of the lunches Are business professional groups. The CC is looking to meet business professionals that may be looking to schmooze customers executives etc. Part of the deal usually includes a tour. They are trying to show off their club. As their membership shrinks their membership pool shrinks. Many CC are looking to host events like weddings etc for non members to pay the bills.

They also need need to keep their existing members happy.. Current generation of teens do not like the club atmosphere so kids are keeping parents away... Interesting and new activities like discover scuba could occupy a generation of kids that are hard to keep their attention in the sound bite video game world.