NEW MEMBER ONBOARDING: CREATE A RIPPLE EFFECT

When you buy a grand piano from Steinway, they will stage a private concert in your home with all the trimmings. Steinway helps with invitations, serves wine and hors d'oeuvres, provides valet parking and brings in a professionally trained concert pianist. It’s the best that piano will ever sound in the home.

Not only does the private concert validate a significant purchase for its customers (grand pianos can range from $35k to well over $100k), but it also creates a ripple effect among invited guests and their respective circles. It is estimated that nearly one-third of all Steinways are purchased by people who have attended, or know someone who has attended a private concert.

In marketing terms, a ripple effect is demonstrated by the growing influence or impact of a brand or message that begins with a single point of genesis, and spreads among your target audiences.

Like Steinway, clubs should consider new member onboarding to be a critical genesis point for creating a meaningful ripple effect.

We all know the importance of new member onboarding. Most clubs host new member mixers, and facilitate introductions to existing members and department heads.

Indoctrination. Integration. Validation. Ultimately, this is done to influence retention of our new member.

But new member onboarding can and should also benefit recruitment by helping to create buzz (positive awareness) and ultimately inspire referrals.

Ripple.

There is no more important time from a private club marketing perspective than a new member’s first 90 days. Whatever you decide to do for your new member onboarding program, the key is creating an experience that resonates outside the club too.

Here are a few ripple-inspiring onboarding experiences to consider:

1.    In addition to a new member mixer, what if the club hosts a party for each new member just for their invited guests. This is the time for the new members new club to shine. The more care and creativity, the bigger the ripple.
 

2.   Load ‘em up with complimentary guest passes. Yes. Free. No strings attached. As many as you can. There is no better way to encourage a new member to use the club than to encourage them to bring their friends. And those friends are the ripple. Don’t stop at golf. Consider invites for lessons, special events, even free Sunday Brunch. Anything to get your new member to invite friends to join them at the club. Make sure that club staff address the new member and their guests by name.
 

3.   Have you ever noticed that every Apple product comes with an Apple logo sticker? It’s a little thing, but specialty items for new members are a must. Members aren’t just buying into a lifestyle when they join a club, they are buying an identity. Make sure they have logoed hats, shirts, balls, etc. out of the gates.

There are no shortage of great ideas. It usually boils down to consistent execution.

To help clubs with this, Pipeline has recently introduced new member onboarding software to help clubs assimilate new members, and help them create a ripple effect to generate more demand.

What we found in building it was that clubs need to re-examine every onboarding touchpoint to reduce friction, increase the frequency of communications, and offer a highly personalized experience filled with surprises.

I’d encourage you to revisit your onboarding programs and challenge your club's leadership and operations teams to rethink the experience throughout the journey...and look for ways to create more ripple.

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