A Few Ideas to Keep Members Coming Through the Door
Many golf and country club owners look at winter and early spring as the off-season. While it’s true that your front door traffic will probably slow with snow on the ground, there are still ways to bring members and their friends through the door and keep your club on their minds. The holiday season provides a few golden opportunities. But Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve are only three days. Don’t forget, there are other holidays mixed in there and, with a little creativity, you can come up with a few of your own.
Sales & Promotions
Big, pre-Christmas sales always bring a little extra revenue through the door. A clearance event also provides the opportunity to clear out some of last year’s merchandise if you have some hanging around. The pre-Christmas season is also a great time to offer special discounts on memberships and lessons. It never hurts to get your members thinking about the upcoming season early.
Special Dinners
Special dinner events also bring guests through the door, keep your club on their minds, generate a little additional revenue, and bring in new members. Treat your members and their guests to a beautiful holiday spread with all the trimmings and add a charity component. A fundraiser or a “Toys for Tots” event is always well-appreciated this time of year. You can also get a little more creative. Invite your guests to don their cabana-wear for a taste of the Caribbean in the middle of winter. Murder Mystery dinners have become extremely popular in recent years — doesn’t a cold winter night seem like the perfect setting for your own murder mystery?
Other Holidays
The Holiday Season doesn’t end at midnight on December 25th. In fact, winter is just getting started — you still have a lot of shoulder season to plan for. A New Year’s Day Champagne Brunch is always a big hit, and shouldn’t your club be the place your members start the new year? You can also plan to pack ‘em in for beers and a bar-food buffet on Super Bowl Sunday in early February. Plan a Mardi Gras celebration for the first week in March and a big Irish dinner for St. Patrick’s Day. Of course, Mom always enjoys brunch on Mother’s Day…
Weekly Events
Another great way to attract members and their friends and families to your club during the winter is with a recurring event night. Clubs and resorts with a large patio area are perfect for a weekly concert series. Who doesn’t love live music? If it makes more sense to keep your guests inside for a weekly event, maybe a themed movie night is the answer. Give your guests a chance to see their favorites on the big screen. Just screen Caddyshack and they’ll come running!
Winter can be a real challenge if your club bases a large percentage of its business on summer sports like golf, tennis, and swimming. There are ways to make the most of the shoulder season, however, it just takes a little creativity. If it sounds like a fun idea to you, chances are it will sound like a fun idea to your members. Good luck and happy holidays!