Have you ever wondered about how your club compares? In this article, we will dive into the key metrics indicating your club’s health. We share real-life insights drawing from years of experience as club administrators and from helping hundreds of clubs and thousands of volunteers.
We dissect club health metrics across vital areas: roles, finance, technology, and member growth. Keep on reading, and you will understand the impact of each metric on your club's health and sustainability. As well as discover actionable steps to enhance these areas within your club.
What is the makeup of your committee?
In the lively world of clubs, people are the heartbeat. Picture your club as a buzzing hive of shared passions. Everyone gives up their personal time to add value to the organisation and bonds over what they love. At Frello, we've observed something remarkable: “Volunteers constitute 95% of committees in clubs using Frello, breathing life into every idea," said James, Head of Customer at Frello.
In the realm of club management, there are some key roles every club, big or small, relies on:
- President: The leader steering the club toward growth, embodying club management best practices.
- Club Secretary: The bridge connecting members, the committee, and any outside agencies.
- Treasurer: The financial expert ensuring the club's fiscal health, a vital aspect of club health metrics.
- Marketing and Communications Officer: The creative soul behind raising club awareness and attracting new members.
- Volunteer Coordinators: The unsung heroes championing diverse causes within your community.
Learn more about the secret sauce to effective club volunteer recruiting.
Here's the twist: many club volunteers who come to us are real-life superheroes. Juggling numerous roles within the club, until they burn out. It's a common tale— individuals wearing too many hats, and being spread too thin.
Equipping your committee with essential tools is crucial for fulfilling their roles and attracting/retaining valuable volunteers. A centralised, cloud-based platform is commonplace with modern club management best practices and is key to seamless collaboration within your club. Imagine everyone logging in, doing their part, sharing the load, and voilà—no crossed wires, no duplication, no confusion. It not only helps attract amazing volunteers but also allows for the smooth succession of committees when it is time for those to move on. It's the dream that can come true.
Is your club’s financial health in check?
In the realm of club health metrics, financial viability stands as a cornerstone. If you’ve ever managed a club, you know the intricate dance required to fund your club’s ambitions.
Membership fees often form a club’s financial backbone and in this day and age, there is no reason a club should be finishing the season or year with overdue fees. Streamlining your financial processes is a vital club management best practice, involving two crucial steps:
Firstly, embrace online payments. Gone are the days of taking a check or envelope of cash down to your club's muster day. Online payments not only cater to members seeking a seamless payment experience but also revolutionise your administrative workload. No more tracking and chasing payments or drowning in piles of paperwork. Yvonne, Administrator at Blue Rovers Football Club, shared, “Putting in a pay-at-registration system has meant no chasing of fees for our admins and we have fewer outstanding payments than previously.”
Secondly, consider membership auto-renewal solutions. Charles Wells, Treasurer at Squash @ Upper Hutt, said, “Automatic financial reminders have led to prompt payments of subscriptions and visitor fees.” Manual renewals often result in lost revenue and increased administrative burdens. As Lake, Sales Rep at Frello, pointed out, “Treasurers and volunteers struggle with the manual handling and reconciliation of invoices and organising membership renewals. It is a huge time suck and can have a big impact on the club’s revenue.”
Additionally, diversifying income sources is a wise club management practice. James suggested, “Successful clubs secure revenue from multiple avenues. Not solely relying on membership fees but also tapping into fundraising, sponsorship, events, merchandise, holiday programmes, you name it.” These practices not only safeguard your club's financial health but also foster a vibrant, thriving community. To delve deeper into these revenue increase strategies, download our Free Club Guide to Increase Revenue.
Is your club embracing technology?
In the evolution of club management, tales of past struggles highlight the transformative power of technology.
Liat and Adam, the great minds behind Hello Club, take us back to their days volunteering for Squash @ Upper Hutt in Wellington as tech consultants. “Our Club Admin spent half an hour onboarding a new member, juggling 6 to 7 different systems for member data, court bookings, and access tags.”
“Imagine the chaos—secretary tracking renewals on one form, treasurer managing payments on another. Piles of paperwork turned into marathon data entry sessions, gobbling up hours.”
“We had a single computer holding the club's local database. When it crashed, everything was down. One evening, after office hours, a member was left stranded, waiting an hour for our secretary to rush back and grant access physically. Any member update meant wading through mountains of forms and systems, replicating changes manually.” Oh, the joys of analog days!
But times have changed. In this digital era, gone are the days of hours of manual tasks and intricate systems. Modern clubs thrive by embracing technology. A centralised, automated club management system isn't just a time-saver; it's a member empowerment tool, transforming your volunteers into happy heroes and your members into delighted customers—a win-win.
Lee, Administrator at Auckland Waterski Club, said, “Our admin hours went from 15/week to about 3/week because of all the things it does automatically in our club now.”
James echoes this progress: “User-friendly member portals and club websites are now the norm and club management best practices. They empower the members, encourage self-help, and reduce the amount of requests and questions coming through to administrators. Members nowadays expect to be able to complete tasks on the go and from the palm of their hands. You can book accommodation online, order dinner, and signing up to your local club should be no different.”
Now, you might wonder, is this tech stuff worth the investment? Well, consider this—if you calculate the expense of 10 hours of admin work per week at New Zealand’s lowest wage, adopting a centralised club management software is just a fraction – 1/10th to be exact – of what it costs to manage everything manually.
If tech were a superhero, it'd be the costumed knight saving you from administration nightmares. Curious to witness the magic? Or need to convince the rest of the committee that technology is the way forward? Grab a copy of our Free Club Admin Time Calculator and have a play around.
Are you growing your member community?
Growth isn't just about numbers; it's about fostering a thriving community. Your club's vitality hinges on the number of new members and retaining your existing ones.
A fundamental truth prevails: the richer the experience you provide, and the more engaged you are with your community, the more likely people are to join and keep returning.
Amidst the best practices that drive club member growth, we've observed some key strategies that set successful clubs apart.
Attracting new members' best practices
- Casual Members: Trends in sports are showing that clubs are experiencing a decrease in formal participation. This means individuals prefer to explore various sports casually rather than committing to one sport for an entire year. Casual members have a low entry threshold so it's important for clubs to offer multiple avenues for involvement and participation. Consider options like "drop in" sessions and "have a go" days. If these individuals love their experience, they can easily transition into becoming full-time members.
- Community Events: Do you regularly host events where non-members are welcome? Clubs with active community outreach and impactful events tend to earn stellar reputations. Word of mouth referrals often follow.
- Accessible Communication Channels: Is your club easy to find and contact? A user-friendly website showcasing your club's info, registration, and event calendar, coupled with a Facebook presence where people can sign up, connect, or inquire, is critical to attracting new members. Sports are competing for members now more than ever, and it often comes down to how easily your club can be found online and the member's registration experience. The majority of Hello Club customers embed their member portals and event pages on websites and Facebook, maximising visibility and enhancing their chances of attracting new members.
Retaining current members' best practices
- Retention Rates: Your member retention rate is a crucial indicator, reflecting your club's health. High retention ensures positive member growth. “It’s important to remove the guesswork when it comes to retaining members. Knowing which memberships are expiring, who has returned, and who hasn't enables targeted actions,” advised James, “All of which can be achieved by a centralised member management platform.”
- Member Engagement: How engaged are your members? Track event attendance, Facebook interactions, and website visits. A centralised club management system offers detailed member activity reports, providing valuable insights into engagement levels. It also allows your club to send tailored, meaningful communications to your members based on their specific interests and membership types. When members receive relevant communications, their open rates and engagement increase.
To wrap up
After years of guiding hundreds of clubs, we've seen that the secret to enduring success lies in attracting great volunteers, robust financial systems, tech efficiency, and a thriving member community. Reflect on these proven club management best practices and integrate them into your club for lasting improvement.
Stay in the loop for club management best practices
Like this article? Share it with your committee, peer volunteers, and friends.
Curious about more club management topics? Wanting a more efficient and enjoyable club management system? Email us at sales@helloclub.com.
About Hello Club
Hello Club offers an all-in-one platform for member-based organisations to save up to 80% of their admin time and delight their members.
