Legal Avenues for Sports Clubs to Financially Prospher

Credits to an inspiring concern by a senior executive in the manner of a challenge, my mind now has a task he wishes to attend to.

Gone were the days of glory to the All Sports Theme Family Getaway Vacation Clubs which were at high demands when people would fight for the membership just to get associated and affiliated. Well not to ignore the fact that there were those who joined the clubs for the pure interest of sports hobbies. What about the rest? They joined for curiosity and with a quest in mind, "what's in it for me?"

So, was it purely a trend during those days that they captured the market? What were the catch that once sprung up the industry and got so many players into the industry and now witnessing little to no progress to perhaps even dying of gradually?

Well i'm definitely not expert in this but i would hope to channel some thoughts if it gets people thinking. It's fun doing this.

Scenario number one, there are too many substitutes and competition in the current market.

What do sports clubs offer? They usually brand themselves amongst the best family getaways.

What other services offer similar experiences?

Almost all entertainment and service industries offer similar packages. Be it cinemas, dining restaurants, shopping complexes, vacation clubs, spas and reflexology or massages or healing therapies, cyber cafes, cafes or the all-free parks, occasional events of all sorts, even housing estates, etc.

So what makes the All Sports Theme Clubs outrank the rest?

What is your niche?

What makes people choose you over the rest of their alternatives?

Would a makeover of your strategy from (eg: "The Best Family Getaway") be better off if you were to reposition your services in niche terms such as (eg: "For the Sports Enthusiasts", "where fitness lifestyle is never compromised", "The Real Outdoors", "Sports Come First", "Family Moments in Action", etc)?

Well let's not drill into challenging the Founder's belief, stick with the Best Family Getaway and instead focus on bringing the real bucks in. How do my All Theme Sports Club or Family Vacation Club earn more money in a legalized manner? Be it long term and also short term!

Are we working on it together now?

Tell me what's in your mind now.

Which are the Clubs you know of that appear successful?

How do you define their success? Is it financially they are sound and progressing better steadily? Is it the ever active presence of its members? Is it the high density of user members? Is it the high demand for association or affiliation? Is it the club's reputation and popularity in the public? Is it the happening events they often have? Or is it as simple as how you feel about the worth of your investment in it as a member? Has your membership investment appreciated way beyond the competition?

Another question of importance here is, what do most other successful clubs do that ensure they prosper both in the short and longer terms?

Well they definitely market themselves well. They know what they are famous for and they stick to their fundamentals consistently and yet not forgetting their minor interests.

Who are your most prominent members? Who gets you the most per visit revenues might be important but so as critical it is in knowing who are your potential prospect-gainers! Don't forget that affiliations and associations are your best assets. If you are operating a Golf and Country Resort, you are definitely leveraging your reputation of affiliation with the big names in the corporate world but what if you have no golf courses? Can you then not use similar philosophy and bring in some potential players to get free training at your clubhouses just to draw in more crowds and enthusiasts? Well i do believe that it is more financially and spiritually rewarding to recruit newbies with unidentified talent to develop and then employ as ambassadors for your clubs. Be it big names or small as long as these are passionate sport enthusiasts who would go all out to draw more players and members who appreciate the games on their own intentions! That's when you leverage on your talent investments. Be reminded of the mushrooming of Multi Level Marketing and Direct Sales Concept. These people have the networks, the luxury of time, the capacity to influence and market through word of mouth etc. I won't detail the specifics but i do believe something could be worked out.

Where are we now?

Of course all clubs sponsor talented sport players. And yea they do try to organize as many family events as possible to get their members active and bring together their close affiliates and friends hopefully to recruit more members and prosper not just for their own financial goals but for their original founding belief of a better family getaway.

But why is it not working in the best intentions?

Well are people tired of sporting activities and entertaining another new friend or affiliated already?

Well there are so many condominiums, service apartments and resort theme housing estates nowadays that offer similar alternatives and gives the flexibility of minimal to no dress codes, the comfort of not having to drive out and schedule ahead, cozy homey feeling, and little strangers.

The question is, how can a Family Club become the best or perfect family getaway if it doesn't feel like comfy home or?

And if not, if it focuses on getting active and ever increasing membership or walk-in revenues for use or rental of its facilities, how does it communicate its facilities to the right audiences?

Does it offer its packages to the ever active students or young adults who goes after fitness or alternative lifestyles or device an efficient and effective means of marketing its occasional events to the right audience at minimal effort? The brand positioning and ambassadors work.

You might want to consider sponsoring some active student ambassadors to hold their events in your clubs and propose or sponsor them events to be held in your facilities and then hold a facilities tour for the public who could be prospects.

..to be continued..