GLOBAL GOLF ADVISORS SHARES A FOUR-STEP FORMULA FOR DEVELOPING A PROFITABLE EVENTS CALENDAR
A thriving events calendar, if delivered well, can propel member satisfaction and loyalty to new levels.
Toronto, Ontario – Patrick DeLozier, whose career included executive positions at The Alotian Club and August National before joining Global Golf Advisors in 2019, has witnessed first-hand how events create memorable and meaningful moments in golfers’ lives, strengthening the bonds they have with the club and enriching relationships with other members.
Here is the Four Step Formula he recommends you follow to deliver a compelling and profitable events calendar.
STEP ONE – Keep it fresh
The key to delivering outstanding club events lies in not standing still. Step one of the formula is to inject creativity and fresh ideas into each and every event. This doesn’t mean you must stage new events every year, but rather, find ways to add new twists or dimensions to established, traditional ones.
This could be as simple as hosting an event in a different area of your property. Not only does this create a different ambience, it also serves to introduce members to parts of the property they may not normally see or facilities they may not typically utilize. This is something that was done routinely at Augusta National to great success and member satisfaction.
STEP TWO – Time it Properly
One of the critical elements of a successful event is to get the timing right, a step easy to overlook. You don’t want your event to conflict with other activities at the Club. Equally important is to avoid a conflict with big sporting events, school events or annual charitable affairs.
STEP THREE – Understand what works
Fundamentally, you want members to engage with and enjoy the events your club chooses to stage. When measuring success, their satisfaction should feature prominently in understanding what works.
Events need to be well attended for them to be viable, so it is important to set a participation goal when planning your event. This will provide a sound barometer of success not only for the current year, but for future years.
A simple, yet often overlooked way to determine whether your members are enjoying an event is to attend it, during which you can observe the aura of the event and engage members to provide feedback about the experience they are having in real time.
STEP FOUR – Obtain Feedback
The more input you can obtain after the event has occurred the better so don’t miss the opportunity to ask for feedback and insights. There should always be an after event team debrief. Typically, at clubs Patrick managed, he and his team would spend 10% of the time discussing what worked and 90% of the time on how it could improve, with all staff and committee members challenged to come up with new ideas covering all aspects of event delivery.
Externally, it would be a good idea to send a short survey to event attendees as soon as possible after the event. This will provide a different perspective about what worked and what didn’t which will enable you to identify areas for future improvement.
Bringing it all together
By implementing this defined approach to event delivery, from planning through to evaluation, you will establish a culture of measuring success, defining continuous improvement, and translating this through to the events you choose to stage.
Combine this with a sprinkling of creative flair and you should have the basis for a calendar of thriving, well-attended events.
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About Global Golf Advisors
Global Golf Advisors (GGA) has provided industry-leading advisory services to more than 3,000 clients worldwide including private clubs, hotels, resorts, residential golf communities, developers, homebuilders, government agencies and municipalities, financial institutions, investors and lenders. Operating out of three global offices in Toronto, Phoenix, and Dublin, GGA is a highly specialized consulting firm focused on club and leisure related assets with a professional services heritage as the KPMG Golf Industry Practice. The firm’s expertise lies in its ability to effectively meld club management and operational expertise with highly capable professional strategists and experienced business analysts. GGA personnel include former club managers with experience leading exceptional clubs, along with alumni of Arthur Andersen, Deloitte, KPMG, Pulte Homes, PwC, and Scotiabank Global Banking and Markets. For more information, please visit www.globalgolfadvisors.com.
For more information contact:
Derek Johnston
905.475.4002 | djohnston@globalgolfadvisors.com