E-Promotions That Earn "A"s

E-Promotions That Earn "A"s With the proper techniques and controls, e-mail is proving itself as an marketing tool. Is your club or resort putting it to full use?

by Sheryll Alexander (editor@clubandresortbusiness.com)
April 2006
 

Marketing experts at clubs and resorts are all abuzz about e-mail promotions. Why? Because e-mails, and e-mail newsletters, are fast becoming not only the most cost-effective way to communicate with their members and guests, but also one of their primary promotional techniques.

“E-mail promotions have proved quite effective in both drawing back return customers and in reaching the all-important new client,” says David Sword, Director of Marketing at Indian Creek Golf Course in Hood River, Ore.

“When you consider return on investment, email marketing is potentially the most effective method currently available,” adds Sword, who says he now uses e mail to promote everything from a summer music series to restaurant menu specials to golf camps.

But does it really work, or is e-mail overrated? Results tell the real tale, says Rachel Payne-Morrow,Director of Marketing and Membership Development at North Carolina’s Greensboro Country Club. For a recent “wine social” event at the club, Payne-Morrow says she posted marketing materials throughout the club, published two stories in the club’s monthly newsletter, posted information on the club’s Web site, and even inserted an event flyer into a bill mailing.

After all of those promotional efforts, RSVPs for the event were only at half the projected goal for attendance. Then, the week of the event, Payne Morrow sent out two e-mail promotions: a “Wine E-News” piece, and a targeted e-mail “reminder” blast that was sent only to members who had signed up to receive e-mails about wine.

“We reached and exceeded our attendance goal for the event,” says Payne-Morrow.

Spontaneity and ease of reply were key to the above example, but many clubs and resorts use more regular e-mail promotional campaigns.

“I use our monthly (e-newsletter) to promote a monthly golf special,” says Danna Kahrs, General Manager of Sycamore Creek Golf Club in Osage Beach, Mo. The only people who have access to this addedvalue promotion are golfers in the club database—a selling point that boosts sign-up rates, says Kahrs.

List Keeping

 

One of the keys to effective e-mail communications is database management. “Be united in your efforts,” says Payne-Morrow. “Email efforts need to be centralized.”

Prior to using its current e-mail marketing system, Payne-Morrow says Greensboro CC managers were compiling their own lists and sending department-specific messages through desktop email. While the e-mails were targeted, there was no continuity in style, format or frequency.

Today, she says, all member e-mail addresses are gathered via the club’s Web site. This allows members to sign up online for their specific areas of interest, and helps the club communicate more consistently and effectively.

What basic information should a member profile contain? At the very least, Payne-Morrow says, you should request home and work addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail address(es). “We also capture demographic information such as children’s names and ages,” she says.

As a private club, Greensboro captures most of its member information during the application process. However, members also have the ability to update addresses, phone numbers and e-mails online at the club’s Web site, or by phone. Payne-Morrow says her department mails out a membership information update form every few years.

“We don’t ask members to divulge any additional information on the Web site than what we already have in the database,” she notes. “They can choose to make their profile visible to other members, or to only have their name shown.”

As part of this online profile, members also have the ability to opt in or out of various update categories. And they can change their user settings at any time.

Currently, Greensboro sends out monthly emails to several special interest groups, including fitness, wine, swimming, and tennis.

The club also sends out an “upcoming club events” e-mail communication every two weeks. “This is just a quick reminder,” says Payne-Morrow, ”to those who have opted in for any of the special interests that might be contained in the club events e-mail.” But if there are no golf related events in a particular e-mail promotion, she does not send it to the golf distribution list.

Bundled Up

 

Club and resort properties that are part of larger management organizations are getting particularly adept at using e-mail aggressively as a promotional tool. Lon Grundy, Regional Director of Sales and Marketing for Troon Golf, says his company encourages all of its golf facilities—more than 185 courses and private golf clubs worldwide—to contribute to a database, including at a minimum the names and e-mail addresses of members and frequent guests.

While Troon Golf points customers to each facility’s individual Web site as the best place for up-to date information on current promotions, Grundy can help Troon food and beverage managers utilize the database to communicate about themed dinners and wine tastings that showcase the company’s five-star culinary and service standards.

“Rather than focusing on a specific promotion that only promotes one area of the operation, we create offers that bundle golf and retail, or golf and food and beverage, when coordinating electronic promotions,” adds Grundy. Packages such as golf and dinner, golf and wine tasting, or golf with pro shop credit have all worked well for Troon, he says.

Destination Hotels & Resorts, the fourth largest independent management company in the United States, is ramping up its “golf collection” e-mail program this year, says Jennifer Long, the company’s Director of Web Site Marketing (a new title that in itself reflects e-mail’s growing promotional role). Interested vacationers can register for email communications in several places: at the company’s main site, its golf Web site, and at individual property Web sites.

Like Troon Golf, Destination sends out e-mail newsletters that include both golf news and resort happenings, says Long.

“This allows non golfers that might be traveling with a golfer to find other things they may want to participate in, such as the spa,” she notes. “The programs are successful because they let the guest know of other amenities on the property, as well as about events in the local area they may not be aware of but might want to participate in.”

Just as individual clubs have tried to coordinate promotions among departments to better control both the look and the message, Long says Destination tries to have all of its properties design e-mails so there is consistent “branding” in presentation and format.

“We strive for continuity in our marketing efforts,” she says, with a consistent graphic look and feel for each e-mail promotion, printed newsletter, billing insert or Web site page.

Asking The Right Questions

 

Registration links or sign-up forms for e-mail offers should be prominent on all interior pages as well as a homepage, Long suggests. “This way, if someone decides they don’t want to sign up until they learn more about the property, they can opt-in anywhere in the site,” she explains.

The registration process should be concise, she adds. “Ask for the essential information you need to better understand the guest,” she says. “Don’t inundate them with unnecessary questions that won’t be used in the long run.”

Determining the “right” amount and type of information to request, though, is something of a balancing act, she concedes. “The more information you can receive, the better communication you will have with your guest or member, which will increase your conversion rate as you offer something they want to hear about,” she notes. “You don't want someone to opt in as they become interested in hearing from you, but then opt out because you haven't been sending relevant information.”

And then there’s the third-party issue. “It’s very important to assure people you will not sell their name or e-mail address, or overload [them] with solicitations,” reminds Sycamore Creek’s Kahrs.

And don’t forget to keep promoting e-mail in your “old-fashioned” communications, too. At Greensboro Country Club this year, Payne- Morrow has encouraged members to sign up for the e-news program in the club’s monthly newsletter.

“We are able to track the number of hits to our Web sites, as well as see when individuals last updated their member information and e-mail addresses online,” she notes. There have been large increases in both Web site visits and profile updates that correlate directly to when the newsletter articles appeared, she reports. C&RB

 

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Summing It Up

• E-mail is a very cost-effective way to promote club and resort events.

• You can create several different topical areas that members and guests can “opt into” to receive targeted messages only.

 

• Web sites are the best way to collect e-mail addresses.

 

• A Web site section or page can be set up to let members update their profiles and preferences.

 

 

 

 

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