When it comes to private members clubs, it’s safe to say that prospective members seek a club experience just as exciting and engaging as the amenities you’re offering. For this reason, my team and I have always been drawn to unique clubs for their ornate charm and intimate member experience.
As early adopters of social media and a targeted leisure and club following, We've been able to witness what it takes to rock social media for a one-of-a-kind, club. Not only is it important to stay on top of trends in the industry – it’s equally as important to listen to your members and guests on these channels.
Below are a few tips for curating and managing a killer social media strategy for your private club:
Small, yet mighty – take advantage of your size.
One of the many upsides to managing social media for a private club is the fact that our property’s smaller size allows us to keep a closer pulse on what our members and guests think of the club and what they are posting about us on social media.
Many clubs have less than 1,000 primary members, we should be intimate and conversational with guests on social media. Another advantage? The size of our clubs allow us to be mobile, where we could be working on a Facebook campaign from the lobby while simultaneously snapping photos for Instagram and chatting with guests about their visit.
If it’s an option, take advantage of having easy mobility and access to guests in your club, and make a point to interact with them on a digital and face-to-face level during their stay.
Private clubs are one-of-a kind – show what you’ve got!
The vast majority of private clubs are independent, standalone properties, which instantly differentiates a club from others in the surrounding market.
Before working on a new social strategy, take stock of what your club offers that others may not – and leverage that on social. Consider implementing boosted Facebook posts or pinned tweets (both low-cost options), to promote the unique facets and hidden gems of your club on social.
Give guests a reason to talk – set a share-worthy standard.
When designing collateral for print or web, be sure that all of your social properties – Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram – were well-represented within your marketing pieces.
Drive home your social media presence to guests – reiterate hashtags to use at check-in, have your social media handles clearly displayed around property, and guests will be apt to catch on and join the digital conversation.
Welcome back, return guests!
One of the best ways to garner loyalty and win over guests is by acknowledging them on social – what a surprise! All sarcasm aside, dig a little deeper into your folios and keep a rolling list of frequent guests and VIPS on hand, so that you can welcome them with a simple tweet upon arrival.
Remember: your return guests are choosing to return to your club for a reason, so give them the service that they would expect from your property on social media. We’ve found through practice, that guests appreciate these small gestures, as they are courteous without being intrusive. More often than not, the initial tweet leads to a continuous Twitter conversation throughout a guest’s visit, making for a seamless, ‘distinctly Club’ guest experience.
