Upselling the VIP in a new club
I apologize in advance for this being REALLY long and wordy. part question, part rant.
So I've recently switched clubs and the new VIP is TOTALLY different than at my old club.
Old club:
-Set amount for bottle service ($500 for more private, 200 for a space in a larger room.)
-No money for me from the club if I sell it, just skipped stages the whole night.
-I set my price (hourly/buy out for the night) and either get cash or funny money.
-The room is sold for the whole night or as long as the customer is there.
-I rarely had to get a manager to sell the vip for me, it was self explanatory enough that I could do it.
New Club:
- VIP is just an upstairs area with couches that you get for buying bottle service. There's no privacy in the actual area or charging more for VIP dances, as the vip has private dance booths in the back, that are the same as the private dance booths downstairs.
- Champagne rooms are hourly or 1/2 hour, and we DO get a percentage of the room
- They don't want US quoting prices for the rooms, and the vip managers want to help us negotiate OUR hourly. (which is a little weird to me)
- I can't get a straight answer from the vip managers regarding pricing so I can effectively close the sale myself. I'm trying to figure out where there are/would be hidden costs so the customer won't get hit and surprised, but they won't give me any details. They keep telling me to just bring the customer to them. I've been tipping them $$$ to help me out and they have been helping me out a little, but I'm trying to figure out an effective pitch.
I really like this club, and have been making good money without being in vip as much as I'm used to, but know that I could be making much more.
Thanks guys!
Re: Upselling the VIP in a new club
That is a REALLY bad club model. It will only work on Reds and Blues. It will KILL all sales to Yellows and Greens.
I'm going out on a limb and guessing...it's not a chain club with established management is it? Sounds like an independently owned club that will charge whatever they think they can get away with charging, which...in the long run....will not build up a stable customer base. Who wants to get charged a different amount every time they go somewhere?
Nevertheless...if I were you I would set my rate and stick to it. So whatever the going hourly rate in your city is...pick that as your rate. Then learn the bottle prices. Keep track of your customers and make sure you charge him the same rate each time, or else he won't be your customer very long.
Re: Upselling the VIP in a new club
I agree with Britney, although I have seen this done before, but it just creates confusion. Maybe you should talk to management and let them know that it's hard for you to get the customers over to the VIP host when you can even give a price range!
As for actually selling the time, you need to use lines like:
"I'd really love some time alone with you. If we go to VIP we won't be interrupted."
If the customer balks at that remind them that in the regular lap dance area you still have to go to the stage when your name is called, even if the customer wants more private dances.
VIP is like the clubs way of agreeing that the customer has bought you off the list, and you don't have to worry about listening for names being called to the stages.
Re: Upselling the VIP in a new club
It's actually a chain! Which is what's weird to me. You'd think that a chain would be consistent in their pricing.
I think it may be the vip managers rather than the actual club. They have said to me: "Don't talk to customers about the room prices, let us do that". That doesn't work for me. I've never had a problem selling them before, and lately it's been like pulling teeth cause I like to close my own sales.
Britney, I think I may have mis-explained - there is a minimum dollar amount, that they did tell me the prices on, but they want to negotiate up before they settle for that amount. Which I understand, but still makes it REALLY REALLY difficult to get the sale myself.
Re: Upselling the VIP in a new club
If you prove yourself and you sell it alot, then they will probably start to let you do your own thing. If I were you I would bring the VIP hosts aside and explain how you will follow their suggestions for Reds and Blues (they will probably not have a clue what you are talking about, but will be impressed you know more than they do) but that it will alienate Green and Yellows who will feel cheated and probably not return to their club again because of the shifty prices.
Re: Upselling the VIP in a new club
My club attempts this every now and again, and it's simply disasterous. It might of worked had we had floor managers coming around, greeting, and selling to them right there on the floor, but getting them to the desk itself was impossible without a number of some kind.
How much does it cost?
"As much as you're willing to pay!"
"Hmmm, well it really depends on how long you want to stay, lets ask the host what's available right now-sometimes those rooms get booked up"
"Oh gee, I don't remember prices, just how much I get- tee hee"
"You know, there's a lot of different options back there, and it's always better to let (hostess) explain them because I just get confused"
"Cheaper than XXXX club (the most outrageous rip off club in your area) but more expensive than XXXX (some nasty dive on the other side of town)"
"
Re: Upselling the VIP in a new club
Quote:
Originally Posted by
britneyireland
If you prove yourself and you sell it alot, then they will probably start to let you do your own thing. If I were you I would bring the VIP hosts aside and explain how you will follow their suggestions for Reds and Blues (they will probably not have a clue what you are talking about, but will be impressed you know more than they do) but that it will alienate Green and Yellows who will feel cheated and probably not return to their club again because of the shifty prices.
I agree 100%. They will leave you alone and let you do your own thing once you prove yourself. The problem is, the VIP hosts want to be involved in the sale as much as possible because they also want a big tip. It is part of their job to try to sell VIP rooms and bottles, although I believe dancers have much more success doing so. I've had instances where I sold a VIP room 100% by myself without the help of anybody, and a host will try to butt in and get involved and it just adds confusion for the customer. I try to keep big sales like that as simple as possible. I would try to make friends with one host, and work solely with him. For example, "You are ready to go to the VIP? Ok, let's go get so and so the VIP host, he always takes care of me" or something along those lines. That way he knows your sales style and leaves you alone for the most part. The only time I tip a VIP host is when he actually comes and gets me and takes me to a table.
Re: Upselling the VIP in a new club
Yes, that's what I've been trying to do. I just can't get a damn straight answer out of them.
What you saw the other day JD was the one guy that I've been tipping totally screwing over my customer that paid for 2 hours in the room and then we got kicked out after 1 hour.... When he told us that he hadn't been tipped he'd already gotten a $50 tip (from the custy). OYYYYYYYY... I'm going to have to rethink my strategy for this club since they aren't playing by the rules.
Re: Upselling the VIP in a new club
^^^Start working with a waitress in place of a VIP host there. I've done that at that specific club before. Amy is really cool.
That was total b.s. what the guy tried to pull though.
Re: Upselling the VIP in a new club
Yeah... I think the waitresses are a better idea. There's also a few of the managers from my old club so I think I'll work with them instead.
Which one is Amy - Blonde, or Brunette with curly hair?
Re: Upselling the VIP in a new club
brunette with long curly hair, she's really awesome!
Re: Upselling the VIP in a new club
Ahhhh sweet. That's who I thought it was. I'm excited about sunday now.
Thanks girlie!