How membership clubs can bring their in-person experience online
by Gemma Olds ✦ 7 November 2024 ✦ 5 Min Read
Nowhere does a private members club quite like London. From Annabel’s to Soho House, these legendary clubs set the bar with exclusive spaces designed by top architects and menus crafted by world-class chefs.
But what truly sets them apart is their commitment to creating an atmosphere that feels like a home away from home, where every interaction meets the high expectations of their members.
As more of life moves online, these clubs now have a unique opportunity to use digital products to deepen the emotional connection members feel with their physical spaces.
Yet with the bar set so high by their in-person experiences, the challenge lies in translating this into the digital world.
The answer? Build digital platforms rooted in the same principles that define the best clubs: personalisation, exclusivity, connection, and loyalty.
Let’s explore how these principles come to life in digital products, with industry-leading examples from within and beyond the members club scene.
1. Personalisation: create a unique experience for each member
At the heart of a great member experience is the sense that each interaction is crafted specifically for them. With 76% of private club members preferring personalised services, any digital product must lean into this.
The Conduit and Soho House use their apps to help members better explore their in-person events: tailoring content and event recommendations based on individual member preferences and past interactions.
In the Soho House app, members receive customised notifications about events and news relevant to their interests, creating a more engaging experience.
Outside of the club world, The Skin Rocks app is another great example of personalisation.
Built by skincare expert Caroline Hirons, the app creates a detailed skin profile builder and uses AI-driven recommendations, to craft a unique journey for every user. Editorial updates keep the experience fresh, leading Skin Rocks to rank #1 in the App Store with a loyal user base of over 150,000 people.
2. Exclusivity: use your digital product to offer VIP experiences
Exclusivity goes beyond access to perks; it’s about feeling part of something genuinely special. A strong digital product should capture this sentiment, offering members priority notifications, exclusive event bookings, and content that highlights the unique value of their membership.
Dis-loyalty, the membership platform by global brand Ennismore, does this well by using their product to give members first-in-line access to the latest hotels, limited-edition experiences, collaborations, and events.
Annabel’s also brings exclusive events to its membership platform, hosting private talks, panel discussions, and celebrity-led sessions on art, fashion, and culture. Creating a digital space that feels as curated as its in-person experiences.
3. Connection: build a community that goes beyond the physical space
More than just a club, members want to feel part of a community that aligns with their values and goals. Features like directories, messaging, or social feeds play a big role in making these connections happen, creating a richer member experience that extends beyond the club’s walls.
AllBright, a membership club and world’s largest career network for women, focuses on professional connections through the app. AllBright boosted engagement by 100% in just two weeks, thanks to initiatives like Sisterhood Matching. This focus on genuine connections keeps members engaged and adds to the club’s appeal.
Soho House takes this a step further with its “Groups” feature, helping members connect over shared interests within the app. With algorithms that match members based on interests, the app creates spaces for both social and collaborative opportunities, extending the club’s community far beyond any single location.
4. Loyalty: design an experience that puts the customer first
While loyalty programs are popular across industries, membership clubs have long understood that true loyalty goes beyond points, it’s about building lasting relationships.
In digital products, loyalty is built by giving members freedom. Outside of hospitality, Slice Mobile, the UK’s first eSIM mobile network, shows how this works with its customer-first approach. They make it just as easy to leave as it is to stay, confident that their experience will keep customers around. As Jenna Banks, Marketing Director at Slice, puts it, "Loyalty should be earned, not forced."
Ennismore has a similar approach with their Dis-loyalty product, which skips points, tiers, and black-out dates. Instead, it encourages "disloyalty" by rewarding members with bigger discounts when they try new hotels, giving consumers more freedom to explore.
Membership clubs can take a cue from Slice and Ennismore: by designing flexibility into their products, they can create loyalty that feels genuine, giving members reasons to stay that go beyond traditional perks.
A good digital product creates a better member experience
Any digital product a membership club offers should feel like a natural extension of the club itself. By focusing on personalisation, exclusivity, connection, and loyalty, clubs can create a digital experience that’s as valuable as the in-person one.
But beyond offering new features, the product needs to work and work well. Seamless functionality is key. Booking a room, reserving a spot, or accessing services should be friction-free, enhancing the member experience rather than getting in its way. Because when the digital product falls short, so does the physical experience.
Not sure if your current digital product is hitting the mark or where it’s headed long-term? Let’s chat, email me at gemma@planes.agency.
