Many businesses offer exclusivity as a central theme of their value proposition in their business model. This same theme of exclusivity can also be a part of the premium offer in a freemium business model.
When you buy a business class ticket, you not only buy great food and a comfortable seat, but you also pay to keep others out. The value addition in case of a business class ticket comes in the form of not having to sit beside a screaming baby and being around people from the same demographic profile as you.
If you attend a $1.000 conference, a large part of the value is in that other participants have also paid $1.000 to attend that conference. It is proof that they care about the subject and are in a privileged position to pay that amount.
Often money is the sole criteria of making sure that customers have a certain level of income or interest. This creates an exclusive user group that similar users would pay to be around.
A good example of this is the business model innovation hub. It is a virtual community leading up to the launch of the book “ “ by Alex Osterwalder and others. I am one among the 400 people that have paid to be part of this community. By putting a price on the membership of this group it is ensured that only those really interested participate. This has resulted in a vibrant community of qualified and relevant professionals.
Keeping others out can be a vital part of a freemium model. As suggested in this techcrunch post where the author would pay to read only pro user comments on YouTube and Digg
What in your opinion would be the best way to utilize exclusivity in a business model?
Photo: Defekto
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