Issue:
September 2021
The Club must build on its dual role as newsmaker and social space to emerge from the pandemic
The Club is in a membership crisis. Member numbers fell from 1,835 at the end of March 2019 to 1,513 at the end of July this year. That is close to a 20% reduction. The impact on the Club’s finances makes the need to address this crisis more urgent than ever.
As the new co-chairs of the Membership PR & Marketing Committee (MPRMC) Keiko Packard and I are doing what most others are doing right now – seeking the best solution in this trying environment.
The job to be done for the MPRMC is quite simple and has three pillars.
- Communicate the benefits of joining the FCCJ and encourage new members to sign up
- Encourage existing members to visit the Club more frequently, and hopefully spend more
- Encourage third parties to make use of the excellent seminar and function facilities
While these objectives are simple to articulate, the pandemic has made achieving them both complex and challenging.
The restrictions caused by the pandemic have certainly resulted in less physical traffic and opportunities to enjoy the benefits offered by the Club. But a more compelling issue is how it has impacted the mindset and behavior of existing and prospective members.
I believe there are two significant changes that are especially relevant. Firstly, the pandemic has reshaped individual values and how individuals perceive value. I am sure we can all identify things we used to place great value on that through this experience now don’t seem as important or valuable to us. The debate around remote work or office located work is an excellent example of this.
Secondly, people have become far more sensitive to societal value. This trend began pre-pandemic and can be seen in greater prominence of issues such as plastic waste, climate change, diversity, and awareness of mental health. People are looking for a way to contribute to society and often do so by making choices to engage with or purchase from brands, companies, and organizations that through that partnership allow them to make a difference.
What does this mean for the way the Club operates?
All organizations need to do a better job of defining and articulating their value. Their value to consumers or potential new members, and the need to build a strong bond of shared value and values through clarity in their role in society. It is no longer sufficient to rely just on the history or the legacy value of the brand.
So, as a pathway to a well-defined and clear proposition to prospective and existing members we must ask the question: What is the value of the Club?
In her most recent message to members, the President said: “The Club is where the news is made, a place where diverse guests are invited to speak, irrespective of whether they represent mainstream or alternative viewpoints. The open nature of the FCCJ makes it an incubator that is rich in global information, turning it into a platform for unique opportunities for networking.”
I believe this statement contains the essence of our value proposition. It locates the position of the Club as the intersection of the makers of news and current affairs and the consumers of news and current affairs. This is our USP, the unique proposition that only the FCCJ can claim. It also touches upon the societal role of the Club in maintaining and ensuring freedom of the press and the objective dissemination of information that is essential to any well-functioning society.
Yes, you might say, but that is all on the Club’s website. And you would be entirely correct. The question is whether it goes beyond words and is being articulated also though our members’ experience of the Club. Do they feel the emotional experience and the buzz of the intersection of the makers of news and the consumers of news when they meet at the Main Bar, have a meal at the Club or attend an event?
Better articulating the values pof the Club in a way that can be clearly appreciated by all existing and prospective members, while ensuring we also fulfil our role as a social club, is critical to completing the job that needs to be done. I look forward to partnering with all Club stakeholders to achieve this objective.
Ross Rowbury is co-chair of the FCCJ Membership PR & Marketing Committee
