CLs Coping with the Club Brand Transition
As I have written before - I welcome the change in Club name to embrace motorhomers. My issue is that the CC had excellent brand identity and I fear that we may lose that in the short-term due to the sudden nature of the change.
We own a popular CL and have 4 outfits staying this weekend (we would have had 5 but we had a cancellation on Friday afternoon). I asked our guests if they were aware of the change and had an interesting response from 3 of the 4 parties -
- the husbands knew of the change because (in their families) they open and read the mail.
- the wives did not know about the change because they had not read the mailshot, yet in these cases, it was the wives who had chosen our CL as a holiday destination and the wives who had made the bookings.
I fear that we will lose bookings because:
- members (even in the same families) do not realise that this is still the same club.
- the new identity is not recognised by non-members / potential members who see 'unknown' new signage. We traditionally get a lot of enquiries from passers-by who pop-in because they recognise the CL Sign at our roadside entrance.
This points to a need to keep a link to the old brand identity whilst we are going through this period of transition - particularly with signage and websites.
Ian Kelly
01691 622951
Caravan@BirchHill.co.uk
www.BirchHill.co.uk
Birch Hill Farm – a multi-award winning caravan site in the beautiful lake-lands of Shropshire - exclusively for members of the Caravan and Motorhome Club
Read the reviews - look at the photos.
Number 1398 in the 2015/16 Sites Directory
Comments
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I honestly don't think you need to worry. CL users are resourceful folks, they will find you, regardless of the invisible signage. We have been coping with the poor search engine and lack of handbook for last few months, so visitors will get through. Fact that the couples hasn't spoken to each other says more about their relationships than the signage! (That's tongue in cheek by the way!) Blokes read things, while women do things, 'tis normal!
If you have got four out of five pitches in use in February, you have nothing to get anxious about!
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We too have 4 in this weekend, a first in February for us, and am not too worried as 75% of our business is repeat bookings so folks know where we are. It is the new business which is the icing on the cake and if someone has travelled 5 - 10 hours and are tired and don't know the area or site it certainly helps to identify the sign quickly or see other vans. The nuisance factor for us is going to the door to casual visitors to explain it is members only especially foreigners late at night and we cannot even recruit them so that they can stay. This new sign does not say members only and that 5 vans is the limit which could make it worse.
David www.perthshirecl.co.uk
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Yes it's the different wording now saying 'Members Welcome' that may/will confuse and the removal of 5 units from the ew signage.
As there is plenty of white colour left, would it be defacing the sign if wording to suit was professionally added, if not I'm afraid an adjacent sign with appropriate info is added.
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I can understand your concerns David. The Cornish CL we used on a regular basis had at least one, more often than not more casual enquirers each day in Summer, and that was with the five vans only, members only bit on the sign. It was set well back down a lane as well, so unless the wise walked the reversing/turning shenanigans were entertaining!
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As yet I have not seen a cost of the rebrand but I assume it will be taken from the Club reserves and will not be an increase in membership fees next year when the bank balance is less.
David
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Apart from the cost,why was there a need, the logo and brand covered all types unless as stated on the thread about" who owns the club" and a post about the CSMA is the "hidden" agenda,rather than the "it was member feedback"as quoted on the main thread
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Over the past five years of the club being on line with CT there have been many threads where people said "why aren't motorhomers included in the club title" some of us said it didn't matter but to anyone not familiar with the club it did look exclusive. So now an effort has been made to update the name.
However what's gone wrong is the lack of communication between the club and CL owners, I really think they should have been consulted over the signage etc.
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Another example of poorly implemented change. "Members Welcome" should be a given. It does not, however, stipulate "Members Only" and will cause confusion. The absence of "5" will prompt many to think that the criteria have been relaxed and pressure owners accordingly.
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Maybe that's the idea, CY. A sneaky way to introduce an addition to the 5 pitches limit allowed at the moment, leaving it up to the CL owner to decide how many they'll let on site.
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What is really a shame is that the trust that should exist between the Club and its members/CL owners appears to be at an all time low. Can it be recovered within the next 2 years?
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Why 2 years? Is that when they're going to change the name again, perhaps to the "Motorhome and Caravan Club"?
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OK, can it ever be recovered?
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and perhaps to the "Motor Home Club". End.
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