Exactly what are we selling?

Although we are on most golfers’ bucket list, it wasn’t enough to bring in new members.

Our membership population levels, like most clubs, were adversely affected by the 2008’s economic downturn. During this same time period, we invested in remodeling Course #3, and hosted the 2012 Ryder Cup, which offered worldwide media coverage and the largest attendance in Ryder Cup history. Aside from the very real impacts of the 2008 economic crisis, the answer to increasing private club memberships today is as complex as it is simple.

Although it is true in human nature that we are attracted to what is popular and/or prestigious, this is not the rooted, driving force that propels an individual to join a country club. When we talk about our golf courses, our history, our iconic clubhouse and all the high-profile tournaments that we have hosted, it still doesn’t cut to the real reason why most join a club community.

Now, while this is my opinion, and it may not be what is on your mind, my years of experience in club management lead me to this conclusion about why we have struggled in attracting new members. The proposition is not what we do, or have done, but rather why do we do the things we do? What is our purpose? What do we believe in? Why do we exist in the first place?

Public awareness

Many club's investments have been made to satisfy the internal needs of their existing club community. Why do so many people wear name brand apparel or yearn to be a part of, or play at, a particular well-known private club? It is because they want to experience being there and they want to carve out and take away a little piece of the experience. But, in many cases, this doesn’t mean they want to join. Why? Most of these same folks cannot afford to belong, or don’t have the connections to the club's community.

So, I look at our own investment into our improvements as serving our community, as opposed to simply attracting new members. It is a mistaken assumption that we only attract new members by virtue of possessing quality amenities, or a rich golf history. This faulty belief may have been partly to blame for our slow membership decline; a situation we have addressed with our current Medinah 2020 improvements and investments. By the way, we are not alone. The same faulty assumptions have contributed to the decline of many other country clubs. People at those clubs also thought that their championship golf course or state-of-the-art golf performance center alone would sell memberships, and like us, they too, were impacted by the recession. But, promoting memberships in this way assumes that joining a club like ours is a logical decision. There is nothing logical about writing a check for $85,000 and then spending $15,000 per year on dues, plus goods and services. If it were logical, no one would join. People join country clubs because they want to belong to a community of individuals with similar beliefs and interests. It is primarily an emotional decision, and not necessarily a logical one.

So, what exactly are we selling?

Let’s be clear: We are not in the business of selling memberships. We are in the business of selling community. Prospective members talk about buying things such as access to a clubhouse dining room or golf course, but what they really want to buy into is a community with like-minded others. The activities and amenities are just the details surrounding how to experience community and fellowship, which enriches their relationships and personal connections throughout their lives. The fundamental building blocks of the club community is the need to belong to a group with common interests and a basic alignment of core values among the members.

Naturally, people want to be with others who share an interest in the same activities, like golf, tennis or other specific social activities. They seek out a drive that supports their values. We, in the club business, tend to focus on externals, such as buildings, amenities, golf courses and the “state-of-the-art” of whatever you just built. They all facilitate relationships –during golf on the courses, during dinner in the clubhouse, or while at the pool, or on the paddle courts, etc. – which satisfies the psyche’s need for connection with other people, a need for relationships and community.

These relationships are the ultimate magnet for new members and the glue of member loyalty. My mentor used to say that bricks and mortar attract, but do not sustain. We must remember that in the final analysis, the sense of community wins. After all, we have to remember who founded Medinah Country Club and what they were: Shriners – a fraternal society, based on fun, fellowship, and the Masonic principles of brotherly love, relief, and truth (as defined by Shriners International). And while today only a few Medinah members remain affiliated with the Shriners, much of these Shriner values resonate with our current membership.

You don’t believe me? Last year, we bid farewell to a few longtime members who had to resign for financial reasons. One member was a strong believer in the “members ONLY join because of the golf courses” mindset. But on the evening of his going-away party, surrounded by his family and friends, he wept, as did most everyone else. During the evening, I approached him, gave him a hug, told him I was going to miss him, and then asked if he was going to miss the golf courses. “No,” he said teary-eyed, “It’s not the golf courses I’m going to miss, it’s all of my friends. This is the hardest thing for me to accept.”

I’m sure you will agree that if, for whatever reason, you had to leave Medinah, or any other club, after 10-plus years, your friends will be the biggest reason why you, too, will weep as you say goodbye. This shouldn’t be a surprise. A person’s need to belong is very strong. It’s a feeling we get when we surround ourselves with people whom we truly care about. While this particular member realized the importance of community, not all members do. We are still in the process of fully transitioning to a value proposition focused on selling community. While some of the membership may as yet be unaware, the management team has come to fully embrace this concept, and it has been a driving force for many of the decisions we have made, and continue to make. The golf experience at Medinah has never been better. But, the chicken coop, the vegetable garden, the food truck, and the skating rink are also markers and symbols of community. Trust me, we didn’t need more eggs!

Does this concept resonate with you? Do you subscribe to this concept? Is this something your club might embrace as you begin to educate and inform your membership? If so, make sure you rethink how you “package” your club. Craft messages that focus on community first, and amenities second.

For Medinah, time was of the essence. The Board and many among our membership have begun to understand and embrace these concepts, which was critical to our investments in how we approached improving our amenities, always with growing our community in mind. Our approach has reaped benefits as we continue to grow our membership, retaining our vibrant community as well as our traditions.

Robert A Sereci, CCM is GM/COO of Medinah Country Club, located in Medinah, Illinois. He can be reached at (630) 438-6825, or via email: [email protected]