Karen Woodard-Chavez, contributing columnist

If your staff shifts the sales conversation to be about the buyer, they will create a more intimate dynamic, customize the selling conversation, decrease your sales cycle and increase your sales.

The responsibility of your membership sales representatives is to generate business, not simply take walk-ins and call-ins. For that reason, your reps must have a five-point lead generation plan (5PLGP).

You should have training materials, defined processes and plans that you expect all staff to deliver for consistent operations, and you should train everyone on them consistently.

Distractions can prevent your staff from hitting their individual sales goals and the sales goals of the department. That’s why they need a plan to be productive and understand how to prioritize their activities.

In February, I attended the Abierto Mexicano (Mexican Open) in Acapulco. It is a lovely small tennis tournament. The organizers have aspirations to make it the fifth Grand Slam. Although I enjoyed my experience at the tournament, I want to share with you the superior customer service I experienced at the Fairmont Pierre Marques hotel, which was next door to the tournament, and how that can translate to the club environment. By Karen Woodard-Chavez

As of late, many club owners have been struggling with whether to charge an enrollment fee and how to increase non-dues revenue. Because clubs received