Whucha' Can't Have

Everyone has been to (or seen) a club which holds potential patrons in a holding pen consisting of little more than a velvet rope and a little intimidation.
As people drive by, they notice that this club must be so cool that it only allows certain people in.
This club must be so exclusive that it can afford to turn away those which many other venues would love to have as their customers.

One of the clubs I advise was having trouble creating heat.
The club could get people to come by for a drink or two - but the club became an afterthought and not the default club in most people's minds.
But this was a fairly nice club.

How was this problem solved?
By giving membership cards to the most active patrons and sending cards to those, within the community, the club would like to have as patrons.
As people began to be turned away (unless they were accompanied by members or were members themselves) - people began to frequent the club more often, tip more and buy more drinks all in an effort to become members of an imagined exclusive club.

How did we get people to want what we were initially offering them for free?
By telling them that they couldn't have it.