Membership Geeks Podcast with Mike Morrison

We regularly get asked for our recommendations on the top tools for membership website owners.The truth is that there’s no such thing as the “perfect” membership site setup that will work for everyone – it all depends on what it is you want to achieve with your membership site, what features and functionality you need it to have, which email and payment software you’re using and a whole bunch of other details that determine which membership tools are the best fit for you.In this episode, we talk about the tools we use for our own membership website – Membership Academy – as well as the reasons why we chose those particular options.In this episode:Which membership plugin and other software we're using to power Membership AcademyWhy you don't need to use the exact same setup that we use (or anyone else is using)Changes we're considering making to our tech stack and frustrations we haveWhat WordPress theme do we use for our websites?

Join me on Episode 373 of the Membership Geeks Podcast as we dive deep into the fundamentals of the online memberships model! Get the scoop on the differences between courses and memberships, pricing models, and how to explain memberships to potential customers. In this episode:How memberships and subscriptions differ and why one does not always have to involve the otherKey differences between online memberships and signature coursesWhat is typically meant by the term "online membership" and which types of business this does NOT apply toKey Quotes & Takeaways:"A subscription is just a payment arrangement, a way to collect the recurring payments needed in most cases for continued access to a membership. The two go hand in hand for the vast majority of online memberships, but they are separate things. You don't need to have one in order to have the other.""The term membership is broad. It is ubiquitous, it can mean all sorts of different things, and it gets used by people for all sorts of different things."Thank You For ListeningWe really appreciate you choosing to listen to us and for supporting the podcast. We would be eternally grateful if you would consider taking a minute or two to leave an honest review and rating for the show. They're extremely helpful when it comes to reaching our audience and we read each and every one personally!Finally, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast to make sure that you never miss an episode.

In this comeback episode of the Membership Geeks Podcast, we dive into the importance of having a cart abandonment strategy for your membership business, exploring practical tips and proven strategies to prevent potential customers from leaving the sign-up process.In this episode:Understanding the reasons behind cart abandonment, such as unexpected extra charges and confusing payment termsSimplifying the checkout process and minimizing distractions to encourage sign-upsAddressing technical issues that may lead to abandoned checkoutsClarifying and simplifying pricing to avoid customer confusion and abandonmentSetting up email automation to follow up with customers who abandon their checkout processKey Quotes & Takeaways:"Anyone selling anything online should have a solid cart abandonment strategy. It really is that important.""A study found that a significant number of people who abandoned carts did so because of extra charges they weren't expecting. Extra costs, unclear payment terms, and unexpected taxes can discourage people from joining or making a purchase immediately.""Ensure that you have an email automation that's triggered by an abandoned checkout, which tries to get people back to your site to finish signing up and make sure you're sending out that first follow-up email within an hour of that happening."Thank You For ListeningWe really appreciate you choosing to listen to us and for supporting the podcast. IWe'd be eternally grateful if you would consider taking a minute or two to leave an honest review and rating for the show in iTunes. They're extremely helpful when it comes to reaching our audience and we read each and every one personally!Finally, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast to make sure that you never miss an episode

Did you miss me?That's right, your favourite source of membership tips and advice is back in town after a bit of a hiatus, and we've got a whole bunch of fantastic new episodes lined up for you in the coming weeks and months!Time to really level up your online membership...

Wow… 7 years of Membership Academy!It’s been an exciting year as we began 2022 with a rebrand. Since then, we’ve gone from strength to strength as we’ve focused on growing our membership.Listen in as Callie and I discuss the highs and lows of Membership Academy and look ahead to what’s in store for the coming months and beyond.Go behind-the-scenes of our Academy roadmap launch and learn what surprised us the most. Plus, discover the changes we’ve made in order to grow our business.Join the Membership Academy: https://www.membershipacademy.com/For more membership growth tips,subscribe to the Membership Geeks podcast and listen on the go!

In this episode going Behind The Membership, ClickUp consultant, Layla Pomper, chats to Callie to discuss how she went from accidentally creating a waitlist of buyers to running a membership with over 600 members.Layla reveals how she made the leap from service-based provider to thriving membership owner…Plus, she also shares how getting into the minds of her active members has been crucial towards her success.Essential Learning Points:The accidental marketing that led to a SURPRISE waitlist of potential buyers.How starting a membership has given people value while solving practical issues around software updates.How Layla made the transition from service provider to full-time membership owner.The ONE thing she’s used to overcome the challenge of supporting her members colleagues.The aspect that’s been one of the hardest things to build due to the nature of her niche.Reasons behind her pricing strategy in correlation to understanding member pain points.How recognizing the main value of the membership has led to worrying less about what free content to provide.The GREAT tip that Layla gives fellow membership owners on not making assumptions about their members. Important Links:  ProcessDriven Layla’s YouTube channelProcessDriven Collective FacebookLayla’s InstagramJoin the Membership Academy: https://www.membershipacademy.com/For more membership growth tips, subscribe to the Membership Geeks podcast, and listen on the go!

How can you create a personal touch in your membership when you have hundreds or thousands of members to serve?...The bigger your membership grows, the more difficult it is to create a personal connection with individual members…But, if you want members to stick around in the long-term, and set yourself apart from your competition, forming a deeper relationship with people is essential!In this episode, Mike shares 8 simple ways to add a personal touch to your membership. Discover the one thing you can do to create an instant impact on new members, why short video messages can provide maximum value, and how to provide individual attention in a highly leveraged way. Join the Membership Academy: https://www.membershipacademy.com/For more membership growth tips, subscribe to the Membership Geeks podcast and listen on the go!

Creating a membership is an exhilarating time…The creative juices are flowing…And there’s no better feeling than the buzz of a new member joining…But what happens when that excitement begins to fade?...In this episode, Mike explores 8 effective ways to prevent your membership from becoming a burden. Discover why content doesn’t equal value, the one thing you should do to prevent your membership from taking over your life, and why keeping things simple is important!Join the Membership Academy: https://www.membershipacademy.com/For more membership growth tips, subscribe to the Membership Geeks podcast and listen on the go!

In this episode of Behind The Membership, artist, Josie Lewis, chats to Callie to reveal how she attracted over 800 members during her very first launch of the Art Revenue Coaching membership. Josie shares how pivoting her existing audience helped her to double her email list and validate her membership idea…Plus, she discusses the one thing she will do differently when her membership doors reopen. Essential Learning Points:How Josie overcame her fear of creating an online membership.The MAJOR benefit of online memberships that led to her adding this income stream to her business.The TRAP that many business owners fall into when they have an existing audience.The ONE thing that resulted in her DOUBLING her email list.How learning what the audience wants has been pivotal towards her success.What Josie plans to do differently for her next launch.The HUGE membership benefit that she didn’t anticipate.The model she plans on implementing within her membership to aid her members growth.Important Links: The Josie Show (Instagram)Josie Lewis Art (Instagram)Josielewis.comMembership waitlist – josielewisarcJoin the Membership Academy: https://www.membershipacademy.com/For more membership growth tips, subscribe to the Membership Geeks podcast, and listen on the go!

What happens when the buzz of your initial membership launch dies down?In many ways, launching your membership is some of the easiest marketing you’ll ever do!But keeping people interested is a challenge….In this episode, Mike reveals 7 effective ways your membership can continue to make sales after launching.Discover what you can do to create FOMO (the fear of missing out), the one thing that exposes gaps in your marketing strategy, and why you should remarket to ‘almost’ buyers.Join the Membership Academy: https://www.membershipacademy.com/For more membership growth tips, subscribe to the Membership Geeks podcast and listen on the go!

Do you know what the average churn rate is for a typical online membership?How about revenue benchmarks?Average conversion rates?What about the most popular tech solutions? Or the most effective marketing channels?Truth is, there's very little reliable data available about the online membership industry.That's because this market is relatively tiny.It's a niche, of a niche, of a niche.What data we do have tends to come from either the broader subscription industry, or from membership associations.Neither of which reflect the online membership world.A few years ago we made it our on a mission to change that by conducting a survey of thousands of membership owners designed to shine a light on the real data and benchmarks for the online membership industry.And now it's time for an update...We’ve spent the past fews months tapping into our audience of tens of thousands of membership business owners to identify how they’re performing, what challenges they’re facing and which benchmarks and trends are prevalent.And we've compiled those results into the Online Membership Industry Report 2022In today's episode of the Membership Geeks Podcast, I'm sharing some of my top observations, takeaways, trends and other interesting tidbits and insights taken from this year's report.

How do you create the best member experience?That’s a big question to tackle, but we’re taking a swing at it in this episode of The Membership Geeks podcast.You’ll hear why the first four weeks are the most vital in the membership journey as far as setting the tone for the member experience is concerned. There’s also a five-phase approach and a comprehensive list of things to do within and after the first four weeks of a member’s journey.Armed with this information, you’ll get your members settled and engaged right off the bat.  Essential Learning Points:The importance of linking your deliverables to tangible resultsWhy you should draw out a roadmap for your member’s journeyThe bare minimum approach to enriching membership experience vs. the comprehensive approachHow pattern interrupts brighten up the membership experienceImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GeeksMembership AcademyKey Quotes:“Gamification is a big thing that goes a long way to keep your members motivated because while it may seem like such a little thing, everybody likes to be recognized and rewarded for their progress.”“When it comes to providing a great member experience, don't overdo it. This isn't about doing it all because that's just going to overwhelm your members. Instead, pick the elements that will best help your members maximize your membership site to the fullest.”“A good member experience will not only create loyal and engaged members, but it will also turn those members into advocates. And happy members are your absolute best marketing asset."Thank You For ListeningWe really appreciate you choosing to listen to us and for supporting the podcast. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.We would also be eternally grateful if you would consider taking a minute or two to leave an honest review and rating for the show in Apple Podcasts. They're extremely helpful when it comes to reaching our audience and we read each and every one personally!Finally, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast in Apple Podcasts to make sure that you never miss an episode.

Not everyone starts their business planning to launch a membership.This week’s Behind the Membership episode features Christelle Janse Van Rensburg, Co-Founder of the Creative Crafting Club, who talks about her franchise-turned-membership business. Christelle was running a successful arts and crafts club franchise until the pandemic shut everything down. She and her sister searched for a solution and found that a membership was a perfect fit. Since then, their member numbers have exploded, and they’ve seen great success! We wanted to hear how she and her sister pulled it off, what tips she has for others, and why she loves the membership business lifestyle. Essential Learning Points:How the Creative Crafting Club worksWhy the pandemic sparked the idea of starting a membership Why the Creative Crafting Club uses a closed model membershipWhy running challenges has been a key marketing tacticHow Facebook groups keep everyone engaged and supportive of each otherThe biggest challenges Christelle facedWhy Christelle loves the freedom that a membership business bringsImportant Links & Mentions:Creative Crafting ClubMembership GeeksMembership AcademyKey Quotes:“Consistency is the key differentiating factor between success and failure for many people. If you just stick to it, and you hold that longer-term view, then you'll get there.”“Start before you're ready, you're only going to regret the things that you do not do.”“We've got a closed Facebook group, and it works really well for us because our members are already on Facebook. They use it to market their own clubs as well and just because of the visual side of it, it works really well for us.”Thank You For ListeningWe really appreciate you choosing to listen to us and for supporting the podcast. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.We would also be eternally grateful if you would consider taking a minute or two to leave an honest review and rating for the show in Apple Podcasts. They're extremely helpful when it comes to reaching our audience and we read each and every one personally!Finally, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast in Apple Podcasts to make sure that you never miss an episode.

Finding new ways to get members piling into your membership is a difficult path to navigate.But finding a niche market and establishing yourself as an expert in that field is certainly a way to boost your chances. That way, you can build authority and trust and get members joining in their droves.In this episode of The Membership Geeks podcast, hosts Mike Morrison and Callie Willows dive into the steps you can take to establish yourself as an expert on your membership topic. They go on to explain how these pointers could help your membership site flourish more quickly than you think.Essential Learning Points:Why building authority will help your membership service flourishHow to cater to a niche marketHow content creation can help you build your reputationWhy writing a book is not dated – it would still hugely help your reputationImportant Links & Mentions:Membership AcademyMembership GeeksWhy Membership Site Owners Need to Niche Down (And STAY Niched) Succeeding with a small niche with guest Lisa LeanderAchieving success in a small niche with guest Shannon RogersLulu.comKey Quotes:“Building authority as an expert in your topic is a majorly important factor in marketing your membership.”“The truth is anyone can whip up a sales page, say that they're an expert on something without anything to back it up. So you need to be able to provide proof that you're the real deal.”“Niching down, becoming known for something specific is always going to get you further than being a jack of all trades.”Thank You For ListeningWe really appreciate you choosing to listen to us and for supporting the podcast. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it using the social media buttons on this page.We would also be eternally grateful if you would consider taking a minute or two to leave an honest review and rating for the show in Apple Podcasts. They're extremely helpful when it comes to reaching our audience and we read each and every one personally!Finally, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast in Apple Podcasts to make sure that you never miss an episode.

Running a membership website can be one of the most rewarding experiences...You become recognized as an authority within your niche, build a loyal community, and a successful business in the process... But what people don't tend to talk about are the potential pitfalls that you need to avoid...And there are a few of them!As anyone running an online business - or any business in fact - will tell you...There are risks that will pop up at lots of different stages of your entrepreneurial journey...Knowing what these risks are...And, more importantly how to avoid them, can be really useful.With that in mind, this episode explores five of the biggest risks facing membership owners right now.

When you start up a membership site, you naturally want to give your members a perfect experience. Or at least as close to perfect as possible.The key to that is finding the right tools, software, and plugins to help you deliver a fantastic membership experience. But it’s tough to find the right tools and even harder to know whose opinions to trust.In this episode of The Membership Geeks podcast, your hosts, Mike Morrison and Callie Willows share some expert tips on finding the closest thing to ‘the perfect plugin’ and how to find reviews you can trust.Essential Learning Points:Why not all reviews can be trusted (they may be paid affiliates)What works for one membership service may not work for yoursHow people’s past experiences can affect their opinions and suggestions for pluginsWhy great functionality is the most important thing to look forImportant Links & Mentions:Membership AcademyMembership GeeksKey Quotes:“Whatever the best option is, the thing that gets all the five-star reviews, just know that you don't have to go with that just because everyone says it's the best. It might not be the right one for you.”“You need to be aware that you will not find an off-the-shelf membership plugin or software that will 100% satisfy your requirements.”“The only way to find the best solution to your particular problem, if you're asking in a public forum, is to be specific about what features you need and what integrations do you need.”

Juggling a 9-5 with a membership in a saturated marketplace sounds pretty impossible, right?But Scott Millar of IT Rockstars has somehow pulled it off and is seeing great growth in his membership. In this episode of The MembershipGeeks, he shares some top tips and insights for others looking to start a membership.He also delves into his membership's unique origin story, as well as how his geographical cap doesn't limit his growth.Essential Learning Points:How Scott found his ‘wow’ factor in a saturated marketWhy there’s a geographical cap on enrolment for IT RockstarsThe ins and outs of juggling a 9-5 with a membership businessIT Rockstar’s unique onboarding processWhy it’s important for your idea to align with what your audience wantsImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GeeksIT RockstarsKey Quotes:“One big tip for anyone starting a membership is to make sure they are tracking how people are joining their membership — and ask the right questions.”“The thing I love about the membership model is the scalability of it. There’s only so far you can go with a 9-5, whereas with a membership site, the possibilities are endless.”“Something I found useful when I first started out was being aware of what I was good at and what I was terrible at. Anything I struggled with, I just outsourced to someone else.”

Is your cancellation process as effective as it could be?As a membership site, it’s vital to get the balance right! You need to make the decision for your members to leave difficult…not the process.It’s very easy to feel hurt or worried when members depart in their droves but don’t take it personally. Members will end their subscription for so many different reasons… and they may well come back very soon.In this episode of the Membership Geeks podcast, hosts Mike Morrison and Callie Willows discuss some of the most common things membership site owners get wrong when faced with customer cancellations.Essential Learning Points:Why you should remember to ‘think like a member’ – how would you want the process to go if you wanted to cancel a membership?Why it’s important to make the decision to cancel difficult – not the processWhy you should avoid turning members who might rejoin awayFinding the right software to make the process seamless Important Links & Mentions:Membership AcademyMembership GeeksKey Quotes:“During the cancellation process, give it a final shot to try and convince them to stick around. But it shouldn't get in the way, it shouldn't be an obstacle.”“If that member experience was 100% positive up to that point, you can ruin it all by having a terrible approach to cancellations.”“If someone has paid for a month, you have to give them that month. If someone's paid for a year, you have to give them that year. This is why we say that you're getting into dodgy legal territory if you don't actually honor that.”

Does old automatically mean useless or outdated when it comes to membership content?Definitely not. In fact, there are so many things you can do to breathe new life into your archived content. Especially, when the core subject matter is still as relevant as the day it was first posted.This episode of the Membership Geeks podcast is all about six concrete ways you can reuse your old content and drum up some engagement in the process. We’re talking about everything from repurposing content to simply giving it a touch-up. By tuning in, you’ll get six handy tips to refresh and reuse your existing content to maximize its value. Essential Learning Points:Why watch alongs offer a great way to engage with your audienceHow repurposed content helps you meet your audience where they areHow you can grow your audience by giving content away for freeHow to drum up new members through a cohort experienceWhy you should always have something available for your members to tackle nextImportant Links & Mentions:Membership GeeksKey Quotes:“Regardless of when you actually released the content, the first time someone views it, it is new to them.”“Anytime you can give people direction or show them the next step, it's going to massively improve their experience as a member.”“While our instinct is to protect our paid content at all costs, it’s worth noting that repurposing your older content into free content doesn't diminish its value at all.”

Can you use science to boost your membership numbers? It’s not magic but getting to grips with the science behind how people make purchase decisions will help you transform your own content. Kenda Macdonald, CEO of Automation Ninjas, international keynote speaker, and author of the best-selling book, Hack the Buyer Brain, joins this episode to talk about the science behind why people choose to sign up (or not) for a membership.  Tune in to hear what behavioral automation is, how the five stages of awareness work, what neuroscience tells us about buying decisions, and much more!Essential Learning Points:What behavioral automation isHow the buyer journey typically worksThe problem with relying on marketing funnelsWhat neuroscience tells us about the buying decisionThe five stages of awareness and how they can help you build better contentThe problem with using scarcity tacticsHow Kenda uses automation for her membership Important Links & Mentions:Automation NinjasHack the Buyer BrainThe Marketing Automation Academy What is Awareness and Why Does it Matter?Kenda’s LinkedInMembership GeeksMembership AcademyKey Quotes:“Understanding the brain and then tracking physical behavior are two parts of what I would say is behavioral marketing automation.”“We need to create something that's more flexible, more personable, and more catered to where someone is in their own personalized customer journey.”“We should be utilizing our content to help people make better choices. That is why people consume such a huge amount of content because they want to learn, they want to make the right choice about something.”

Fresh on the back of attending Social Media Marketing World 2022, we're sharing our top takeaways from the event, common themes and trends membership owners should be aware of, and specific tactics to try out in your social media marketing strategy.In this episode:How social media marketing is once again becoming more focused on content creatorsNFT's, Metaverse and Web 3.0 - what does it all mean in terms of marketing your membership?Key changes to how what we post on social media is about to change significantlySpecific tips and tactics for Tik Tok, Instagram and more Related links:Promoting Your Membership using Social Media: A 12 Step PlanUsing Instagram Stories to Promote Your MembershipMembership Academy

With more businesses migrating online, how do you give yourself an edge?Amanda Schonberg, a chef and marketing enthusiast, shares the answer to that question in this informative episode. She’s not just a skilled baker, she’s also passionate about generating sales and taking her business to new heights. And it looks like she’s cracked the code.In the spirit of community, she’s gone on to teach fellow bakers how to strike that balance between craft and business with her own membership – The Entrepreneur Community.In this episode, we hear about Amanda’s inspiring membership journey —the highs, lows, and everything in between.Essential Learning Points:How Amanda uses 4 Cs to offer value to her membersAmanda’s transition from working a business partnership to sole proprietorshipWhy serving before selling worksHow to use fun to create engagementThe importance of combining creativity with business skillsImportant Links & Mentions:Membership AcademyEntrepreneur CommunityBaking for BusinessKey Quotes:“I always emphasize a community of competition, we reach one by teaching one, so we strive to help each other out.”“Answering questions is one of the biggest things that attracts people because once you help them a little, they want to see what else they can learn.”“I believe that as creatives, we can't run a business successfully if we don't have that business background pushing us.”

Are you at that point where you’re wondering if the membership model is truly for you?Numbers are dwindling, and all of a sudden, it seems like people aren’t buying what you’re selling. You’ve probably fallen victim to one of the common obstacles we’re looking at on this episode of the Membership Geeks podcast.In this episode, we explore six common roadblocks that get in the way of membership sites and give a few pointers on how to tackle them head-on. With this newfound awareness, you should be able to smash through those barriers and get those membership numbers rising again.Essential Learning Points:Why it’s important to distinguish yourself from the competitionThe disadvantages of providing too many options within your membershipHow pricing can affect your membership offeringWhen it’s OK to charge a joining feeImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GeeksCompeting with Established Memberships in Your MarketKey Quotes:“The more you add different pricing structures into the mix, the more time your prospect will have to spend deciding what works for them, and the less likely you are to get the sale as a result.”“Remember, if your membership is as good as you know it is and is sure to solve your audience’s problems, then you're doing them a disservice by not telling them about it.”“If you're not marketing enough between launches, then your audience isn't going to grow. So when you do open the doors to your membership, you're stuck marketing to the same people from your last launch and the launch before that.”

Do you ever find feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done in your membership?Or do you feel chained to an endless to-do list that taunts you at the end of the workday?Then this episode of the Membership Geeks is for you. Productivity specialist, Mike Vardy, joins us to discuss the concept of productivity, how it's changed, and the best way to approach it.He also delves into the idea of what productivity is not, while providing lots of actionable takeaways for membership owners.There are plenty of insights to dig into in this episode, so grab that pen and notebook.Essential Learning Points:Why productivity isn’t just about churning out workThe advantage of approaching low-energy tasks firstThe difference between projects and tasksHow to trick your brain into getting things doneWhy it’s better to approach perfection as a journeyImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GeeksThe Starting SixProductivityistKey Quotes:“I don't think it's about getting as much done in as little time as possible, it's about what you intend to do and how you’re going to pay attention to it.”“You need to engineer your approach to productivity in a way that prevents you from feeling overwhelmed by everything you need to get done. Instead, ask better questions and you’ll get better answers.”“What we want is to strive for excellence, but I like the idea of perfection as a direction because it allows us to leverage our perfectionist tendencies.”

Social proof is an extremely powerful tool in your marketing arsenal and a key component of the Membership Marketing Flywheel.Demonstrating your ability to help others get fantastic results, and having those people advocate for joining your membership, will go much further than any marketing copy you write yourself.And testimonials from happy successful members are amongst the most effective types of social proof there is.In this episode, we share our top tips for collecting member testimonials, and most importantly using them effectively to add a whole new level to marketing your membership.In this episode:What makes for a good quality testimonialBest practices for requesting testimonials from your membersWhich format of testimonial works best?Specific ways to use testimonials in marketing your membershipRelated links:[Course] Attract More Members with the Membership Marketing Flywheel7 Ways to Add Social Proof to Your Membership Sales PageHow to Tap Into Your Existing Members to Create Social ProofMembership Academy

Running a membership has its perks, but there’s also the turbulent side of things. From transitioning through different iterations of her business to managing a spike of engagement during the pandemic, Nicola Taylor knows how to brave some turbulence.In this episode, she discusses the origins of the Makers Momentum Club and the various challenges she’s faced along the line. Nicola also shares some of her wins and lessons for aspiring membership owners.Essential Learning Points:How members reacted to Nicola’s switch to a membership style businessWhy more engagement can be a bad thingThe interesting effect of the pandemic on the Makers Momentum ClubWhy an action-driven community inspires more winsWhy passion is a major ingredient for starting a membershipImportant Links & Mentions:Membership AcademyMakers Momentum ClubKey Quotes:“The business skills we teach within the membership aren’t specific to makers, they include beginner fundamentals on how to make money from a business, find customers, promote yourself, and the dynamics of being an entrepreneur.”“You can really underestimate the impact a bad business model can have on your growth and your life. You end up constantly fighting against things, and making it more difficult than it needs to be.”“Overwhelm is a big thing for our members because there's a lot of stuff they have to put in place. I don't want the content to become one more overwhelming thing. So finding ways to get them to take action from the content is my goal going forward.”

Are Facebook groups still a good option for your membershipcommunity?The answer has become more complicated considering thatFacebook has upped their game over the past few years.But, as it is with most things, with the good comes the bad.On this episode of the Membership Geeks, we’re delving into the age-old debate of Facebook groups vs on-site forums, with a little twist.We explore new and useful features that come with Facebook groups and the downsides of hosting your community on the platform. We also look into a few alternatives to using Facebook or on-site forums for your membership community.Essential Learning Points:Why Facebook’s accessibility is both a pro and conHow Facebook groups can impact your live events  Cool new features Facebook has added in their groupsWhy Facebook groups are more suited for informal interactionsAlternative platforms to host your communityImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GeeksFacebook Announce Paid Group Subscriptions. What Does It Mean For Memberships?Jill Stanton on Using Facebook Groups to Grow Your MembershipShould you use a Forum or Facebook Group for your community?Key Quotes:“The average member experience is going to incorporate some content and some community. So, if you're splitting those up, it just becomes more of a hassle for members.”“The main thing people cite as a reason to have their memberships on Facebook is how easy, accessible, and discoverable it is to have a group on there.”“All the features in the world mean nothing if the group isn’t serving the purpose of enabling your members to connect and talk to each other.”

Trying to build a membership website is a sizable undertaking for anyone...But building one in under a day, that sounds unrealistic, right?After all, you've got to wrestle with technology, create content and focus on building your audience - quite often ahead of your launch - all while generating a buzz to ensure you get that initial influx of members when you open the doors to your membership... There are a lot of plates to spin...Surely it's not possible to do that in under a day?Well, if you're able to bring some of those elements to the table from day one...So if you already have an established audience who are eager to buy from you...Or a wealth of content curated from past projects, maybe via courses you've previously released or workshops you've delivered...Then it’s entirely possible to build a membership website a lot quicker than you may think - in under a day. And in this episode of The Membership Geeks podcast we share how. Essential Learning Points: This approach isn’t right for everyone. You need to make sure your expectations about the end result are realistic.Keep things simple, especially when it comes to technology. Stick to the essentials, avoid the bells and whistles at this stage. Create your content in real-time and utilize live video. Make lots of noise when you launch.Important links and mentions:  6 Ways to Create Interest and Buzz for Your Membership LaunchWhat If I Don’t Want to Use WordPress for My Course or Membership Site?How to Use Live Video to Market Your Membership with Luria PetrucciKajabiPodia SimpleroCircle Key Quotes: “What we’re shooting for here is “good enough”. So you have to accept that it won’t be everything you want it to be initially, however the best memberships are always evolving and are a constant work in progress, so the good news is that you can make improvements as time goes on.”“As long as people can register, pay and log in, and can then access protected content, you have a working membership site.”“Don’t create any content upfront. Instead, create a calendar of upcoming live webinars that will be only available only to paying members.”“Whatever the reason for needing or wanting to build your membership website in just a day, it’s important to recognise that this approach shouldn’t become the norm as your membership grows.”

What do you fear most as a membership site owner?Let us guess... Cancellations?!We'll let you into a little secret...You're not alone in this.Cancellations are without doubt the big bad boogeyman of the membership world...Even your friendly neighbourhood Membership Geeks face this fear with you!No one likes them...The truth is, cancellations are inevitable.But there are ways to minimize them… Especially if you can predict drop-off points in your memberships ahead of time and take action to fix them.In this episode of the Membership Geeks podcast, we’re going to share with you how to do just that. Essential Learning Points5 key drop off points majority of memberships face. How to make people want to stay after the initial 30 day period. Strategies to put in place to maximize your number of annual renewals.How to identify and prevent seasonal cancellations. Key Quotes: “Sometimes the reasons for cancellation are beyond your control. And often, they're even beyond the control of your members. Life happens!”“Within the first month when someone joins your site you'll see several different stages that can form a common drop-off point - a time when you lose a lot more members than normal - You need to ensure that you have a strong onboarding process in place to minimize the number of drop-offs.”“If somebody joins for 12 months and this period is coming to an end, they have a big decision to make whether or not to renew, as it's a bigger lump sum investment rather than a monthly payment.”“It’s a worthwhile exercise to monitor the performance of your membership site, identify patterns with sign-ups and drop-offs, and average member attendance. But also, to try to monitor, predict and pre-empt seasonal drop-off periods or topic-based drop-off periods according to your audience profile.”

How much time does it actually take to run a membership site?This is probably one of the most common questions we get asked...And as with many things when it comes to memberships, there isn't a 'one size fits all' answer. Some membership sites can quietly tick away in the background without really needing much attention...Others, however, need you to work on them pretty much daily.How much time you dedicate to running your membership is entirely up to you...It could be half an hour a day, 5 hours a day or 8 hours a day.But how do you decide how much time is needed? In this episode of the Membership Geeks podcast, we explore where you’ll most likely spend the bulk of your time when managing your site, how to decide what tasks to spend your time on and we share some top time-saving tips to help you maximize your input into your site. Essential Learning Points: The benefits and drawbacks on your time spent running live sessions. Content creation is one of the most time consuming elements of running your membership. The difficulties gauging time of handling customer service.Marketing your site - how the closed-door model might not be the time-saving option that it appears to be. Why you should hire a team to save you time managing your membership.The importance of picking the right structure for your membership. How to manage your accessibility to members. Key Quotes: “When it comes to handling customer service it’s very difficult to gauge how much time this is going take you. That's because it's variable. It will depend on how the dynamic of your community forms and it will change over time as your site evolves.”“Not every task for your membership site needs to be done by you”“If you know that you don't have the time to commit to engaging with and growing your community, then it may be better for you to forego it altogether. Having no community is better than having one that's as dead as a dodo.”“You don't have to be totally accessible to your members. There are benefits to actually taking a step back”

For performing artists, the global pandemic was a bleak time.With everything shut down, and no hope in sight, Jim Cooney, the founder of Amplified Artists, found a way to turn lemons into lemonade.In this episode, he tells us a bit about Amplified Artists, from how it started to how it’s going now.Jim explains what inspired him to start a business in an industry that was dealt a bad hand and how he’s managed to grow steadily as things have opened up a bit more. You’ll also hear about how he juggles his personal life with the responsibilities of running a membership.Essential Learning Points:What inspired Jim to start Amplified Artists during the pandemicHow Jim engages his members by asking them to create contentJim’s marketing strategy for Amplified Artists The benefits of building your membership around your lifeWhy starting simple is so importantImportant Links & Mentions: Membership Academy Amplified Artists Key Quotes:“I just have to accept that now things have opened up, I'm probably going to lose members during this time, and that’s okay because I'll definitely pick things back up and build them.”“I'm still having to tell myself to keep things simple — your members are ultimately going to guide everything for you.”“Remember to take care of yourself as a person and to be human, because you’re a human first and an artist second.”

Happy #membershipday! Now it’s certainly no secret that we love membership sites. But why do we love them so much? It's all about the 3 F’s:Freedom. Flexibility. Fulfilment.A membership can bring you all these things and more, and today on a special Membership Day episode of the podcast, we’re diving into what the 3Fs mean for you as a membership site owner. And don’t just take our word for it! We’ve got some special guests in this episode too, sharing the impact that having a membership site has had on their own life and business. 

In most cases, you might think the words “membership” and “personalized experience” don’t belong in the same sentence.So, you’re probably wondering, “how exactly am I going to offer tailored experiences when I’ve got hundreds or thousands of members?” The good news is that it’s not impossible. In fact, there are so many ways to form that personal connection with your members that will ultimately drive them to fulfill their goals.Essential Learning Points:Why offering a personalized experience is beneficialHow segmentation can make the membership experience better for usersThe many uses of a member surveyHow personal videos and check-ins make your members feel seenWhen to use a private welcome videoHow to correctly segment your communityImportant Links & Mentions:Membership GeeksMembership AcademyUsing Segmentation to Increase Leads and Member SalesKey Quotes:“What everything comes down to when we talk about personalizing and tailoring the member experience is making people think, “Hey if I were to design the perfect membership, just for me, this is actually what it would be like,” and the ability to connect directly to people where they are on their journey.”“99% of people with large customer bases are not doing any of this. People have come to expect automation and an impersonal experience. And so, if you show that you’re a real person, that's going to go a long way.”“If the experience someone has inside your membership is personalized, then that member is more likely to extract the specific things that they're most interested in — essentially, that’s more value.”

Imagine launching a membership based on your passion… It’s the dream, right?But what if you’ve built your business delivering classes in-person and are faced with the challenge of finding an online solution that will deliver the same value?And you need to do this in the midst of a global pandemic…That’s exactly what Lucy Walker from The Metalsmith Academy did…And her story is awesome! She’s only a year into her membership and has thousands of members…And while she’s been hugely successful as a membership owner, the past year hasn’t passed by without its challenges… In this episode Lucy joins us to share her journey so far… Listen to hear about:  How the pandemic forced Lucy to put her entire business online and make the transition from offering courses to launching her membership. How The Metalsmith Academy launched with over 3,000 members in total, with 1,300 of them opting for the annual plan. The reasons behind changing her enrollment model from closed to open. How Lucy uses Instagram and YouTube to drive people into her membership funnel.Her approach to fostering a positive community and driving engagement.  Key Quotes:“We try and get people straight into the forums. As soon as they join, the first thing we say on email is ‘Hey, go and say hi in the forums, I’ll be there waiting for you. Come and introduce yourself” “With jewellery, it’s such a practical skill. When we were teaching in-person classes you could just have a vague outline and show people then be there to guide them through their problems. With online classes, the clearer you make them, the less work you have to do in the background, so being online has made me be a lot clearer in my teaching.”“As a team we can often pack up and head off to a tropical island to work and that’s absolutely amazing.” “I wish I’d started building an audience earlier. I wish we’d started concentrating on Instagram when I first started making jewellery, rather than doing it when I started the business because I had to.” 

Are you running your membership on the side while managing an existing client focused or service based business? Maybe you’re a web designer who still builds websites…Or a music teacher dealing with private students… And to put it quite simply, you’re feeling stuck… You want to make the transition from working with clients to running your membership full-time… But you’re not sure how to do it… Or even if it's the time is right to make the switch! We’ve been there… And completely understand that it’s a HUGE decision to make… So we’ve decided to help you out… In this episode we share some tips on how to switch from working with clients to running your membership full-time…Essential Learning Points:Why you should treat your membership as a client. How to decide when to start making the switch to working on your membership full-time.Three different approaches to choose from for making the switch. Our tried and tested process for making the transition as smoothly as possible.  Important Links & Mentions:New Year, New brand: Say Hello to The Membership GeeksHow Much Time Does it Take to Run A Membership Site?7 Things You Need to Validate Before Starting a MembershipHow Much Does it Cost to Start and Run a Membership Website?  Key Quotes:“Far too often when working on our own projects and trying to fit them in around the main activities in your business, those projects slip down the priority list and only get attention when the important stuff is done - so your first step to readying yourself for transitioning from side-gig to full time focus is changing your mindset and habits on this front.”“It’s important to know that this whole process is not going to happen overnight. You’re not going to be servicing clients today and then from tomorrow you’re only working on your membership.”“The timing of making the switch is really going to come down to your attitude towards risk, your confidence, and the particular situation you’re currently in with your business and in life.”

After 7 years we have a very sad announcement to make...The Membership Guys are no more.I know, I know... what a devastating way to start the New Year!But the good news is that we've just undergone a little bit of a rebrand and henceforth shall be known as...Membership Geeks!This is a change that is several years in the making, so tune into today's very special episode of the podcast to discover why we've rebranded, what it means going forward, and get the inside track on some of the exciting things we have planned for 2022 and beyond.

Is it me or has 2021 been a bit of a blur?!It's definitely been another strange year as we've all tried to navigate life running a membership in the midst of a global pandemic...But from what we've seen in our membership and Facebook communities, you all seem to be handling it pretty well!So what have we been up to?It's been another busy 12 months for myself, Callie and the TMG team...In 2021, we’ve: Created and launched our EPIC new Roadmap inside Membership Academy.Celebrated the 6th anniversary of our business.Grown our team further with the addition of our awesome Community Manager, Hannah, and... Created another year’s worth of The Membership Guys weekly podcast and season 5 of Callie’s Behind The Membership podcast. And a whole lot more besides!That being said, with only a few days left of 2021, it’s time for our traditional end of year recap show. Listen for our top 10 most popular episodes of The Membership Guys podcasts in 2021. As always, I'd like to thank you so much for your continued support of the show this year - I really appreciate each and every one of you. Here’s to an awesome 2022. Episode Links (not in order - don't want to ruin the suspense!):Musings About Money and Mindset in the Membership WorldAvoid These 6 Common Member Retention MistakesCompeting with Established Memberships in Your MarketSetting Goals for Your Membership Business: A Practical ProcessThe Untold Origin Story of The Membership GuysHow to Encourage Engagement without Nagging Your MembersAre You Leaving Money On The Table in Your Membership BusinessHow We Built Our Audience Before Launching Our MembershipUsing Instagram Stories to Promote Your MembershipWhy People Aren't Joining Your Membership Site

Have you recently launched your membership website? If you have then you’re in the midst of a steep learning curve… One we’ve all been through as membership owners. As we’re approaching the end of the year, now is the perfect time to plan what we want to achieve over the coming months… For more established membership owners the year ahead might be fully mapped out so they know what to expect...But for those new to the membership world, what lies ahead is largely unknown.While we don't have a crystal ball to tell you exactly what's going to happen over the next 12 months...We can try our best to prepare you for some of the things you're likely to discover in your first year of running a membership site…And that’s exactly what we’re doing in this podcast episode. Join us to hear 5 things you quickly learn in your first year as a membership site ownerEssential Learning Points:Good customer service can be the difference between losing a member and leaving someone with a positive impression who is likely to recommend you to others.Implementing a solid onboarding process will make everything easier - for both you and your members. The freedom, the flexibility and the fulfilment that comes from recurring revenue and making money while you sleep can make a huge difference to your life. You can’t please everyoneYou’re probably making a bigger difference than you realizeImportant Links & Mentions:Membership AcademyHow to Handle Customer Service for Your Membership SiteHow to Avoid Overwhelming your MembersWhy you need a kickass member onboarding processHow to Deal With Negative Feedback About Your MembershipKey Quotes:“Nothing ever goes 100% smoothly - that’s just life. The key is how you deal with things when issues do arise.”“When you have a good onboarding process in place, your members are happier, your engagement increases, retention improves and you have far less customer service issues to deal with. That’s pretty much a win for everyone”“If you have 99 happy members who love what you’re doing, but have 1 unhappy member, you need to learn to focus on the 99 – those guys aren’t all wrong!”“Don’t take someone’s silence as a sign that they aren’t getting value from what you’re offering, you're probably making a much bigger difference than you realize.”

Is your membership built on rented land? Are you relying on third parties with little control of your own content or community?While there’s something to be said for third parties and all-in-one platforms, you need to be wary. Those platforms could go down, or maybe they could be hacked, and then what?If you can’t access your membership assets, that’s bad news for your business. In this episode, you’ll hear all about the perils of building a membership on rented land. Tune in to hear why control and having alternative options in the bag are so important and what you can do to protect yourself from a Facebook 2021-style outage. Essential Learning Points:What the Facebook outage taught us about the dangers of relying on third partiesWhy control is the most important thing you needWhy you need to protect your business assetsThe pros and cons of building on rented landImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyKey Quotes:“When we talk about not building on rented land, it's less about the dangers of depending on third parties and more about emphasizing the importance of control.”“The willingness that so many people have to just surrender control of their most valuable business assets to third parties in the name of convenience or simply following the crowd is insane when you think about it.” “Your decision to build on rented land has to be an informed one. You have to know that there's a risk that comes with it, that you're sacrificing something in order to get that convenience.”

Email marketing is the golden ticket to growing any kind of membership or online business. But a successful email marketing campaign is about so much more than sending out the occasional email to your mailing list.If you really want to step up your email marketing effectiveness, you need to use some tried-and-tested tactics. In this episode, we share six ways to improve your email campaigns.You’ll hear why emailing more often is the right move, how to use narrative and open-loop emails to keep interest and how to use different email marketing features to transform your campaigns. Tune in today to learn more. Essential Learning Points:Why you should get out of your comfort zone with email marketingHow to utilize the P.S. section of your emails to drive salesWhy storytelling is the key to a good emailHow to maintain interest through open-loop emailsWhy you should always try to experiment with email marketing  How to use conditional content Important Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership Academy Key Quotes:“Stories are far easier to infuse your personality into, which of course helps to foster connection which goes a long way, especially with memberships where that connection is so key.”“If you've got a great story to tell and a strong narrative that lends itself to being sent one bit at a time, then using open loops in your emails can be fantastic and engaging.”“Split testing can be invaluable for refining and perfecting your approach to email marketing to best suit your audience's preferences.”

Want to give your membership a little revenue boost? Who wouldn’t? The chances are, you’re already working on 101 things to grow your membership over time. But what can you do today?In this episode, we cover four super simple ways you can boost your revenue both in the short and long term. These are simple tactics you can get started on today that don’t take too long or cost much. This episode covers how you can use flash sales and discounts to boost sales, why you should pay extra attention to your non-buyers and ex-members, and how you can get members to upgrade. Try these tactics today and integrate them into your long-term strategy to see consistent results for years to come. Tune in to hear how you can get started.Essential Learning Points:How to use a flash sale to boost revenueWhy you shouldn’t ignore your non-buyersThe benefits of getting in touch with ex-membersHow a simple email can prompt members to upgradeImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyKey Quotes:“You could email anyone who's on your email list, who's been through your main sales sequence, and have not bought yet. You could run a flash sale targeted just at those people to give them an extra push and incentive to join your membership.”“More often than not, people will be open to returning, and indeed, many will come back to your membership within months.”“Cancellation is not condemnation. People don't leave because they hate your membership.”“If you've not reached out to your ex-members in a while, then consider emailing them today or starting a Facebook ads campaign targeted at those people.”

Every successful membership site owner knows their numbers.If you don’t know how your business is performing in key areas, then you have no basis for growth and making improvements, or any idea of whether or not your membership site is doing well or if it’s in trouble.Worryingly, our Online Membership Industry Report revealed that 14% of membership site owners aren't tracking their KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) at all. And an even greater number only track a few key metrics! This is something that needs to change. So if you're currently not tracking metrics on your site or are measuring some, but are not sure if they're the ones you should be focusing on, then this episode of The Membership Guys podcast is for you.Join us as we explore KPIs that every membership website should be tracking. Essential Learning Points:Different metrics to focus on for analyzing website traffic and activity Why you need to have an in-depth understanding of your conversion ratesHow your churn rate impacts member retention and why you should aim for 5% to 10%Why it’s crucial to measure the percentage of trial participants who become paid membersHow to measure the lifetime value of your membersRecommended tools for reporting on member engagementWhy you should track customer acquisition cost Important Links & Mentions:Membership AcademyBiggest Takeaways from the Online Membership Industry ReportThe Most Effective Tools for Reducing Your Membership ChurnWhy Member Lifetime Value is More Important Than Churn RateKey Quotes:“If you don’t know how your business is performing in key areas then you have no basis for growth, for making improvements or knowing whether or not your membership site is doing well or if it’s in trouble”“Member retention is as important, if not more so, than acquiring new members.”“What really matters in business is the overall profit that you're making. As the old saying goes, turnover is vanity, profit is sanity.”“Knowing that lifetime value means that when planning, advertising campaigns or any of the marketing spend, you can more accurately assess your return on investment.” 

Preparing to launch your membership website? This can be both an exhilarating and terrifying time, with lots of tasks to tick off your checklist and limited time in which to get as many eyeballs as possible on you and your business. So how can you make your membership launch a success?The key is to generate excitement and buzz around your site that will result in your first influx of members and give you some momentum to move forward with. And in this episode of The Membership Guys podcast, we’re sharing with you six tactics to implement to do just that. Essential Learning Points:Why a membership website doesn’t live or die based on launch alone Why you don’t necessarily need a large audience to launch your membership How to connect with your audience and make them feel like they’re involved from the get-goDifferent tactics to implement to get in front of a wider audience to promote your membershipImportant Links & Mentions:Membership AcademyWhy You Need to Take People Behind the Scenes of Your MembershipMust-Listen Podcast Episodes for Launching Your Membership Website How to attract better members that will stick around long-termKey Quotes:“Right from the get-go you’ll need an initial influx of members to get your community up and running, people engaging and consuming content, and giving you feedback that will enable you to make your product even better. This in turn will make it easier for you to attract more members in the future.” “You can still do a lot in terms of your membership launch with a relatively modest audience.”“Live video is a fantastic way of getting your personality across and really connecting with your audience to allow them to feel like they're getting to know you on a deeper level.”“There's no doubt that having a group of people who are committed to spreading the word about your membership in their own audience, especially if their audience is large, can do wonders for your membership launch.”

Do you want to transform your tweeting into real results? Unsure where to start?Social media is a tough nut to crack. You can post consistently and still see no results and no sales. The good news is that you can turn it around with some proper planning and a little help from your analytics. This episode, takes you through a 12-step social media plan to help you tweak and fine-tune your current strategy.Tune in to hear why social media is so important, why you need to audit your channels, learn from your audience, keep an eye on your analytics, and much more. Essential Learning Points: Why social media should be key to your marketing strategy     Why you should audit your channels and your audienceThe importance of knowing your audience well   How to serve and build your audienceHow to offer value consistentlyWhy you need to keep an eye on analyticsImportant Links & Mentions: The Membership Guys Membership Academy Setting Goals for Your Membership Business: A Practical ProcessHow to Start Building an Audience for Your Membership SiteWhy You Need to Take People Behind the Scenes of your MembershipKey Quotes:“Make sure that you engage with your followers. Don't just publish content and leave it. Aim to have two-way conversations. What do your followers need help with? Ask them.”“Take steps to really develop your knowledge and understanding of your audience.”“Once you build momentum, once you've got the basics in place, refine that messaging. Refine the type of posts you're making to make sure you're not too salesy, to make sure you have a variety in how you promote your membership.”

Are you struggling to get members to consume and complete your content once they’ve signed up?If you want to keep members happy and improve member retention, the work doesn’t end once they hit ‘join.’Members need to constantly feel like they’re getting value, but sometimes they need a prompt to get involved in the content.In this episode, you’ll hear four super simple tactics to improve content consumption and engagement in your content library. We share how rewarding your members can go a long way, how you can get involved, and what you can do to your content to improve its effectiveness. With these tactics, you’ll help to boost your engagement rates across your content library and help members progress towards their goals. Essential Learning Points:Why you should try to boost content consumptionHow rewarding your members can go a long way How to use reminders to prompt your members to consume more contentWhy getting involved in the content yourself boosts engagement The benefits of using multiple content formats Important Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyKey Quotes:“The ability to have access to you and to have you focused on the same thing that they're focused on can be a huge motivation to get your members to actually take part in a course.”“Reminders and helpful nudges can be a great way of guiding people to content, making sure that they're actually consuming it.”“Make sure that you're providing multiple content formats so that you're catering to a variety of different member needs and learning styles.”

First impressions are key, especially in the membership world. A good experience in the early days is absolutely crucial to encouraging engagement, community collaboration, and retention.But a good onboarding experience is just step one. Even if you have all the necessary steps covered, there’s still more you can do to amplify and enhance that experience. In this episode, we cover five simple yet effective ways to level up your new members’ experience, so they’ll want to stick around for years to come. This episode covers why you should try to go above and beyond in the early days, why a personal touch can help you create a great first impression, and how to make your new members feel welcome. Essential Learning Points:Why leveling up your membership experience can boost satisfaction and retentionHow personal videos can go a long wayHow a member questionnaire can help both you and your membersThe importance of using segmentationWhy you should consider throwing a welcome partyHow physical welcome gifts can be a welcome surpriseImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyBonjoro.comKey Quotes:“Any way that you can better tailor things to each particular member's needs will massively level up their experience.”“This sort of stuff is really just about going that little bit further, putting in that little bit of extra effort to make someone's formative days and weeks inside your membership that much more enjoyable, that much more rewarding, and that much more productive.”“That sort of welcome party can be really, really good for getting that buzz, getting that excitement, and helping people make those connections early on, all of which level up your member experience.”

Do you want to offer a brand-new course or live event…separate from your membership? Is this something you’re allowed to do, or will all hell break loose in your membership?First off, yes, you can do this. But you also need to understand how your members will react. If they’re expecting all new content to come included in what they’re paying for, they could be disappointed. Luckily, there are a few ways around this that we share in this episode.If you want some tips on how to navigate this delicate topic, tune in today. We’ll share the pros and cons of keeping everything in your membership, why you shouldn’t always cave under pressure and ways to keep your members happy.Essential Learning Points:The problem with selling a separate product from your membershipWhy this can upset membersWhy it’s all about setting expectations and your messageHow to avoid doing yourself a disserviceThree simple ways to keep members happy and offer separate products Important Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyKey Quotes:“The clearer it is, what your membership does, who it's for, and what it consists of […] the less chance there will be of confusion or disappointment.”“You don't want it to seem like your membership is a bait and switch. But at the same time, flipping this around to you as a membership owner, you need to resist the urge to over-deliver.” “Give your members priority preferential treatment and a price discount on anything else you might sell outside of the membership. That then adds to the value of them becoming a member.”

If you’re thinking about starting a membership site, the very first decision you need to make is what it’s about.Your choice of topic is fundamental to your success. A good choice is a strong foundation. A poor choice will lead to an uphill battle you really don’t want to tackle.But how do you make the right choice? Tune in to this episode to hear the crucial elements that make a good membership topic idea. We cover why you need some expertise and what to do if you aren’t an expert. We also discuss why you should pick an evergreen topic if you want to be in this for the long haul, and much more!Essential Learning Points:   Why your choice of topic is essential Why you should chasing avoid any fads    The importance of picking a topic you have some expertise inHow to pick a topic that’s evergreenWhy you need to love your topicWhat to do if your membership idea doesn’t tick all the boxesImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyKey Quotes:“If you make the wrong decision about your membership topic, then that pretty much means that anything else you do is built on a pretty unstable foundation.”“Most online memberships will involve tapping into your knowledge, skills, experience, and expertise to help someone accomplish something to learn something to make progress towards a specific goal result or outcome.”“If you've got a real passion and enthusiasm for your topic, then the idea that you get to eat, sleep and breathe this subject day in day out for years to come will be absolute perfection.”“In an ideal world, your topic should really be something specific, something niche, as opposed to something generic.” 

Is it time to finally increase the price of your membership?It’s tricky to answer that because there are loads of different things to consider first. What are your costs? What value do you provide? How are the competition pricing? How can you stay competitive AND maintain a good profit margin?These are some of the many questions we’re answering in this episode. Tune in to hear 11 signs that it’s finally time to give your pricing a bump and why increasing your price won’t make your customers run for the hills. Essential Learning Points:Why it may be time to increase your price for the first timeHow to price based on the value How to maintain a healthy profit marginWhat potential members really think about low-priced memberships How to be competitive without competing on priceImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership Academy Strategies for Increasing Your Membership PricingKey Quotes:“If you have already gone through a price increase before, but it's been a couple of years, then maybe it's time to think about that next increase.”“As your membership and as your business grows, you will see your expenses growing too.”“Competing on price is the worst way to compete. It is a race to the bottom.”

How do you keep the peace in your membership community? As a community leader, it’s your job to make the space your members inhabit welcoming, friendly, and harmonious. But managing a big group of members can be tough. Sometimes people are rude, break the rules, others feel left out, and this leaves people feeling uncomfortable. No one wants to stick around in a toxic community.So, how do you keep the peace and deal with members who break the rules? Having a plan in place will help limit the damage and keep everyone happier. In this episode, I dive into six simple ways to maintain the harmony in your online community. Essential Learning Points:Why you need to keep the peace in your online communityHow to put clear rules in place and enforce themWhy it’s important to lead by exampleWhy you might want to appoint moderatorsThe benefits of encouraging members to use real names and photosWhy you shouldn’t only interact with the cliquesImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyHow to Deal with Problem Members Inside Your CommunityKey Quotes:“There's no point in having guidelines on what is and isn't acceptable if you're not going to enforce them.”“If you can get that accountability and that responsibility in there, then that can play a massive part in giving you a harmonious, positive community dynamic.”“One of the worst things that you can do as a community leader is to get involved in a clique within your community because that is a guaranteed way of excluding the majority of your member base.”