The best way to get into an exclusive club is to have your name on its guest list. If you can’t be a friend or relative of someone with influence in the world of exclusive clubs, try browsing the websites of the promoters of the best clubs in your city and submitting yourself to their guest lists. You will usually have more chances with these promoters’ sites than with the websites of the exclusive clubs themselves because the clubs’ promoters are the ones who run the guest lists.

But whether or not you are able to get your name on the guest lists of exclusive clubs, here are a few tips to help you get in and have the night of your life.

Everyone loves to be late, but if it’s a choice between arriving early and not getting in at all, which would you choose? The earlier you show up at the door, the more chance you will have of getting in. Bouncers tend to let the early birds in freely so that later on, when the throngs of partiers arrive, they will not be surprised by an empty club and leave. Exclusive clubs tend to be a lot friendlier earlier in the night before the crowds arrive and their reputation for being a top hot spot in the city is still on the line.

Dress to kill. One thing that almost all exclusive clubs have in common is their dress code. Even most mid-level clubs will not allow entrance to a person wearing tennis shoes and a singlet. Try to look good, and by good we mean well dressed. Put on a tie, if necessary, at least to start with, and polish up those dress shoes.

If you are a male and are planning on partying out with a big group of male friends, it may be wise to hunt down some females to accompany you. Large groups of men can be looked down on by exclusive clubs for many reasons, but the bouncers tend to soften up a little when there are females along. If this is impossible for some reason, try booking a table ahead of time for your all male group.

As a final note, avoid drinking before getting to the club — exclusive clubs don’t like patrons that have already been drinking because it means they will consume less of the clubs’ alcohol — and always be sure to bring some ID.