April 4, 2025 • 46 mins
When it comes to club communication, consistency, clarity, and connection aren’t just buzzwords—they’re the foundation of everything.
In this episode, I’m joined by Melissa Hansen, Director of Membership & Marketing at The Club at Olde Cypress in Naples, FL. With a background in marketing, design consulting, and over a decade of experience in private clubs, Melissa knows how to build communication strategies that actually move the needle.
We dive into:
- How to create messaging that reflects your club’s personality
- The role of automation (done right) in saving time without losing the human touch
- Aligning operations and communications so the member experience feels seamless
- And why internal storytelling is just as important as what members see on the outside
Melissa brings a smart, thoughtful approach to every part of the member journey—and this episode is packed with ideas that club leaders and communicators can start using right away.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey everybody, welcome to the Private Club
Radio Show, where we give youthe scoop on all things private
golf and country clubs frommastering leadership and
management, food and beverageexcellence, member engagement
secrets, board governance andeverything in between, all while
keeping it fun and light.
Whether you're a club veteranjust getting your feet wet or
somewhere in the middle, you arein the right place.
(00:20):
I'm your host, denny Corby.
Welcome to the show In thisepisode.
Friends, buckle up.
This one is packed, jam-packedwith nuggets information with
one of my favorite people in theclub space, a friend of mine, a
friend of the industry and afriend of yours, melissa Hansen,
back on the show today.
As you know, she is an absolutepowerhouse in the world of
(00:43):
private club marketing,membership and communication.
She helps clubs with it, butshe's also in the trenches doing
it herself as membership andmarketing at the club at Old
Cypress in Florida, and shewalks the walk and she talks the
talk.
She's constantly lifting othersup across the industry with
ideas, insights and energy fordays.
(01:03):
Across the industry with ideas,insights and energy for days.
In this episode, we talk abouttrends, tools and what clubs
need to be doing right now tostay ahead, especially when it
comes to humanizing your brand,humanizing your club, onboarding
new members the right way andbuilding connections that
actually last with yourmembership and with your people.
And today Melissa shareseverything from how her team
uses AI to save time and sanityinto why your club's culture and
(01:27):
your club's identity should bevisible to a potential member
way before they even set foot onthe property.
So we also get intocollaborating with realtors, the
value of partnerships and howshe's automating a 90-day new
member onboarding experiencethat actually works.
So she's one of the mostthoughtful, creative and real
(01:48):
voices in the space.
I am super excited to have herback on.
Before we get to the episode, aquick thank you to some of our
show partners, some of which areactually also mentioned in the
episode as well, which is reallycool.
We have our friends, clubCapital Group Members, first
Member Vetting Golf LifeNavigators and Concert Golf
Partners.
Thank you all, as well asmyself.
(02:11):
The Denny Corby experiencethere's excitement, there's
mystery.
Also, there's magic, mindreading and comedy.
If you want to learn more, headon over to dennycorbycom.
Enough about all that, though.
This is about you all, thelisteners.
So Private Club Radio listeners.
Let's welcome back to the show.
Melissa Hansen.
Melissa always love to chitchat First off.
How are you, how are things?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Things are good, things are busy.
I think down in Florida we arein like the peak and the height
of our season and it's been awild one.
All good things, we can'tcomplain.
But, um, definitely not enoughhours in the day, definitely
using a lot of ai uh in theworkflow just just to assist a
(02:55):
bit.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
yeah, yeah no, thanks for taking time out of the busy
.
I know it's a busy uh seasondown there.
What, uh, what?
What sort of ai tools are youusing and digging and what are
you using to your advantage?
Because I think sometimes tooand it didn't mean to interrupt,
I saw you're about to talk butdo you ever feel, and there's
people who use it and it almosttakes them more time because
they like, they use it almostlike too much and then they
(03:19):
spend too much time using it andnot enough time acting on it,
like they use it as like acrutch, not so much a tool?
What tools are you using andhow do you find to use it the
most effective?
Speaker 2 (03:31):
I think, like right now, just trying to work
together with the team to reallysimplify it.
I think it scares a lot ofpeople if you aren't familiar
with just simple tools like chat, gpt, like let's just start
there and something that wouldtake somebody in the club, you
know, 30 to 45 minutes to writea letter to somebody that we had
(03:51):
to suspend because they haven'tpaid their dues or somebody
that we had to suspend becauseof bad behavior.
It takes us a long time and alot of hours of our day to kind
of come up with a nice way towrite that.
So I feel in a professional wayto write that.
So I feel in a professional wayto write that.
So I feel just like reallysimplifying it with the team and
showing them how we can get ourthoughts in there, get our
(04:12):
prompts in there.
We can all just use it assimply as that.
I mean that can a beautifulnasty gram can go out in five
minutes, opposed to you havingto spend 30 to 45 minutes
writing it.
So just you know, simple,little time savers like that
yeah, what was?
Speaker 1 (04:30):
uh, something I read somewhere and I was like that is
genius, like a little likeprompt thing it was.
When you put in your prompts atthe end you have it ask you
questions and you say like now,ask me any questions to help
make the answer more.
Like I forget the exact phrase,but it was like now ask me any
questions to help make theanswer more.
Like I forget the exact phrase,but it was like now, ask me
(04:50):
questions that might help you,that help you, help it create a
better response.
So that's what I've been doingtoo and it's been creating some,
some semi decent stuff.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
That's awesome.
I feel like it's ever evolvingand we just have to continue to
learn and grow with it.
But I mean, it's been, it's,it's nice, it's been awesome,
and I feel like the team is isgetting their feet wet and like
slow and surely we're likegrowing together.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
So and using it as a tool and not just like, not just
the end, all be all.
I think some people you canjust tell just clearly, just
copy and paste and you're likeyou did not edit that at all,
Come on.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Right, right, come on .
Definitely has to be yourbrand's voice, for sure.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Thousand percent, but I want to bring you on what are
some trends.
You got your ear to the ground,you got you know, your hand on
the pulse.
I don't know any other cool,cool phrases, but, like you know
so much about what's going on,you help others, you teach
others, you talk to others inthat space.
When it comes to clubmembership marketing, what are
(05:49):
the?
Because we're now into Marchwhenever this goes out, so we're
now into 2025.
What are the trends that you'reseeing?
What's the goods, what's thebads?
What are clubs using?
What are the goods?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Yeah, so I love trends.
My favorite topic, I feel like2025, it's all about inserting
humanity in everything that wedo.
So, whether it is your clubcommunication, whether it is
your website, whether it is yoursocial media, whatever you have
going on your membership,marketing, communications, world
(06:21):
, inserting that humanity iswhat our members want to see,
Because, at the end of the day,they want to connect with people
.
They want to connect with thepeople at the club.
So I just feel like so many ofthe things that we might have
done traditionally, like thetraditional newsletter and this,
and that if we insert humanity,it's getting such a bigger and
(06:41):
better response.
So definitely start with, likeyou know, the website experience
and a prospective memberexperience when they're looking
to join your club.
I think you know, sandra out atin Concord.
How do you pronounce it?
Yes, yes, okay, like.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Cause, like when you like so many.
It took me, I think, just untillike last, last month to say it
properly.
I was like nah, cause there'slike letters in places that
shouldn't be.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Yeah, yeah, okay, well, she, sandra she is a rock
star when it comes to her club'swebsite and the digital
experience that she is providingto your prospective members.
She's just one example, andI've oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Yeah, I was gonna say , like, what do you mean by
humanity?
Like, because I think, likesome people are like, oh yeah,
like I get it.
But like what does that?
What does humanity mean?
Like, what does that word mean?
Is it like more friendly words?
Is it, you know, using realphotos instead of stock photo?
Like, what does humanity mean?
Speaker 2 (07:43):
No, that's a great question.
I feel like using your peoplein the club.
So, for example, if we talkabout the website, you know one
of the most important things Ifeel like is having a meet the
team on the website.
So allow your perspectivemembers to get to know the
(08:03):
people within the club beforethey're stepping foot for a tour
.
You know, as soon as I have aprospect, come in because my
face is all over the websitethey walk into the club and
they're like, oh my God, youmust be Melissa and they feel
like they already have thatconnection.
Then, when I continue to sendout emails to the prospective
members, you know, having yourface on it, having it, you know,
from Melissa or from whoeveryour golf pro or whoever that is
(08:24):
inserting that person wherethey feel like there is a
connection is going to make astronger bond.
So one of the things thatSandra does we utilize it at our
club is a live chat on thewebsite.
So you go on, it's got ourpicture.
It says, hey, we're ready tochat with you.
And so all of a sudden they popon our website and they are
(08:46):
live with Sandra and I and we'rejust receiving this via our
text message and all of a suddenthere's just that sense of
connection.
You feel like you're textingthe membership director,
membership representative at theclub.
Another thing when it comes to,you know, inserting humanity, if
you will, is just when you goto promote your events at the
(09:08):
club, instead of just puttingout a flyer, having one of your
team members dive intopotentially what events they're
most excited about that monthand why or maybe, if they've
done that event in the past, whyit was so successful Just
really taking those amazing teammembers that you have and
(09:28):
utilizing them 100%, becausethen it shows the teams involved
how many times I think somepeople are afraid of that
because the rest of the teamdoesn't know what's going on in
the club and there's that zerocommunication going on, almost
Right, yeah, which is, I hate tosay it, but I think, maybe a
(09:49):
little bit more common than we'dlike to admit.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
But it's nice seeing there's a lot more clubs I love
seeing it on LinkedIn andInstagram a lot more clubs doing
video work and I don't want tosay the word cute, but you can
tell when, like someone's likenew and anxious on it and
they're like hi.
I'm cute, but you can tell whenlike someone's like new and
anxious on it and they're likehi, I'm bill, I'm the golf pro,
we're gonna, you could just tell.
But it's like, oh, at leastthey're doing it, like, at least
(10:12):
they're doing it, putting itout there and you can, you can
tell by the like response peoplelove it, they love it.
Did you see what?
Um, oh, kent did for, uh,baltimore country club when?
he did the he did the uh voicething.
So they, they, they, uh, he.
I was talking about.
It was awesome, the.
If you go on uh baltimorecountry club's instagram, they,
(10:34):
he goes.
You know the.
The team was like kent, just uh, uh, sit down.
They.
They blindfolded him and theyput all the staff in a row
behind him and they and theytalked and he had to guess who
the who the staff member was.
It was just like so dumb but socute, but like engagement was
through the roof.
It was amazing.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
And that's what.
That's exactly what we'reseeing and I think you know
that's the lesson that I'velearned from at least running
the social pages for the past.
You know, decade is that socialis such a fun way to test
things and test what youraudience wants to see.
But like you post a picture ofthe golf course or the dining
room or whatever it is and youget some engagement, but all of
a sudden you post a meet theteam or here's our team and
(11:17):
we're bonding together to getthrough a tough season, all of a
sudden you go from having 20likes to a hundred and something
likes Like people wanna be withthe people and see the people.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Yeah, and it's not even about the, the light.
It's just about, like, lettingthem inside.
Like, who are the people whoare here working for us?
It's not even who's the word.
Hey, here's some stuff aboutthe members Like you're, you
have a small community.
Like, yeah, so yeah, that's gotit.
So that's, that's cool.
What else?
Speaker 2 (11:47):
All right Trends.
Um, I would say so.
I mean, we're talking aboutsocial media a little bit.
Um, I would say that, um, I Ihad a good quote that came
across my Instagram page thatI'm going to share with you, and
it says competition happens atthe bottom.
The people at the top arecollaborating and I truly
(12:10):
believe that is the number onething right now is collaboration
.
There are some clubs that haveunderstood this and they're just
taking this and running with it.
One of my friends out inPennsylvania I don't know if you
know Mazalem Springs, MazalemSprings, Crystal Knoll she's
done a really great jobpartnering with influencers in
(12:31):
the community.
So, whether those are golfinfluencers, whether it's the
Chamber of Commerce or whatever,to create that brand awareness
around the club, we're justseeing such a bigger response
when we start to collab insteadof thinking as other people and
businesses, as competition.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
I like that a lot and you, being in Florida, are you
seeing anything in the realestate side?
Because real estate and clubsis big in Florida.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
Yes, so I think you know my friend Jason Becker.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
The man Golf golf navigators, yep.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
So we have just signed on recently to collab
with them.
Our yeah, our club is collabingwith them.
They do, you know, an awesomerollout of like these feature
club Fridays where they havethis massive database of people
that are looking to get intoprivate clubs that are attached
to real estate communities and Iknow they just they did our
(13:32):
club so it went really well.
They did a feature club Fridayand they send it out to their
database who have filled outtheir forms and they just get
all that information right tothem.
And we had a ton of leads comein from the program that now
we're continuing to foster.
But it was something that we hadset aside for so many years, I
(13:52):
think you know, obviously themarket has shifted a little bit.
So sitting back and justrealizing that, okay, now we
have to collab in order tothings to continue to thrive.
On the membership side ofthings, it it can be an
adjustment for some people.
You know they might not beready.
Clubs boards, general managersmight not be ready, but I think
(14:15):
those are the clubs that aregoing to succeed, are the ones
that are willing to to do that.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
Adapt or die?
Yeah sure.
Yeah, things, things are, wouldyou say, like leveling back out
, like it's not as, what's theword?
Almost, maybe not robust, but Idon't know where I'm trying to
get at.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
but yeah, it's, it's definitely leveling out.
Um, you know, I think everymarket is different, um, but I
think, as far as real estate,we're seeing homes that are on
the market now for three to fourmonths instead of them going in
three to four hours, exactly,and so, and there's some
negotiation going on now andthere's people that are, you
(14:57):
know, coming in and you know,actually checking out the club
and making sure that that is theright fit before they make that
real estate decision.
So it's actually been reallynice because it allows us the
opportunity to get to know thebuyer again and see if that
buyer is a fit for your club.
Yeah, I felt like before it wassuch a whirlwind and it was just
(15:23):
like you know.
They were in and out and it washappening so fast and a lot of
people came in that that mightnot necessarily have been a fit
to the current club's culture.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
And I think when we you go back to that word
humanity, that's what helps youseparate from other clubs and
get your club's personality outthere.
So you are attracting the rightpeople.
Because if you, you know, putup this, you know, very
exquisite, high profile club,very exclusive, but you know,
(15:54):
but really you're this reallyfun club, but your website and
everything else is like thisstandoffish.
You know, has, like you know,your club as RBF, you know so,
so has your club as RBF, so tospeak.
But when you can put out thepersonality and you can show
here's who we are, here's how weare, it helps both sides.
It attracts the right peopleand detracts the wrong people.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
Yeah, absolutely, and that's so important, right?
So in my office I have this bigscreen TV and I scroll on there
all the photos of the eventsthat we have and our people are.
They're a blast, they're somuch fun, but it's very
different than, let's say, likeyou've been out to Ben
(16:37):
Lorenzen's club at Champions Run.
It's going to be a verydifferent vibe than that, but
it's more so, like I would say,an older demographic reentering
college again, if you will.
Okay.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
That's a great way to put it Okay, amazing.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
And so I am in the background of my office.
These photos are scrolling, youknow, and the prospective
member is seeing, you know,everyone dressed up for the 70s
theme, everyone dressed up for,you know, disco, and you know,
in the 50s theme or whatever wehave going on, and they can
decide if that's the right vibefor them.
(17:15):
So I've had these members thathave come to the club, you know,
over the past two or threeyears and they say, you know,
we're not attending these eventsbecause we're not, you know,
really big into dressing up andthemes, and I feel like maybe I
almost did a disservice by notsharing who our membership was
(17:36):
before allowing them in, becausethat's who we are at our club,
you know, yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
And it has to be a match on both sides.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
But also shame on them a little bit too, because
you can still go and not have todress up and still have a good
time.
Right, there's people who go tocostume parties just dressed as
themselves.
But you know, I think there'speople who still go to that
stuff and have a good time.
But, yeah, shame on them, butno, that's the perfect way to
put it and that's such a greatidea about putting that screen
and back so that, as you'resitting there talking and going
(18:07):
through it and to, I don't knowif this is maybe off topic or
not, but it is finding makingsure the people are the right
fit.
And I think sometimes, as maybeclub membership people, you just
want all the members,especially if you don't have a
wait list and you're reallytrying to get numbers up.
(18:28):
You just want everybody andthey put on that hard sell.
And for me, I don't think aclub membership should have to
be a hard sell, meaning like anaggressive sales like hey, close
today, sign on the dot.
Almost like buying a car shouldbe an experience.
It should make sure that theright people are coming in and
you have that great connectionand they're excited and you're
(18:50):
excited and it's like did wejust become?
Speaker 2 (18:52):
friends?
Yeah, absolutely.
And at the end of the day,those are the people that you're
going to retain right, becauseif they aren't a fit and if they
aren't like the current culturethat you have, those are the
people that are going to end upleaving, because it's just not
the vibe.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
Yeah, have.
Have you gotten you know?
Have you gotten better?
Like and I'm assuming like theanswer is like yes, but like
with all this stuff, like areyou pretty good at and and do
you tell people like I don'tthink you're going to be a good
fit here, like, have you hadthose conversations where people
are like we want to join andyou're like based?
Speaker 2 (19:28):
off what you told me, I don't think you're going to
have that that much fun.
Definitely.
Don't say it like that, but Ijust say so, have you?
Are you looking at any otherclubs you know in the area?
And if they say you know no,then I'll say definitely, like,
based off our conversations, Ifeel like you should check out
XYZ Club and this other clubbecause I think that that might
(19:51):
be worth looking into.
It might, you know, check a lotof the boxes, that of the
things that you're looking for.
So I definitely do that and Ithink, as a membership
professional, it's so importantto just know your market and
know that, like, yes, myself andfive other clubs.
If we're looking on aspreadsheet, it could look like
apples to apples, but at the endof the day, the vibe in each of
(20:14):
those clubs are so verydifferent from each other and I
feel like I'm so close and I'mbest friends with half the
people in my position at theseother clubs and just call them
up and be like hey, this is nota fit for us, but this is
definitely a fit for you and wedo that, denny, like we really
do that that has to be so coolfor the, for the membership to,
(20:35):
or for that potential member togo like, wait, what Like?
Speaker 1 (20:38):
that has to be a cool feeling for them.
Like you can already tell myperson, like you know, I'm going
to be a good fit over there.
Like's just cool, and to kindof circle back.
That's sort of why I like JasonBeck, that's why I like Golf
Life Navigator, because it'sZillow meets eHarmony for people
who want to be in a club.
And you fill out this glorifieddating profile Because you put
(21:00):
in like, oh, I like walking, Idon't care about the flowers, I
like that.
You know you put in all thatstuff and it matches you with
the right club like or promptsyou like hey, these are like
your top choices based offeverything you told us.
Yeah, you should, you shouldreach out, and that's it's game
changer.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Yeah, it's a great place to start, you know, for
the prospects, because it atleast gives them you know the
top three that they need tostart looking at, or the top
five that they need to startlooking at, and then they can
check it out and narrow it downfrom there.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
And I think it at least gives them the sense like
if it goes, oh, these, and thenthey can kind of see, like, oh,
these clubs, they can get a feelfor that style, that vibe.
So then when they see anotherclub, like, oh, cause, maybe
some of them may have not been amember of a club before or
maybe you know, so they mightnot have or you know they
haven't had that type ofexperience.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
I think it helps, helps them as well figure out
what, what they want, and maketheir, their life a little bit
easier and it's so differentbecause they're all coming from
different areas of the countryand you know how it is in one
state is completely differentthan it is in another.
And so I think just you knowNyou know, assisting them and
navigating that process is soessential because it is so
(22:11):
different.
You know, it's definitelydifferent.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
It has to be a little bit tough in Florida with so
many options Like it's veryoverwhelming yes For some people
.
Speaker 2 (22:21):
Yeah, the market, it's an oversaturated market and
you know you have a hundredprivate clubs, and so where do I
begin?
Speaker 1 (22:30):
and, um, yeah, their platform is really great at
narrowing that down yeah, yeahand uh, you know, I think,
helping you know, in the sametoken, shameless plug to one of
our, both of our friends uh,paul dank, member, member
vetting, helping people, makingsure that the right people come
into the right club.
Uh, danky, doodle dandy, I lovepaul dank paul is the best.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
Um, member vetting is just a game changer.
I feel like denny so many ofthese they're having issues when
it comes to behavior of theirmembers, things that they're
finding out after the membersget in, where they're having to
have, like these behavioralcommittees and they're having to
spend so much of their timefocusing on what is taking place
(23:20):
at the club where I feel likeif your club does go through a
process like member vetting,feel like if your club does go
through a process like membervetting, a lot of that stuff
could have been avoided.
Um, maybe those people couldhave been avoided.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Uh, I think you know oh yeah, oh yeah and uh, we, we
have plenty of episodes here onprivate club radio of member
vetting.
I mean there's the, the, thestuff that he's found the
stories are are some of them Icouldn't even air, like they
were about to air.
He's like, actually, can youtake that out?
I'm like ugh, just because,like he didn't want to put it
out, but like stuff that theyfind is absolutely ridiculous
(23:55):
and it's just making sure it'sjust fact-checking, like they're
not doing anything out of theordinary.
It's just, you know, becauseGoogle is only 5% of the
internet, 3% of the internet.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Mind-blowing FYI.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
I know.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
I know.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
And it's just you know, and it's just whatever the
applicant puts on thatapplication, they're just
fact-checking it and making surethey are who they say they are
and peeling back the layers,peeling back the onion, just
yeah, like finding people's andI think he even said like most
people are good.
Right and it's not up to themto decide if they're in or not.
(24:29):
They just present theinformation back going hey,
here's this and then here's acouple maybe yellow or red flags
, or here's a couple things youmight want to run your eyes over
.
Um, yeah, they're.
They're so good at what they do.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Oh, my goodness every time I go to introduce him to
someone.
I was like, just start bysharing one of your stories,
because the stories of what theyhave found is just eye-opening.
I mean, it's not yourtraditional background check.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
No, I mean, they can do it, but there's layers to it,
right, it's oh, I love me some,paul Dank.
And why more clubs don't use it?
I think I can.
I think I can understand why.
Because it is a little bitscary, um, or could be perceived
as scary, and you know if, if,if you're a member and I and I
recommend a friend, and all of asudden now you know, maybe this
(25:20):
friend isn't a good fit, butgranted, all that stays
confidential in, like you know,in the process and stuff.
But like I, I can understandwhy clubs do and don't use it,
but why more don't?
Because you don't have to useall the layers of the service.
You can kind of pick and chooseand bang for buck.
Oh my.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
God.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
It's not expensive.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
No brainer.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
No, zero brainer, zero brainer.
Yeah, paul Dank, remember him.
Tell him you heard about usthrough private club radio and
melissa hansen, and he will havethe best stories.
And he's a bulldog lover too.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
He has two adorable frenchies, so oh, shout out to
him all right uh, what else dowe got?
Speaker 1 (26:01):
I know you said there were some other real estate
stuff we were we were talkingabout earlier too.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
Yes, so when I sat, I sat down with Jason Becker a
couple, I think a week or twoago.
We had coffee and we were justtalking about the importance of
membership directors gettingback connected in the real
estate community, especiallywhen your club does have that
real estate component.
I think that one of the thingsthat you know we were just the
(26:29):
market was so robust, as you hadmentioned, we had kind of maybe
just stepped away from that.
I know I have a good frienddown here, kelsey Collins.
She's at the Oaks Club and shejust had this huge realtor
breakfast where she invited allof these agents in the Sarasota
community to come to her club tohear from her.
(26:50):
This is what we're doing.
She sold the club to them sothat they could then sell the
club to their people and we'vegone away from that.
I know that I personally have,and so what I do now is that as
soon as we know that we have alisting on the market, I reach
out to that agent who has thelisting and we start and we make
(27:12):
a connection from the beginningand just making sure that they
know what's going on, if youhave any renovations coming up,
if you could provide collateralto them.
I think that one of the thingsthat has been really important
with our brand is that I've beenproviding the real estate
agents with a folder of ourprofessional photography to use
(27:34):
within their listings so thatthey're not coming into the club
using their photographers andshooting on a day that we have
the dining room a disasterbecause we just had a big event.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
Let's use this photography that we've already
approved eggs so good, andbecause or they just pull off
line and it's like an old,pixelated photo and you're like,
how are people still postingblurry photos in 2025 is beyond
me.
But yeah, and and and.
Do you do?
Some of them try to just like,show up to the club, like I'm
(28:12):
sure, like because you want tohave a little bit control of
that too, and some of them mustthink they can just show up and
oh, I have a listing here.
Let me let me in.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
Absolutely so.
I feel like the realtors.
They are sometimes the mostimportant component of our job,
but sometimes they can be thedeath of us for sure.
They do just show up andthere's ones that are really
really, really good at what theydo show up and and there's ones
that are really really reallygood at what they do.
(28:41):
Right, they know the industry,they know the club and they
reach out to you, they connectyou with their buyers, but then
there's ones that just don't,and those are the ones that are
doing a disservice to theirbuyers and those are the ones
that we, you know, prefer not towork with.
But yeah, it's just part of it.
But I think, getting back inconnection with them and really
(29:01):
just kind of, you know, I'vestarted sending them a monthly
email blast.
So, just as we would send ournewsletter to our members,
letting our members going on,let's let the realtors know
what's going on so that they caneducate their community.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
That's actually really good.
And the word that I'm, it'sjust being proactive, it's just
having a proactive approach,it's yeah, yeah.
And that email, that monthlyemail, is great Because even if
it's not an immediate fit, oreven if they don't have a
listing right now, most of thetime they're going to open up
(29:38):
the email.
So, whether it's a year fromnow, six months from now,
they're going to be getting thatinformation.
So let's just say they do get alisting there, they know about
the club, whether they like itor not, and they can talk to the
member or they could talk tothat buyer or those potential
buyers and being like, oh,because let's just even say they
can almost vet maybe them forthem, like they can almost be
(30:01):
part of that vetting process Ifthey're, oh, a family, this,
that it's like, listen, youwould not be a good fit for this
.
And I think that's a good realestate agent too, who will know
it's.
And same with a good membershipperson, same with a good
whatever it's knowing when youhave a good, a good potential
client and buyer or whatever,and being able to turn somebody
away or being able to not lose asale but to put ego everything
(30:26):
aside and going hey, listen, Iknow you love this house, I know
you have a family, but listen,this is not a family club
absolutely like you're, they'renot gonna be happy that your
kids are in there causing aruckus.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
It's so good, so good .
Speaker 1 (30:42):
Yeah, when you're working with your club, you work
with a lot of club membershippeople.
Is there anything that you seemore?
Speaker 2 (30:54):
common than not that they're just not doing.
Yeah, so I would definitely saythe lack of onboarding the new
members.
I feel like, as salespeople, weare under a lot of pressure to
make a specific goal, whateverthe board has set for us, our
general manager has set for us,and oftentimes when we're in
(31:15):
sales, it's like we made thesale and on to the next, on to
the next sale, and so what Ifeel like there's a lot of clubs
missing the boat on is takingthe time to onboard that new
member through either like a 90,120 day process and make sure
(31:37):
that they're fully integratedinto the club.
And I had made a post aboutthis on LinkedIn a couple of
days ago.
I don't know if you had seen it, but I just said you know what
are you guys doing to onboardyour members?
I got a ton of feedback on it.
Um, but yeah, um, we do the newmember orientation and that's
(32:00):
it.
But what we're doing, whatwe've seen, you know, be
successful, is well, automationhas been amazing, but what we
have done is we had created likea templated series of welcome
emails, and it will be one foreach department.
(32:21):
So one for the golf department,one for rackets, one for dining
, whatever amenity you have atyour club, and then over the
period of the next 90 days wetake those and we schedule them
out and those trickle to the newmembers.
So we're not giving them allthat information the day they
join, right, we're giving theman opportunity to get their feet
(32:43):
wet, check out the club, butthen also start to sprinkle in
the other amenities and then theother people like the
department heads at the club andthat's been very successful.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
Yeah, and I know I'm going to give a shout out to our
friends Sean Bly, I'll havemembers first.
They have a great new memberonboarding microsite and
platform that helps with a lotof that stuff too.
So they get it as well.
And that's key because youprobably see it and hear about
it from the membership peoplethat you have in your circle and
(33:16):
are just ones that aren't, butyou just hear about it.
It's what's onboarding?
They just sign up and that's it.
Like that's.
That's a little bit scary andyou're probably missing out on
so much opportunity andpotential.
I don't want to say business,but like revenue from those
members, cause you know, hey,maybe they do have an interest
in rackets but don't really knowit or it wasn't properly said
(33:38):
to them, and maybe they havealways heard about pickleball
but don't want to admit theywant to try pickleball.
But they got that email andit's, there's a picture of the
like pickleball director who'slike hey, come for like, a free
lesson or come hang out for 30minutes and all.
I don't know why I'm pointingbecause maybe they'll point the
photo but like no, it's stufflike that that like hey, you
know, welcome to the dining room, come in for a free glass of
(33:59):
wine to you know, try out ourwine.
It's stuff like I don't knowwhat the emails entail, but like
little things like that justreels them in more.
It gets them using the club,using the amenities, using the
things doing the thing.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
So you nailed it.
Okay, you got me really excited, like that's what we do, okay.
So if you just think about,maybe the new member joins and
they're more heavily golffocused, right, they come in,
it's all about the golf.
Well, you want to introducethem to our Sunday brunch, so
why not, like you said, invitethem for a complimentary brunch
for four?
(34:31):
And all of a sudden they comeand that's not maybe something
that was on the top of theirradar when they join, but they
come, they bring their friends,they see what an amazing
experience it is.
Now their friends areinterested in joining.
They were able to treat theirfriends because it was
complimentary.
I mean, that's what it is aboutis getting them into the club,
all aspects.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
There was.
So I love John Taffer, like Ilove Bar Rescue, I love, you
know, kitchen from gordon ramsay.
I love, like those are my likereality show jams.
I love all that crap.
Um, but it was, there was a uhand you you may have heard it I
don't know if it was a podcastepisode, a social media thing.
I think it was a mixture of allof them, but it was john taffer
(35:12):
talking to uh, gary v and andit was somebody called in and it
was so funny because this dude,he like wanted to talk and they
kept like shutting him up.
But it was this guy who ownedlike a barbecue restaurant
somewhere and he's like, hey,how can I help?
And John just took over and hegoes.
You know what you do if you're,if your restaurant's slow.
(35:34):
You read, you go on Instagram.
You find people in your areawho are posting doing stuff.
You invite them to yourrestaurant and say, hey, show
the manager or show the clerk,whatever the person up front.
I think it was like you go uporder and then your food's
brought to your table.
It's not like a fancy.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
Right.
Speaker 1 (35:53):
It's like order up top and go and sit down, show
this message to the manager andyou'll get a free brisket.
And I think the guy said hisbrisket cost him like seven
bucks or something.
So he goes up and it was thiswhole process, like, okay, the
manager is going to go, you'regoing to give him a red napkin.
(36:16):
And the whole staff knows ifthey have a red napkin that
means they're there, for it'stheir first time, it's their
free meal.
The manager knows because theperson taking the order gave
them the red napkin.
So the manager knows to go over.
Hey, this is your first timehere.
Oh, thank you so much forcoming.
How's, how's the brisket?
The brisket is great.
Hey, do you like chicken, lovechicken?
Hey, guess what, come back nexttime.
(36:37):
Half off chicken.
Here's, you know.
You take a business card, youwrite on the business card,
bring it up top half off chicken.
Now they come back again.
They give them the half offchicken.
There's another queue on theorder.
The manager knows hey, you cameback a second time.
How was the chicken?
Great, guess what.
Come back next time.
You get free, free pie.
And he gives them a note thinghey, so it.
(36:57):
Like it was this, like it justkept them coming back.
It was like this.
It was this onboarding of likeintegrating them into the
culture and like into the foodof the restaurant.
I just thought it was genius.
I will find it and send it toyou, because I my description
did not do it justice.
Speaker 2 (37:13):
No, it did do it justice.
No, I absolutely loved that.
Every bit of it.
It's it's.
That's definitely what it'sabout.
And circling back to you knowwhat you said before and, for
example, maybe Rackets wasn'ttop of mind when they first
joined, but you have that emailgoing out from your Rackets pro
and they're saying hey, you know, come join me for a 30 minute
(37:34):
complimentary lesson.
Now you're making thatconnection, You're offering that
opportunity.
I mean, I always just bring itback to like when you first join
or go to a new gym and youdon't know any of the equipment
and you don't know any of thetrainers and you don't know any
of the classes, it can be veryoverwhelming and it can be very
(37:54):
intimidating.
So somebody that actually takesthe time to walk you through
that over a period of X, y, zand it can be very intimidating.
So somebody that actually takesthe time to walk you through
that over a period of X, y, z,those are the people that are
going to be integrated into allof the things.
Speaker 1 (38:08):
This is music to my ears, this is so.
It's 100%.
I think, yeah, yeah.
And because it takes members,it could take a year or two to
kind of integrate and get a feeland learn the you know after
the first year, like, oh, that'swhat that event.
When you come back, you knowthe second year for, like you
know, whatever the big event was, like, oh, this is, and you
(38:29):
start getting the ball rolling.
So I think that's great to justhaving it set up 60 days, 90
days, and I'm sure you can goeven even further with it if you
want to get more into theanalytics of just checking oh,
did they open up that email?
Have they used it?
Going into their account andchecking and seeing, doing a
little bit of digging, doing alittle bit of work, really
making sure that they'reintegrating.
(38:50):
And if they're not trying tointegrate them, maybe send out
that email again or reach outpersonally.
Or you know, hey, what would itbe so wrong to have the?
Or maybe they open up all the,all the racket emails and you
can see that they open up butthey don't do anything.
Have the racket to send themlike a customized video.
Or say, hey, I saw, you know,even just being blunt, hey, I
(39:11):
saw you guys open up the emailsbut you never took action.
Why don't you come on out RightWorst?
Speaker 2 (39:18):
What's the worst that's going to happen.
No, that's such a personaltouch Like.
I mean that just means theworld to people, just people
taking the time, and I just feellike the more that you can
introduce that new member toevery team member of you know at
your club, that's justadditional ample opportunity to
get them involved.
(39:38):
Because you know your golf pro,your tennis people at your club
, that's just additional ampleopportunity to get them involved
because you know your golf pro,your tennis people, your
fitness people, they know whowould connect best with that new
member, they know all themembers right and they know the
circles that that new member canfit into.
And getting them involved inthat process really just it
allows it all to just workseamlessly.
Speaker 1 (40:00):
And going back to sales, sales is just the right
message to the right person atthe right time.
So when you kind of keep doingthose little touches, those
little things, it might not bethe right time when they sign up
, because it's the winter andthey're not thinking about it.
But guess what, in six months,when their best friend just
signed up for a pickleball thingand they're doing this now,
it's more like they're.
They're tough.
I don't want to keep bringingup pickleball, but like you know
(40:21):
when, when it's, you just start, you just keep those little
pings, those little, thoselittle drips going and you never
know when they're finally goingto pull that trigger and go.
Ah, you, absolutely yeah, aswe're starting to wrap up any
other last bit.
You're like a wealth ofknowledge when it comes to all
this, any other bits of business, any other things you want to
(40:49):
leave the people with.
Speaker 2 (40:57):
I mean, I think that it's important to continue to
strive to surprise and delightour members at the club, whether
they're new, whether they havebeen at the club for 20 years,
whatever it is.
I think in order to keep thingsyou know vibing, in order to
keep things popping, in order tokeep them excited, we have to
continue to surprise and delightthem in all ways.
So just getting creative withthat and having fun with it and
(41:22):
getting outside of your comfortzone and thinking of ways that
you can just add the littletouches, those are the things
that matter and those are thethings that that make being a
member of the club a an amazingexperience.
Speaker 1 (41:38):
And that's why they join a club.
That's why it's for thosemoments, for those things.
That is so what a great way toend.
Oh, this is killer.
Where can people learn moreabout you, Because you do some
cool stuff?
Tell the people about YOL in acircle.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
Yeah, so we meet monthly.
Virtually we do the innercircle.
Yeah, so we meet monthly where,uh, virtually we do the inner
circle.
It's a 30 minute kind of amastermind where we all get
together.
Um, we just joined together onzoom and we share a lot of
information.
Um, a lot of membershipprofessionals come on and share
what's working with them.
We have vendors come on andshare new products.
You know I am on social media.
(42:17):
Right now I'm pretty loud onLinkedIn, on Instagram, you can
always email me, melissa, atmelissahansoncom.
I'm happy to share anyinformation that I have and I
would love to connect.
I very much like you, denny.
I enjoy speaking to theincredible CMAA and PCMA
(42:39):
chapters around the country andI've done a lot of work recently
with the PGA and club andresort business coming up.
We have some things that we'regoing to be sprinkling out soon,
so it would be my pleasure towork with any of the chapters or
to speak with anyoneindividually.
Speaker 1 (42:59):
Thank you so much for coming on.
Really, really, reallyappreciate it.
Speaker 2 (43:02):
It was awesome.
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (43:05):
Hope you all enjoyed that episode.
I know I did so much fun, somuch energy and just great
conversation.
I love it.
Hope you all took somethingaway from it.
Want to learn more aboutMelissa Hansen?
Head on over tomelissahansencom from it.
If you want to learn more aboutMelissa Hanson, head on over to
melissahansoncom.
And, while you're at it, headon over to dennycorbycom to
learn about how to bring mymagic mind reading comedy show
to your club.
But if you're enjoying thecontent, a like, share,
(43:28):
subscribe, a five-star rating, areview, a share anything you
can do to help move the contentand channel forward means the
absolute world.
Enough about that, though.
That's this episode.
Until next time catch.
Hey everybody, welcome to the Private Club
Radio Show, where we give youthe scoop on all things private
golf and country clubs frommastering leadership and
management, food and beverageexcellence, member engagement
secrets, board governance andeverything in between, all while
keeping it fun and light.
Whether you're a club veteranjust getting your feet wet or
somewhere in the middle, you arein the right place.
(00:20):
I'm your host, denny Corby.
Welcome to the show In thisepisode.
Friends, buckle up.
This one is packed, jam-packedwith nuggets information with
one of my favorite people in theclub space, a friend of mine, a
friend of the industry and afriend of yours, melissa Hansen,
back on the show today.
As you know, she is an absolutepowerhouse in the world of
(00:43):
private club marketing,membership and communication.
She helps clubs with it, butshe's also in the trenches doing
it herself as membership andmarketing at the club at Old
Cypress in Florida, and shewalks the walk and she talks the
talk.
She's constantly lifting othersup across the industry with
ideas, insights and energy fordays.
(01:03):
Across the industry with ideas,insights and energy for days.
In this episode, we talk abouttrends, tools and what clubs
need to be doing right now tostay ahead, especially when it
comes to humanizing your brand,humanizing your club, onboarding
new members the right way andbuilding connections that
actually last with yourmembership and with your people.
And today Melissa shareseverything from how her team
uses AI to save time and sanityinto why your club's culture and
(01:27):
your club's identity should bevisible to a potential member
way before they even set foot onthe property.
So we also get intocollaborating with realtors, the
value of partnerships and howshe's automating a 90-day new
member onboarding experiencethat actually works.
So she's one of the mostthoughtful, creative and real
(01:48):
voices in the space.
I am super excited to have herback on.
Before we get to the episode, aquick thank you to some of our
show partners, some of which areactually also mentioned in the
episode as well, which is reallycool.
We have our friends, clubCapital Group Members, first
Member Vetting Golf LifeNavigators and Concert Golf
Partners.
Thank you all, as well asmyself.
(02:11):
The Denny Corby experiencethere's excitement, there's
mystery.
Also, there's magic, mindreading and comedy.
If you want to learn more, headon over to dennycorbycom.
Enough about all that, though.
This is about you all, thelisteners.
So Private Club Radio listeners.
Let's welcome back to the show.
Melissa Hansen.
Melissa always love to chitchat First off.
How are you, how are things?
Speaker 2 (02:32):
Things are good, things are busy.
I think down in Florida we arein like the peak and the height
of our season and it's been awild one.
All good things, we can'tcomplain.
But, um, definitely not enoughhours in the day, definitely
using a lot of ai uh in theworkflow just just to assist a
(02:55):
bit.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
yeah, yeah no, thanks for taking time out of the busy
.
I know it's a busy uh seasondown there.
What, uh, what?
What sort of ai tools are youusing and digging and what are
you using to your advantage?
Because I think sometimes tooand it didn't mean to interrupt,
I saw you're about to talk butdo you ever feel, and there's
people who use it and it almosttakes them more time because
they like, they use it almostlike too much and then they
(03:19):
spend too much time using it andnot enough time acting on it,
like they use it as like acrutch, not so much a tool?
What tools are you using andhow do you find to use it the
most effective?
Speaker 2 (03:31):
I think, like right now, just trying to work
together with the team to reallysimplify it.
I think it scares a lot ofpeople if you aren't familiar
with just simple tools like chat, gpt, like let's just start
there and something that wouldtake somebody in the club, you
know, 30 to 45 minutes to writea letter to somebody that we had
(03:51):
to suspend because they haven'tpaid their dues or somebody
that we had to suspend becauseof bad behavior.
It takes us a long time and alot of hours of our day to kind
of come up with a nice way towrite that.
So I feel in a professional wayto write that.
So I feel in a professional wayto write that.
So I feel just like reallysimplifying it with the team and
showing them how we can get ourthoughts in there, get our
(04:12):
prompts in there.
We can all just use it assimply as that.
I mean that can a beautifulnasty gram can go out in five
minutes, opposed to you havingto spend 30 to 45 minutes
writing it.
So just you know, simple,little time savers like that
yeah, what was?
Speaker 1 (04:30):
uh, something I read somewhere and I was like that is
genius, like a little likeprompt thing it was.
When you put in your prompts atthe end you have it ask you
questions and you say like now,ask me any questions to help
make the answer more.
Like I forget the exact phrase,but it was like now ask me any
questions to help make theanswer more.
Like I forget the exact phrase,but it was like now, ask me
(04:50):
questions that might help you,that help you, help it create a
better response.
So that's what I've been doingtoo and it's been creating some,
some semi decent stuff.
Speaker 2 (04:57):
That's awesome.
I feel like it's ever evolvingand we just have to continue to
learn and grow with it.
But I mean, it's been, it's,it's nice, it's been awesome,
and I feel like the team is isgetting their feet wet and like
slow and surely we're likegrowing together.
Speaker 1 (05:11):
So and using it as a tool and not just like, not just
the end, all be all.
I think some people you canjust tell just clearly, just
copy and paste and you're likeyou did not edit that at all,
Come on.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Right, right, come on .
Definitely has to be yourbrand's voice, for sure.
Speaker 1 (05:28):
Thousand percent, but I want to bring you on what are
some trends.
You got your ear to the ground,you got you know, your hand on
the pulse.
I don't know any other cool,cool phrases, but, like you know
so much about what's going on,you help others, you teach
others, you talk to others inthat space.
When it comes to clubmembership marketing, what are
(05:49):
the?
Because we're now into Marchwhenever this goes out, so we're
now into 2025.
What are the trends that you'reseeing?
What's the goods, what's thebads?
What are clubs using?
What are the goods?
Speaker 2 (06:01):
Yeah, so I love trends.
My favorite topic, I feel like2025, it's all about inserting
humanity in everything that wedo.
So, whether it is your clubcommunication, whether it is
your website, whether it is yoursocial media, whatever you have
going on your membership,marketing, communications, world
(06:21):
, inserting that humanity iswhat our members want to see,
Because, at the end of the day,they want to connect with people
.
They want to connect with thepeople at the club.
So I just feel like so many ofthe things that we might have
done traditionally, like thetraditional newsletter and this,
and that if we insert humanity,it's getting such a bigger and
(06:41):
better response.
So definitely start with, likeyou know, the website experience
and a prospective memberexperience when they're looking
to join your club.
I think you know, sandra out atin Concord.
How do you pronounce it?
Yes, yes, okay, like.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Cause, like when you like so many.
It took me, I think, just untillike last, last month to say it
properly.
I was like nah, cause there'slike letters in places that
shouldn't be.
Speaker 2 (07:11):
Yeah, yeah, okay, well, she, sandra she is a rock
star when it comes to her club'swebsite and the digital
experience that she is providingto your prospective members.
She's just one example, andI've oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Yeah, I was gonna say , like, what do you mean by
humanity?
Like, because I think, likesome people are like, oh yeah,
like I get it.
But like what does that?
What does humanity mean?
Like, what does that word mean?
Is it like more friendly words?
Is it, you know, using realphotos instead of stock photo?
Like, what does humanity mean?
Speaker 2 (07:43):
No, that's a great question.
I feel like using your peoplein the club.
So, for example, if we talkabout the website, you know one
of the most important things Ifeel like is having a meet the
team on the website.
So allow your perspectivemembers to get to know the
(08:03):
people within the club beforethey're stepping foot for a tour
.
You know, as soon as I have aprospect, come in because my
face is all over the websitethey walk into the club and
they're like, oh my God, youmust be Melissa and they feel
like they already have thatconnection.
Then, when I continue to sendout emails to the prospective
members, you know, having yourface on it, having it, you know,
from Melissa or from whoeveryour golf pro or whoever that is
(08:24):
inserting that person wherethey feel like there is a
connection is going to make astronger bond.
So one of the things thatSandra does we utilize it at our
club is a live chat on thewebsite.
So you go on, it's got ourpicture.
It says, hey, we're ready tochat with you.
And so all of a sudden they popon our website and they are
(08:46):
live with Sandra and I and we'rejust receiving this via our
text message and all of a suddenthere's just that sense of
connection.
You feel like you're textingthe membership director,
membership representative at theclub.
Another thing when it comes to,you know, inserting humanity, if
you will, is just when you goto promote your events at the
(09:08):
club, instead of just puttingout a flyer, having one of your
team members dive intopotentially what events they're
most excited about that monthand why or maybe, if they've
done that event in the past, whyit was so successful Just
really taking those amazing teammembers that you have and
(09:28):
utilizing them 100%, becausethen it shows the teams involved
how many times I think somepeople are afraid of that
because the rest of the teamdoesn't know what's going on in
the club and there's that zerocommunication going on, almost
Right, yeah, which is, I hate tosay it, but I think, maybe a
(09:49):
little bit more common than we'dlike to admit.
Speaker 1 (09:51):
But it's nice seeing there's a lot more clubs I love
seeing it on LinkedIn andInstagram a lot more clubs doing
video work and I don't want tosay the word cute, but you can
tell when, like someone's likenew and anxious on it and
they're like hi.
I'm cute, but you can tell whenlike someone's like new and
anxious on it and they're likehi, I'm bill, I'm the golf pro,
we're gonna, you could just tell.
But it's like, oh, at leastthey're doing it, like, at least
(10:12):
they're doing it, putting itout there and you can, you can
tell by the like response peoplelove it, they love it.
Did you see what?
Um, oh, kent did for, uh,baltimore country club when?
he did the he did the uh voicething.
So they, they, they, uh, he.
I was talking about.
It was awesome, the.
If you go on uh baltimorecountry club's instagram, they,
(10:34):
he goes.
You know the.
The team was like kent, just uh, uh, sit down.
They.
They blindfolded him and theyput all the staff in a row
behind him and they and theytalked and he had to guess who
the who the staff member was.
It was just like so dumb but socute, but like engagement was
through the roof.
It was amazing.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
And that's what.
That's exactly what we'reseeing and I think you know
that's the lesson that I'velearned from at least running
the social pages for the past.
You know, decade is that socialis such a fun way to test
things and test what youraudience wants to see.
But like you post a picture ofthe golf course or the dining
room or whatever it is and youget some engagement, but all of
a sudden you post a meet theteam or here's our team and
(11:17):
we're bonding together to getthrough a tough season, all of a
sudden you go from having 20likes to a hundred and something
likes Like people wanna be withthe people and see the people.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Yeah, and it's not even about the, the light.
It's just about, like, lettingthem inside.
Like, who are the people whoare here working for us?
It's not even who's the word.
Hey, here's some stuff aboutthe members Like you're, you
have a small community.
Like, yeah, so yeah, that's gotit.
So that's, that's cool.
What else?
Speaker 2 (11:47):
All right Trends.
Um, I would say so.
I mean, we're talking aboutsocial media a little bit.
Um, I would say that, um, I Ihad a good quote that came
across my Instagram page thatI'm going to share with you, and
it says competition happens atthe bottom.
The people at the top arecollaborating and I truly
(12:10):
believe that is the number onething right now is collaboration
.
There are some clubs that haveunderstood this and they're just
taking this and running with it.
One of my friends out inPennsylvania I don't know if you
know Mazalem Springs, MazalemSprings, Crystal Knoll she's
done a really great jobpartnering with influencers in
(12:31):
the community.
So, whether those are golfinfluencers, whether it's the
Chamber of Commerce or whatever,to create that brand awareness
around the club, we're justseeing such a bigger response
when we start to collab insteadof thinking as other people and
businesses, as competition.
Speaker 1 (12:51):
I like that a lot and you, being in Florida, are you
seeing anything in the realestate side?
Because real estate and clubsis big in Florida.
Speaker 2 (13:01):
Yes, so I think you know my friend Jason Becker.
Speaker 1 (13:04):
The man Golf golf navigators, yep.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
So we have just signed on recently to collab
with them.
Our yeah, our club is collabingwith them.
They do, you know, an awesomerollout of like these feature
club Fridays where they havethis massive database of people
that are looking to get intoprivate clubs that are attached
to real estate communities and Iknow they just they did our
(13:32):
club so it went really well.
They did a feature club Fridayand they send it out to their
database who have filled outtheir forms and they just get
all that information right tothem.
And we had a ton of leads comein from the program that now
we're continuing to foster.
But it was something that we hadset aside for so many years, I
(13:52):
think you know, obviously themarket has shifted a little bit.
So sitting back and justrealizing that, okay, now we
have to collab in order tothings to continue to thrive.
On the membership side ofthings, it it can be an
adjustment for some people.
You know they might not beready.
Clubs boards, general managersmight not be ready, but I think
(14:15):
those are the clubs that aregoing to succeed, are the ones
that are willing to to do that.
Speaker 1 (14:20):
Adapt or die?
Yeah sure.
Yeah, things, things are, wouldyou say, like leveling back out
, like it's not as, what's theword?
Almost, maybe not robust, but Idon't know where I'm trying to
get at.
Speaker 2 (14:35):
but yeah, it's, it's definitely leveling out.
Um, you know, I think everymarket is different, um, but I
think, as far as real estate,we're seeing homes that are on
the market now for three to fourmonths instead of them going in
three to four hours, exactly,and so, and there's some
negotiation going on now andthere's people that are, you
(14:57):
know, coming in and you know,actually checking out the club
and making sure that that is theright fit before they make that
real estate decision.
So it's actually been reallynice because it allows us the
opportunity to get to know thebuyer again and see if that
buyer is a fit for your club.
Yeah, I felt like before it wassuch a whirlwind and it was just
(15:23):
like you know.
They were in and out and it washappening so fast and a lot of
people came in that that mightnot necessarily have been a fit
to the current club's culture.
Speaker 1 (15:34):
And I think when we you go back to that word
humanity, that's what helps youseparate from other clubs and
get your club's personality outthere.
So you are attracting the rightpeople.
Because if you, you know, putup this, you know, very
exquisite, high profile club,very exclusive, but you know,
(15:54):
but really you're this reallyfun club, but your website and
everything else is like thisstandoffish.
You know, has, like you know,your club as RBF, you know so,
so has your club as RBF, so tospeak.
But when you can put out thepersonality and you can show
here's who we are, here's how weare, it helps both sides.
It attracts the right peopleand detracts the wrong people.
Speaker 2 (16:17):
Yeah, absolutely, and that's so important, right?
So in my office I have this bigscreen TV and I scroll on there
all the photos of the eventsthat we have and our people are.
They're a blast, they're somuch fun, but it's very
different than, let's say, likeyou've been out to Ben
(16:37):
Lorenzen's club at Champions Run.
It's going to be a verydifferent vibe than that, but
it's more so, like I would say,an older demographic reentering
college again, if you will.
Okay.
Speaker 1 (16:48):
That's a great way to put it Okay, amazing.
Speaker 2 (16:53):
And so I am in the background of my office.
These photos are scrolling, youknow, and the prospective
member is seeing, you know,everyone dressed up for the 70s
theme, everyone dressed up for,you know, disco, and you know,
in the 50s theme or whatever wehave going on, and they can
decide if that's the right vibefor them.
(17:15):
So I've had these members thathave come to the club, you know,
over the past two or threeyears and they say, you know,
we're not attending these eventsbecause we're not, you know,
really big into dressing up andthemes, and I feel like maybe I
almost did a disservice by notsharing who our membership was
(17:36):
before allowing them in, becausethat's who we are at our club,
you know, yeah.
Speaker 1 (17:41):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (17:42):
And it has to be a match on both sides.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
But also shame on them a little bit too, because
you can still go and not have todress up and still have a good
time.
Right, there's people who go tocostume parties just dressed as
themselves.
But you know, I think there'speople who still go to that
stuff and have a good time.
But, yeah, shame on them, butno, that's the perfect way to
put it and that's such a greatidea about putting that screen
and back so that, as you'resitting there talking and going
(18:07):
through it and to, I don't knowif this is maybe off topic or
not, but it is finding makingsure the people are the right
fit.
And I think sometimes, as maybeclub membership people, you just
want all the members,especially if you don't have a
wait list and you're reallytrying to get numbers up.
(18:28):
You just want everybody andthey put on that hard sell.
And for me, I don't think aclub membership should have to
be a hard sell, meaning like anaggressive sales like hey, close
today, sign on the dot.
Almost like buying a car shouldbe an experience.
It should make sure that theright people are coming in and
you have that great connectionand they're excited and you're
(18:50):
excited and it's like did wejust become?
Speaker 2 (18:52):
friends?
Yeah, absolutely.
And at the end of the day,those are the people that you're
going to retain right, becauseif they aren't a fit and if they
aren't like the current culturethat you have, those are the
people that are going to end upleaving, because it's just not
the vibe.
Speaker 1 (19:08):
Yeah, have.
Have you gotten you know?
Have you gotten better?
Like and I'm assuming like theanswer is like yes, but like
with all this stuff, like areyou pretty good at and and do
you tell people like I don'tthink you're going to be a good
fit here, like, have you hadthose conversations where people
are like we want to join andyou're like based?
Speaker 2 (19:28):
off what you told me, I don't think you're going to
have that that much fun.
Definitely.
Don't say it like that, but Ijust say so, have you?
Are you looking at any otherclubs you know in the area?
And if they say you know no,then I'll say definitely, like,
based off our conversations, Ifeel like you should check out
XYZ Club and this other clubbecause I think that that might
(19:51):
be worth looking into.
It might, you know, check a lotof the boxes, that of the
things that you're looking for.
So I definitely do that and Ithink, as a membership
professional, it's so importantto just know your market and
know that, like, yes, myself andfive other clubs.
If we're looking on aspreadsheet, it could look like
apples to apples, but at the endof the day, the vibe in each of
(20:14):
those clubs are so verydifferent from each other and I
feel like I'm so close and I'mbest friends with half the
people in my position at theseother clubs and just call them
up and be like hey, this is nota fit for us, but this is
definitely a fit for you and wedo that, denny, like we really
do that that has to be so coolfor the, for the membership to,
(20:35):
or for that potential member togo like, wait, what Like?
Speaker 1 (20:38):
that has to be a cool feeling for them.
Like you can already tell myperson, like you know, I'm going
to be a good fit over there.
Like's just cool, and to kindof circle back.
That's sort of why I like JasonBeck, that's why I like Golf
Life Navigator, because it'sZillow meets eHarmony for people
who want to be in a club.
And you fill out this glorifieddating profile Because you put
(21:00):
in like, oh, I like walking, Idon't care about the flowers, I
like that.
You know you put in all thatstuff and it matches you with
the right club like or promptsyou like hey, these are like
your top choices based offeverything you told us.
Yeah, you should, you shouldreach out, and that's it's game
changer.
Speaker 2 (21:17):
Yeah, it's a great place to start, you know, for
the prospects, because it atleast gives them you know the
top three that they need tostart looking at, or the top
five that they need to startlooking at, and then they can
check it out and narrow it downfrom there.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
And I think it at least gives them the sense like
if it goes, oh, these, and thenthey can kind of see, like, oh,
these clubs, they can get a feelfor that style, that vibe.
So then when they see anotherclub, like, oh, cause, maybe
some of them may have not been amember of a club before or
maybe you know, so they mightnot have or you know they
haven't had that type ofexperience.
Speaker 2 (21:46):
I think it helps, helps them as well figure out
what, what they want, and maketheir, their life a little bit
easier and it's so differentbecause they're all coming from
different areas of the countryand you know how it is in one
state is completely differentthan it is in another.
And so I think just you knowNyou know, assisting them and
navigating that process is soessential because it is so
(22:11):
different.
You know, it's definitelydifferent.
Speaker 1 (22:13):
It has to be a little bit tough in Florida with so
many options Like it's veryoverwhelming yes For some people
.
Speaker 2 (22:21):
Yeah, the market, it's an oversaturated market and
you know you have a hundredprivate clubs, and so where do I
begin?
Speaker 1 (22:30):
and, um, yeah, their platform is really great at
narrowing that down yeah, yeahand uh, you know, I think,
helping you know, in the sametoken, shameless plug to one of
our, both of our friends uh,paul dank, member, member
vetting, helping people, makingsure that the right people come
into the right club.
Uh, danky, doodle dandy, I lovepaul dank paul is the best.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
Um, member vetting is just a game changer.
I feel like denny so many ofthese they're having issues when
it comes to behavior of theirmembers, things that they're
finding out after the membersget in, where they're having to
have, like these behavioralcommittees and they're having to
spend so much of their timefocusing on what is taking place
(23:20):
at the club where I feel likeif your club does go through a
process like member vetting,feel like if your club does go
through a process like membervetting, a lot of that stuff
could have been avoided.
Um, maybe those people couldhave been avoided.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
Uh, I think you know oh yeah, oh yeah and uh, we, we
have plenty of episodes here onprivate club radio of member
vetting.
I mean there's the, the, thestuff that he's found the
stories are are some of them Icouldn't even air, like they
were about to air.
He's like, actually, can youtake that out?
I'm like ugh, just because,like he didn't want to put it
out, but like stuff that theyfind is absolutely ridiculous
(23:55):
and it's just making sure it'sjust fact-checking, like they're
not doing anything out of theordinary.
It's just, you know, becauseGoogle is only 5% of the
internet, 3% of the internet.
Speaker 2 (24:03):
Mind-blowing FYI.
Speaker 1 (24:06):
I know.
Speaker 2 (24:06):
I know.
Speaker 1 (24:07):
And it's just you know, and it's just whatever the
applicant puts on thatapplication, they're just
fact-checking it and making surethey are who they say they are
and peeling back the layers,peeling back the onion, just
yeah, like finding people's andI think he even said like most
people are good.
Right and it's not up to themto decide if they're in or not.
(24:29):
They just present theinformation back going hey,
here's this and then here's acouple maybe yellow or red flags
, or here's a couple things youmight want to run your eyes over
.
Um, yeah, they're.
They're so good at what they do.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Oh, my goodness every time I go to introduce him to
someone.
I was like, just start bysharing one of your stories,
because the stories of what theyhave found is just eye-opening.
I mean, it's not yourtraditional background check.
Speaker 1 (24:56):
No, I mean, they can do it, but there's layers to it,
right, it's oh, I love me some,paul Dank.
And why more clubs don't use it?
I think I can.
I think I can understand why.
Because it is a little bitscary, um, or could be perceived
as scary, and you know if, if,if you're a member and I and I
recommend a friend, and all of asudden now you know, maybe this
(25:20):
friend isn't a good fit, butgranted, all that stays
confidential in, like you know,in the process and stuff.
But like I, I can understandwhy clubs do and don't use it,
but why more don't?
Because you don't have to useall the layers of the service.
You can kind of pick and chooseand bang for buck.
Oh my.
Speaker 2 (25:37):
God.
Speaker 1 (25:38):
It's not expensive.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
No brainer.
Speaker 1 (25:42):
No, zero brainer, zero brainer.
Yeah, paul Dank, remember him.
Tell him you heard about usthrough private club radio and
melissa hansen, and he will havethe best stories.
And he's a bulldog lover too.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
He has two adorable frenchies, so oh, shout out to
him all right uh, what else dowe got?
Speaker 1 (26:01):
I know you said there were some other real estate
stuff we were we were talkingabout earlier too.
Speaker 2 (26:06):
Yes, so when I sat, I sat down with Jason Becker a
couple, I think a week or twoago.
We had coffee and we were justtalking about the importance of
membership directors gettingback connected in the real
estate community, especiallywhen your club does have that
real estate component.
I think that one of the thingsthat you know we were just the
(26:29):
market was so robust, as you hadmentioned, we had kind of maybe
just stepped away from that.
I know I have a good frienddown here, kelsey Collins.
She's at the Oaks Club and shejust had this huge realtor
breakfast where she invited allof these agents in the Sarasota
community to come to her club tohear from her.
(26:50):
This is what we're doing.
She sold the club to them sothat they could then sell the
club to their people and we'vegone away from that.
I know that I personally have,and so what I do now is that as
soon as we know that we have alisting on the market, I reach
out to that agent who has thelisting and we start and we make
(27:12):
a connection from the beginningand just making sure that they
know what's going on, if youhave any renovations coming up,
if you could provide collateralto them.
I think that one of the thingsthat has been really important
with our brand is that I've beenproviding the real estate
agents with a folder of ourprofessional photography to use
(27:34):
within their listings so thatthey're not coming into the club
using their photographers andshooting on a day that we have
the dining room a disasterbecause we just had a big event.
Speaker 1 (27:50):
Let's use this photography that we've already
approved eggs so good, andbecause or they just pull off
line and it's like an old,pixelated photo and you're like,
how are people still postingblurry photos in 2025 is beyond
me.
But yeah, and and and.
Do you do?
Some of them try to just like,show up to the club, like I'm
(28:12):
sure, like because you want tohave a little bit control of
that too, and some of them mustthink they can just show up and
oh, I have a listing here.
Let me let me in.
Speaker 2 (28:20):
Absolutely so.
I feel like the realtors.
They are sometimes the mostimportant component of our job,
but sometimes they can be thedeath of us for sure.
They do just show up andthere's ones that are really
really, really good at what theydo show up and and there's ones
that are really really reallygood at what they do.
(28:41):
Right, they know the industry,they know the club and they
reach out to you, they connectyou with their buyers, but then
there's ones that just don't,and those are the ones that are
doing a disservice to theirbuyers and those are the ones
that we, you know, prefer not towork with.
But yeah, it's just part of it.
But I think, getting back inconnection with them and really
(29:01):
just kind of, you know, I'vestarted sending them a monthly
email blast.
So, just as we would send ournewsletter to our members,
letting our members going on,let's let the realtors know
what's going on so that they caneducate their community.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
That's actually really good.
And the word that I'm, it'sjust being proactive, it's just
having a proactive approach,it's yeah, yeah.
And that email, that monthlyemail, is great Because even if
it's not an immediate fit, oreven if they don't have a
listing right now, most of thetime they're going to open up
(29:38):
the email.
So, whether it's a year fromnow, six months from now,
they're going to be getting thatinformation.
So let's just say they do get alisting there, they know about
the club, whether they like itor not, and they can talk to the
member or they could talk tothat buyer or those potential
buyers and being like, oh,because let's just even say they
can almost vet maybe them forthem, like they can almost be
(30:01):
part of that vetting process Ifthey're, oh, a family, this,
that it's like, listen, youwould not be a good fit for this
.
And I think that's a good realestate agent too, who will know
it's.
And same with a good membershipperson, same with a good
whatever it's knowing when youhave a good, a good potential
client and buyer or whatever,and being able to turn somebody
away or being able to not lose asale but to put ego everything
(30:26):
aside and going hey, listen, Iknow you love this house, I know
you have a family, but listen,this is not a family club
absolutely like you're, they'renot gonna be happy that your
kids are in there causing aruckus.
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2 (30:40):
It's so good, so good .
Speaker 1 (30:42):
Yeah, when you're working with your club, you work
with a lot of club membershippeople.
Is there anything that you seemore?
Speaker 2 (30:54):
common than not that they're just not doing.
Yeah, so I would definitely saythe lack of onboarding the new
members.
I feel like, as salespeople, weare under a lot of pressure to
make a specific goal, whateverthe board has set for us, our
general manager has set for us,and oftentimes when we're in
(31:15):
sales, it's like we made thesale and on to the next, on to
the next sale, and so what Ifeel like there's a lot of clubs
missing the boat on is takingthe time to onboard that new
member through either like a 90,120 day process and make sure
(31:37):
that they're fully integratedinto the club.
And I had made a post aboutthis on LinkedIn a couple of
days ago.
I don't know if you had seen it, but I just said you know what
are you guys doing to onboardyour members?
I got a ton of feedback on it.
Um, but yeah, um, we do the newmember orientation and that's
(32:00):
it.
But what we're doing, whatwe've seen, you know, be
successful, is well, automationhas been amazing, but what we
have done is we had created likea templated series of welcome
emails, and it will be one foreach department.
(32:21):
So one for the golf department,one for rackets, one for dining
, whatever amenity you have atyour club, and then over the
period of the next 90 days wetake those and we schedule them
out and those trickle to the newmembers.
So we're not giving them allthat information the day they
join, right, we're giving theman opportunity to get their feet
(32:43):
wet, check out the club, butthen also start to sprinkle in
the other amenities and then theother people like the
department heads at the club andthat's been very successful.
Speaker 1 (32:55):
Yeah, and I know I'm going to give a shout out to our
friends Sean Bly, I'll havemembers first.
They have a great new memberonboarding microsite and
platform that helps with a lotof that stuff too.
So they get it as well.
And that's key because youprobably see it and hear about
it from the membership peoplethat you have in your circle and
(33:16):
are just ones that aren't, butyou just hear about it.
It's what's onboarding?
They just sign up and that's it.
Like that's.
That's a little bit scary andyou're probably missing out on
so much opportunity andpotential.
I don't want to say business,but like revenue from those
members, cause you know, hey,maybe they do have an interest
in rackets but don't really knowit or it wasn't properly said
(33:38):
to them, and maybe they havealways heard about pickleball
but don't want to admit theywant to try pickleball.
But they got that email andit's, there's a picture of the
like pickleball director who'slike hey, come for like, a free
lesson or come hang out for 30minutes and all.
I don't know why I'm pointingbecause maybe they'll point the
photo but like no, it's stufflike that that like hey, you
know, welcome to the dining room, come in for a free glass of
(33:59):
wine to you know, try out ourwine.
It's stuff like I don't knowwhat the emails entail, but like
little things like that justreels them in more.
It gets them using the club,using the amenities, using the
things doing the thing.
Speaker 2 (34:10):
So you nailed it.
Okay, you got me really excited, like that's what we do, okay.
So if you just think about,maybe the new member joins and
they're more heavily golffocused, right, they come in,
it's all about the golf.
Well, you want to introducethem to our Sunday brunch, so
why not, like you said, invitethem for a complimentary brunch
for four?
(34:31):
And all of a sudden they comeand that's not maybe something
that was on the top of theirradar when they join, but they
come, they bring their friends,they see what an amazing
experience it is.
Now their friends areinterested in joining.
They were able to treat theirfriends because it was
complimentary.
I mean, that's what it is aboutis getting them into the club,
all aspects.
Speaker 1 (34:51):
There was.
So I love John Taffer, like Ilove Bar Rescue, I love, you
know, kitchen from gordon ramsay.
I love, like those are my likereality show jams.
I love all that crap.
Um, but it was, there was a uhand you you may have heard it I
don't know if it was a podcastepisode, a social media thing.
I think it was a mixture of allof them, but it was john taffer
(35:12):
talking to uh, gary v and andit was somebody called in and it
was so funny because this dude,he like wanted to talk and they
kept like shutting him up.
But it was this guy who ownedlike a barbecue restaurant
somewhere and he's like, hey,how can I help?
And John just took over and hegoes.
You know what you do if you're,if your restaurant's slow.
(35:34):
You read, you go on Instagram.
You find people in your areawho are posting doing stuff.
You invite them to yourrestaurant and say, hey, show
the manager or show the clerk,whatever the person up front.
I think it was like you go uporder and then your food's
brought to your table.
It's not like a fancy.
Speaker 2 (35:53):
Right.
Speaker 1 (35:53):
It's like order up top and go and sit down, show
this message to the manager andyou'll get a free brisket.
And I think the guy said hisbrisket cost him like seven
bucks or something.
So he goes up and it was thiswhole process, like, okay, the
manager is going to go, you'regoing to give him a red napkin.
(36:16):
And the whole staff knows ifthey have a red napkin that
means they're there, for it'stheir first time, it's their
free meal.
The manager knows because theperson taking the order gave
them the red napkin.
So the manager knows to go over.
Hey, this is your first timehere.
Oh, thank you so much forcoming.
How's, how's the brisket?
The brisket is great.
Hey, do you like chicken, lovechicken?
Hey, guess what, come back nexttime.
(36:37):
Half off chicken.
Here's, you know.
You take a business card, youwrite on the business card,
bring it up top half off chicken.
Now they come back again.
They give them the half offchicken.
There's another queue on theorder.
The manager knows hey, you cameback a second time.
How was the chicken?
Great, guess what.
Come back next time.
You get free, free pie.
And he gives them a note thinghey, so it.
(36:57):
Like it was this, like it justkept them coming back.
It was like this.
It was this onboarding of likeintegrating them into the
culture and like into the foodof the restaurant.
I just thought it was genius.
I will find it and send it toyou, because I my description
did not do it justice.
Speaker 2 (37:13):
No, it did do it justice.
No, I absolutely loved that.
Every bit of it.
It's it's.
That's definitely what it'sabout.
And circling back to you knowwhat you said before and, for
example, maybe Rackets wasn'ttop of mind when they first
joined, but you have that emailgoing out from your Rackets pro
and they're saying hey, you know, come join me for a 30 minute
(37:34):
complimentary lesson.
Now you're making thatconnection, You're offering that
opportunity.
I mean, I always just bring itback to like when you first join
or go to a new gym and youdon't know any of the equipment
and you don't know any of thetrainers and you don't know any
of the classes, it can be veryoverwhelming and it can be very
(37:54):
intimidating.
So somebody that actually takesthe time to walk you through
that over a period of X, y, zand it can be very intimidating.
So somebody that actually takesthe time to walk you through
that over a period of X, y, z,those are the people that are
going to be integrated into allof the things.
Speaker 1 (38:08):
This is music to my ears, this is so.
It's 100%.
I think, yeah, yeah.
And because it takes members,it could take a year or two to
kind of integrate and get a feeland learn the you know after
the first year, like, oh, that'swhat that event.
When you come back, you knowthe second year for, like you
know, whatever the big event was, like, oh, this is, and you
(38:29):
start getting the ball rolling.
So I think that's great to justhaving it set up 60 days, 90
days, and I'm sure you can goeven even further with it if you
want to get more into theanalytics of just checking oh,
did they open up that email?
Have they used it?
Going into their account andchecking and seeing, doing a
little bit of digging, doing alittle bit of work, really
making sure that they'reintegrating.
(38:50):
And if they're not trying tointegrate them, maybe send out
that email again or reach outpersonally.
Or you know, hey, what would itbe so wrong to have the?
Or maybe they open up all the,all the racket emails and you
can see that they open up butthey don't do anything.
Have the racket to send themlike a customized video.
Or say, hey, I saw, you know,even just being blunt, hey, I
(39:11):
saw you guys open up the emailsbut you never took action.
Why don't you come on out RightWorst?
Speaker 2 (39:18):
What's the worst that's going to happen.
No, that's such a personaltouch Like.
I mean that just means theworld to people, just people
taking the time, and I just feellike the more that you can
introduce that new member toevery team member of you know at
your club, that's justadditional ample opportunity to
get them involved.
(39:38):
Because you know your golf pro,your tennis people at your club
, that's just additional ampleopportunity to get them involved
because you know your golf pro,your tennis people, your
fitness people, they know whowould connect best with that new
member, they know all themembers right and they know the
circles that that new member canfit into.
And getting them involved inthat process really just it
allows it all to just workseamlessly.
Speaker 1 (40:00):
And going back to sales, sales is just the right
message to the right person atthe right time.
So when you kind of keep doingthose little touches, those
little things, it might not bethe right time when they sign up
, because it's the winter andthey're not thinking about it.
But guess what, in six months,when their best friend just
signed up for a pickleball thingand they're doing this now,
it's more like they're.
They're tough.
I don't want to keep bringingup pickleball, but like you know
(40:21):
when, when it's, you just start, you just keep those little
pings, those little, thoselittle drips going and you never
know when they're finally goingto pull that trigger and go.
Ah, you, absolutely yeah, aswe're starting to wrap up any
other last bit.
You're like a wealth ofknowledge when it comes to all
this, any other bits of business, any other things you want to
(40:49):
leave the people with.
Speaker 2 (40:57):
I mean, I think that it's important to continue to
strive to surprise and delightour members at the club, whether
they're new, whether they havebeen at the club for 20 years,
whatever it is.
I think in order to keep thingsyou know vibing, in order to
keep things popping, in order tokeep them excited, we have to
continue to surprise and delightthem in all ways.
So just getting creative withthat and having fun with it and
(41:22):
getting outside of your comfortzone and thinking of ways that
you can just add the littletouches, those are the things
that matter and those are thethings that that make being a
member of the club a an amazingexperience.
Speaker 1 (41:38):
And that's why they join a club.
That's why it's for thosemoments, for those things.
That is so what a great way toend.
Oh, this is killer.
Where can people learn moreabout you, Because you do some
cool stuff?
Tell the people about YOL in acircle.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
Yeah, so we meet monthly.
Virtually we do the innercircle.
Yeah, so we meet monthly where,uh, virtually we do the inner
circle.
It's a 30 minute kind of amastermind where we all get
together.
Um, we just joined together onzoom and we share a lot of
information.
Um, a lot of membershipprofessionals come on and share
what's working with them.
We have vendors come on andshare new products.
You know I am on social media.
(42:17):
Right now I'm pretty loud onLinkedIn, on Instagram, you can
always email me, melissa, atmelissahansoncom.
I'm happy to share anyinformation that I have and I
would love to connect.
I very much like you, denny.
I enjoy speaking to theincredible CMAA and PCMA
(42:39):
chapters around the country andI've done a lot of work recently
with the PGA and club andresort business coming up.
We have some things that we'regoing to be sprinkling out soon,
so it would be my pleasure towork with any of the chapters or
to speak with anyoneindividually.
Speaker 1 (42:59):
Thank you so much for coming on.
Really, really, reallyappreciate it.
Speaker 2 (43:02):
It was awesome.
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 1 (43:05):
Hope you all enjoyed that episode.
I know I did so much fun, somuch energy and just great
conversation.
I love it.
Hope you all took somethingaway from it.
Want to learn more aboutMelissa Hansen?
Head on over tomelissahansencom from it.
If you want to learn more aboutMelissa Hanson, head on over to
melissahansoncom.
And, while you're at it, headon over to dennycorbycom to
learn about how to bring mymagic mind reading comedy show
to your club.
But if you're enjoying thecontent, a like, share,
(43:28):
subscribe, a five-star rating, areview, a share anything you
can do to help move the contentand channel forward means the
absolute world.
Enough about that, though.
That's this episode.
Until next time catch.
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