Ed Heil

Why Private Club Culture Starts and Ends With the GM

Ed Heil: March 19, 2026

Key Takeaways " \n The general manager is the club's most important cultural force, serving...

Reimagining Golf Course Drone Video for Private Clubs

Ed Heil: March 12, 2026

Key Takeaways " \n \n Traditional drone video served clubs well, but viewer expectations have...

Behaving Badly at the Club: Inside the Cultural Shift

Ed Heil: March 05, 2026

Key Takeaways " \n \n The wave of younger members who joined during the pandemic has created a...

What a 70-Property Club Management Company Solved with Technology That Every Club Can Learn From

Ed Heil: March 02, 2026

Behind the Scenes of The Olympic Club Video: What Makes it so Good?

Ed Heil: February 25, 2026

Key Takeaways " \n \n Budget time appropriately - A four-minute video for a club with multiple...

Understanding Your Club's Food & Bev Problem with Surprising Data

Ed Heil: February 19, 2026

Key Takeaways " \n \n Food and beverage has nearly double the influence on overall member...

Why Testimonial Videos Should Be Top Marketing Priority for Private Golf Communities

Ed Heil: February 05, 2026

Key Takeaways " \n \n Prospects spend months or years researching online before visiting - they...

Recession-Proofing Your Club: What Financial Resilience Looks Like in 2026

Ed Heil: January 29, 2026

Key Takeaways " \n \n Apply your professional expertise to your club. Board members wouldn't run...

Competitive Intel for Clubs: What Your Members Really Compare You To

Ed Heil: January 28, 2026

Key Takeaways " \n \n Your real competition isn't just other clubs. Younger prospective members...

Why Board Transitions Break Good Clubs (And How to Fix It)

Ed Heil: January 23, 2026

Key Takeaways " \n \n Stewardship over legacy - Board members should focus on leaving the club...

Solving Your Club's Culture Issue: 9 Things Your Club Should Stop Doing Today

Ed Heil: December 30, 2025

Key Takeaways " \n \n Transparency builds trust: Share project updates and reasoning behind...

The GM's Dashboard: 7 Digital Metrics That Actually Predict Club Success

Ed Heil: December 09, 2025

It’s easy for private clubs to fall into a risky pattern - especially in these times when 45% of...

What Three Industry Leaders Are Actually Seeing Heading into 2026

Ed Heil: December 05, 2025

A few weeks ago, Ed Heil from StoryTeller Club Marketing and two other industry leaders sat down...

The Member Testimonial Framework: Beyond "I Love This Place"

Ed Heil: November 12, 2025

There's an ingrained resistance in the private club industry when it comes to member testimonials....

What Referral-Driven Clubs Get Wrong About Their Website

Ed Heil: October 16, 2025

"We don't really need a good website—we get most of our members from word of mouth."

How AI Gives Private Club Staff More Time for Members

Ed Heil: October 09, 2025

One of the most compelling reasons people join private clubs is the personal attention they...

Website Integration Made Simple: Why Your Golf Association Needs More Than Just a Pretty Homepage

Ed Heil: August 13, 2025

Your association website currently handles the essentials well. Members can establish their GHIN...

What Private Club Leaders Need to Know Before Producing a Club Video

Ed Heil: June 13, 2025

Producing video content isn’t just about grabbing a camera and hitting record. For private clubs,...

Where Tradition Meets Tomorrow: Dr. Bonnie Knutson on Creating Value in Modern Private Clubs

Ed Heil: May 01, 2025

The essence of a private club is uniting people with shared values and passions. When a club’s no...

Elevating Member Communication to Drive Engagement

Ed Heil: April 24, 2025

Let's be honest - member communications at most private clubs is a mess. While clubs continue to...

The Key to Successful Club Governance: A Discussion with Experts Denise Kuprionis and David Chag

Ed Heil: March 25, 2025

"The seven most dangerous words in the English language are 'We've always done it this way.'" -...

Strategic Private Club Communications: Beyond the Club Newsletter

Ed Heil: March 06, 2025

"In the absence of information, people make up their own story—and it's usually not positive." This...

Transforming Private Club Newsletters Through Storytelling

Ed Heil: January 23, 2025

"Stories are a communal currency of humanity." - Tahir Shah, Pakistani writer and documentary maker

Creating Private Club Website Copy That Engages Prospective Members

Ed Heil: January 08, 2025

For years, private clubs took pride in their air of mystery. Many didn't even bother with websites,...

Cultivating a Thriving Club Culture: Insights from Industry Leaders

Ed Heil: October 01, 2024

In the competitive landscape of private clubs, creating a strong, positive culture isn't just a...

You Don't Need to Hire A HubSpot Partner Agency, Or Do You?

Ed Heil: September 16, 2024

This blog was originally posted on February 24, 2022, but has since been updated for relevance and...

Attracting the Right Members with Your Club Stories

Ed Heil: August 21, 2024

One of the most common refrains I hear when visiting with club leaders around the country is this:...

Melissa Hansen: Elevating Private Clubs One Membership Professional at a Time

Ed Heil: August 02, 2024

Not long ago, a club’s membership director was the receptionist at the front desk. As it related to...

Why Private Club Membership Directors Need to Sell

Ed Heil: June 27, 2024

The words Selling and Private Club Membership typically do not go hand-in-hand. In fact, most...

Private Club Growth: Stop Reacting, Start Building [Podcast]

Ed Heil: May 02, 2024

Most successful businesses have a defined and repeatable sales process. One that identifies the...