Bell Note #1



Private Event Bell Notes

1. Bell Ringers…p.2

2. New Members…p. 4

3. Member Boards & Committees…p.5

4. Internal Member Prospecting…p.7

5. Member Guests…p.10

6. Social Events…p.11

7. Weddings…p.12

8. Corporate Events…p.16

9. Golf & Tennis Outings…p. 20

10. Community Networking and Involvement...p.22

11. Vendor Partnering…p.23

12. Private Event and Meeting Planners…p.25

13. Associations and Organizations…p.27

14. Employee Partners…p.29

15. Internet Marketing…p.31

16. ClubCorp Referrals…p.32

17. Universal Marketing…p.33

Bell Note #1

Bell Ringers

Building Relationships and Enriching Lives. It has become part of the culture that ClubCorp lives on a daily basis, and is the basis for our first Bell Note. In our Clubs, the key people we can count on to help ensure success, offer referrals, and be our “Raving Fans” are a special group of Members and Private Event Hosts referred to as “Bell Ringers.” This group is often comprised of prominent figures in the community, have a large circle of influence and host a significant number of events. They sometimes have strong and vocal opinions and can be counted on to share their opinions freely with others. It goes without saying that an important part of your job is to ensure that they view your Club, your department and you, the Private Event Director, in the most positive light. Your Bell Ringers will be your strongest allies in supporting and promoting the Club.

Obviously, the more Members your Club has as Bell Ringers, the stronger the Club will be. Learn to nurture Members into becoming “Bell Ringers.” Your mission is to reinforce the tendency that a potential Bell Ringer has to promote the Club to their associates and throughout the community. The result will be more Members and more Private Event business.

Identification

How do you identify your Club’s Bell Ringers? By definition, Bell Ringers use the Club often. They tend to be “people-oriented” and leadership people. You are likely to find Bell Ringers serving on the Board and/or committees. They like to be involved and maintain a high profile within the Club and the community.

Another characteristic of Bell Ringers is that you will sense that they have a genuine concern for the Club’s well being. Bell Ringers identify with the Club, as they view it as a reflection of themselves and their place in the community.

It is important to note that you can turn Members into Bell Ringers merely by sincerely soliciting and listening to their opinions and feedback about the Club. Fellow Employee Partners and Members are a good source for identifying your Bell Ringers.

Member Spending History

Although every Member is a potential Bell Ringer, you can identify Private Event Bell Ringers by looking at a usage report or the Customer Spending History, located in the Customer File in ClubCater. To access the Member spending history in ClubCater, look under “Files” and then under “Customer.” You can run a Customer Spending History Report for any period of time for which ClubCater has been properly used.

Non-Member Event Hosts

In reviewing the Customer Spending History Report, you may identify that you have Bell Ringers who are not Members. If they are frequent users of the Club, there is most probably a Membership opportunity with this guest. Take the initiative to let these guests know about any Membership program, such as the Private Event Advantage and communicate the guest’s name to your Membership Director.

A successful Private Event can turn a Non-Member into a Bell Ringer. Cultivate a strong, professional relationship with them by communicating through personal thank you notes, phone calls, or a card simply stating that you have not seen them in the Club for a while and just wanted to say “hello”.

As with our Members, always remember to incorporate Warm Welcomes, Magic Moments and Fond Farewells into your interaction with these non-Member Bell Ringers.

Administrative Assistants

An administrative assistant may not be the Member, but an “AA” can be a wonderful Bell Ringer nonetheless. Your job is to make it so effortless for them to use the Club for their events that they likewise communicate their satisfaction to the Member and their colleagues as a referral.

On a regular basis, invite administrative assistants to the Club for breakfast or lunch to educate them on the Club and the services you provide to enhance their event planning and the success of their events. Encourage them to bring a colleague or friend from their office, as they may feel more comfortable. By teaching them how to plan successful events, you are allowing them to put their best foot forward with their supervisors and peers. A follow-up thank you note or an unexpected delivery to their office of cookies, muffins or movie tickets is another way of showing your appreciation for their loyal business.

VIP Members

You will find many Bell Ringers on your Club’s Board and various committees. Treating them as “VIP Members”, as someone who goes “above and beyond” to support the Club and make it a better place, will reinforce their place as a Bell Ringer. Never underestimate the power of singling them out among their peers for recognition. For example, deliver their favorite dessert at the next committee meeting, personalized with a “thank you” message for hosting a large event at the Club. Be assured that the other committee members will be more motivated to support the Private Event Department from that point forward.

Recognition

As with any successful referral system, recognition is an important element. Look for ways to recognize and reward your Bell Ringers, such as mentioning their efforts in monthly newsletters. Take the time to write thank you notes and think of special and personalized ways to thank them unexpectedly, such as inviting them to a complimentary lunch or dinner.

Bell Note # 2

New Members

In the Private Club business, contrary to hotel or public facility catering, we have an incredible built-in source of business in our Members. In particular, new Members should be a top priority in our prospecting efforts. New Members are excited about their Club and anxious to start showing it off to family, friends and business associates. Making initial contact with new Members in a timely manner is critical to the success of their long-term relationship with the Private Event Department. There are many ways in which this contact can be made and each Club should evaluate their own opportunities based on the needs of the Club and the convenience for the Members.

New Member Orientations

During new Member Orientations, the Private Event Department and its benefits should be introduced to the Member. First, there should always be collateral material from the Private Event Department in the New Member Orientation package. This does not have to be your entire menu package, but you might consider a personalized letter and/or a one-page color flyer, postcard or pamphlet outlining the services offered by the Private Event Department. If at all possible, you should be introduced to the new Member at this time. As part of the orientation process, you or the Membership Director can briefly describe what the Club offers Members in terms of Private Events, along with the Member benefits of hosting events at their new Club.

New Member Profile

Once the new Member has been through the orientation process, the Membership Department should distribute a Member profile, or utilize the MemberPride tickler for communicating the arrival of this new Member to all department heads. This enables all areas of the Club to be aware of the new Member and have a little background on the preferences and/or special requests they may have. On the profile, the Membership Department can also give you a “heads up” if the Member stated that there was an immediate or upcoming need for Private Event assistance. Once you receive the profile, you have a great opportunity to send a “Welcome to the Club” letter or make a quick phone call to personally welcome the Member and describe the benefits of their membership as it relates to the Private Event Department. Also at this time, the new Member can be manually added into the “Customer File” in ClubCater. While in the “Customer File” in ClubCater, you may wish to create a tickler in the Customer Recall Schedule to call the Member at a later date.

Member Benefits

The benefits a Member receives by hosting an event at their Club goes beyond the monetary value, although there should always be a difference between Member pricing and Member sponsored event pricing represented on the menu/brochure. Preferential pricing adds value to their Membership and gives Members yet another reason to use their Club instead of a local hotel or catering facility when booking a social or business event. The most important benefit a Member can receive, though, is intangible quality. By entertaining at the Club where they are known by name, where they interact with the staff on a regular basis and they receive the highest level of personalized service, a Member can relax, assured that their event will be just as important to the staff as it is to them.

Making sure that Members are aware of these benefits in the initial days of joining the Club, will not only be an added value of Membership for them, but will give you the opportunity to begin hosting their business and social events immediately.

New Member Mixer

New Member Mixers are a great follow-up to your initial contact with the Member. By the time a Member is attending a New Member Mixer, they should have already received the personal phone call and/or letter from the Private Event Department, welcoming them to the Club. When they see you at the mixer, they can put a face to a name and voice behind this person called the Private Event Director. At this time, you will want to have collateral material available, such as menu packages, special promotions, corporate meeting packages, holiday menus, golf & tennis tournament information (if applicable), and plenty of business cards.

Use this opportunity to find out a little more about your Member such as the type of business they are in, other family members and ages, special interests and if they have family or friends planning events in the near future.

Bell Note # 3

Member Boards & Committees

The Private Event Director’s day is so full that it is tempting to see the regular meetings of the Club’s Board of Governors and various Club Committees as “nice to attend” rather than “need to attend”. But the fact of the matter is that attending these meetings is to your advantage in building relationships and gaining support from some of the most influential and vocal Members in your Club. If you are unavailable to stay for the entire meeting, make yourself available to welcome them on arrival, possibly request a few minutes at the start of the meeting and then excuse yourself when the meeting begins.

Attend and be Actively Involved at Meetings

As a Member of the Club’s senior staff, it is critical that you are aware of the needs and goals that Members have for their Club. Attending Board and Committee meetings provides you with firsthand knowledge and possibly input, regarding those needs and goals. Furthermore, you are often the liaison between these decision-makers and the Food and Beverage team as a whole. Your presence will allow for input that may in turn avoid potential problems in the future. Most importantly, your attendance and active involvement shows the Members that you care about them and their Club. Through becoming a familiar face and name to these Members, you are then in a position to better ask for their help through the referral process. Once this type of relationship has been established, you can then take the opportunity of a Board or Committee meeting to ask for specific introductions or referrals to the target market business you are looking for. For example, say you would like to increase the amount of charity fundraising events you hold at the Club. You may ask your Board Members for referrals (and introductions) to Members who are actively involved or volunteer with local charity groups. These Members will be more inclined to help once a relationship has been established and they understand the benefit of Private Events in their Club.

Positioning and Benefits of Private Events to the Club

Presenting the positioning and benefits of Private Events to the Club is critical in gaining the support of your Board and Committees. Develop policies that clearly differentiate Member functions and Member-sponsored functions. Usually there will be a price difference, but there are other distinctions you can make as well. For example, room rental charges might only apply to Member-sponsored functions, or there may be a differential in the food and beverage minimums. Seek input from and share these policies with the Board and Committees, and you will be more likely to have their support.

Learn the dynamics of your Club, so that you are able to ensure that the Member perceives Member-sponsored events as an advantage to the Membership. Perhaps Member-sponsored events enable your Club to avoid menu price increases for Members, or a certain event’s guest list is a desirable group of potential Members. Board and Committee Members often understand that more Members make a better Club. Occasionally, a Private Event has a civic or charitable facet, furthering the Club’s image (and therefore the Member’s) as a good steward in the community.

Sampling of Private Events Menus

At certain times throughout the year, you may wish to introduce your department’s new or seasonal menus by providing Board and Committee Members with a sampling of your Private Event menus. Coordinate with your Member Relations Director to “show off” the chef and his/her skill by creating a special menu. Chefs are very “celebrity” in our Clubs, so take every opportunity to allow the Chef to “take a bow” at a meeting or event.

Recognition and Rewards

Never underestimate the power of recognizing Board and Committee Members in front of their fellow Members every chance you get. These individuals are not only Members, they are also volunteers and benefit the Club by serving on these committees. Recognition in the Club newsletter, or selection as Member of the Month means a great deal to many of them. You may also be well served by providing them with a special reward when they book or sponsor events. If you present this reward in front of the committee (rather than sending it by mail), you’ve enhanced its perceived value to the Member tremendously.

Bell Note # 4

Internal Member Prospecting

A very large part of our responsibility as a Private Event Director is to uphold a “Member First” attitude. First and foremost should be satisfying the Private Event needs of our Members before extensive efforts are made to prospect externally to Member guests. Internal prospecting to our Members can provide a diversified list of endless social and corporate events, as well as referrals, while showing our Members that “Member is King”.

Newsletter Recognition and Awareness

Your Club’s newsletter will probably be one of the most useful tools for targeting your Members. Newsletters can serve three purposes when used correctly. First, you can create awareness of Private Events and the services that the Private Event Department provides. Second, you can use your newsletter to promote special marketing programs focused on driving revenue in a particular area or time period. Third, you can use the newsletter as a tool for recognizing Members who have recently hosted or sponsored a Private Event. With their approval, a publicized “thank you” from the Private Event Department as well as a good testimonial from the host can strengthen a relationship as well as reassure your Membership of the benefits you can offer them as Members hosting events in the Club. In the article, be sure to mention how other Members can host or sponsor an upcoming event. Don’t forget to mention your name and include your phone number. By recognizing Members through the newsletter, you achieve three very important goals:

1. Reinforce the Member’s selection of the Club for the event;

2. Promote use of the Club and the Private Event Department among your most important market segment without advertising;

3. Enhance the “IQ” of your Club for that Member by spotlighting them. It may be a true Magic Moment for them, reinforcing their emotional investment in their club.

Scheduling newsletter articles for the entire year is very important to ensure that the information will go out at the appropriate time. Inform the person responsible for your newsletter of approximately how much space you will require in each newsletter.

Occasionally, you may wish to place a sample menu in the monthly newsletter. This may create some awareness of the capabilities of the creative and talented culinary staff, as they may not realize that your Private Event menus can be very different from the menus that they see in your Grill or Main Dining Room for a la carte dining.

The newsletter is also a wonderful place to write an editorial as to the Private Event planning services that their Private Event Staff can offer them as Members. One of their benefits of Membership is to have the Private Event staff as a resource they can use when planning an event, whether the event is at your Club or not! Most likely, after discussing their event with you, the professional, they will either host their event with you, or if the event is to take place at their home, provide you the opportunity to assist them with some of the menus items which you may be able to cater.

Visibility in the Club

Each day, make it a point to be visible in your Club, either by greeting Members at the receptionist desk, seating them in the dining room, or conversing at special events. Members will have the opportunity to ask questions and you will be able to promote the Private Event Department in a natural and personal way. Members are much more likely to call you if they have interacted with you previously.

Statement Stuffers

Flyers and promotional reminders can be included in monthly statements with very little investment of time or money. The Club Accountant can even print a helpful message directly onto the bottom of the monthly statements. Consider sending holiday reminders, promotional incentives, introductions and special notices along with each Member’s statement. Be sure to give your Club Accountant plenty of notice if you would like to take advantage of either of these types of reminders.

MemberPride

Your Club’s MemberPride database contains information on each Member, and can be one of the most effective ways to make prospecting to your Members the most personal and specific. The quality of the profile varies, although information such as birthdays and anniversaries usually are present. Milestone birthday and anniversary dates can be requested through MemberPride, providing you with a very timely list of upcoming special dates in your Member’s lives. All reasons to host a celebration! If calling in regard to a milestone birthday, be sure to call the spouse of the person celebrating the birthday, to see if a surprise party is an option.

Take advantage of the information collected in MemberPride to prospect for new events. Important information would include the Member’s Administrative Assistant’s name and the type of business they are in. The profiles created in MemberPride can also provide lists of important groups, committees, charitable organizations and community involvement in which your Members participate. Call the Member to introduce yourself and ask for a referral to the person responsible for planning the events for those associations to which they are affiliated.

As a department head, you are also responsible for ensuring that any information you gather on a Member is input into our MemberPride database. It is a wonderful prospecting tool, but will not be effective if we do not have current or accurate information on each of our Members.

Training on MemberPride can be accomplished through the online training program on ClubCorp Pro, or through scheduling some time with your Membership or Member Relations Director for a few quick pointers.

Voice Mail/Message on Hold

Months in advance of any given season, record reminders for your “Message on Hold” system in order to remind Members to call ahead to reserve space. Your personal voicemail can also provide a short message, even if it is to request that the caller view your Club’s website for more information.

Fax Cover Sheets/Notepads

Fax cover sheets should include a reference list of the types of events the Club can host, including business entertaining as well as social events. Consider what additional information might be relevant to include, such as equipment or services the Club has available for events such as overhead projectors, LCD projectors, screens, pianos, easels, flip charts, podiums, microphones, TVs, VCRs, ice carvings, cakes, menu cards, balloons, flowers, etc. For assistance, ClubCorp Graphics can provide templates for fax cover sheets that change monthly, so a new and timely message appears on the fax cover sheets.

Posters and Fliers Throughout the Club

A tasteful poster in the mail lobby can inform Guests that the Club is available for events. Be certain any display is appropriately placed and vary the location of the display when possible. ClubCorp Graphics provides a number of different standard formats as well as customized fliers and posters that can be used in your marketing promotions.

Locals Newspapers and Journals

While prospecting in current publications such as newspapers, you may come across articles or announcements on Club Members. Send an extra copy to the Member with a hand written note, in order to build or maintain a relationship and provide a Magic Moment. It will also provide you with valuable information about a particular Member’s interest and professional pursuits which can then be used for further prospecting, as well as information to document in Member Pride.

Member Resignations

In the event of a Member resignation, it is important to identify if the Member has hosted events for their company at the Club. You may wish to call the Member to offer a Fond Farewell and identify a new contact at the company. The effort will keep the company in close contact so they can feel comfortable about continuing to utilize the Club. Since they will need a new Member Sponsor for their events, you may come away with a good lead for your Membership Director. Moreover, this new contact may be interested in expanding or changing the company’s use of the Club. It is essential to continually update your records as well as to educate the new contact regarding the Club and the services you provide.

Bell Note # 5

Member Guests

The Club provides an environment for Members to socialize with other Members, to entertain their friends and family and strengthen or create relationships with co-workers or clients. In doing so, this will expose your Club to a large group of non-Member guests and encourage sponsorship by a Member for new Private Events. Hopefully, this will lead to consideration for Membership as well. Beside the Employee Partners, there are two types of people in the Club every day: Members and Prospective Members. Communication and information is key to turning Member Guests into new Members and Private Event prospects.

Following are several ways in which information can be gathered for use by both the Private Event and Membership Directors, to foster new relationships and build new business.

Club Information Request Cards

During Club events, information request cards can be placed in areas such as a guest podium, private dining room, reception desk, valet station, or any highly visible area. These cards should ask for the pertinent information needed on each individual who registers such as name, address, phone number and the information they are requesting, whether it be for Membership or Private Events. The Club Receptionist and Valet Attendants can also be very helpful in requesting guests to fill out these registration cards. The valet can leave Club addressed and postmarked cards in a guest’s vehicle with a note thanking them for visiting the Club.

Guest Book/Register

For special events that will produce a considerable amount of guest traffic in your Club, such as Chamber mixers and Bridal and/or Bar/Bat Mitzvah Fairs, provide a Guest Book or special registration card to be completed by Guests. A raffle for a complimentary lunch, dinner or prize may be a good incentive for them to complete the card.

Survey Card to Guests

With the information gathered from request cards and guest books, the Private Event Director, along with the Membership Director can devise a short survey. This survey should be designed to determine what would attract these guests back to the Club, not only for subsequent events, but also as a Membership prospect. The survey can ask questions pertinent to the appearance of the Club, the level of service that was received, the quality of food and the adequacy of other amenities. Moreover, the survey should ask questions that seek to continually improve the Club and it’s staff. For example, you might ask, “What would you have liked to see that you did not, or in what ways can we better serve you?”

Visibility at Member/Guest Events

One way to ensure good communication and accurate information, and thereby repeat business, is for all Employee partners, especially the Private Event Director, to build strong rapport with the Members and their Guests. It is very important for the Private Event Director to attend the function to greet the contact. As the PED, you have a great deal of influence over the outcome of events and by introducing yourself to the guests of an event, you will be better able to anticipate needs and provide personalized service, thereby enhancing the image of the Club. Introduce the captain of the event (or other person in charge) so that your host understands who their contact will be throughout the event.

Bell Note #6

Social Events

Social events are one of the cornerstones of every Club’s Private Event source of business. Social events can include birthday celebrations, anniversary parties, bridal and baby showers, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, First Communion Celebrations, “Sweet 16” parties, lunch and dinner parties, family reunions, christening celebrations, etc. They are typically weekend type of events, but can take place on any day of the week. By building a strong social market, you are assuring that you are optimizing your Club’s weekend space, as well as building what is traditionally a “repeat business” market segment.

Newspapers and journals are an excellent source of Private Event prospects, offering a broad base of potential clients including social information, such as engagements and anniversaries, as well as business news, retirements and promotions. By keeping abreast of the current happenings in your local community, you can keep your finger on the pulse of last minute party needs as well as engagements, which will be planned for several months.

Image Advertising

In certain circumstances, image advertising may be helpful to increase awareness of your Private Event facilities in your community. Ads should be done in a tasteful manner with reference made to the fact that a “Member Sponsor” is required to maintain exclusivity.

In-House Bar/Bat Mitzvah Faires

Hosting a Bar/Bat Mitzvah Faire at your Club (similar to a Bridal Faire) creates desirable guest exposure while providing a benefit to Members and their guests who are planning a Bar/Bat Mitzvah. In some cases, you may wish to combine your Bridal Faire with a Bar/Bat Mitzvah Faire. Booths or spaces can be “rented” to local vendors specializing in this market who wish to display their products or services to people planning an event at your Club or other locations. Use the show as an opportunity to have guests sample hors d’oeuvres, champagne or other house “specialties.” You may want to set up a “mock” event, complete with dance floor and tables beautifully set with linens, centerpieces and favors. Advertising can be accomplished through flyers in participating vendor shops; direct mailings to a MemberPride list of your Members who have children in the correct age range; local Temple directories of their Members; local paper “happenings” sections; and to Members through statement stuffers, aloha ticket receipts and ads in the Club’s newsletter.

The day of the show at your Club, set up a registration table where all guests must register. On the registration form, ask for name, phone number, number of guests at their event, date of event and where they heard about the show. Follow up after the show with each guest to determine if they need any information regarding your Club.

Society Pages

Society page articles are a great source of information about the local events in your area. These articles or sections of the newspaper inform you of the upcoming parties and charity events to be held in your area, as well as the name of the host and contact number. By reaching out to the contacts, you can offer your Club as a possible location for their event or other events with which they may be involved. Even if the event location has already been planned, you can plant a seed for the future events.

Bell Note #7

Weddings

Wedding ceremonies and receptions have always been an integral part of the Club business, and have become vital to the success of the Private Event Department in a Club. The year-round wedding industry is called “recession-proof” and brides and grooms are among the most desirable groups today. It is imperative that your marketing plans include programming targeted at maximizing this lucrative market.

Bridal Expo Shows

Renting a booth at a local Bridal Show is a great way to increase exposure and awareness of your Club to the bridal market. Typically, every city has several companies that work with National and local magazines, radio stations, newspapers, bridal dress shops and tuxedo companies to host their own show, at least once per year, at local hotels or the convention center. The décor and look of your booth will be the key in drawing prospective Brides to stop and visit with you. Work with your preferred florist, photographers, linen companies and even your baker to help you with displays, booth décor and samples. Offering a raffle prize for all prospective attendees who have completed a registration form may be the4 incentive they need to provide you with the appropriate information so that you may follow up after the show.

In order to ensure successful bookings and a return on your investment from participating in a bridal show, follow-up is critical. Prospects must be contacted promptly and invited to tour your Club. The goal is to get prospects to your Club. One proven technique for follow-up has been to hand out invitations the day of the show to an Open House which will take place at your Club within the week following the show. This can be a weekday evening open house that showcases your Club, beautifully set-up for a wedding ceremony and reception. A few of your preferred vendors may also be in attendance.

If you are not able to participate in a particular show, you may wish to attend anyway in order to get creative ideas for future booths that will set you apart from your competition. You can also network with other vendors in the industry. Keep in mind, however, that the vendors are there for the purpose of meeting new prospects, so be careful and considerate of their time.

In-Club Bridal Faires

In addition to bridal shows held outside of your Club, hosting a Bridal Faire at your Club creates the experience of someone actually seeing your Club firsthand. You may wish to set up part of your Club as is if you were actually holding a wedding reception, complete with dance floor and tables beautifully set with linens, centerpieces and favors. Most vendors will be more than willing to donate specialty linens, chair covers, specialty china and florals. In other rooms you may want to have them set up as a rehearsal dinner or even a bridal shower. Booths or spaces can be “rented” to local vendors wishing to display their products or showcase their services. Use the Bridal Faire as an opportunity to have guests sample hors d’oeuvres, champagne or other house “specialties.”

Advertising can be done by vendors participating in the show through flyers in their shops, direct mailings to bridal magazine lists, tentative bookings, the local paper “happenings” sections, and to Members through Club displays, statement stuffers, aloha ticket receipts and articles in the Club newsletter. Better yet, host your Club Bridal Faire right after participating in a local bridal show. Create invitations to hand out to brides talking about your show at your Club. The response will be very rewarding with the interest you have created at your booth.

The day of the show at your Club, set up a registration table where all Guests must register. On the registration form, ask for name, phone number, type of event they are planning, number of Guests and where they heard about the show. Follow up after the show with each Guest to determine if they need any information regarding your Club.

Wedding Consultants/Coordinators

By utilizing the services of a professional wedding consultant who is knowledgeable in the local wedding industry, you are spared the task of organizing the vendors and handling the follow up details as they relate to the wedding day. A good consultant also has the capability of referring multiple weddings to a Club they like and that they are familiar with. Here are a few sources for locating your local wedding consultants:

*ACPWC – Association of Certified Professional Wedding Consultants

*ABC – Association of Bridal Consultants

*NACE – National Association of Catering Executives

*Yellow Pages

*Local churches and synagogues

*Bridal salons and jewelers

*Bridal publications and the Internet

Engagement Ads

Almost every local newspaper prints wedding and engagement announcements for local couples. These announcements provide an excellent opportunity for booking a number of different types of functions. A simple congratulatory note or a certificate for lunch or dinner will put your Club in their mind when selecting reception sites as well as locations for rehearsal dinners, bridesmaid luncheons and showers.

Bridal Shops

Check for listings of bridal and tuxedo shops in your area and visit those shops to begin building relationships with the employees, managers and owners. Most shops will allow you to leave flyers and business cards to be displayed to their clients.

Bakeries

Develop a relationship with the Club’s preferred bakery or a local bakery that specializes in wedding cakes. Not only will they happily supply samples for your Bride and Groom’s to taste, but will many times provide a sample cake to display in your office. Brides tend to appreciate the option of “one stop shopping” where the cake is included, which also increases your revenue and Club profit.

Weddings from the Web

See Bell Note #15, Internet Marketing

Packaging Menus and Services

Wedding packages are very popular at most Clubs, as they allow ease of selection for the host of the wedding. Packages can be tiered by price level, and can include bar selections and wine with the meal, hors d’oeuvre packages, entrée/buffet options, specialty ordered wedding cakes or cakes prepared on premises if your Club has a Pastry Chef, entertainment, centerpieces and favors.

Another opportunity is to prepare packages for the ceremony as well. Most Clubs and hotels charge a flat fee or per person charge for ceremonies which normally include time for the ceremony, rehearsal time, chairs and set-up and sometimes coordination of the ceremony. By packaging different options for ceremonies, again with tiered pricing options, you can include the minister, aisle runner, aisle bows, floral arch, rose petals sprinkled down the aisle, a pianist/guitarist/flautist, and even a white dove release at the conclusion. Brides love the ease of these options and the thought of “one less thing to do” by having their ceremony completely handled by the Club.

Upsell Opportunities

By creating an “all-inclusive” atmosphere when coordinating weddings, you will not only increase revenue per event, but will also provide your host with another service that they may not find at your competition. A list of wedding related items should be available, showcasing all that you can provide for your time-stressed bride. The following is an example of an upsell list. Remember, with brides, the more creative, the better!

• Not everyone is on time for the ceremony so why not let everyone relax before the ceremony by offering champagne & hors d’ oeuvres. It helps guests mix and relax early. And, what starts the celebration better than a glass of champagne?

• On a hot summer day try cooling your guests off by offering refreshing lemonade garnished with fresh mint and lemon before the ceremony.

• Guest love to splurge when they are out for a special evening. Why not offer a dessert bar with a small wedding cake and an assortment of tempting desserts.

• Turn your wedding cake into a special dessert by cutting and serving the cake on a bed of fresh raspberry sauce.

• For a delicious added treat that you would not expect at any other wedding add a chocolate dipped strawberry along side the plated piece of wedding cake or tray pass an assortment of chocolate dipped strawberries later in the evening.

• Nothing is cozier than a steaming cup of cappuccino. Cappuccino bars are great year round. You can even offer flavored hot chocolate like amaretto and white chocolate. Or, on those hot summer nights, what about a Frappucino Bar?

• Champagne always feels festive. Why not host a champagne bar with assorted champagne cocktails?

• How about a chocolate dipped strawberry bar with an attendant injecting the strawberries with the guests choice of liqueur?

• Martini’s are hot! Offer a Martini Bar serving Lemon Drops, Cosmopolitans and more. You can even have the “bar” carved out of ice!

• Everyone expects hors d’ oeuvres at a party. Why not add a twist by adding a mashed potato bar. Guests will make their mashed potato delight in a fancy martini glass.

• Silver Frames at each place setting doubles as a place card and favor. And it looks so elegant . . .

• Menus can be personalized and placed at each guest’s place setting.

• Pink and lavender sugar on the rim of the champagne glasses. So pretty...

• Bottled water is all the rage! Guests prefer it to tap, so serve it with dinner for an additional charge per person.

• Flowers! Have a local florist put together a book with all flowers including personals, ceremonies and table centerpieces with upsell prices. Even if the wedding ceremony isn't at your Club, you can take the full order and just fax it to the florist. The florist loves it because they really don't have to do any work. Brides love it because it is one less thing they have to do!

• Specialty linens and upscale dance floors. Have photos of beautifully set tables with the linens and photos of the dance floors – it makes all the difference!

• Specialty Lighting (pin spotting). Show off those centerpieces! What drama!

• Specialty cakes and personalized Chocolate Boxes.

• Wedding/Party Favors, Bridesmaid gifts and Groomsmen gifts. Have photos from a local vendor and do not order until YOU get the order. A selection of beautiful silver gifts is always popular.

• Upscale Dance Floors (i.e., black and white check and all white). The all-white ones are very popular with weddings!

• For the clubs that have outdoor accessibility, offer to set up a cigar and cordial lounge with soft seating on the veranda

• Mini single serving wedding cakes for each guest

• Trio of sorbets or ice cream served in a chocolate cup with berries to accompany the cake for weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

• Chocolate dipped spoons for coffee service

• For buffets offer a served appetizer course for all guests. It helps to bring organization to the party as well as allowing a better flow to the buffet.

• At your menu tastings, set them up using specialty china, glassware and linens and chair covers, and provide pricing for all of the above.

• Rent specialty banquet chairs such as the Chiavari chairs.

• Invite the Chef to the menu appointments! It makes quite am impression on the bride and groom, and they tend to take recommendations from the Chef on food and wine very easily!

• Participate in the food tastings! It's a great time to upsell all the above to your clients including wine.

Fond Farewells

There are many creative ways to bid your bride and groom, as well as their guests, a Fond Farewell. Some suggestions would include:

• A beautifully wrapped gift on their gift table, to be opened on “gift opening day”. Not only will your bride and groom be surprised to find a gift and note card signed by the Private Event Director and their wedding day staff, but the guests witnessing the gift opening will also be impressed with the thoughtfulness of the gesture.

• A “snack basket” sent home with the bride and groom for late night munching. Fruit, crackers, cheese, mini baguettes, chocolate dipped strawberries and a bottle of wine or champagne are nice items to consider including in the basket. And don’t forget a piece of their own wedding cake!

• A mini “behind the scenes” photo album, showing them how their wedding came to be. Include photos of your first appointment together, the room being set-up, the cake arriving, and a photo of the Chef in the busy pre-wedding kitchen preparing their very special menu. . . all the things they never got to see!

• For the guests, Fond Farewell notes left in the valet parked cars are a very nice touch. You can also include mints, herbal scented sachets, chocolate goodies or even bottled water for the drive home.

• Provide a Fond Farewell coffee station at the door as they leave with “to go” cups and lids for the ride home.

• One year later, don’t forget to send a first Anniversary card to the happy couple!

Bell Note #8

Corporate Events

The corporate events market seems to change as quickly as the days of the week. We must be conscious of the fact that this market changes with economic times and tax laws and can fluctuate greatly with each year. When looking for corporate business prospects, it is important to always focus on the types of businesses that are doing well in the economic climate at the time. We can spend a lot of time and energy talking about the business that we no longer have, and the companies that have downsized or are no longer in business, but that will not bring us the new business we are looking for. In any economy, there are businesses that are thriving. Look to those for your new business.

One consistent factor in the corporate market is that building and maintaining relationships can create loyal and repeat corporate business. Start with your own “built-in” base of Members, their assistants and their associates. Learn what your clients want to accomplish when using the Club so you can maximize your opportunities to help them achieve their goals. Knowing your host’s intention ahead of time will help you to determine budget and tone of the event. Always inquire as to the guest list, whether it is for their employees or for clients they wish to impress. A client appreciation event will most likely have a much larger budget than an event or meeting for employees. There are several different market segments for which you should develop a strategy and below are just a few.

Corporate Outings and Retreats

These can include such events as golf outings and team building sessions for their office and/or clients. Be creative, possibly using a theme to tie in food and beverage services. Again, find out what the goal is and what they want to accomplish by the end of the day. That way, you can make appropriate suggestions as to themed menus and extracurricular activities.

Client and Employee Appreciation Events

Client appreciation events are a very lucrative market, as corporations are typically trying to impress and thank their clients at the same time. Pre-theater and cultural events have grown in popularity in this market, with the host providing a reception and dinner prior to attending a local art exhibit or a play at a theater. Menus can be customized to the theme of the show or exhibit they will be attending. By contacting the Group Sales Manager at theaters, museums, galleries, etc, you can be added to the recommended list of venues for pre-theater receptions/dinners.

Employee appreciation events can include holiday celebrations, executive assistant

days, retirement parties, training seminars, company milestone anniversary parties or celebrating successes.

Business Meetings

Business meeting can be one-time or repeat events. They may include all day meetings followed by a cocktail hour or round of golf. By building a base of repeat weekly or monthly meetings, you are ensuring a base of revenue that you can count on each Period. Try to build this repeat market by a few events each year.

Providing a Corporate Meeting Package will establish you as an expert in the corporate meeting field as well as providing easier choices for your host. An “add on” list of upsell items such as specialty themed break ideas; activities such as putting contests and extras such as printed name cards, agendas on themed papers and take away gifts are also a great idea for your Corporate Meeting Packages. For many meeting planners, convenience, great service and a quality experience is the name of the game, and they will gravitate to where they know they can find it.

Administrative (Executive) Assistant Programs

Administrative or Executive Assistants (A.A.s) can provide a constant stream of corporate business. Again, personal contact and a strong rapport are critical to a successful relationship. For most businesses, it is the Executive Assistant who is making the choice on meeting or event location. By educating them on “how to plan the perfect meeting”, you will be providing them with a tool that will ultimately reflect on how well they are doing their job and will make a good impression on their supervisor.

A good incentive/educational program will enroll A.A.s and encourage them to utilize your Club. A monthly or quarterly meeting can serve as an educational experience if you provide a guest speaker or educational activity. Other variations of this program may be planned with your city’s convention and visitor’s bureau, independent wedding or meeting planners, local destination management companies and golf tournament contacts. A breakfast or lunch meeting seems to provide the best setting. Try different menus so they can experience all that the Club has to offer. For incentive purposes, events can be tracked through either the Repeat Business Report or the Customer Spending history in ClubCater. If you have a “Red Star File” on each A.A, you can personalize the incentive to provide a reward that is meaningful to them. The Red Star File can also provide information such as their birthday and favorite flower, so an appropriate and personal arrangement can be sent on their birthday.

In your marketing efforts to this market, there are several ways to communicate your services. Direct mail; your Club website; an Executive Assistant Newsletter you have created; fax coversheets and broadcast faxes; written, personal correspondences; office visits with cookies or cake deliveries; new Member orientations and networking at professional organizations such as chamber and business associations, to name a few.

Videoconferencing

Most Business Clubs and some Country Clubs now have the ability to offer full videoconferencing services. The primary objective of offering this service to our Members and Guests is to enhance the overall Member offering, connect Employee Partners and Members and to extend the Associate Club benefit.

ClubCorp provides an array of marketing tools to create awareness and promote your videoconferencing services. They are items such as a tri-fold brochure, a broker brochure and a statement stuffer, to name a few. Full training is available through Providea, our videoconferencing provider. Pricing for videoconferencing varies, by Guest pricing, series pricing (educational speaker series offered to Members and their guests) and Member pricing.

All videoconferencing reservations are made through Central Reservations. When receiving inquiries in regard to videoconferencing, the role of the Private Event Director is to:

1. Upon receipt of a Videoconferencing inquiry, from either a Member or non-Member Guest, check and hold the space.

2. Refer the Member or client to Clubline/Central Reservations

3. Central reservations gathers information and calls all involved Clubs and non-clubs to check space. Respond as quickly as possible to Central Reservations calls.

4. Clubline to send confirmation to Member & to the Club

5. PED follows up with Member to confirm Food and Beverage

6. Send contract and function sheet (no contract necessary if only videoconferencing)

7. Confirmation from Central Reservations will confirm billing charges which will be entered into ClubCater and billed through ClubCater and Aloha

Other tools are also provided to the Clubs, such as an Employee Fact Card. This is a handy “pocket card” for our Employee Partners and especially wait staff for answering videoconferencing questions for our Members. The second item is the business card with the videoconferencing benefits listed on the back. Business cards may be printed through Club Graphics at the Corporate Office in Dallas. There is a database on Lotus Notes for print requests, or you can call Club Graphics directly. The final item is the Videoconference Poster. Each Club will receive a set of five posters to be used in marketing the new Business Club Concept. The Clubs that only have videoconferencing will also receive these posters because they are designed generically to be used by all Business Clubs. This set of five will be complimentary. Additionally, a Club may purchase a poster specific to videoconferencing through Club Graphics.

Another promotional tool are the table tents, which can be printed from your laser printer after you've received names of attendees of any upcoming meetings booked at the Club. Clubs with videoconferencing services received a template with a sample with the attendee's name, company logo and slogan and the other side of the tent has our Club logo and a subtle reminder that we are their Partners in Success. We've also added the city where the participant is attending the videoconference. This is an important addition because if the videoconference is taking place in numerous cities, the other participants and administrators will be knowledgeable of the participants and locations. The name place tent should be placed where it will be very visible for the other participants who are bridged in to the videoconference. This is yet another way to make our Members' meetings unique and add value to their Club membership because of the special touches we add to their events.

Repeat Business

Repeat, weekday corporate business can be the “bread and butter” of your Private Event revenue. In most cases, you will have your repeat client sign a yearlong contract, outlining the days and times of their meetings, but not room names. This way, the event can be placed in the most beneficial room each week/month/quarter, depending upon the frequency of their meetings. You also then have guaranteed revenue, which is easy to forecast. In order to identify the types of businesses that hold weekly or monthly meetings you can use various local directories such as the Business Journal. The Journal also publishes an annual “Book of Lists” which provides names, addresses, email and contact names of the top companies in your area, divided by type of business, such as “The Top 25 Financial Institutions”, “The Top 10 Women-Owned Businesses”, or “The Top 10 Pharmaceutical Companies”.

As with most corporate business, if your clients are happy, you have a client for life. More likely than not, if all went well with a particular event, the corporation will book the same event with you for the following year. Take advantage of this by calling all hosts immediately following an event to offer them the same corresponding date for the following year. The client will probably appreciate the courtesy of a “first right of refusal”, and you will be saving them a phone call. It is also very prudent to go back two years and call all events that did not book again with you. You may find that occasionally corporations like to “try something new” by changing to another venue, but will return to your Club the following year when they find that nothing compares to the Private Club experience!

Bell Note #9

Golf & Tennis Outings

Country Club and Resort properties host many different types of golf and tennis outings throughout the year, including Member events as well as some “outside” or non-Member events. The Member events can be hosted by either the Club itself, or a “Club within the Club”, such as the Women’s Golf Association, Men’s Tennis Club, etc. These events are usually set on an annual calendar. The outside, non-Member tournaments hold large opportunities for Golf and Private Event revenues. In most Private Clubs, this type of tournament is held on a Monday, the day that a Club is typically closed.

The most common types of tournaments are charity, or fundraising tournaments and corporate tournaments. Charity tournaments are held to raise funds for a group or cause, and typically corporate tournaments are held for the purpose of either thanking or networking with clients. It is not uncommon for revenues from this type of event to be tens of thousands of dollars, and therefore and very large portion of our Private Event budgets.

Charity/Fundraising Tournaments

The lists of charities are endless, and each one has a common goal – to raise funds for their cause. Many times, the people or committee charged with the fundraising efforts are volunteers, so ease of planning and convenience will be of the utmost importance to them when selecting a location of their event. Golf and tennis tournament packages are very popular for this reason. Golf and Tennis should always be combined up front with food and beverage, so as not to be an afterthought for the host, and to maximize the revenue for the day at your Club. Beside the green fee, cart fee, range balls and food, other options that could be included in your tiered packages might be: merchandise (one tee prize per player); golf clinics; personalized bag tags; company logo golf balls; blended beverage stations on course; entree upgrades, premium beer selections; on-course photographer; personalized banners and hole in one insurance packages. Also, don’t forget about the private Club service we provide! Many of the services we provide are usually not included at other courses, so be sure to mention them in your packages. Examples would include bag tag table attendant, scoring, assistance with registration paperwork, rule sheets and on-course contest set-up.

Since fundraising is the most important factor with these groups, make sure you show them ways in which to make the most money for their charity. Suggestions will be very much appreciated, and also show your expertise in this area. Ideas may include gaining corporate sponsors, putting contests during registration, on-course contests, raffle prizes and silent and live auctions.

Charitable organizations can be located through many sources, including your local chamber of commerce and the Internet. Prospecting in your local Sports sections of the newspaper may result in identifying organizations advertising for their previously planned tournaments. These hosts can be contacted for the following year. There are also several websites that advertise golf tournaments and charity events for public viewing. Many national charities host tournaments nation-wide in many cities, such as the Boys and Girls Clubs and the City of Hope.

Corporate Golf and Tennis Tournaments

With corporate golf and tennis tournaments, the purpose shifts from fund-raising to simply impressing and networking with clients, peers and fellow employees. Client and/or employee appreciation events typically have a larger budget than the charity tournaments. Any company is a potential golf tournament prospect. Sometimes it is simply in the suggestion that a new tournament can be created. The thought of being able to spend hours on a golf course together with their potential clients is usually too tempting an opportunity for a company to pass by. Prospects can be found in your corporate client list and the companies who currently host their holiday parties with you.

Affiliate Golf Clubs

Every area has a Golf Association with which your Golf Professional will be familiar. Usually a guide is printed, listing all the private Clubs and municipal golf courses in the area. This publication also lists the “Affiliate Golf Clubs”, which are golf clubs that do not associate themselves with any one particular golf course. They typically hold monthly tournaments and travel from course to course for a variety of play. These groups are usually price conscious, and can be attracted to off-season pricing. An attractively priced package with minimal food & beverage (such as a box or BBQ lunch) can be sold to several groups on one day, maximizing your course capacity.

Golf Tournament Coordinators

Golf tournament coordinators serve many different purposes, ranging from simply securing tee prizes to full blown coordination including everything but the actual players. Like any vendor relationship, this can be a great source of referrals for your Club. National companies such as Advantage Golf host thousands of tournaments a year for various organizations.

Tournament Advantage

Non-Member outside tournaments also provide another valuable opportunity for our Clubs. It is an ideal prospect base for new golf Members! By working together, the Private Event Director and the Membership Director can create a program for positioning membership opportunities to this group of golfers. A Tournament Advantage program similar to Private Event Advantage can be created to provide the tournament participants an “advantage” on the membership pricing due to the amount of money already spent on the tournament. All membership programs need to be approved through the membership database and by your Regional Membership Director.

Bell Note #10

Community Networking and Involvement

An important part of each Club’s mission is to become known as a good steward in its community. Reading the local newspaper each day will help you stay in touch with what is happening in your community. Below are several ways the Private Event Department can help the Club become more involved in the community.

School Involvement

Solicit business through local grade schools, junior high schools and high schools. Work with the athletic and activities departments of local schools, offering packages to include meal, beverage and trophies with special pricing given for non-peak times. Booster clubs at your local high schools are big business in their fund-raising efforts. Contact the president of the booster club for the different sports involved and ask how your club can become involved in their success. Consider having the club select the “Outstanding High School Athlete” in the community, and honor that individual at an awards dinner.

Donations through Hosted Events at the Club

Work with the hosts of golf tournaments, fund-raisers and Chamber events on donations from the Club. Offer complimentary rounds of golf, luncheons for two or dinners for two. In return, the Club can receive exposure through a mention in their advertisement as well as a foot in the door for hosting the event at your club next year.

Open House

Invite guests from past events and Guests who are considering using your Club for their events. Have rooms set up for different types of events, such as wedding ceremonies, a reception with dance floor and a meeting with classroom style seating in another room. Display specialty food items that your chef does exceptionally well. This is a great way to showcase what your Club has to offer. Make sure the Chef is also meeting your potential clients and networking with you. This will further support the Private Event Department.

Society, Food and Sports Editors

Your reputation among local Society Editors, Sports Writers and Food Critics is very important. When appropriate, invite them to your Club for special events such as golf tournaments, charity events, Member events, etc. A well-written press release sent to this group from time-to-time is great for exposure and good reputation management. There is no substitute for the type of editorial advertising that they can provide, because it is unsolicited and not paid for, and therefore seemingly more accurate to the public.

“Taste of “ Events

Become involved in local “taste” events or create a “taste of” event at your Club for the charity of your Club’s choice. The positive exposure the Club receives from these events is again good reputation management.

Hosting Local Charity Events

In some cases, your Club may choose to identify a charity that your Members would like to become involved with, such as: Special Olympics, Multiple Sclerosis, local YMCA, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Juvenile Diabetes, March of Dimes, Cystic Fibrosis and the Cancer Research Foundation. This is a great way to increase revenue on a particular open date as well as providing a valuable offer to the charity you select. You may choose to host a golf tournament, luncheon fashion show or Casino Night dinner dance. Work with the charity organization on pricing and what contributions the Club will make. By directing these groups to non-peak times and dates, your prime dates will be open and space maximization will be achieved.

Chamber Involvement

Involvement in your local Chamber (or several if available in your area) can provide many opportunities for becoming active in their committees and groups, host mixers at your Club and attend networking breakfasts, lunches and receptions. By hosting local Chamber events at the Club, you are exposing the Club and it’s amenities to local businesses. Businesses that are Chamber members tend to be active in the community, have a large circle of influence and support other chamber members by using their services.

Attending chamber events and mixers and getting to know the local businesses is also a great way to get your name and your club’s name out to the local community. A familiar face is always much more approachable and will be thought of first when the time comes to plan an event. The community also needs to be aware that you are there to be an integral part of their community, not just to reap the benefits of the business they can bring you.

Chamber luncheons at your Club can be offered at a special price if there is an opportunity for increased business by hosting this particular group in the Club for visibility. Be known as the expert that can assist with the needs of the Chamber. Building relationships is an integral part of a Private Event Directors job and the Chamber is a great place to start.

Bell Note # 11

Vendor Partnering

You have probably heard it a million times - word of mouth is the best advertising. To a Private Event Director, one group in particular that can help or hurt our reputation is our Vendor Partners. Vendors will want to do business with you if they trust in your product, services and consistency and if they know you can reciprocate and refer business back to them. It is important to be known throughout the business community as a professional, who will be an advantage to them by enhancing their position in the marketplace. When appropriate, remember to show your appreciation of these professional contacts with thank you cards or tokens of appreciation. Remember, with any good referral system, reward is key! Almost any event related business could be a good source of referrals for your club. Florists, event planners, jewelers, entertainers, churches, bakers, photographers, limosine companies, and even your competitors can be a source for referral business. Have a preferred vendor list to give to your clients so you become the expert on who to use. Ask your vendors to exchange website links. Consider hosting a vendor appreciation luncheon or reception on an on-going basis, to ensure a steady flow of referrals. Below are a few examples of other programs you could implement in your club.

Jewelry Stores

By building a rapport with managers and employees of jewelry stores, you are ensuring a favorable referral of your Club to their clients—namely, newly engaged couples. Extend the jeweler several beautifully printed invitations or gift certificates for lunch or dinner for two at your Club that they in turn can present to each couple purchasing a ring from their store. It provides a gesture of appreciation from the jeweler and an opportunity of a prospect for you. Make sure that the jewelers give you the prospective names so you can write a congratulations/introduction note. Also, on the invitation, put your name and number as the number to call to make their reservations, so you will be assured of knowing when your prospects are in the Club. You can also thank the jeweler by rewarding them with a special gift when referrals are received. When determining the stores to approach for this program, first investigate whether or not you have Members who are in the business. They would be wonderful, as they are already fans of the Club. Always make sure that the reputation and image of the jewelry shop you are selecting fits the profile of the type of brides you are trying to attract.

Bridal Dress or Tuxedo Shops

Check for listings of bridal and tuxedo shops in the area. Visit those shops in order to start building a rapport with their employees. Most shops will allow you to leave private event information and business cards to be displayed to their clients. Also, referring business to them will strengthen your position as someone who is looking to create win/win relationships.

Bakeries

Develop a relationship with local bakeries specializing in wedding cakes and determine what you might be able to do to help one another bring in additional business. Consider contracting with one bakery that you feel good about to include their wedding cakes in your packages, adding an additional percentage over and above what the cake is costing the Club. Brides tend to appreciate the option of “one stop shopping” when the cake is included.

Entertainment

Local entertainment such as bands, disc jockeys and pianists can be a great source of referrals. When selecting the entertainment companies to be part of your preferred referral list for event hosts, check pricing, professionalism, dependability and type of music each vendor offers so as to provide your hosts with a range of options. These referral lists are an important source of business for your local entertainment, and you will find that the entertainment companies refer business to you so that you will refer business to them.

Local Catering Directors

Developing good rapport with local hotel Catering Directors in the surrounding areas of your Club can prove to be a very beneficial relationship. Take time to invite them to lunch and build win/win relationships. Calling the local Catering Directors when you have last-minute cancellations is sometimes all it takes to fill an open Saturday. Likewise, they will refer you their “overflow” business when they can. Hotels sometimes pass up events that do not have enough overnight accommodations along with the booking in hopes of attracting business that will fill their beds as well as their banquet rooms.

By joining your local chapter of NACE (National Association of Catering Executives), MPI (Meeting Planners International) or similar professional organizations, you will also be in a forum with other Catering professionals who can refer business back and forth.

Bell Note #12

Private Event and Meeting Planners

Special Event and Meeting Planners can provide your Club with a steady stream of qualified prospects. Building a strong, positive rapport with the individuals and businesses involved in coordinating parties or events will help the Private Event Director to capture a strong market as well as build a good reputation among event planners. Event planners also tend to uphold our quality standards, and can enhance the revenue potential of the events they coordinate. In return, we can recommend them to our Members and guest looking for the services of this type of professional.

It is important to align yourself with individuals who cater to the clientele that will mirror the image of your Club. They must understand and respect the Member Sponsor Policy for all Non-member guests and communicate this clearly to their prospects and clients in order to preserve the exclusivity so important to our Members.

This group may also be able to provide Membership prospects as well. An introduction to the Membership Director may prove to be beneficial. Your contacts should be educated as to the “Membership by Invitation” policy and feel comfortable in alerting the Membership Department as to certain prospects they are working with who might be interested in Membership opportunities. Make them aware of our Associate Clubs as well, possibly resulting in events for Clubs other than your own.

Maintaining up-to-date files on all event planning companies and keeping in contact with them, even if it’s just to say “hello,” is a must. Personalized notes and thank you letters for referrals and leads are much appreciated. Some event planners require a referral fee in order to have a relationship with a property, while others simply refer to locations they know can provide the level of service and distinction they require. In this case, an occasional gift of your appreciation would be appropriate, such as flowers, chocolates or small, personalized gifts.

Convention and Visitor’s Bureaus/Destination Management Companies

Most large cities are home to a Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) or Tourism Board. The CVB attracts and coordinates convention business to their city, utilizing the city’s Convention Center. Most Clubs choose to become a member of their local CVB, as there are benefits for Members that provide prospecting opportunities. Members of the CVB will receive a quarterly report of all convention and corporate groups coming to your area. The report includes dates, number of Guests and headquarter hotels for each group. The list also includes the name and phone number of the planner in charge. This can be a wonderful source for private events and golf tournaments. For convenience, the corporation hosting the convention will hold their meetings at the hotel where they have overnight accommodations. After a long day of looking at the same room and scenery, they like to take their group outside of the hotel for cocktail receptions, dinners and occasionally a breakout meeting. A Private Club provides an elegant backdrop for these events, and usually provides a “better taste of the city” than local hotels. Rooms with views of the city are especially attractive to these groups.

In attracting CVB business to your Club, it is important to identify and become familiar with the team of sales people booking events for the CVB. You may wish to offer to host their next staff meeting at your Club, or simply invite the entire group for lunch or dinner. Consistent follow-up will keep your Club in the forefront and on their minds when referring new business.

The Association of Destination Management Executives (ADME) can provide you with a listing of Destination Management Companies (DMCs). The ADME can be reached via the Internet at or by phone at (303) 394-3905. According to the definition officially adopted by the ADME membership, a DMC is “A professional management company specializing in the design and delivery of events, activities, tours, staffing, and transportation, utilizing extensive knowledge, expertise and resources.” These “behind the scenes” professionals are contracted locally by host organizations to coordinate all facets of event production. Their responsibilities range from simple coordination to very elaborate, depending upon what is requested by the client. These responsibilities include, but are not limited to booking travel arrangements, airport “meet and greet”, lodging, entertainment, food and beverage requirements, sports tournaments and tours.

DMCs market themselves as companies that provide one-stop shopping for long distance events. The majority of their business is convention related. They are very influential in steering the exhibitor parties held in conjunction with these conventions to their favorite venues. The most successful DMCs are able to attract and maintain clients interested in long-term relationships. Your interaction with a DMC should be consistent and frequent. They work in a very fast paced environment, and when booking new business, your Club must be familiar and on their mind in order for them to refer business your way. You may wish to create a “group” in our email system in order to quickly and easily send weekly of monthly updates on creative menu ideas, special group packages, new Club décor, and availability of dates. By creating a long-term relationship with this group, you will find that they can contribute greatly to your success as well.

Sporting Event Planners

In most metropolitan areas you will find special event planning companies that specialize in sporting events. Professional organizations such as Meeting Planners International (MPI) or trade shows that target the group travel industry can provide information on contacting these companies. You may wish to invite the heads of these companies and their sale team to enjoy a round of golf or lunch at your Club, to become familiar with the Club and with you as well. Private Clubs can be very attractive to the image of the events that these planners are coordinating.

Building Concierges

Business and Country Clubs alike will find it very beneficial to become familiar with the concierges in the buildings surrounding your Club. Concierges are often used as a resource by the companies located in their buildings for everything from dinner reservations to booking small dinner parties, evenings at the theater and golf tournaments. There is a professional concierge association in most major cities.

Reunion Companies

Reunion companies can be a source for easy to book business. Their requirements are usually very simple and straightforward, and time spent in planning is minimal. By providing them with packaged pricing, targeting low demand dates and times, you are able to generate business with minimal coordination and planning efforts. Offering preferred pricing at a near-by hotel as well as transportation can also be very attractive to these planners.

National Society of Fund Raising Executives (NSFRE)

These events are usually planned will in advance and work will for filling non-peak periods. NSFRE is a group that has local chapters in every city in the United States. As the name suggests, this association deals specifically with fund raising events. The group consists of individuals who should be thought of as potential Members. These people are great contacts for golf tournaments, reception, and dinner events that are high profile in nature and give good exposure for your club.

Bell Note # 13

Associations & Organizations

Associations & Organizations play and important role in the success of the Private Event Department. They can be one of the most effective markets to target for external, sponsored events at your Club. These groups have a standard calendar and will have weekly, monthly and yearly events. Determine the usefulness of a particular group in relation to your needs by speaking with each group’s membership officer. Attendance to these meeting should not only be educational, but also provide a chance to meet civic leaders, group organizers and event planners for other organizations. As a Private Event Director, you must instill the Club’s name in the contact’s mind for special events, so that at decision time, they can recommend the Club as a place to hold their important events.

Alumni Associations

Alumni Associations host a variety of different events, including recruiting events, events to honor teachers for service, golf tournaments, class reunions and dedication ceremonies. They are a good source of breakfast, lunch, dinner and cocktail reception business.

Members of your Club may be involved in the Alumni associations from their respective schools. Knowing this about your Members will enable you to inquire about contacts who plan and host their events. MemberPride can a good source for identifying if a Member has this type of affiliation. A Private Event Director can also contact the Alumni Directors at various high schools and colleges, inquiring about the type of annual event they host.

Military Service Organizations

The military, with its many branches and divisions, holds a great variety of functions that present opportunities for you and your Club. For example, a change of command, new facility openings, top military official visits, anniversaries and retirement parties. Review your Membership roster through MemberPride to identify those Members involved in military operations and see if they might benefit from a relationship between your Club and their organizations. These Members might also serve as sponsors for such events.

Homeowners Associations

Contact the representatives of homeowners associations in your area to make them aware of your Club and how their owners, both new and old, may utilize your Club for social functions and meetings. Homeowner’s association meetings can also be held at your Club to encourage exposure of your Club’s rooms, service and food quality to local residents. This is also a good group to target when marketing “Catering To Go” services. Many homeowners surrounding our Clubs entertain in their homes and would welcome some assistance with in-home event planning, including menu selections that can be picked up or delivered. If your Club is not equipped for off-premise catering, a simple menu of cold, ready to serve hors d’oeuvres, salads, deli buffets, and desserts might prove to be a good source of additional revenue while at the same time providing a convenient service to our Members.

Service Organizations

Service Organizations typically meet on a regular basis and tend to be repeat business. They include, but are not limited to Rotary, Soroptomist and Kiwanis groups. Meet with your Membership Director and identify possible Member involvement with prospective associations. By using Member Pride you can search for the associations with which your Members may be affiliated. The “Source Book” is another good resource for identifying these groups and organizations.

Political Organizations

Club environments tend to be very appropriate for the events hosted by political organizations. Political organizations include, Consulates, Mayors office of special events, as well as GOP and DNC fundraising committees. These groups hold fund-raisers, receptions and dinner events. Guests range from business owners to government officials. Consult with both your Membership and other Department Heads to create a listing of those Members who are politically involved. Stay abreast by watching the local news and reading the newspaper and review sample ballots to find addresses and contact names for each candidate’s campaign office.

Sports Associations

These high profile and high dollar organizations present elaborate event opportunities. They can have large budgets and are transient in nature. Targeting sports organizations outside of your Club’s immediate area could prove beneficial. Find out about organizations traveling to your city. Upcoming competitions can be found in the sports section of local newspapers. These functions usually occur in the form of receptions or dinners and present opportunities to dill non-peak periods in order to maximize club usage. Associations such as the Special Olympics host events nationwide throughout the year.

Charity Organizations

Involvement with one or several carefully chosen charities can show community support and creates positive working relationships. Charity groups tend to show flexibility in date selection to mitigate budget constraints. The exposure the Club receives form working with a charity group sometimes goes far beyond the revenues generated. Individuals associated with one charity organization may also be involved other groups as well, creating future opportunities. These events are will worth the time and effort to build important relationships between your Club and the community. Charity events held to support the arts (such as the opera, ballet, etc.) are likely attended by large number of Member prospects as well. Discuss these opportunities with your Membership Director to determine the best way to secure a mailing list from this group.

Professional Organizations

These organizations have very high standards in location selection due to the professional nature of their events. Professionals such as doctors and attorneys characterize the membership of these organizations and can also be a great source of Membership leads for your Club. A Private Club satisfies their specifications for exceptional food and service in an upscale environment. These types of organizations can be located in your Chamber directories, business journals and trade publications.

Event Calendars

Newspapers and local magazines list calendars of upcoming events in your area. These listings detail the organizations and provide a contact person to call for more information. By reviewing this calendar, you get an idea of what is happening and which of these events your Club may be able to host. Many local groups move to different locations each week or month and are always looking for new sites to host their event. By reviewing where the groups are currently meeting, you can be better prepared to sell the advantages of your Club over their current venue.

Bell Note #14

Employee Partners

Since it is not feasible for the Private Event Director to “touch” each and every guest who visits your Club, other Employee Partners can and will be representing the Club and your department on many occasions. How you cultivate the relationships with your fellow Employee Partners can facilitate new business development for the Private Event Department and lead to additional revenue opportunities.

Membership Director

One of the key relationships is the one with your Membership Director(s). They are usually the first contact with New Member prospects, and can lay the groundwork for Private Event leads regardless of whether the candidate joins the Club. Weekly, meet with your Membership Director to discuss new leads and prospecting information, especially the New Members added that week. The win/win in your relationship with your Membership Director is that the sharing of leads is mutual.

Member Relations Director

Between the Member Relations Director and the Private Event Director, this duo is responsible for driving almost 100% of the Food and Beverage gross revenues at a Club! As such, this relationship is critical to the success of the food and beverage department, and must operate at a consistently high level.

From the initial budget planning process, the Private Event and Member Relations Directors, along with your Club Manager, must come to an agreement on the distribution of rooms and meal periods that will be split between the two types of events. It is critical that a balance be maintained, so that we accommodate our Members needs for both Club sponsored events and their Private Events as well. Once the calendar for the year has been set, you will find that there is no need to “battle” for available space on an event by event basis. You can, however, make adjustments throughout the year, by trading space, giving up a date or meal period that doesn’t seem to work for you, but that the other could benefit from, etc.

Another key to this relationship is that like your Membership Director, your Member Relations Director has a direct link to Members and their preferences that may be beneficial to your internal prospecting for Member hosted events. Many times by participating on the many Club committees, a Member Relations Director will become aware of information that could ultimately result in a Private Event for the Club. By discussing this often, you are keeping them aware of the fact that they must always keep an open ear for these opportunities.

Many Member Relations Directors conduct the new Employee Partner orientations. During this time, it is imperative that the Private Event Director be introduced to the new Employee Partner, if available. It is then that the stage can be set for the Employee Partner recognition program for Private Event leads. Everyone needs to think like a salesperson!

Referral and Incentive Programs

In creating a strong and healthy relationship with all Employee Partners, it becomes easier to enlist everyone’s help to prospect for Private Events. Your service staff will hear many comments during the events that, when appropriately addressed, can turn into valuable leads for the Private Event Director. Make sure that all staff is aware of how to handle inquiries about Private Events. Procedures will be different depending upon whether or not the Private Event Director is in the Club or not, so be sure that everyone feels comfortable addressing these questions and inquiries.

A great way to generate referrals is to create an incentive program for Employee Partners. Referral programs should include rewards including STAR Cards and personal recognition and/or incentives that are important to Employee Partners.

Attending daily line-ups can be one of the most effective tools for communicating incentives, goals, and enlisting the help of Employee Partners. Educate them on the importance of a referral and how it can lead to the booking of a Private Event. At the same time, discuss the financial impact that Private Events can have on the Club and the Employee Partners. Employee Partners should be encouraged to refer friends, relatives and event attendees to the Private Event department.

Magic Moments

As you know, Magic Moments are important in creating emotional connections between Members and the Club, and the same holds true for our Employee Partners! When an Employee Partner “goes the extra mile”, make sure to recognize the effort in front of their peers and supervisor. When possible and appropriate, add something tangible to the recognition. Remember to personalize the reward whenever possible - movie or lottery tickets, a bottle of their favorite wine, a special plaque, their favorite flowers – whatever that Employee Partner finds motivational. When an Employee Partner experiences a Magic Moment, they will better understand the Member’s enjoyment of a Magic Moment and hopefully strive to create that feeling again for someone else.

Bell Note #15

Internet Marketing

The Internet technology of today hosts a broad range of ways for creating Club and Private Event awareness. More people planning events are now using the Internet to access information about your Club. Take every opportunity to promote your website, such as on your voicemail message, on your business cards, in your Member newsletter, Club letterhead, on your function sheets and on your “message on hold”.

Club Websites

Your Club’s web page is an integral part of your business plan. Proper design and format are very important in maintaining a fresh web page. Photos are key to an attractive site and should be continually updated to keep your Club’s page in tune with current events and trends. Create an image as to what can be expected when hosting an event at your Club. No specific pricing should be posted on any website. At a minimum, review and update your website on a quarterly basis. Refer to the Private Event Standards of Operation Manual for further information.



is a ClubCorp created website that showcases each of our Clubs in the areas of Weddings, Golf Tournaments, Corporate Events and Social Events. Clubs can be located by geographic area and contacted directly by email with information requests. The request is then directed to the Private Event Director at the desired Club. If a Private Event Director is new to the Club, the contact information will need to be changed so that the requests are directed to the proper person. You can change this or any information on this website by contacting the Media Department at the ClubCorp corporate office in Dallas. This web page is at the top of most search engines and generates many leads from potential prospects looking to host events. Club Members can now go on-line to look up information on Clubs to which they will be traveling and at which they would like to hold events.

Broadcast E-mails

Our email system now provides a wonderful tool for reaching large groups of people very quickly and efficiently. Establishing a group directory of e-mail addresses of your Members, Bell Ringers, referral sources and business clientele allows you to easily send a quick note, thank you or special marketing promotion at any time. This correspondence should be professional and technically flawless, as it will set the tone for the reader’s perception of your Club. Be certain to take advantage of the spell check feature.

Internet Advertising

Beside your Club’s own website and , other target market Internet sites may prove valuable in spending your advertising dollars. Specifically with weddings, it has been established that 80% of all brides now use the Internet for researching and locating vendors and information for their wedding. There are many sites available, so review each of them carefully before deciding on the one which best fits your Club’s image and target clientele. Tracking your source of business in ClubCater is extremely important so that in the future, you can determine if your choice of internet site advertising was a wise use of your advertising budget, or if you should try a different site the next time around.

Bell Note #16

ClubCorp Referrals

Associate Club Usage

One of the many benefits of a ClubCorp Membership is the ClubCorp Associate Club Privilege that is available to our Members. When traveling, our Members can use any of the Clubs in the ClubCorp family of Clubs for recreation, business and social entertaining, or hosting events. A complete directory of Clubs can be located in the back of Private Clubs Magazine, in “The Guide”. When accommodating an Associate Member who is hosting an event away from their home Club, the Private Event Director must obtain a credit check, or status of Membership, from the Club Accountant at the Member’s home Club. This request should be sent in writing, via fax or email, so that proper documentation is obtained and kept in the event file.

Relocation

When a Member resigns due to relocation, it is standard procedure for the Membership Director to offer to introduce them to the ClubCorp Club in their new area. Develop a system that will enable you to also notify the appropriate Private Event Director when a new Member prospect moves into their area.

By sharing valuable information on event preferences, you will not only provide another Magic Moment for the relocating Member, but you will establish a relationship with another Private Event Director which may result in a referral back to you in return if the opportunity presents itself.

Referrals to Other ClubCorp Clubs

By building relationships with other Private Event Directors, you can refer prospects back and forth if you are unable to accommodate a Member or guest. Keep each other updated on available dates (especially weekend dates and tournament Mondays). Often, potential hosts will ask for a referral to another location if your Club is unable to accommodate them. It is very professional to be able to provide suggestions on other locations, as well as a contact name and phone number at that location. Your host will remember how thoughtful and helpful you were, and remember you for future events. Follow-up with a phone call to the Private Event Director at the Club you are referring with the prospect’s name and phone number.

National ClubCorp Referrals

Occasionally, a Private Event Director will come across a lead on a prospect that hosts events nation-wide, in several different cities. This type of lead can be referred to the ClubCorp Corporate Private Event Director in Dallas, for proper follow-up and correct placement of events. Typically, these leads would be on corporate events and golf tournaments, however, can also be on non-profit organizations and fundraising events.

Bell Note #17

Universal Marketing

Universal marketing refers to several of the opportunities and markets that cross over several of the Bell Notes, and are appropriate to many if not all of the Bell Notes.

Member Sponsorship of Private Events

To maintain the integrity of Membership by Invitation, it is important that all non-Member Private Events have a Member Sponsor. Through Private Event Sponsorship, Members can extend the value of their Membership to their family, friends and business associates. At times, a non-Member host or group may need help in locating a Member sponsor. When looking for a sponsor, find something about the group that may relate to one of your Members. A lawyer might be more than delighted to sponsor a Private Event honoring a judge. A banker will often step up to sponsor a function for a company the bank does business with. Make new Members aware that they can sponsor someone to hold events at the Club. Event sponsorship becomes an easy favor the Member can do for an associate, friend or family member. The person being sponsored will then have a higher comfort level with the Club and will benefit from the enhanced prestige of entertaining at a Private Club. The Member does not necessarily become financially responsible for the sponsored event, unless he/she decides to sign the event contract. You can refer to the Private Event/Accounting Policy for the correct procedures on handling Member-sponsored events.

“Movers & Shakers”

Newspapers and magazines consistently publish information about local prominent figures. These are the people who run companies, chair fund-raisers and host major events. Clipping out the article to send so that “they may have an extra copy” is a great way to introduce yourself and the Club. By establishing a relationship with these people, you have the opportunity to book any event they might be involved with professionally or socially and hopefully turn them into Bell Ringers for the Club.

Thank You Notes

For every event, regardless of size or dollar amount, write a note of thanks (preferably hand written) to the Host. Try to personalize every note with a special phrase or reference to make it more special to the recipient. Captains and servers of the event can also send a thank you note to the host, signed by the entire staff who assisted at their event.

Notes to Lost Business

Many times, a guest will need to cancel a booked event. If the event cannot be rebooked to a later date, send a cancellation letter, stating the Club’s policy on canceled events. Be as friendly as possible, inviting them back for future events.

A note can also be sent to those who had tentatively held dates, but then decided not to book. A note to these potential future hosts would thank them for their interest in the Club, and invite them back when another need presents itself.

ClubCater

One of the many features in our ClubCater software is the “Waiting List” feature. Events can be put on a “waiting list” for a particular date, time or room if the initial request is not currently available. This feature is especially useful in a busy month like December, when many people request Friday and Saturday evenings to host their holiday events. Following the holiday season, Private Event Directors typically go back and call all events to re-book for the following year. It is very important to also remember to call all the events on your waiting list, so that they will have a better choice of dates for the next year when the Club has more availability.

Private Event Advantage

The Private Event Advantage Program provides Member-Sponsored hosts and non-Member Guests the opportunity of membership at your Club by offering an “advantage” on the membership pricing due to the amount of money already spent on their event. The Private Event Director and membership Director should work together to create a program suitable to the needs of your Club, based on the available membership categories and Club’s by-laws. Private Event Advantage can be positioned in the initial Private Event sales call, as a benefit of hosting the event at your private Club.

Please consult with your Regional Membership Director for examples of programs. All membership programs need to be approved through the membership database and by your Regional Membership Director.

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