CASE STUDY: SOHO HOUSE & FOMO
Soho House makes it clear that anybody who’s anybody should be staying at one of their global getaways.
Their Instagram basically says, “Oh you’re not a member yet? Look how much fun it is, you should have been here, like, yesterday.”
It’s pretty much a masterclass on creating FOMO.
Their memberships are exclusive, high-end & community-driven. When they post about their members-only events, you feel like you missed out on the event of the year (which you very well might have!) — all to create an extremely unapologetic & highly effective marketing technique.
Let’s breakdown exactly how they do it.
MEMBERS-ONLY EVENTS
Let’s get the obvious out of the way.
Soho creates FOMO by promoting all the gorgeous photography of their in-person events & shares them to socials.
This makes all the outsiders feel like the un-invited next-door-neighbor who just wishes they could get asked next time.
Of course, Soho House makes that invite easy — just apply online!
By sharing high-quality photography that focuses on how much fun their community events are, it encourages the viewer to click-through to their site & apply.
Photo by Soho House.
INTERSECTION OF CULTURE
Something a lot of creatives struggle with is how to unite their multi-interests into one, cohesive, professional brand.
Probably my favorite part of the Soho House brand is how they effortlessly fuse passions & leverage them as a way to sell.
One scroll through their Instagram & you’re met with a collage of recipes, art, event photography, interior design & more.
The common thread linking all these things is elevated community.
Recipes? Have them at their large single-table dinners. Art? Probably donated by a local artist & is up for sale. Events? Always huge, always a good time.
Everything. Has. One. Goal.
To create FOMO & encourage you to finally apply to their membership network.
When you’re trying to figure out how to house all of your passions under your one brand, try to find something they all have in common. Go back to your brand values, your visual aesthetic & your unique perspectives.
If you want 1:1 help with this, book a Happy Hour call with me.
Photo by Soho House.
VACATION ENVY
A huge portion of Instagram’s most popular posts includes some kind of vacation-focused content.
We see it everywhere — fashion influencers, business coaches, food blogs, even our friends!
It’s successful because it’s what everyone wants, right? A second to get away from the mundane & experience something new.
Now, Soho House has an advantage in being a hotel-based organization, but you too can take notes from this strategy.
Try placing your product in an exotic locale for your summer campaign or create a Top Picks post demonstrating how your product can be used on vacation.
If you’re a service provider, share photos (with permission & credit!) of a place that inspires you or matches your brand’s visual aesthetic.
If you want bonus points, share real photos from a vacation you’ve taken (extra love for this one because it supports your personal brand!)
Photo by Soho House.
FINAL TAKEAWAY
Maybe we should have titled this deep-dive “Soho House & Community” because that’s exactly what they excel at: creating community & making you wish you were a part of it.
Your brand could benefit from promoting this same sense of unity through your own socials.
Just remember, it doesn’t have to be as exclusive or have a you-can’t-sit-with-us vibe, just something that makes people feel like they absolutely need to participate.
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