Revolutionizing Membership Marketing With Melissa Hansen

If you're familiar with the private club industry, you've likely heard of Melissa Hansen. Serving as the Membership and Marketing Director at The Club at Olde Cypress, her passion for marketing extends beyond her day job. Melissa is dedicated to helping membership and marketing directors nationwide discover new tools and strategies for business growth. In our recent conversation, we explored innovative methods for attracting and converting members in today's digital landscape.

Early in her career, Melissa realized the value of learning from seasoned professionals in the industry. She's a firm believer in networking, collaboration, and lifelong learning. Despite some clubs shying away from marketing, Melissa advocates for providing access to information and creating a "fear of missing out" to drive membership growth, even among clubs with a 501(c)(7) status.

CRM: A Must in Today’s World 

A central theme in our discussion was the importance of adapting to changing consumer behavior and embracing digital tools. Melissa relies heavily on her HubSpot CRM, which streamlines lead management and communication. Gone are the days of manual lead tracking of print-offs and binders; with HubSpot, Melissa can personalize her communications, utilize a chatbot for real-time inquiries (she even responds from her phone), and track prospect behavior to tailor her approach effectively.

Understanding lead behavior is paramount for Melissa. By tracking prospect interactions with the Club at Olde Cypress website, she can gauge interest levels and adjust her communication strategy accordingly. This personalized approach boosts engagement and interest among prospects.

Blogging: A Game-Changer

“Blogging has been an absolute game-changer for us”, Melissa shared. Four years ago she couldn’t fathom adding something as exhausting and time-consuming to her plate. Recognizing she needed some external support, she worked with an external writer to create informative and engaging content tailored to the interests of her target audience.

Melissa's journey with blogging revealed its incredible impact: not only did it bring more visitors to her website, but those visitors also stayed engaged for longer. In fact, it's no surprise to see interested prospects linger for 3 to 4 minutes, captivated by her content. Her secret weapon? Addressing their burning questions through well-researched articles and incorporating expert insights. And the results speak for themselves: a recent Facebook post promoting a well-written blog reached over 5,800 people–a testament to the power of informative and engaging content!

Melissa emphasizes that technology and automation have not only lightened her workload but also transformed the buying experience for prospects. A seamless digital journey, akin to purchasing a car or real estate, enhances the overall membership experience. These tools also provide tangible results, reinforcing the return on investment to stakeholders.

Melissa’s journey serves as a testament to the power of innovation, adaptation, and continuous learning in membership marketing. By embracing modern tools and techniques, she has achieved remarkable results. Her insights offer valuable lessons for other membership marketing professionals navigating the dynamic landscape of the private club industry. If you want to connect with Melissa you can email her at Melissa@melissahansen.com.