If you’re struggling to master Ten Pin Bowling and score really high numbers on a consistent basis, this “The Ultimate Bowling Guide” review may give you the tools you need to, among other Bowling secrets, learn the proper method for throwing the perfect hook ball to increase the number of strikes and eliminate the dreaded gutter ball from your game for good.

In my “Ultimate Bowling Guide” review, you’ll learn why this book may be the best thing to perfect your bowling. It offers tips and strategies that should be able to help anyone reach better scores and bowl like a pro.

Click here to read my The Ultimate Bowling Guide review.

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If you’re struggling to line up shots to ensure picking up a spare every single time and to throw strikes with every ball (and who does in the real world?), this “How To Bowl Strikes” review may give you the tools you need to learn all of the little secrets that make bowling so difficult to master.

In my How To Bowl Strikes review, you’ll learn why this book may be the best thing for your Bowling efforts — because, for example, most bowlers would be surprised to learn that throwing harder and faster is not necessarily better.

Click here to read my How To Bowl Strikes review.

Technorati Tags: Bowling, bowling ball reviews, bowling guide, bowling guide review, bowling pro, bowling review, bowling secrets, bowling tips for beginners, learn bowling, tips for bowling

Social networking is sweeping the World. People everywhere are constantly updating their statistics and photographs. So whether you’re a Bebo or Facebook fan and you’re looking for a way to make your profile stand out grab a flight to Las Vegas and gather some gripping blog material when you scan your Las Vegas tickets for some of the most coveted events in Sin City.

Las Vegas tickets will grab the attention of your buddy list when you post your blog about the Neil Diamond concert at the MGM Grand Garden Arena for example. Las Vegas tickets can make you the envy of cyber space when you take Stone Pilots Las Vegas tickets on to your personal space.

How about some pictures alongside your Las Vegas tickets for the Kid Rock show at the Pearl Concert Theater. Famed for his onstage antics, only Kid Rock could bring Lynard Skynard and Warren Zevon together to make a hit summer song. So you could rock your site visitors with this self proclaimed “America Bad A**!”

Girls how about Las Vegas tickets for life? Imagine the blog and gossip material in the lead up to your big day with the Las Vegas ticket for the bridal expo. Or if you are more a freedom-loving cowgirl how about the Las Vegas ticket to the Sunset Trail Ride. The photo opportunities here will make your Facebook entries the envy of your group.

For all of you social networkers interested in rave reviews, land yourself some Celine Dion Las Vegas tickets. Your heart will go on at the American Airlines Center. The really hot Las Vegas ticket for technical junkies and small business owners is at the consumer electronics show at the Las Vegas convention center. Likewise the only Las Vegas ticket for bowlers is the Cosmic Bowling event.

Pick up some tips for an outrageous online persona with a Las Vegas ticket to Lisa Lampanelli. The one liner biting sarcasm at the Pearl Concert Theater will give you lots of ammunition for shooting off in your Myspace. A milder Las Vegas ticket but equally funny is Reba McEntire at the Orleans.

Photography rights come as standard with all Las Vegas tickets so in the theater realm make the most of the Cirque du Soleil brilliant interpretation of The Beatles Love at the Love Theatre and the sexy showgirls tribute at the Crazy Horse Paris. If you want well oiled muscle ladies then how about a Las Vegas ticket to the Chippendales at their own theatre that is a permanent attraction.

Be sure to keep your Las Vegas flight ticket for scanning and uploading to your social network. And remember all those other Las Vegas tickets too. Just imagine if you could get an autograph and photo with one your favorite celebrity people. But if you don’t quite manage that there is always must have Las Vegas ticket to Madame Tussauds and photo of you linking arms with infamous governor of California on Las Vegas Boulevard.

Lina Smith
http://www.articlesbase.com/sports-and-fitness-articles/las-vegas-tickets-to-ride-to-myspace-fame-747424.html

The club industry is has experienced what could be the toughest two years in recent memory. We can’t fix the economy, we can’t significantly impact the number of golfers coming into the game and we can’t change the over-supply of country clubs, golf clubs and semi-private/public golf courses, but we can minimize the negatives and accentuate the positives. To do this you will need a Membership Marketing Plan.

These are not the times to be spending tens of thousands on exhaustive, comprehensive, professionally done studies and plans (although there is nothing wrong with that if you can afford it), but there are many things you can do to develop an effective membership marketing tool that will give structure, direction, measurement and a much needed boost to your membership efforts next year. Here are some planning tips:

1. Gather Membership Information – Create a spreadsheet and line up your membership historical data (i.e. numbers of members in each category, dues charged, number new members per year, initiation fee amounts, list the various promotions and drives, numbers of resignations, etc.)

2. Gather Comparative Club Information – Typically, someone among the clubs in your region has done a study and you have participated. If not, then you do one. Create a spreadsheet and plot your club in position to the others.

3. Demographics – You can order a demographic study from Claritas or any one of a number of companies. Determine if there is growth and where. Stay inside of a 20 mile radius. Also, drive around and locate growth pockets where homes are priced in a range that would support membership in a private club.

4. Use 2009 Data – If you have it, use data from a recent survey, guest usage, spending trends, rounds of golf. If you lack data in certain areas, then plan to obtain that data in 2010 for use next year.

5. Don’t Overlook the Social, Sports and Dining Membership Opportunities. Selling Golf Memberships is likely to be rough sledding next year, so adding peripheral memberships, even annual memberships might be suitable for your club’s bottom line while also adding activity and life to the social part of the club.

6. Save Your Members’ Money – Arrange services and activities that save members on their bottom line. Help them rationalize their monthly dues. If you have not ventured into “Parents’ Night Out” or “child care,” or off-site activities: such as members’ Bowling league; nature hikes; BYO BBQ’s; Factory Outlet shopping trips, etc., perhaps you might think about it. One club in California actually offered enough “Concierge” services on the menu that if a member were to take advantage of half of them, they would break even on their monthly dues. One popular idea was a dry cleaning service: The club negotiated a deep discount on dry cleaning and acted as the pick up and drop off point. Same for weekly on-site car detailing.

7. Get Member Input – Obtain input from your members, committees and your Board as to what the membership goals should be for the club. You can bet that “Member Retention” and “Reduce the Selling List” will be on most people’s minds.

8. Set Appropriate Goals – Nothing will frustrate the club’s leadership, management and staff more next year than unrealistic goals. It is going to be a tough year for most clubs in nearly every market area.

9. Develop Action Items – Set between 5 and 10 very specific goals. Write down your methodology, timetable, who will be involved and what you expect the outcome to be. These do not have to be all financial in their nature. Just a few ideas: Introduce yourself to 10 members or family members each week; someone you have not gotten to know yet. Invite them to lunch or to have coffee, just to get to know them. Concentrate on Member Referrals and make it easier than ever for your members to show off their club and to sponsor. Get your Head Professionals (Golf and Tennis) actively involved in membership growth efforts. Develop a new and improved New Member Orientation Program.

10. Plan on Intermittent Polling – Poll Your Members throughout the year on the specific “Action Items” using mini-surveys, web surveys, tabletop surveys, or even walk-around polls to see if your Membership Goals and Action Items are making a difference. Use the information to adjust and to prepare for your 2011 Membership Marketing Plan.

Next year promises to offer significant challenges, however, the club industry has been here many times before. Over the past 20 years in consulting, I have experienced at least three down-cycles. Does anyone remember the “Tax Reform Act of 1986″? General Managers and Membership Directors thought the sky was going to fall right down on the fairways. We are still here and so are those fairways. The saying: “It is what it is” is becoming a mantra. Be realistic with planning and be proactive with the things you can affect. If you need encouragement or assistance, give me a call or shoot me an email.

– Bob Bodman

Bob Bodman is the Author of The Guide to Membership Marketing and Principal of Club Resources, a club consulting firm specializing in membership solutions and strategic planning. Contact: bob@club-resources.com or go to our website: http://www.club-resources.com.

Bob Bodman

Becoming a single parent isn’t an end. It’s a beginning. Your new lifestyle is full of responsibility and challenges. It may be more important now than ever that you find time for yourself. You need to relax and have fun. It may have been a while, but you can date now.

You may not be ready to enter into a new relationship, but that doesn’t mean you can’t go out and have a good time with friends. Dating old friends is a great way to re-enter the single world and renew old friendships. They already know you, and they’re easy to talk to. You need someone now to talk to and to ask for advice. Old friends may also be a source for help around the house or at work.

But if you’re interested in meeting new people and getting into a more serious relationship, you may want to do some real-life dating. But dating as a new single parent can present unique challenges. Demands on your time may already be great.

Taking care of the kids, earning a living, and maintaining your household are time-consuming chores. That makes it even more important to make time for your own fun and relaxation. But time management skills will definitely be needed to keep your life from being chaotic and stressful.

You may be emotionally raw at this time. Whether you’ve lost your partner through separation, divorce, or death, you’re going through some really big life changes. You need to be careful not to jump into the first relationship that comes along. You need to have fun, but you also need some time to heal and become independent again.

Here are some things to consider:

Am I ready to date yet?

Re-entering the single scene can be frightening. You may not feel self-confident about your looks, or you may feel that you’ve lost some important social skills. But fear of dating shouldn’t be a deciding factor. Sooner or later, you’re going to have to take that big step to have a normal life again.

There are some things to think about, though. You’re coming through a difficult time, and you may be emotionally vulnerable and confused. You may not have the judgment to see your dates’ flaws. You must take care to protect yourself and your children from predators and people that will use you.

Are you prepared to tell your children you’re dating? Your kids are also going through a big change, and they may be insecure or jealous if a new adult is introduced to the family. Have you prepared them for this? Do they understand your feelings and support you? If your children aren’t ready for you to date, you may not be. But there’s a limit. The important thing is to be honest and open with them about what you need and want. After all, they aren’t dating the person. You are. Just keep the lines of communication open and clear.

Getting into relationships too soon is a common mistake for newly-single parents. You’re accustomed to being part of a couple and feel awkward and self-conscious going out alone. You may not be finished with the old relationship. Losing a partner, no matter how, involves going through a grieving process to heal emotionally and re-establish a normal life. Studies show that it takes at least a year for people to process their loss and move on. Be sure you’ve given yourself enough time to heal.

You may also need to tie up loose ends from the previous relationship. There may be financial and legal matters still open that must be closed. If your partner passed away, you’ll need to settle the estate, dispose of property, and finalize insurance issues. Better to focus on the business at hand while you’re grieving than to introduce a new complication into an already-complicated life.

You also need to take time to help your children grieve the loss. They may be feeling abandoned, and they’ll need your love, support, and encouragement to move forward. And they need to build a new relationship with you, one where you’re the only parent. Dating too soon can cheat them of this important time with you and create behavioral problems that are not easy to solve. Take it slow for their sake and for yours.

How do single parents find people to date?

It’s probably been a long time since you were in the dating scene, and you may have lost touch with your single friends and activities. One way to meet new people is through your friends. Perhaps your best friend knows someone they think would be perfect for you. Take a chance. Go on a blind date.

You also have a constraint that many singles don’t: time. It’s important for you to plan your social activities well in advance so you can get a baby-sitter or make other arrangements for your children. So, whatever you do to meet new people can’t be a spur-of-the-moment decision.

Many areas have singles groups where you can meet other unattached people. As long as you don’t have to make commitments, this is a great way to meet people. Group social activities are fun and safe. You get a chance to get to know people before being alone with them.

You may even be able to find social groups specifically for single parents. This way, you’ll meet people whose lives are more like yours. They have the same challenges and problems. You may find it easier to relate to another single parent, and certainly they will be more understanding when something comes up at the last minute.

What about relationships?

You are the only person who knows if you’re ready to start a serious relationship. Of course, you are not alone, and your children will influence your readiness and willingness to get into a relationship.

You need to be very clear in your own mind about where you are and what you want. Perhaps you only want companionship and social contact. If you’re not ready to get serious, let your dates know. Don’t allow yourself to become more involved than you can handle emotionally. Your first few dates shouldn’t be serious, and you don’t need to involve your children with your casual dates.

But if you’re lonely and feel you need someone to love, you may be more interested in getting serious. First, you must ask yourself why. Getting into a serious relationship because you’re lonely isn’t a great idea. You want to get involved with a person, not just fill a hole in your life. Be sure of your motives before you allow things to get to serious.

What to do when on a date?

You’ll want to know that your dates will be both fun and safe. Your family depends on you, and taking chances to date isn’t wise. Always be sure someone knows where you’re going and who you’re going with. Let them know when you’ll be home, and take your cell phone with you in case of an emergency. Let your date know about your family and that you might get a call. No surprises is a good policy.

When you go out, you’ll want to do something that helps you get to know each other. Look for places where you can talk and activities that encourage conversation and interaction. Movies aren’t a good idea for those first few dates because they don’t provide a good get-to-know-you environment. Better to go Bowling or play miniature golf than to go to a movie.

For first dates especially, it’s important that you go to public places. Your personal safety is very important, and you don’t want to take chances with people you don’t know. You might even want to arrange to meet your date somewhere so that you aren’t dependent on them for your ride home.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/parenting-articles/dating-for-single-parent-tips-to-identify-the-right-time-to-date-740368.html

One of the things that many singles have difficulty with is talking with a new person or going out on a first date. Whether it is chatting with someone that you met online or going on a blind date, these experiences can sometimes be uncomfortable and stressful. Here are some tips on first date ideas, as well as starting a conversation up and keeping it going.

First Date Ideas
For most people, the goal of a first date is to meet a person and to figure out if you are either interested or compatible with that person. While a first date doesn’t have to be a perfect 10 to know that there can be something in the future with this person, most people just want it to go positively.

One of the best places to go for a first date is to a coffee shop. Coffee shops are great, because you can sit and talk to one another. You won’t get to know each other sitting in a darkened movie theater staring at a screen for two hours. Coffee shops are usually made for conversation; they are affordable for singles on a budget and located in convenient locations. Plus you can meet during the evening or even schedule a lunch date.

If you find that you are not that sociable or pretty quiet when you date, you might want to set up a date where you both do an activity. First dates such as Bowling, rollerblading or ice skating are a great way to meet someone new and if the conversation slows down, you can focus on your activity. You can take this idea one step further and instead of doing an athletic based activity, you can choose a cultural activity, such as an exhibition, visiting a museum or enjoying a live musical performance.

Ultimately, your goal is to figure out if you enjoy this person’s company, so choose dates that fit your style and personality, while also giving you an opportunity to get to know someone new.

Conversation Starters
Let’s face it; it can be very difficult to start a conversation with someone that you don’t know at all or very well. While there are people that are experts and can make friends with anyone, most people usually find themselves tongue tied or speechless at certain moments. One of the ways to avoid this obstacle is to remember common and easy to use conversation starters.

First off, conversations starters are not closed ended sentences that require no input from the other person; they are open ended questions or statements that invite the other person to share their thoughts. You don’t have to ask very smart questions, you can just engage in small comfortable chit chat that gets you both talking, eventually, this small chit chat will lead to a more meaningful and interesting conversation. Some of the most common conversation starts are; how was your weekend? Have you been to a specific place before (the restaurant or coffee shop that you are at)? What area are you from originally? W school or college did you attend? You can also talk about movies, music, favorite television shows, etc. The goal is to relax and feel comfortable conversing with the other person, once relaxed and comfortable, the conversation will usually flow.

Roman Zazulak
http://www.articlesbase.com/dating-articles/first-date-tips-and-conversation-starters-100199.html

If you’re a teen between the age of 13 to 19, teen online dating sites can provide a lot of services. While some of these services can be the best thing to hit the teen online dating arena, keep in mind it can also be the worst online situation.

This also brings to mind all of the dangers involved with teen online dating. Keep in mind that even though dangers are involved with teen online dating there are also very good things that come out of teen online dating.

What Are Some of the Dangers of Teen Online Dating?

Many times violence is after a break up in a relationship that was not previously violent. It is estimated that more 10 percent of teens nationwide are in a  dating violence situation. Because of a teen’s age and inexperience it may be harder than adults to recognize the warning signs of abuse.Teens often also misinterpret warning signs of dating violence which includes jealousy, possessiveness, and sexual pressure as signs of love rather than warnings signs of abuse.

Messages can be confusing for teens especially. It is common for teenage victims of dating violence and abuse to keep the problem from their parents. They fear if they tell the parents, the parents will demand a separation. Most teenage victims of dating abuse do not want this to happen.

This has helped teens to see the warning signs of  dating violence and abuse. It is not always the girls who are being abused in teen dating relationships. Females are more likely to be the victims of teen dating violence, but they also can be the perpetrators.

Safety Tips for Teen Online Dating

Teen dating whether online or off is very popular these days not limiting to adults only, but younger generation and teenagers are also involved into it. Teen dating is considered as important part in the life. Teen dating is a time of social experimentation for teenagers. 

Teen online dating can be fun if you are aware of its pros and cons and are also aware of the ways to prevent that. Teen online dating should be a memorable experience not a horrifying one.

Teen online dating is very famous these days because of its convenience and advantages. The first and foremost advantage from teen online dating is that you can contact matches without revealing your real identity avoiding the embarrassment if doesn’t work out. Teen online dating is a time to learn about person’s qualities and attributes through the conversation.

Ideas for Great Teen Dates

A few ideas for great teen dates that are low pressure, encourage interaction, and have the potential for a great time:

El Cheapo
Give your date a limited amount of money to spend on your outfit.

Wild West
Send out a “warrant” for your date’s arrest, listing the time and date they will be “arrested.” Before picking up your date, dress in western clothing, remembering to bring some for your date (you may want to include a fake gun). You could also blindfold your date. Afterwards, try Bowling handcuffed.

Wet n’ Wild
If you are anywhere near a body of water, renting canoes can be a lot of fun.

Service with a Smile
For the teen who is on a tight budget, volunteering at local homeless shelters, libraries, boys and girls club, nursing homes, the YMCA, handicap service providers, food banks, or a soup kitchen can be a lot of fun and very rewarding.
5 Questions To Ask An Online Date  

Online dating services are on the rise, especially special feature websites, like teen online dating, gay online dating, and senior online dating. Cyber stalking is up 55% in the last two years, and meeting someone on the outside after meeting them online in a chat room or through an online dating service can be risky business.

- Some questions for online dating tips.

* What is the biggest mistake people make when first dating?
* Define a truly successful relationship.
* What happened with your last relationship? (Again, listen for blaming. If they’re willing to share equally, great, if they take all of the blame they probably have low self esteem and are needy.
* What do you really think about online dating services?

jane maria

The club industry is has experienced what could be the toughest two years in recent memory. We can’t fix the economy, we can’t significantly impact the number of golfers coming into the game and we can’t change the over-supply of country clubs, golf clubs and semi-private/public golf courses, but we can minimize the negatives and accentuate the positives. To do this you will need a Membership Marketing Plan.

These are not the times to be spending tens of thousands on exhaustive, comprehensive, professionally done studies and plans (although there is nothing wrong with that if you can afford it), but there are many things you can do to develop an effective membership marketing tool that will give structure, direction, measurement and a much needed boost to your membership efforts next year. Here are some planning tips:

1. Gather Membership Information – Create a spreadsheet and line up your membership historical data (i.e. numbers of members in each category, dues charged, number new members per year, initiation fee amounts, list the various promotions and drives, numbers of resignations, etc.)

2. Gather Comparative Club Information – Typically, someone among the clubs in your region has done a study and you have participated. If not, then you do one. Create a spreadsheet and plot your club in position to the others.

3. Demographics – You can order a demographic study from Claritas or any one of a number of companies. Determine if there is growth and where. Stay inside of a 20 mile radius. Also, drive around and locate growth pockets where homes are priced in a range that would support membership in a private club.

4. Use 2009 Data – If you have it, use data from a recent survey, guest usage, spending trends, rounds of golf. If you lack data in certain areas, then plan to obtain that data in 2010 for use next year.

5. Don’t Overlook the Social, Sports and Dining Membership Opportunities. Selling Golf Memberships is likely to be rough sledding next year, so adding peripheral memberships, even annual memberships might be suitable for your club’s bottom line while also adding activity and life to the social part of the club.

6. Save Your Members’ Money – Arrange services and activities that save members on their bottom line. Help them rationalize their monthly dues. If you have not ventured into “Parents’ Night Out” or “child care,” or off-site activities: such as members’ Bowling league; nature hikes; BYO BBQ’s; Factory Outlet shopping trips, etc., perhaps you might think about it. One club in California actually offered enough “Concierge” services on the menu that if a member were to take advantage of half of them, they would break even on their monthly dues. One popular idea was a dry cleaning service: The club negotiated a deep discount on dry cleaning and acted as the pick up and drop off point. Same for weekly on-site car detailing.

7. Get Member Input – Obtain input from your members, committees and your Board as to what the membership goals should be for the club. You can bet that “Member Retention” and “Reduce the Selling List” will be on most people’s minds.

8. Set Appropriate Goals – Nothing will frustrate the club’s leadership, management and staff more next year than unrealistic goals. It is going to be a tough year for most clubs in nearly every market area.

9. Develop Action Items – Set between 5 and 10 very specific goals. Write down your methodology, timetable, who will be involved and what you expect the outcome to be. These do not have to be all financial in their nature. Just a few ideas: Introduce yourself to 10 members or family members each week; someone you have not gotten to know yet. Invite them to lunch or to have coffee, just to get to know them. Concentrate on Member Referrals and make it easier than ever for your members to show off their club and to sponsor. Get your Head Professionals (Golf and Tennis) actively involved in membership growth efforts. Develop a new and improved New Member Orientation Program.

10. Plan on Intermittent Polling – Poll Your Members throughout the year on the specific “Action Items” using mini-surveys, web surveys, tabletop surveys, or even walk-around polls to see if your Membership Goals and Action Items are making a difference. Use the information to adjust and to prepare for your 2011 Membership Marketing Plan.

Next year promises to offer significant challenges, however, the club industry has been here many times before. Over the past 20 years in consulting, I have experienced at least three down-cycles. Does anyone remember the “Tax Reform Act of 1986″? General Managers and Membership Directors thought the sky was going to fall right down on the fairways. We are still here and so are those fairways. The saying: “It is what it is” is becoming a mantra. Be realistic with planning and be proactive with the things you can affect. If you need encouragement or assistance, give me a call or shoot me an email.

– Bob Bodman

Bob Bodman is the Author of The Guide to Membership Marketing and Principal of Club Resources, a club consulting firm specializing in membership solutions and strategic planning. Contact: bob@club-resources.com or go to our website: http://www.club-resources.com.

Bob Bodman

The club industry is has experienced what could be the toughest two years in recent memory. We can’t fix the economy, we can’t significantly impact the number of golfers coming into the game and we can’t change the over-supply of country clubs, golf clubs and semi-private/public golf courses, but we can minimize the negatives and accentuate the positives. To do this you will need a Membership Marketing Plan.

These are not the times to be spending tens of thousands on exhaustive, comprehensive, professionally done studies and plans (although there is nothing wrong with that if you can afford it), but there are many things you can do to develop an effective membership marketing tool that will give structure, direction, measurement and a much needed boost to your membership efforts next year. Here are some planning tips:

1. Gather Membership Information – Create a spreadsheet and line up your membership historical data (i.e. numbers of members in each category, dues charged, number new members per year, initiation fee amounts, list the various promotions and drives, numbers of resignations, etc.)

2. Gather Comparative Club Information – Typically, someone among the clubs in your region has done a study and you have participated. If not, then you do one. Create a spreadsheet and plot your club in position to the others.

3. Demographics – You can order a demographic study from Claritas or any one of a number of companies. Determine if there is growth and where. Stay inside of a 20 mile radius. Also, drive around and locate growth pockets where homes are priced in a range that would support membership in a private club.

4. Use 2009 Data – If you have it, use data from a recent survey, guest usage, spending trends, rounds of golf. If you lack data in certain areas, then plan to obtain that data in 2010 for use next year.

5. Don’t Overlook the Social, Sports and Dining Membership Opportunities. Selling Golf Memberships is likely to be rough sledding next year, so adding peripheral memberships, even annual memberships might be suitable for your club’s bottom line while also adding activity and life to the social part of the club.

6. Save Your Members’ Money – Arrange services and activities that save members on their bottom line. Help them rationalize their monthly dues. If you have not ventured into “Parents’ Night Out” or “child care,” or off-site activities: such as members’ Bowling league; nature hikes; BYO BBQ’s; Factory Outlet shopping trips, etc., perhaps you might think about it. One club in California actually offered enough “Concierge” services on the menu that if a member were to take advantage of half of them, they would break even on their monthly dues. One popular idea was a dry cleaning service: The club negotiated a deep discount on dry cleaning and acted as the pick up and drop off point. Same for weekly on-site car detailing.

7. Get Member Input – Obtain input from your members, committees and your Board as to what the membership goals should be for the club. You can bet that “Member Retention” and “Reduce the Selling List” will be on most people’s minds.

8. Set Appropriate Goals – Nothing will frustrate the club’s leadership, management and staff more next year than unrealistic goals. It is going to be a tough year for most clubs in nearly every market area.

9. Develop Action Items – Set between 5 and 10 very specific goals. Write down your methodology, timetable, who will be involved and what you expect the outcome to be. These do not have to be all financial in their nature. Just a few ideas: Introduce yourself to 10 members or family members each week; someone you have not gotten to know yet. Invite them to lunch or to have coffee, just to get to know them. Concentrate on Member Referrals and make it easier than ever for your members to show off their club and to sponsor. Get your Head Professionals (Golf and Tennis) actively involved in membership growth efforts. Develop a new and improved New Member Orientation Program.

10. Plan on Intermittent Polling – Poll Your Members throughout the year on the specific “Action Items” using mini-surveys, web surveys, tabletop surveys, or even walk-around polls to see if your Membership Goals and Action Items are making a difference. Use the information to adjust and to prepare for your 2011 Membership Marketing Plan.

Next year promises to offer significant challenges, however, the club industry has been here many times before. Over the past 20 years in consulting, I have experienced at least three down-cycles. Does anyone remember the “Tax Reform Act of 1986″? General Managers and Membership Directors thought the sky was going to fall right down on the fairways. We are still here and so are those fairways. The saying: “It is what it is” is becoming a mantra. Be realistic with planning and be proactive with the things you can affect. If you need encouragement or assistance, give me a call or shoot me an email.

– Bob Bodman

Bob Bodman is the Author of The Guide to Membership Marketing and Principal of Club Resources, a club consulting firm specializing in membership solutions and strategic planning. Contact: bob@club-resources.com or go to our website: http://www.club-resources.com.

Bob Bodman

1. Go to a wild nightclub.

2. Go camping.

3. Play a tough round of tennis.

4. Lawn Bowling.

5. Practice the shot put.

6. Climb Mount Everest.

7. Paint the house.

8. Go horse racing.

9. Fly to Vegas.

10. Have a night on the town.

Here are ten useful tips of advice from a personal injury lawyer to follow if you have been in an accident. You can also learn more about how to handle a personal injury in San Bernardino, or any city, by calling the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson at any of the numbers which can be found on our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com  and learning how we can assist you.

Obviously, if you have had an accident, and you are reading all of this advice, it may have been a few hours since the accident. However, if you ever have another accident, or if it’s only been a few hours since you were hurt, here’s what you should do from the start.

First, take a look around and determine if you or anyone, are hurt. If so, taking steps like trying to prevent further injury or loss of blood are the most important thing you can do. Even if some other driver caused you to be injured, it’s just good manners to help the other driver if they are hurt. They may even be so thankful that they admit their fault to you. The worst thing you can do is get angry or start a fight.

Second, make sure everyone is safe from being injured further. If you are in the middle of traffic, and you are dizzy, sit down away from traffic. If your vehicle is a traffic hazard and you have accident warning devices like flares or triangles, put them out on the road to warn other drivers and get away from the car. Let the police an other emergency personnel investigate the scene with the vehicles in place and move them more safely at a later point.

Third, call the police. Accident reports are extremely helpful if the police will do such a report. Let the police know you are injured immediately. Answer the police questions honestly. But if you are dazed or confused, let them know you need medical treatment and answer only what you feel sure about. Remember, your statements can and will be used against you if you admit fault, and it will be too late and too fishy to later say you didn’t know what you were saying at the scene. Police know that your best recollection is immediately after an accident.

Fourth, get the other driver’s information including their names, addresses, driver’s license numbers, make and model of their vehicles, license plate numbers, and their insurance company name and policy number. If there are witnesses, get their names, addresses and telephone numbers as well. If the other driver makes any admissions of fault, write those down as well.

Fifth, if you have a camera on your cell phone or in the car and you aren’t too injured, take some photos of the vehicles and the scene. If you can’t do it right away, do it after you are released from the hospital.

Sixth, if you are hurt, obtain medical treatment. Don’t decline the ambulance or hospital examination to save your insurance company money or to be stoic. Take your valuables out of your car if you can and get checked out at the hospital. If you are not hurt, don’t get treatment you don’t need. However, remember, after an accident, you may feel a rush of adrenaline that causes you to only start feeling symptoms of pain a few hours later. If you have a health plan that requires you to obtain permission first, call them and find out where you are allowed to seek treatment.

Seventh, call a good personal injury lawyer as soon as you have had your initial treatment, so the attorney can gather other important evidence and prevent the insurance company from taking advantage of you and obtaining such things as recorded statements that you feel fine, when many of your symptoms have yet to manifest themselves. A good personal injury lawyer can save you from making a great deal of mistakes and can shoulder much of the hassle of knowing what to do about car repairs, car rentals, medical treatment, witness statements and the like. If you think you will save money by not having an attorney, think again. A good personal injury lawyer can almost always obtain much higher settlements, obtain reductions of medical bills and insurance liens and prevent you from making costly mistakes. Also, most personal injury attorneys advance costs of obtaining police reports, medical records and the like and are paid and reimbursed for these costs only out of any settlement.

Eight, you will need to report the accident to your insurance company, but since they will want to take a recorded statement from you, just like any other driver’s insurance company, it’s good advice to retain an attorney first. And if the other driver did not have insurance, remember that it is your own insurance company that will be your adversary. You will also need to report the accident to the Department of Motor Vehicles and your lawyer can give you the form for this.

Ninth, do not agree to settle your claim privately with the person at fault for the accident. This almost never works out to your advantage. Don’t agree not to call the police. Police reports that determine the fault for an accident are golden. Your agreement to not involve the police only affords an opportunity for the other driver to change his story and blame you when the police will no longer investigate the accident.

Tenth, don’t pay a traffic ticket without a fight if you weren’t at fault or agree to accept a small payment for your vehicle repairs without knowing that the amount will in fact cover the cost of all the repairs.

If you’ve had a personal injury in San Bernardino, Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga, Corona, Temecula, Murrieta, Riverside, Moreno Valley, Fontana, Palmdale, Victorville, Hesperia, or anywhere in Southern California, we have the knowledge and resources to be your San Bernardino Personal Injury Lawyer and your Riverside Personal Injury Attorney. Be sure to hire a California law firm with auto, motorcycle, truck, bicycle, pedestrian, car, bus, train, boat and airplane accident experience, wrongful death experience and insurance law expertise who can ensure you are properly represented and get the compensation you deserve.

If you have a personal injury legal matter, a dog bite or if you’ve lost a loved one in a wrongful death accident, call the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson, or visit our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com  and learn how we can assist you.

R. Sebastian Gibson