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Offline Marketing for Private Members Club

by Cringer
11 replies
Hi all,

Just wondering what your thoughts are on this;
THere's a private members club I know of that charges like $1000 membership which means the members can use the premises for meetings, get access to the club on the weekends etc.

Lately the club hasnt been doing very well and I believe financially they are in difficulty and members arent renewing.

Has anyone any experience in marketing for a business that doesnt want to be in the main stream form of marketing (newspapers, flyers etc) and is more reliant on word of mouth and socialite type clientelle?
#club #marketing #members #offline #privte
  • Profile picture of the author Cringer
    The restaurant was empty too. We were told us and another couple were the only people in that night - on a Saturday night too
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  • Profile picture of the author MichaelHiles
    Obviously, the value proposition at the $1000 price isn't there. Otherwise, members would be renewing.

    I would go to the defected membership base and ask them directly why they chose to not renew or don't frequent the club. Nothing else matters except the answers to that question alone.
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  • Profile picture of the author Cringer
    What about the bad press of the club having money issues? Would that be reason enough not to renew or is it purely down to the value they are receiving?
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    • Profile picture of the author Andyhenry
      Originally Posted by Cringer View Post

      What about the bad press of the club having money issues? Would that be reason enough not to renew or is it purely down to the value they are receiving?
      If the members are getting the value that they perceived was promised when they joined - they generally won't care about such press news - everyone knows the press tend to exaggerate things.
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      • Profile picture of the author Cringer
        Originally Posted by Andyhenry View Post

        If the members are getting the value that they perceived was promised when they joined - they generally won't care about such press news - everyone knows the press tend to exaggerate things.
        Thanks Andy,
        That's what I thought too until I did a little twitter searching and found that people are worried about the place folding mid membership.
        I wonder, would a guarantee work in this instance "Your membership is secured, 100% guaranteed" in that they will give the money back should they fold.
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        • Profile picture of the author n7 Studios
          Originally Posted by Cringer View Post

          I wonder, would a guarantee work in this instance "Your membership is secured, 100% guaranteed" in that they will give the money back should they fold.
          But if they fold, surely it is because they've run out of money - how could they then guarantee to refund their members, if there isn't any money to refund them with?

          Sorry if I've missed something.
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          • Profile picture of the author Cringer
            Originally Posted by n7 Studios View Post

            But if they fold, surely it is because they've run out of money - how could they then guarantee to refund their members, if there isn't any money to refund them with?

            Sorry if I've missed something.
            If they get the business in then they probably won't have the money problems they currently have.

            Maybe they could offer something else. Whatever they are doing now isnt working. Maybe as MichaelHiles suggests they should go back to the lapsed members and see what's up.
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  • Profile picture of the author Eric Graudins
    If a major concern is about the club folding mid membership, perhaps an option of $100 per month would help.
    Would also make them look at their cash flow more carefully. An annual membership fee of that magnitude needs to be well managed.
    cheers,
    Eric G.
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    • Profile picture of the author Cringer
      Originally Posted by Eric Graudins View Post

      If a major concern is about the club folding mid membership, perhaps an option of $100 per month would help.
      Would also make them look at their cash flow more carefully. An annual membership fee of that magnitude needs to be well managed.
      cheers,
      Eric G.
      That's a good suggestion. Staging payments for members at a higher rate, or discounted if paid in full.
      Thanks Eric
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  • Profile picture of the author MichaelHiles
    The fear of the club going out of business sounds like a secondary tier of problem. The fact that is even a concern represents a different, deeper problem. Either finances were mishandled, projections weren't accurate, or something to cause the financial issue to begin with. Something caused revenue to drop/expenses to increase, etc... Until you figure out that core issue of why the initial revenue dropped, all the money in the world won't fix it.
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    • Profile picture of the author Nic Lynn
      Originally Posted by Andyhenry View Post

      If the members are getting the value that they perceived was promised when they joined - they generally won't care about such press news - everyone knows the press tend to exaggerate things.
      I'm not sure that bankruptcy or "going-out-of-business" should be dismissed as a secondary concern. There are many, many businesses (large and small) that have offered a great product and a great experience but have been brought to their knees by the spectre of insolvency.

      And there are MANY contributors to going-out-of-business that have zero to do wtih the core product or service. It could be poor financial management, a bad real estate contract, political infighting, a bad merger or acquisition, the departure of a leadership team, R&D investments that don't bring results, a legal liability, a change in legislative policy and a thousand other things.

      If you have evidence of "fear of insolvency," I'd would say that is problem #1 (especially in this economy).
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