Things You Should Know Before Starting Your Own Membership Site

May 25, 2008 · Print This Article

Why should people join your membership site?

Have you ever been confronted by individuals, asking you to join their gym, their video store, their charity or their phone service?

Of course you have. We all have at some point.

And the main question you ask these people is “why?” Why should I join your gym? Why should I spend money on your product? Why should I choose your service over the competition?

These are the exact same questions your potential customers will be asking themselves. What makes your membership site better? What can I expect for my money? What can you offer that others will not?

Your business depends on your answers.

This is why a USP is of utmost importance when pitching your membership site.

So, what is a USP?

A USP is the unique selling proposition, the benefit you can deliver that is not offered by any of the competitors. It is what gives you the extra edge, what makes your website unique, what makes your website valuable. It is one of the fundamentals of effective marketing business.

Spending that extra time and effort discovering the best USP is vital to your business. However, if you’re having trouble or need a little extra advice, then check out Membership Sites Made Easy The Secret Life of Bees dvd

which can guide you into making the most money possible, starting with creating the perfect USP.

After all, we could all use a little help getting started.

Give your prospects another reason to join your site coreg Venom full ???? ????????? ???????

Have you heard that the hardest part of starting your own business, whether on or offline, is attracting customers?

Well, it is.

But it doesn’t have to be the hardest part. In fact, it can be made relatively simple. All you need to do is give your prospects reasons to join your site.

You’ve already set up the perfect unique selling point to enhance your website and ensure your customers that your membership site is the one for them. But now they want more.

And so, you have to give them more.

One of the best ways to prove to your potential customers that your website is the perfect choice is through social proof. People want to be shown that your membership site is worth their money.

And people trust other people, especially those who have tried, tested and continue to use the product or service.

So you need to offer them the proof they want. Testimonials and endorsements from existing customers work wonders. Potential customers like to relate to someone, especially someone who shares their passion.

Try before and after pictures, screen shots and videos if you are promoting a product that guarantees change.

Finally, make use of graphs, statistics and charts to endorse your website and give your customers facts they can easily see and understand.

Oral, visual and factual evidence that your website is truly the best out there will convince the customers to join and keep the paychecks coming in.

The secret of getting more customers without getting more traffic

As a new membership site manager, you’re well on your way to a successful online business. You’ve created the best website in its field. You’ve attracted your potential customers to your site. You’ve created the perfect USP and credible social proof.

So, now what?

How do you get your potential customers to actually sign up and join the membership site?

It’s all about conversion rates.

So, what’s a conversion rate exactly? Essentially, it’s the percentage of visitors to your web site who take the desired action of purchasing a membership. The higher the conversion rate, the more residual income and the higher those monthly pay cheques will be!

In order to get the most customers, you need to make it impossible to resist signing up for your site.

And the first way to do this is with a strong sales letter headline. You need to grab people’s attention and keep them on your site. The headline must be catchy, unique and eye grabbing.

You can use a thought provoking question or an outrageous comment. Some headlines even contain rude comments to anger the readers just enough that they want to read on.

Put in some extra time and play around with different approaches. Get the opinions of your friends and family and see which headline reels you in and won’t let you go.

No matter what type of business you are in, you need customers to buy the product or service to make you money. Without customers where would you be? Nowhere right?

But you already knew that. In fact, you’ve mastered the art of customer attraction. You’re website gets thousands of hits a day with visitors, and potential clients.

You don’t need to get more traffic (although more visitors to the site most likely equal more sales).

Instead work with the visitors you already have.

The previous email called attention to the importance of a strong sales letter headline, something attention grabbing and unique that will make your readers continue on.

The next step to increasing conversion rates is a powerful call-of-action.

So what is a call-of-action? It’s simply a call of action. It’s the time in your sales pitch when you call on your potential customers to take action.

Call now! Enrol Today! Buy Immediately!

You can use something as simple as “order now” or as elaborate as a seven-step plan of action. However, you must inform your potential customer that now’s the time to take that extra step into action.

Suggest your call-to-action early in your copy. In fact, bring it up several times. Remind your visitors how and why to take action right then and there.

A sales letter headline that demands the visitor’s attention is the cake.
A call-of-action that screams to your customers is the icing.

But now you need the cherry on top.

And a low-priced or free trial offer is just that – the perfect topping to an already irresistible membership site deal.

Offer your clients a free introductory membership for joining. Or, offer your clients 50% off the first two months with a one-year contract. Anything like this sweetens the deal and makes your membership site even more tempting.

People love knowing they got a deal so make them feel special when signing up for your membership site.

Just keep in mind that, in order to keep your customers paying each month, after the trial period and free offer is over, you must use forced continuity. Ensure they continue to pay after their trial is over. Make is easier for a customer to continue their membership rather than cancelling it.

Besides, after they look around your website, why would they want to cancel anyway?

Secrets of customer retention

Stop. Take a breath. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes for just a moment. You are not a manager of a membership site anymore. You are a customer searching your monthly website.

Now, relax for a moment and think.
If you were a customer, what things would you come to expect?

Quality, up-to-date content?
Most definitely.

Reliable and knowledgeable articles?
Of course.

Entertaining information every month?
Without a doubt.

Good. Now, step back into your own shoes of a membership site manager. The above elements are vital to your success. However, it’s what your clients are not expecting that is even more valuable.

In fact, it’s what your customers are not expecting that keep them happily paying and fully satisfied with your site.

The secrets of customer retention begin with surprise over-delivering. Unadvertised bonuses, occasional extra freebies and customer reward points are all unexpected surprises that will wow your customers.

Letting them know that they are appreciated and rewarding them with surprise additives will boost your member’s mood towards your site. In fact, over-delivering is a proven method to show your customers that you really do care.

After all, it’s the little extra that makes a world of difference.

You’ve got the website up and running.
You’ve got the marketing method down to perfection.
You’ve got the customers wanting more and more each and every month.
So now you can just sit back, relax and watch the money roll in, right?

Well, not quite.

Although the hard part is over, you still need to retain your customers. You still need to keep them hungry for content and satisfied with what you deliver.

So, how do you do that?

With a continual membership program.

Most people like the idea of a goal and to know how long until a membership runs out. When you work towards this goal, your members are less likely to cancel. Instead of an open-ended membership, set up memberships that last for a certain time. A year perhaps? Maybe six months? It’s up to you.

Each month during that time, choose content that works up to the final month when your customers’ contracts end. At the end of the year offer them a free month or a bonus to continue on.

It’s great for you as the manager because you know your members will continue to pay. It’s also great for them because they know what they expect to pay and are not left with the decision to continue their membership each month.

To learn more about the topic and to make the most of your new business, read what the experts say:

Membership Sites Made Easy

Inglourious Basterds full

Jeffrey Levesque
The Affiliate Mechanic


Comments

5 Responses to “Things You Should Know Before Starting Your Own Membership Site”

  1. Jit Uppal on December 4th, 2008 2:03 am

    Hey Jeffrey!

    Thanks for the great post! I’m planning on creating my own membership sites soon and you gave me some really great ideas especially with regards to making an irresistible offer and the importance of always overdelivering.

    Thanks Jeffrey!

    Jit

    Jit Uppal’s last blog post..A Great Way to Build Your List – DownlineBuilderDirect.com

  2. Ron Barrett on December 4th, 2008 10:00 am

    Jeff,

    Fantastic information…I have been considering a membership site, but haven’t had any direction in how to do this.

    Thanks for some direction here.

    Ron

    Ron Barrett’s last blog post..Flipping PLR Videos into Your Own Product – Branding PLR Videos

  3. Fred Lotgering on December 4th, 2008 10:46 am

    Jeffrey,

    Your timing couldn’t be better.
    I just started to make preparations. Dusting off fantasos, trying to get the latest updates, just starting to think about how to start.
    And there you’re with your post, saving me time and put me straight in the right direction…

    Thanks
    Fred

    Fred Lotgering’s last blog post..Time To Get Your Christmas Gifts!!

  4. Mike Paetzold on December 4th, 2008 11:33 am

    Love membership sites and this is an article that i will be bookmarking as you have given away the keys for smart marketers.

    Mike Paetzold’s last blog post..Affiliate Power Videos – A great new way to maximize affiliate profits

  5. Earl Netwal on December 4th, 2008 11:53 am

    Great Post Jeff, Membership sites make a lot of sense as a business plan, and clearly need to be on the radar screen. I may have a few more hurdles to jump before I go the membership route, but believe its important to know where you are going if you want to get there.

    The appeal of a steady income stream has caught my attention, I will be following your comments as I refine my own thoughts as to what I might be able to do in the future with membership sites.

    Earl Netwal’s last blog post..A Free offer worth rearranging your day for- Free Video Squeeze Pages

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