Could your relationship with your CRM use a little work?

By Srishti Singh

We all know Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is important. It's common knowledge. In fact, the acronym has become so ubiquitous that it's now one of those buzzwords that you expect to see used in a Dilbert cartoon, like TBD, Or WYSIWYG (LOL!).

The question is not whether CRM is important, but rather how do you get the most out of it? When fully utilized, the best club CRM Software is not just a repository of information but a means for helping to amplify relationships:

• Relationships between the club and prospective members
• Relationships between the club and the existing members
• Relationships amongst members

When you consider everything that CRM can affect, you can see why it's vital that you have a great relationship with this relationship manager.

When it comes to wooing prospects, CRM Software should be your bestest buddy.

Your CRM should be an invaluable tool for identifying leads and prospects. It should help you understand what is important to them. And it should help you determine where they are in the process of becoming a member.

With this insight, you can easily identify your next steps. For example, you may decide it's time to:

• Put them on your newsletter list (for prospects in the early stage of nurturing) or utilize your campaign manager to reach out with a personalized and targeted email or text (for those further along in the decision-making process)
• Set up a lunch with a current member who matches up with your prospect's likes so the prospect can ask questions and get a first-hand perspective of the club experience
• Offer a free round of golf or dinner (depending on the prospects' profile) so they can sample the club experience
• Find an upcoming event and segment prospects whose profiles suggest they would appreciate an invitation

When you have this kind of relationship with your CRM, you'll engage with your prospects with the right message at the right time. That can result in an improvement in prospect conversion. Who wouldn't like a buddy who could help make that happen?

Your Club CRM software will become your BFF

Understanding your customers is key to the success of any business. For clubs, that understanding is crucial in order to optimize the experience for the members.

The good news is that you have a trusted confidant at your side who is up to the task. Your BFF. Your CRM.

When someone joins, it's a natural time to gather information. It's ideal to gather as much as possible, creating a detailed profile right away. This allows you to start making appropriate recommendations immediately, personalizing the club experience for the member.

As members use the club, you can gather more information into the CRM. For example, you could learn:

• What days do they golf and what are their usual tee times
• Whether or not they take advantage of the 19th hole
• Whether they buy clothing or equipment in the online store or at the pro shop
• What events do they attend
• What other amenities do they typically use

Additionally, members can be prompted from time to time to add their preferences through the website or mobile app.

This data gathering gives you a rich picture of each person and allows you to start anticipating needs. All of which can make the experience magical for your member.

CRM should stand for ‘Customer Relationship Maximizer'

Your club's ability to foster relationships may just be one of the most powerful reasons someone joins and maintains a membership.

A well-developed CRM can give you access to your members' buddy lists. It can help you segment members into groups with similar interests, too. This allows you to suggest and invite members to events that they can enjoy with their friends or that give them the opportunity to develop a new friendship.

When your club is seen as this type of connection point, it earns a special place in the hearts of members.

Your Club's CRM can be so much more than just a member database. It can be that awesome confidant that delivers rich insights about your members. It can be that trusty companion that helps you understand members' needs and wants today, and anticipate them tomorrow. Doesn't that sound like the kind of relationship you'd like to have with your CRM?

Evolve how you build and deepen relationships at your club by taking advantage of a CRM that is integrated with a complete club management platform. A premier platform built on one database to give your entire operation a single source of truth for better decisions for the club. And a better experience for members. Get the full profile – request a demo of the Northstar Technologies solution, today.