Clubmate provides the ability to add a ‘promo code’ to your membership plans.
This means that only those in the possession of the promo code will be able to access and purchase that specific membership online.
The code works as a form of key to a membership plan and enables you to add a layer of control over who can purchase a specific plan online.
For example, if you wanted to offer a discounted membership to members who have attended a work party, you could create a membership plan for the discounted value and then share the promo code with the relevant members. They could then use this code when it comes to renewing and benefit from the reduced rate.
Other use cases include adding a code to Committee memberships, ensuring only Committee members can select the plan online. Or if your club wants to limit who can view and purchase membership plans altogether or you have a waiting list, you could use promo codes on all of your membership types. There’s many options.
Another use case involves managing applicant workflows. For example, you can use promo codes to control access during the application process by tying them to specific workflow stages, such as moving applicants from "New Applicant" to "Invited to Join."
How to set up the Promo Code
To apply a Promo Code, first go to the relevant Membership Plan you want to apply the code for (see our help section on Membership Plans to see how to create & manage plans). Navigate to Dashboard > Settings > Membership Plans to locate the desired membership plan.
Once you've selected your membership plan, click on the Details Tab and you will be able to see a check box labelled 'Requires promotional code'. The Details tab is located between Info and Renewal for easier identification.
If you only want this plan to appear when a Promo code is entered online, tick the box and add a Promo code of your choice. Note that promo codes do not apply discounts at checkout; they only reveal hidden membership plans. Any special pricing must be configured directly on the plan.
Then click Save Changes and this plan will now only show when a member adds the code online.
As a best practice, ensure that the promo codes set in your membership plans match those included in any automated invite emails. This alignment helps avoid confusion and ensures a seamless member experience.
Please note that is is possible to use the same code across multiple plans. If you do this, all of these will be offered to the member when they use the code. Additionally, you can retrieve an existing promo code by navigating to the Details tab of the membership plan, where it appears on the right-hand side. Only Admin or Owner roles can access this area; Managers do not have permission.
If you need to stop previously invited individuals from using an old promo code, you can invalidate it by creating a new one and updating the relevant communications.
To update a promo code, navigate to the membership plan's Details tab, update the promo code, and save the changes. Ensure that any automated invite emails are also updated to include the new promo code.
How does a member add the Promo Code
Once a membership plan has a promo code applied to it, it can only be accessed when the member adds the code online.
To add the promo code, all they need to do is log-in to the member portal (or register if they haven't accessed previously) and then click on Start a Membership.
They will then be shown all of the publicly available plans and an option to add a code by clicking on the Got a code? box.
Once they've added the code, they need to click APPLY. Ensure the promo code is entered correctly to avoid errors. If the code is invalid, double-check its accuracy or contact support for assistance.
Clubmate will then only show the plan(s) associated to that promo code (in this example, our Complimentary plan).
The member can now go ahead and purchase the membership as normal.
Admins do not need to intervene. Members can follow the steps themselves to add the membership using the promo code.
To prevent misuse of promo codes, clearly communicate the application process to applicants. This ensures they understand when and how to use the codes appropriately.