Friends with Benefits

grateful wrote:
I've never really understood why the club is doing this. 

All indications are that money is pouring in:  the club is booked most nights, shows are selling out, ticket prices are rising and people are drinking.  I get that there's an element of free "grassroots" advertising with all the branded merch, but this seems like a huge pain in the ass to administer with some small and dubious payback. 

Does this program bring new concert-goers to the club?  Is there a glut of cupcakes and beanies that have to go?  Is this a way to collect more data on who exactly comes to the club?  I'm all about the club - its one of my favorite places to see a band - but I wonder how many people would rather pay $1 less for their ticket than get a free cupcake once a year.  That said, I'll be first in line on my birthday….

So, when's that members only presale again?  ;D

It's to let you/us know that they care more about us than those big wigs over in Silver Spring ;)

grateful wrote:
I've never really understood why the club is doing this. 

at least you're admitting your ignorance.

sweetcell wrote:

grateful wrote:
I've never really understood why the club is doing this. 

at least you're admitting your ignorance.

I understand that's the first step towards becoming a fully self-actualized human.

What is there to understand about getting a free ticket every once in a while?  Geez.

K8teebug wrote:
What is there to understand about getting a free ticket every once in a while?  Geez.

Oh don't get me wrong - I love all the benefits.  I just wasn't sure what problem the club was trying to solve by doing this. 

grateful wrote:

sweetcell wrote:

grateful wrote:
I've never really understood why the club is doing this. 

at least you're admitting your ignorance.

I understand that's the first step towards becoming a fully self-actualized human.

nice one :)

my point being, you said that "it seems to you" that the club is doing well… but how much info do you have?  seth has stated in the past that the club doesn't make that much money, it's the IMP shows that pay for his fancy car(s).  

i can think of several reasons why they would want to start a loyalty program.  staying ahead of the competition (FSS).  not taking their current good fortunes for granted.  desire to move into new fields and wanting to use information gathered through the program (be on the lookout for 930 Records spam!).  maybe they've done studies and discovered that folks are drifting away from the club, but there are enough new arrivals that make up for the losses… now imagine if they could reduce the losses?  the club does well but many MPP shows are under-sold; loyalty program = cross-selling.  etc.

I have it on good authority that he did it solely to stop the bitching on he 9:30 board.

I told him, if you give everyone on the board a gold bar, at least 1/4 of them will complain that they didn't get platinum or silver and that it took too long to arrive.

He ignored my advice and went ahead with the friends program anyway.

Thankfully, I was proven right.  I love you all for that. 

Well, I think it's nice. 

i am not a fan of what vansmack did . . . i need to go find a place to bitch about it.

hutch wrote:

DeathFromAbove1979 wrote:

Darth wrote:
Wait… We get T-shirts?! I didn't see anything when signing up about getting a free T-shirt. I thought you had to collect points and then redeem them for a free T-shirt.

It was right on the front page next to the cupcake, I guess they ran out of shirts.

http://www.930.com/friends/

wow .. no more shirts….

via e-mail:

Dear sweetcell,

We?re working to get your shiny new black card out in the mail but in the meantime we wanted to let you know how to get your Friends With Benefits t-shirt. (wearing our friendship really does take it to the next level, right?)

Next time you?re at a 9:30 show, just come to our merch stand on the first level and show them your card. We?ll hook you up with a brand new shirt! Simple as that.

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out at friends@930.com.

- Your Friends at 9:30 Club

sweetcell wrote:
via e-mail:

Dear sweetcell,

We?re working to get your shiny new black card out in the mail but in the meantime we wanted to let you know how to get your Friends With Benefits t-shirt. (wearing our friendship really does take it to the next level, right?)

Next time you?re at a 9:30 show, just come to our merch stand on the first level and show them your card. We?ll hook you up with a brand new shirt! Simple as that.

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out at friends@930.com.

- Your Friends at 9:30 Club

Classic bait and switch.  Seth is smarter than I give him credit for.  Plus he calls you sweetcell…

Can we trade the FWB shirt for a regular 9:30 shirt?

still haven't gotten my card yet :\

I got the shirt on 1/27, so they are not out of them
although they aren't that great.
Not sure why the name 930 club didn't get a bigger spot on the shirt
'Down with Friends' friends with benifits 930
it's on a nice quality blue shirt

I would wear it often if it had a big 930 on it

Also it's not clear how things are done
1. you need to show the card (or the image from your email on your phone) when you first enter the club to the ticket taker.
2. everytime you purchase something, you need to hand your card to the bar tender (I tend to always pay cash and dont' run a tab, but I suspect when you pay your tab you can give them the card.
3. the shrits are at the merch table and they had plenty.  Not sure if they only offered them to the early sign ups.

The points usually don't show up until a day or so later (at least that how it worked with ticketfly purchase)

Also I've emailed the staff running FWB and they have been helpful.  I said I didn't give the ticktet taker my card and she said, just take a photo of the ticket and she'll credit my account

I also paid cash for my drinks and the bartender swiped my card each time….but sadly they didn't show up on my account a few days later.
I'm hoping they will resolve that

sweetcell wrote:

wow .. no more shirts….

via e-mail:

Dear sweetcell,

We?re working to get your shiny new black card out in the mail but in the meantime we wanted to let you know how to get your Friends With Benefits t-shirt. (wearing our friendship really does take it to the next level, right?)

Next time you?re at a 9:30 show, just come to our merch stand on the first level and show them your card. We?ll hook you up with a brand new shirt! Simple as that.

As always, if you have any questions, feel free to reach out at friends@930.com.

- Your Friends at 9:30 Club

good to know thanks. i didn't know they ran out…also curious why they didn't just ask what size one needed when signing up…

wow, I just completely ignored this thread and knew nothing about this, haha.  Just signed up
;D

Never received my card and completely forgot about it until now.

Sidehatch wrote:
Also it's not clear how things are done
1. you need to show the card (or the image from your email on your phone) when you first enter the club to the ticket taker.
2. everytime you purchase something, you need to hand your card to the bar tender (I tend to always pay cash and dont' run a tab, but I suspect when you pay your tab you can give them the card.
3. the shrits are at the merch table and they had plenty.  Not sure if they only offered them to the early sign ups.

The points usually don't show up until a day or so later (at least that how it worked with ticketfly purchase)

Also I've emailed the staff running FWB and they have been helpful.  I said I didn't give the ticktet taker my card and she said, just take a photo of the ticket and she'll credit my account

I also paid cash for my drinks and the bartender swiped my card each time….but sadly they didn't show up on my account a few days later.
I'm hoping they will resolve that

good report but what about the cupcake? Did you get a cupcake?

sidehatch sidehatch…a familiar name…

;D

I never got my card either :( I got the email about showing my card at the Club for the shirt though.

Also got an email earlier today about a "Post Sale", I think for Mumford? I can't remember now…

I think they are slowly sending out the cards, mine arrived late last week.  They are hand addressed and everything.