In today’s economic climate, Clubs have a unique opportunity to offer greater value to their communities. With new data revealing that four out of five borrowers have had to tighten their budgets to keep up with home loan repayments, Clubs can position themselves as cost-effective venues for social and entertainment activities.
According to the latest Mortgage Choice Home Loan Report (1), 54% of the surveyed customers indicated they will be eating out less frequently and another 50% said they would be cutting back on their entertainment expenses. This trend is largely driven by the fact that interest rates have risen 13 times since May 2022, resulting in significantly higher home loan repayments. For many homeowners, this increase has added hundreds or even thousands of dollars to their monthly expenses.
As a result, borrowers are finding various ways to reduce spending to meet their home loan obligations, which could spell trouble for venue’s bottom line unless you start telling everyone how darn cost effective you are!
How Clubs Can Provide Value
Clubs can capitalise on this trend by positioning themselves as the affordable alternatives for dining and entertainment. Here’s our tips on how Clubs can leverage digital marketing to keep their members and guests engaged and informed about deals and specials to keep them coming through the door:
- Utilise a variety of Social Media Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Tik Tok are excellent tools for reaching your audience. Regular posts about upcoming events, specials on food and beverages, and member-exclusive deals can keep your club top of mind for members looking for affordable options and non-members looking to join.
- Email Newsletters: Regularly updating members through email newsletters can be highly effective. Highlighting weekly specials, upcoming events, and exclusive offers can encourage members to visit more frequently.
- Online Communities: Creating or joining online groups or communities where members can interact, share experiences, and stay informed about club activities can foster a sense of belonging and loyalty.
- Event Promotions: Promoting special events like trivia nights, live music, and community fundraisers through digital channels can attract more visitors. Emphasizing the affordability and community spirit of these events can be particularly appealing to those looking to cut back on spending and encourage new membership.
- Member-Only Deals: Offering exclusive deals to members who follow your social media pages or subscribe to your newsletters can drive engagement and increase foot traffic. Plus, when guests or locals who aren’t members see these great deals, they’ll want to join in too!
Emphasising Cost-Effectiveness
Given the current economic pressures, emphasising the cost-effectiveness of Club offerings is crucial. Highlight how your club provides a great value alternative to more expensive dining and entertainment options. Showcasing testimonials from satisfied members who appreciate the affordability and community atmosphere can also be persuasive.
In conclusion, Clubs have a significant opportunity to attract and retain members by leveraging social media strategies. By keeping members informed about affordable deals, free entertainment, and specials through social media, email newsletters, and other digital platforms, Clubs can position themselves as valuable and cost-effective community hubs during these challenging economic times.
If you want to talk more about developing a social media plan for your Club to help you drive growth for your club during a downturn, please connect with our Digital Marketing Advisor, Lauren Neilson, via our enquiry form to learn more about our services.
About the Author
Meet DWS’ Digital Marketing Advisor, Lauren Neilson! Lauren holds a wealth of knowledge and experience in the marketing and hospitality industry, qualifications in business and integrated marketing communications; as well as established partnerships with leading social media, web development, inbound marketing, and search platforms, like Meta (Facebook and Instagram), LinkedIn, Twitter, HubSpot, Google, WordPress and Microsoft.
From whole of ecosystem digital audits, database management, search engine optimisation, and digital marketing strategy development, through to web development, social media scheduling and digital advertising, Lauren has been strategically advising and managing digital marketing for over 20 years, delivering cutting edge knowledge, high level support and actionable strategies that can take any business to the next level in the digital space.
