An interesting thing happened at a recent show. After talking with the event director I learned that the club does not allow any event marketing via social media. The explanation was that they are a private club and social media marketing is open to the public and it borders on advertising which can have an impact on their non-profit status. All of this is nonsense… and let’s discuss why!
Most clubs have private member groups on Facebook and private accounts on Instagram and TicTock. These groups are by admission only and can be matched up to the club’s membership list. Again, these groups are private and by admission only, so you control who sees what you post and you also can remove the option to comment!
A private group is an extension of the club. It’s members only so the club can use the group as an up-to-date newsletter! Send announcements, post photos, reveal voting results, etc. A private social media group creates constant contact between your club and its members, on a daily basis.
One use for social media groups that is of interest to me is promoting upcoming events. Yes, you should still send out emails, post flyers, and add it to the calendar, but social media is a way to create constant reminders, add videos, and make sure your members see it.
When I perform a show at a club I try to go to the bar or pub before the show and ask why someone isn’t attending. At almost every show a response is “I didn’t know it was happening!”
Sometimes there’s nothing we can do… they just didn’t know, but if it wasn’t promoted via social media, then the fault is on the club as they didn’t do everything they could to let their members know about the exciting events the club offers. It’s a modern world, and we need to adjust to it!
For anyone concerned about non-profit advertising, that’s a non-existent issue in this case. With a closed group, you are just letting your members know about upcoming opportunities at the club. There is no issue marketing events to the members, and in the eyes of the IRS, it’s the same as if you posted a flyer or sent an email. Trust me on this one… I’ve asked!
So please, use social media to market your events. Your members will thank you.
About Michael Gutenplan:
Michael Gutenplan is the top-rated mentalist in America. A corporate entertainer and private club specialist you can learn more at www.mentalist.show or www.themembersonlyshow.com (for private club entertainment).