How Starting Your Own 'Country Club' Can Skyrocket Your Revenues!

My mom was visiting recently and during ourMy marketing mentor Dan Kennedy taught me there
mother-daughter shopping time I noticed somethingis a segment of virtually EVERY customer or client
interesting. Almost all of the stores I made agroup or market who will happily pay FAR above
purchase at asked me if I'd like to get on their mailingstandard prices for convenience, status, and special
list. That's very smart.treatment.
However, the WAY in which they did this made a bigI call it "country clubbing" your business. Why be the
difference in my answer. I said NO to almost all ofdriving range with an hourly charge when you can be
them because they simply did not make it enticingthe classy six-figure membership club down the
for me. I mean, who WANTS more junk mail? So ifstreet? You can offer both of course, but look at
you simply ask me if I'd like to be on your mailing list,what will skyrocket your business FASTER, with less
the answer will usually be NO.transactions and higher quality clients.
But one store in particular got me. First of all, it wasOne example of this is my private Platinum
a designer clothing store I loved. Second of all, theyMastermind program, which I launched in 2006 due to
didn't ask me if I wanted to be on their mailing list.overwhelming demand for my personal coaching. This
They invited me to become a "VIP Client".group of 15 serious small business owners each pay
Say the words "VIP" to me and my ears perk up. It$15,000.00 a year to have greater access to me than
of course stands for "very important person". And inanyone else, and in a small group setting where we
general it indicates a level of advantage and prestige.meet 3 times a year at luxurious 4- and 5-star hotels
Suddenly I WANTED to be on that mailing list,and resorts.
especially when the salesman explained to me itMy Platinums are, essentially, VIPs in my world! And
came with certain benefits, such as early notice onbecause I maintain a bit of mystique about the
new arrivals, a personal shopping service, and privategroup, people seem to want "in" even more. (One of
trunk shows.my members got cornered in the ladies room at my
And you know what? I would have even paid to belast Online Success Blueprint Workshop by several
part of that - to be regarded as a VIP.attendees who demanded to know how they could
You see, people WANT to be part of somethingget into Platinum!)
special like ezine writing. The example above wasI share this not to impress you, but to impress upon
free. But don't underestimate how much your clientsyou that in YOUR market (yes, *yours*) there IS a
or customers will PAY to do that, either.percentage of folks who will gladly pay MORE - much
Example: A friend of mine recently shared he paysmore - for a higher level of service or treatment.
$15,000.00 a year to belong to the President's Club ofRemember, you're not trying to please EVERYBODY,
a local playhouse, even though he and his wife couldjust the select few who can afford that level of
attend each show there for just $150.00. Why wouldservice.
even a loyal attendee want to pay 100 times more?So now, take a minute or two and consider how
Special treatment like preferred seating, valet parking,YOU can start your own "country club" for your
invites to VIP functions, private restaurant forclients and customers. Whether it's a VIP level of
members only, networking with a higher level ofservice or a private client group that meets a few
people, etc.times a year.
Another friend of mine pays for membership at aTo get your wheels turning, imagine this... if you can
private nightclub here in Los Angeles up on Sunsetget 10 people to commit to some type of program
Blvd. for many of the same reasons (but more so, Ithat is just $10,000.00 a year, that's an extra
believe, because it impresses his dates ; )).$100,000.00 this year for YOU!