Page 220 - 101 Ways to Market Your Business

ANOTHER 20 MARKETING IDEAS

104 Start your own club

Why not start up your own club? Just about any business
can do it, all you need is some time to devote to managing
your club membership. The main benefit to your business
of starting a club is that it keeps you in touch with your
customers and it provides a way to encourage them to buy
more products from you.

Clubs can take many shapes and forms. I have seen the
local mechanic offering a club membership that entitles
members to discounts on all mechanical work, a special
waiting room for members only, which has special treats,
and a monthly ‘taking care of your car’ newsletter that is
used to sell new products. Membership is free and the
incentives are great.

All of the major airlines offer clubs. These cost quite a
bit of money to join but the privileges are good and the
peace and quiet of an airline lounge far outweighs the noisy,
crowded terminals.

I have a friend in a restaurant club where once a month
all members are invited to the restaurant to try new meals
before they go onto the menu. The members pay a reduced
figure for the meal but they feel special because they are
the first to try these new dishes. A wine company provides
free samples for the night and everyone has a great time.
The restaurant benefits from the word-of-mouth advertising
as well as finding out if their proposed dishes are going to
be popular before they put them on the menu.

Some department stores offer pre-sale shopping for club
members. They send a letter to all of their club members
explaining that they are having a sale starting on Saturday,
but members can bring in the club card and they will
receive their discounts three days before the sale. Hence
club members are rewarded by having access to special
items before everyone else.

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