How to Recruit New Members to Your Club

Direct

Newsletters

1. Start with building a list of your current members — Since your newsletters are directed at your current club members you will be approaching them to help you increase the age diversity of your club by targeting their children.
2. Promote an event — In the newsletter you can advertise your family day with a link to your website which describes the event. Create a call to action for members to RSVP and notify you as to whom of their family members will be attending the event.
3. Create a captivating headline — Inform your members on the event by giving them a fun and captivating event headline in your newsletter. ‘Family Fun at Johns’s Golf Club’.
4. Create an informative snippet of how golf can be great for kids as a way for parents to want to invite and talk to their children.
   • Researching how golf can help you to relax in a time of stress will assist you in getting teenagers who are currently preparing for exams.
   • Promote something like “The calming effect that golfing has on your SAT prep when you need a break”
   • Include a small piece of information on how playing a sport helps you to focus your energy on studying.
5. Promote a Special Package — Include in your newsletter that there will be special packages for any member’s children who would like to join the club.

Print

1. Approach schools starting with those in your area and ask them to have your printed advertisements there.
2. Create a golf training program targeted at students in middle school consisting of a 1-month training program with 1 or 2 lessons per week. The aim is to have the children want to sign up for a full membership so when they are at your golf club for the lessons entice them to want to join the atmosphere.

Social media

Create Facebook and Instagram ads targeted at the age group you would like to have join your golf club.

1. The content that you will use in the Facebook advertisement should have a youthful and trending aspect that will attract the younger generation.
2. Use an image or a video of a 13-year-old using the musical.ly application while shooting a hole-in-one at your club.
3. Musical.ly is used by teens – making your club look like a trending place to be in and makes golfing look like fun.

Calls

1. Call the members of your club and inform them of the current membership packages and fees you provide include packages for young members.
2. Ask them if they would like to sign up for a membership package for any of their children.

Referrals

1. Ask your current members and your staff members if they have any people in mind who may be interested in joining your golf club.
2. Chatting to the members’ children who will or have already joined your golf club and ask them to refer their friends contact details who might be interested in joining your club
   • This could be neighbors, friends or family members that the younger members enjoy spending time and doing activities with.

Indirect

Events

Overview for Current Members

1. Create internal events at your member organization and send out event invitations through mail and email.
2. Invite your members to bring 1 guest with them so that you are able to showcase your organization to someone new.
3. Provide your guests with a good experience by focusing on a particular theme for the event.

Family Golfing Day

1. Since your event is targeted to a younger audience (parents need to relay the event details to their kids) you will need to create activities that would attract a younger member.
2. Have membership package deal information displayed on a banner with prime advertisement placement in your organization.
3. Put up a stand/booth with 2 representatives from your club who can inform the potential members and their family of the membership packages you have available.

Information to have on hand to discuss with parents and potential members:

• What are the perks of joining?
• What is the value added discounts worth?
• Golf tournaments, activities and prizes
• Social media competitions for members and prizes

1. Include activities and items on the menu that a younger audience would enjoy – such as meals (burgers, fries and soft drinks). If you do not have a food service option, then it is a good idea to start here with meals targeted at your younger audience.
2. Creating a welcoming atmosphere for the possible new members at the event is a must. Remember that you are trying to get the children of your current members to join your club so you want to create a young and hip vibe.
   • Create challenges with hashtags to gain traction on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram Twitter and Musical.ly.
   • Use your space to create easy to view hashtags and create an Instagram competition.
   • You can create challenges on the Music.ly application that will get members to take videos of themselves playing golf to soundtracks and get them to challenge their peers on the app as well.
   • Wifi is a must — By having wifi available to members there is no reason for them not to be tagging your venue and activities if you create a media culture around the club and its activities.
   • Create campaigns such as “Win a meal at your next visit” where you ask current members to participate in a competition asking members to hashtag #insertyourgolfclubinthishashtag with pictures of contestants at the club to create validation and awareness of your place.

Overview for Non-Members

1. Gain traction to your club by focusing on recruiting people who may not be able to hear about your club through a friend or word of mouth.
2. Approach shopping centers in your surrounding area and post advertisements.
3. By having a country club expo at a nearby shopping mall, you can have your best representatives out and about (in their uniforms) talking to people about your club and what it has to offer as well as brand awareness.

Expos

1. Have a stand at a prime position at a mall with representatives who walk around and approach potential members.
2. Set up a mini golf course at the stand in the mall where you can have potential members learn the building blocks of golfing.
3. Train representatives to inform potential members about the special that you are offering for new members and offer them a form to sign up as well as information pamphlets. It is most likely that the younger audience will need their parents to give them permission and sign.

Open days at Local Spots

1. School / University
2. Business
3. Church

Partnerships with Local and Online Businesses

1. Advertising
2. Online
3. Venues: grocery store, community notice board

What to offer:

1. Packages
   • How much are your membership fees and what do they include?
   • Are you able to create a special package that potential new members cannot refuse?
2. Benefits
   • Why would someone join your club over another one? Give them incentive.
3. Discounts
   • Offer a seasonal discount or limited time discount to increase demand