Melanie
Welcome to the Monday Morning Marketing Podcast for all decision-makers and action-takers. Take it away, Esther.
Esther
And welcome back to another episode of the Monday Morning Marketing Podcast. Today, we're talking about subscriptions and memberships. Now, We're not just talking about your usual sign up to a course and have the course information and all the knowledge and all the benefits that come with that. We're actually specifically talking about online memberships to things that you never actually knew you needed to be a member of. So this came about because recently Ryanair, the airline, the budget airline, has launched a membership It's called Ryanair Prime. And it gives you exclusive discounts that used to be available for everyone. So you'd sign up for this. I don't know how much it costs per month. I haven't looked that much into it because Ryanair get enough of my money when I fly with them anyway. But it gives you the 12.99 flights to such-and-such a place. It gives you the first choice of those. I think it comes with free seat options and things like that. So if you were a frequent flyer, it makes sense. But is it just going a step too far?
Melanie
I think it's quite clever. Thank you.
Esther
Do you?
Melanie
Yeah, I think it's counting on people's concerns that they may need it at a certain time. I mean, as a frequent flyer myself through my journalism, I've signed up to a couple of things, one of them being more recently, Opodo Prime, which is a travel subscription program offered by them that allows you to book flights, hotels, and other travel services, like car rental and that stuff. And that just means that I've got now access to discounted rates similar as Ryanair. But instead of just flights, it's the whole enchilada. So it's counting on the, well, I might need, just in case.
Esther
Yes.
Melanie
You mentioned another one, like Rory's Travel Club. Rory's Travel Club. So it does seem to be, the ones we're thinking of, quite travel-based.
Esther
Yeah, but there are other ones. But just with that Royal East Travel Club, it's, I think, I want to say 10 or 12 a month.
Melanie
It's based in Ireland, by the way, for those that are listening.
Esther
Yes, it's based in Ireland. And you got an email to tell you about all the offers of everything. And they include travel to football, soccer matches. They include flights. They do all the looking for you. They do all the research into cheap flights and cheap accommodation, etc. And build a package, especially for sporting events like that. I'm pretty sure they would do it for the Grand Prix and stuff as well. But again, it's that paying per month. But in their case, it's per household. I know it's per household. So if I were to sign up for it, my husband could also take advantage of it, even if I wasn't traveling. Not sure if that's the same with Ryanair or with you with the Opodo, does your husband have access, if he's the one flying, if he's the one having the accommodation, does he have that benefit to you or do you have to travel also?
Melanie
I'd have to travel also. So it's only for prime members. Is, rather than families.
Esther
Yeah. So I find it a bit strange that they're calling it prime, saying as Amazon took the that word and made it theirs a number of years ago when it came to delivery, taking out the delivery charges and things like that. And I have Amazon Prime and absolutely love it because, especially during COVID, you would have been paying a lot more than that for the service, for the delivery. And now you get TV package included. So there are definitely benefits for signing up for these things. But another one that I mentioned before joining is that we have a subscription for toilet roll. It's with who gives a crap. A box of toilet roll arrives every designated time period. I mean, you can have it every month, every two months whatever your needs and necessities are. And it works out, I would actually say it works out cheaper because when you go to the supermarket, you're dependent on which brand is available or which one's an offer, which one your family likes. And this one we have had no issues with. And nobody complains that it's too thin or too, you know.
Melanie
Rough.
Esther
Rough. Yeah, that's the word. I was going to say raspy for some reason. But anyway, it made sense in my head. But there's So many things that you can now get on subscription. You can get alcohol delivered in the United Kingdom on subscription. I mean, is that a step too far?
Melanie
We got an alcohol company here in West Meath's as well, actually, that's by subscription. Maybe we're taking it too far, but what we're trying to bring to your attention here is it could be something that you could consider for your product or your service. So as much as we're highlighting all these other brands, is this something you could do for your business for the just-in-case factor?
Esther
I don't even think it has to just be the just-in-case factor. For example, my children are on a subscription for their lenses, for their glasses. And if there's any scratches or anything, they get them fixed. They're always in warranty because they're on the subscription. But I've also heard of other opticians who will send you a pair of glasses with your prescription in them and you pay a monthly fee. And at the end of two years, you get another different pair of glasses and just keep paying. Instead of going and paying hundreds for a pair of frames and then the lenses and everything and choosing it that way, you can choose it online and get sent. And it's almost like a rolling subscription to get a new and updated thing every time. So it's not even something that you may need at some point because we all need toilet roll and some people always need glasses. So could you use that for your, I don't know, jewellery business? Could you have it as an added bonus of buy this?
Melanie
I'm sure you didn't use the candles.
Esther
I was going to.
Melanie
You could probably need candles more than you need jewellery.
Esther
Yeah. And have it like, pay so much per month and every month you'll get a new cent or a new, whatever, a new ring or a new gem for your bracelet or whatever, something like that.
Melanie
Oh, that'd be good for, what do you call those bracelets?
Esther
Yeah, the charm ones.
Melanie
The charm ones. So you might get a nice new one to add every month, over 12 months. That'd be a nice idea.
Esther
Yeah. And I mean, it's not limited to just something It could be something that's physical. It could be something that's electronic. You could have a subscription and every month get a new e-book that's worth 10, 20, 30 pounds and have it arrive. You know, if think of ways that in your own business you could have these that doesn't take a lot of time and effort to set up. That's what a lot of people feel it's like, oh, memberships means I'm going to have to always be there. I'm going to have to log in. I'm going to have to talk to my members. I'm going to have to have lives. I'm going to have to have people come in because we're members of groups like that where you get information and you get special guests and speakers come in and you get discounts if you're buying tickets for the in-person events and things. And we've talked about this many times on the podcast where digital women is like that and you get every two weeks, there's a new lunch and learn and there's new information and there's new people coming in. And there's new, what do you get for your membership? Would always be the question. But as it's a rolling thing, as it's always, you know, constantly coming out of the bank account, it's like, it's just another part of my business that I use that doesn't take a second thought to have signed up to because you're learning and you're getting more information. But you You don't have to have that membership platform ready online. You don't have to have the back stock ready to automatically send them out. I mean, it could be a simple gift box that every month you send a different packet of sweets, you send a different... Whatever your business is, you're getting the recurring income coming in. They're shouting about you online going, oh, look, this is great because every month I get a free bar of chocolate, paid for, but they maybe get something extra in it as well. And you could test out new products that way, new flavors. Here's your bar of chocolate and here's a little sample of what we're thinking of bringing out. Same with the candles. You could send out a candle and a little wax melt. Give us your opinion. And people are going to give you that feedback and you that user generated content that we've talked about so often. And you have that, what's it called? Market research without having to do anything extra, really.
Melanie
I mean, we do understand there's going to be a lot of work you're going to have to do in the background to make sure you're delivering these products and services on time. But it's almost, with a bit of forethought and a bit of preparation, It could almost be like a passive income. It's just understanding how many subscribers or members you can afford to manage before you have to bring somebody else in. You can cut it off. You can make it a unique thing. You can say, only the first 20 people will be able to get this until you've got a handle on it. And then you can always open the doors later in the year or next year and do something else. Yeah, and you can make it exclusive.
Esther
Yes. Everybody loves the exclusivity and the FOMO and the when are you opening your doors again? I mean, so many other people that we've seen recently have said, I'm closing my doors to this, but you can still join now in the next. And it does. It gives you that kick to go, I'm always meant to join that or always meant to do this. And I'm sure Ryanair Prime will do the, well, that was the price when you joined at the very start. Now we're going to increase the price. So if you wanted at the original price, you're going to have to join now. And you will, if you are a frequent flyer or if you feel the FOMO, you will end up buying it.
Melanie
And they do. I mean, king of video, Matt Hughes, he did that with his membership Every time he opens the doors, they go up again. The Biscuit Factory, Tara, she does the same, and so does the two Laura's. Even digital women, they all do this exclusivity. So it's an exacting and effective model, and there's literally no reason why you can't do it as well.
Esther
Exactly.
Melanie
So I think that's all the time we have for for now. It was just to get those creative mental juices going. It was an awful visual for you, isn't it?
Esther
Don't ask what color they are.
Melanie
Eww. Would you stop? Anyway, on that note, I think we'll finish and just let people get on with their elevenses this Monday morning. Have a wonderful, wonderful week and we'll be back next week, hopefully with something less descriptive. Bye.
Esther
Bye.
Yeah, I don't know why you brought that up.
