Membership Geeks Podcast with Mike Morrison

Not sure whether to offer monthly or annual billing on your membership? The way members sign up to your membership site can make all the difference in the buying decision.You don’t want to turn people away at the first stage, so picking the right one is crucial. In this episode, we go through all the pros and cons of monthly vs. annual subscriptions. You’ll learn which has the higher profit margin usually, which is the more stable option, and which is best for your members. We also share an alternative way to bill and how you can upsell or down-sell your membership options. Essential Learning Points:Why monthly memberships tend to offer more stabilityHow monthly billing can improve engagement Why annual billing provides a better profit marginThe effect annual billing has on your member baseWhy you don’t have to pick one or the other Important Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyKey Quotes:“You can, of course, offer both. Unless you have a very compelling reason for going monthly-only or annual-only, then we do typically recommend having both options available.”“One of the main reasons people set up a membership site is for the stability and the predictability that comes from having that sort of recurring revenue over time.That stability goes out of the window to a degree if you're relying solely on annual billing.”“With a higher buy-in, people are a little bit more invested…and they've given a bit more thought to their buying decision. Usually, that all adds up to a slightly higher caliber of members inside your community.”

Has the spark died down from your membership? If you’re struggling with getting new members, old members are quitting, or engagement has dwindled, it’s time to reignite that spark.The good news is that there are plenty of things you can try to turn your membership around. In this episode, we’re sharing some of the simple, quick fixes and longer-term strategies you can use to get your membership back on track.Essential Learning Points:The first step in fixing the problem is to understand it Why you should start with the easy fixes firstThe tough questions you need to ask yourselfWhy sometimes the simplest way to identify the problem is to just askHow you can relaunch your membershipWays to grab your members’ attentionImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyKey Quotes:“If your membership site has slowed down or it’s starting to stagnate, then all is definitely not lost. It is very much possible to inject that bit of new life to reignite re-spark your membership.”“You need to decide honestly whether you're giving enough value to justify people continuing their subscription.”“To reignite the momentum in your membership, you could do a soft relaunch. This might involve doing a whole bunch of podcasts, interviews, guest blogs, maybe doing some event-based marketing.”

Do you have an online course you’re thinking of taking to the next level? Wondering if an online membership would make the perfect pairing?A combination of courses and memberships can work well, but only if you get the strategy right. If you’re considering an online membership alongside your course, this is the episode for you! We cover the benefits of blending the two content models together and all the different ways you can do this effectively. In this episode, you’ll learn about the different considerations you need to make before choosing any particular model, including where on the journey your audience is and what they need from your content. Essential Learning Points:The benefits of combining a membership with an online courseHow to sell your membership as a standalone productThe two main ways to combine your course and membershipHow to decide what strategy to useImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyUsing the ‘Splinter’ Strategy to Sell More MembershipsKey Quotes:“A combination of courses and memberships can work extremely well if you get the strategy right.”“It's all about that bigger picture and figuring out where your course fits in the journey of an average student.”“With this kind of approach of courses and memberships intertwined, you can actually have some of your cake and eat it too. And you can play around with different combinations of enrolment models.”

Wow... 6 years of Membership Academy!It's been a crazy year as we adjusted to running a membership during a pandemic and refocused our efforts and attentions on new areas of growth.Listen in as Callie and I recap the highs and lows of the past 12 months of Membership Academy, and look ahead to what's in store in the next year and beyond.

How do you choose the perfect price for your membership? What’s the number one thing to think about? The truth is, there are lots of different factors at play. But one thing people overlook is the idea of perceived value.Perceived value is something that isn’t concrete or easy to assess. It’s all about personal opinion, circumstances, the market itself, and everything in between.Tune in to this episode, where we go through all the different elements that make up a good pricing decision for your membership. We cover everything from perceived value to weighing up the practicalities, member affordability, and of course, the competition.Essential Learning Points:How perceived value affects pricingHow to price according to the market Why you should look closely at the competitionPricing based on practical considerationsWhy the customer’s affordability is worth consideringImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership Academy How Much Should I Charge For My Membership Website?Key Quotes:“Membership pricing, or pricing in general, is not logical.”“Optimizing for the absolute perfect price is kind of a fool's errand because so much of it comes down to perception.”“It should be the easiest thing in the world. Just pick a number. But once you dive into it, there's just so much at play.”“Every buying decision is an individual one. Every buying decision is a personal one. What will your membership do for them?”

Can a membership business ever really provide passive income?Lots of so-called internet marketing gurus out there will point you in the direction of the membership model and claim it’s the “ultimate way to make passive income.”We’re here to tell you that’s false…sort of. Memberships are not a way to make 100% passive income, but can they make any passive income?In this episode, we discuss what passive income really is, why memberships can never be 100% passive, and why it’s up to you to decide how passive you want your business to be. Essential Learning Points:   Why you should be wary of the term “passive income”Why memberships are never 100% passive     What does passive income really mean?  Ways a membership can be partially passiveImportant Links & Mentions:       The Membership Guys        The Membership AcademyKey Quotes:“An online membership is a business…and every business requires you to work and take it seriously. It's not a gimmick. It's not a cheat. It's not something you do if you're just looking for a quick shortcut to make an easy buck.”“There's an old adage in the internet marketing world, that internet marketers work 18 hours a day, so they can make money in their sleep. Being able to say, ‘I make money in my sleep,’ so many people like to use that as a badge of honor…And of course, you never see the full story.”“We've always railed against the tendency of internet marketers to promote memberships as a path to passive income because in doing so that really does sell the lie, that this is an easy route to untold riches for minimal effort.”

Are you ready to finally hire your first employee?It’s an exciting yet daunting experience because there’s a lot to cover and plan for. But don’t worry, this episode takes you through all the steps you need to know about. In this episode, we cover the early stages of hiring an employee, how to design a smooth and seamless application and interview stage, why you need to have the finer details worked out before hiring, and how to onboard your new employee.If you’re unsure where to start, this is a great starting point that takes you through the pre-hiring, hiring, and onboarding stages. Essential Learning Points:    Why good timing is so important when hiring your first employeeHow to determine the logistics of hiring  How to design a seamless application and interview process  Why you can’t ignore the boring admin partHow to onboard your new employee without leaving them in the darkImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyBehind the Membership      6 Tasks You Should Outsource To Make Your Membership More ManageableKey Quotes:“I'd much rather you hold off on recruiting someone and bringing someone permanent full-time into your business, until you have more than enough financial means to actually do it.”“Don't just hire someone to perform the task, at its current standard, hire someone to be better than you to level your business up.”“Make sure you're realistic in your expectations and consistent in the type of work that you would expect people in the roles you're hiring for to complete.” 

Are you a bit of a perfectionist? A little bit of perfectionism can be a good thing. It can help you strive towards creating the very best content and value for your members.But too much can be a big problem. In fact, perfectionism can kill progress. If perfectionism is holding you back from launching your membership or taking it to the next level, this episode is for you.We’ll be discussing how perfectionism can hold you back, why it’s virtually impossible to achieve in the membership space, and why holding yourself back can rob you of the very things you need to improve – feedback, experience, and data.Essential Learning Points:How perfectionism gets in the way of progressWhy perfectionism is impossible in an ever-changing membershipThe importance of feedback and data in improving your membershipImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyKey Quotes:“Perfection kills progress.”“Perfection is unattainable because memberships are always evolving. When you build a membership, you're not creating a finished or complete product.”“If you're holding back on launching because you want to get it right, you are preventing access to the very thing that will help you to get it right. And that is experience feedback and data.”

Is your membership not attracting enough members? Are you wondering where you’re going wrong?In this episode, we cover nine of the most common reasons why people don’t sign up for a membership site. There might be something you haven’t thought of yet, so this episode should give you some food for thought.Tune in to see if you’re guilty of any of these mistakes and find out ways to fix them. Find out whether your membership struggles are down to market need, lack of research, competition or pricing. Essential Learning Points:        The importance of directly asking for the saleWhy you need to ensure your membership is valuable and neededWhy thorough research is the bedrock of any successful membershipNiching down vs. being too broadWhy trust is so important in membershipsImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership Academy      Why Membership Site Owners Need to Niche Down (And STAY Niched)Key Quotes:“People don't join memberships to stand still. They join because they have a result they want to achieve. They have a transformation they want to undergo and a goal they want to hit. So, you need to break it down as clearly as possible, how your membership will help them.”“If you're not established, if you don't have a body of work, some content they can read or listen to, recommendations, or social proof, then your audience might be more hesitant to do business with you.”“Trust is everything in business, especially with a membership site, because they're not just buying one thing from you today. They are entering into an ongoing relationship with you.”

Are you ready to build your email list? Do you already have one but you’re not sure how to get the most value out of it?Whether you’re starting from scratch or are revamping your email series, this episode is for you. We cover five great email types to send your new subscribers to entice them into signing up to your membership site. These are simple yet effective ways to give people a taste of what your membership is like, how it can help them, and the value they could be getting from you. Essential Learning Points:Why creating an email series is so important for new subscribersWhat to include in a welcome email The best ways to create an email sales pitch for new subscribersHow a case study can effectively sell your membershipWhy you should send value-driven emails as well as sales pitchesImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership Guys   Membership AcademyKey Quotes:“Choose a single success story from your member base to write a mini case study around. This should be a story that shows people what's possible by being a member of your site.”“Memberships are pretty abstract products. They're typically made up of many different elements, so it can be challenging to concisely describe them. So being able to show as well as tell can be a real advantage.”“A way to over-deliver is to give them an extra surprise freebie, an eBook, a cheat sheet, a free workshop, something along those lines that they weren't expecting.”

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of a membership? Maybe you’ve considered joining one in the past but just have no idea what to expect. Does your audience feel the same way about your membership?Hopefully not, but if you’re looking for a way to bring some transparency, trust, and a behind-the-scenes look into your membership, then this episode is for you.I go into four simple yet effective ways to give your members a sneak peek behind the curtain at what goes on in your membership.The benefits of this marketing tactic are incredible, so tune in today to hear our ideas, how they could help, and how we use them in our own content to promote Membership Academy. Essential Learning Points: Transparency can build trust, so take members behind-the-scenesHow to use screen capture footage as a simple piece of marketing contentHow to use social media Stories to give insights into your day-to-day lifeWhy you should create content that focuses on your journeyWhy you should showcase your members and their successesImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyBehind the Membership podcastKey Quotes:“Not everyoneknows what an online membership is like. If you're in an industry where onlinememberships aren’t particularly prolific, yours might be the very firstmembership that your customers are encountering.”“In the onlineworld, it can be difficult to trust. There are too many cases of people payingfor something that ultimately either just didn't get delivered or was nothinglike what was promised. When you have something like a behind-the-scenes video,you're showing proof that your product exists.”“Transparency canbe very appealing to people. A lot of people these days feel like they needthat connection with the people they choose to do business with. Sotransparency can go such a long way.”

Are you comfortable talking about money?Many aren’t and avoid the topic altogether. Others are on the opposite end of the spectrum and will flaunt it all day on social media.As money isn’t something that we talk a lot about, either here on The Membership Guys or in real life, this episode is a bit of a different one. In this episode, I explore some financial food for thought about memberships and money in general. I cover things like mental money blocks, the influence of social media, putting money to good use, and scaling your business.This episode’s a bit of a different one than usual, so tune in for a talk on all things money-related. Essential Learning Points:Why our marketing isn’t money focusedThe common money blocks that hold us back Why we shouldn’t compare ourselves to people on social mediaHow the membership model is about slow and steady growthHow to put money to good use in your businessWorking out your effective hourly rateHow scaling your business is all about mindsetImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyThe Untold Origin Story of The Membership Guys (Episode 300 Special)SuperfastbusinessWork Less Make More by James Schramko  Key Quotes:“The money side of memberships is relatively boring. It's not an exciting roller coaster ride. And so, we need to make sure that we don't get complacent and take it for granted.”“When you buy cheap, you end up buying twice. And so, you start to recognize the value of investing money.”“Instead of paying yourself more and taking more per month, pay yourself the same but for doing less work.”“I love memberships because the output is usually substantially more than the input. I can spend an hour creating a piece of content. And that can help hundreds of people who then refer dozens of people, which makes me X amount of extra money for one hour of my time.”

Are you ready to build your membership website? Before you get started, there are a few key tech decisions you need to make first. These decisions will influence every element of your membership, so you need to choose wisely!How you host your website, build it, choose a domain name, and build a community are just some of the most important but tough decisions to make. In this episode, I cover five tough tech decisions you’ll need to make before you can launch your website. If you’re just getting started and aren’t sure how to get the ball rolling, don’t miss this episode!Essential Learning Points:The differences between self-hosted and using a platform When to hire a developer vs. build a website yourselfWhat to consider when choosing a domain nameHow to choose the best themes and plugins for your siteWhat to consider when building a membership communityImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyShould You Build Your Website Yourself or Hire Help – with Martin & Lyndsay from Jammy Digital Should I Host My Membership on a Separate Domain Name?Why you should add a community to your membership site11 Proven Tactics for Starting a New Membership CommunityKey Quotes:“These are decisions that can have an impact and repercussions on so many different elements of your membership, how you run it, how you grow it, your member experience, and so on.”“WordPress is the most popular content management system in the world. And a big part of the reason for that is the fact that there are all sorts of add-ons you can install.”“If you’re cash-rich but time-poor, you're probably going to hire someone. If you're the reverse of that, then the likelihood is you're going to need to build your site yourself.”

Are you considering a switch from a closed to open-door membership? Maybe you’ve heard about all the benefits of open membership models and want to try it out for yourself.Great! Open memberships can be a fantastic business model. It’s the very same model we use for our own Membership Academy. But don’t just jump headfirst into the switch! If you’re changing to an open membership model, it’s not as easy as changing your mind and keeping the doors open all year. There are lots of things to consider and adjustments to make if you make such a big move. You’ll need to think about all sorts of things like marketing, sales figures, how it will affect the community, and much more!In this episode, I share some things to know about and the best ways to prepare your membership for an enrolment change.Essential Learning Points:Why you need a solid reason for switching membership modelsHow your approach to marketing will need to changeWhy you need to change your sales expectationsThe importance of member onboarding with an open-door membershipHow the membership community will change once you switchImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership Academy5 Reasons Why I Dislike the Closed Door Membership Launch StrategyKey Quotes:“An always open membership relies heavily on evergreen marketing, having that marketing machine that works year-round. And the big piece of that is going to be your core sales funnel.”“Don't start panicking when you have a day where you don't get any sales because it's all about the long term.”“You can't get away with sloppy onboarding as much in an open membership as you can in a closed membership.”

Are you toying with the idea of switching from an open to a closed-door membership model?Hold on! Before you make the switch, there are some vital things to consider first. In this episode, I’ll take you through the top things to prepare for, decide on, and consider before switching your enrolment model.Switching to a closed-door model isn’t a decision to take lightly. It doesn’t just affect your marketing. It can change the whole member experience as well. This episode covers some ways you can weather the storm and make the switch a smooth transition. Essential Learning Points:Why you need a solid reason for changing your enrolment modelWhat you need to prepare for and communicate to your membersHow a closed-door model can change the member experienceWhat switching to a closed-door model will do for member numbersWhy you still need to market and keep people engaged throughout the yearImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership Academy6 Situations Where The Closed Door Membership Model Makes SenseKey Quotes:“It just stands to reason that, if you have a product, you want to make it available and accessible for people to buy and join when the time is right for them.”“Clear, transparent communication about this change, whether you're going from open to closed or close to open, is key to really nailing this process.”“Whether your doors are open all the time or closed and only open two or three times a year, you still need to market year-round. You still need to show up in between your launches.”

Good news... it's my birthday!! Bad news... I literally NEVER work on my birthday…It’s one of my rules...And as much as I love The Membership Guys podcast… I can’t break this rule. So I’m taking the day off….And that can mean only one thing... CALLIE IS TAKING OVER!(And I get to eat cake)Join the other (some would say better) half of The Membership Guys for a very special episode, as Callie shares her top takeaways from season 4 of her podcast, Behind the Membership, and reveals the release date for season 5. Listen to hear about: The changes membership owners have made to better serve their audiences during the global pandemic. Caryn Liles explains how Covid 19 resulted in her transitioning her well established brick and mortar dog training business to an online membership model, which is now allowing her to provide more in-depth support than before. Katie Wardrobe talks about how she reduced the price of her membership and offered more free content to help teachers adapt to working online, which has increased the growth of her business. How Carole Copeland Thomas’s membership has become more important than ever due to the growing racial tensions across the U.S. Why a one size fits all approach doesn’t work when it comes to memberships. Pamela Mitchell explains how she created a model to suit her needs and Felicia Lo shares the benefits and challenges of running an online membership alongside a well established international yarn business. Steve Pavlina also talks about how he offers a high ticket annual membership that only launches for five days a year. How season 4 reinforced the message that memberships give owners the freedom and flexibility to live life on their own terms. Whether it’s accommodating health issues like in the case of Marisha Mets, building a location independent business enabling family travel like in the case of Trish Blackwell... Or using your membership to reach big goals and eventually give back to underprivileged communities like John Michaloudis. How running memberships can lead to positive change. Warwick Brown explains how leaving his corporate role and launching his membership has led to a happier, more energized life and Warren Mcpherson shares how he reduced his income streams and took ownership of his time so he can spend more of it with his young family.    Links and Mentions: Behind The Membership podcast Launching Quickly in a Global Crisis with Caryn LilesDouble your member base during a pandemic with Katie Wardrobe Facilitating Change Through Difficult Conversations with Carole Copeland ThomasCreating a High Level Coaching Membership with Coach Pamela MitchellAdding a Membership to a Successful Manufacturing Business with Felicia LoAligning Your Members to Your Vision with Steve PavlinaCreating a Custom Web App for Your Members with Marisha MetsFighting Through a Crisis of Confidence with Trish BlackwellStaying Consistent as a One-Man Band with Warwick BrownSetting Ambitious Goals for Your Membership with John MichaloudisMore Time, More Freedom, More Income with Warren McphersonKey Quotes: “Memberships are game changers at the best of times, but in 2020 they proved that even more.”“Everything is possible with a membership model if you focus on what’s going to serve you and your members” “There is no right or wrong way when it comes to membership sites, it’s what’s best for you.”

Whether you are new to memberships, thinking about starting one, or have been doing it for years, there are some key things that everyone needs to know. In this episode, I share some of the admittedly boring yet super important things you need to know about running a membership. This episode covers things like insurance, tax, payments, and copyright laws – all that fun stuff!To keep your website and business fully protected, give this episode a listen in case there’s anything you’re currently missing. Essential Learning Points:How to cover the legal aspect of running a membershipWhy it’s important to get a hold over your finances and taxHow to protect your website and content from theft What you need to know about insurance and protecting your businessImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyEssential Guide to GDPR for Membership Site OwnersKeeping Your WordPress Membership Site SecureWhat To Do When Someone Steals Your Membership ContentShould You Allow Competitors to Join Your Membership?How to Deal With Payment Disputes in Your MembershipSuzanne Dibble’s websiteDigital VAT 2015 Facebook groupTermsFeedTermageddonKey Quotes:“It’s better to be safe than sorry, and getting professional indemnity insurance generally will not cost much at all.”“The truth is most security issues for any type of membership, product, or website come from human error. So, you want to make sure that you are clued up.” “It’s certainly advisable to get an accountant on board to help you set your membership up correctly and ensure all your tax and reporting obligations are met.”

Is your membership stressing you out?When you first started your journey to being a membership owner, the chances are you didn’t picture sleepless nights and dreading going to work. In fact, you probably imagined finally getting to live the life you always wanted ­– so, where’s it all gone wrong? Owning any business, including a membership, is going to come with stressors. That’s just a fact. But there are several things that could be happening in your membership that are making you unhappy, that you can do something about.In this episode, we talk about the eight most common areas that cause stress for membership owners. We reveal how you can manage these and make running your membership as enjoyable and stress-free as you hoped it would be!Essential Learning Points:How to adjust your expectations for your membershipWhy you should be focusing on the long game How to set manageable deadlinesHow to be realistic with your content strategyWhich tasks you should be outsourcing to free up your timeHow to stay focused on your own progressWhy setting boundaries is essential to managing stressHow context can reframe your anxieties Important Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership Academy 6 Tasks You Should Outsource To Make Your Membership More ManageableKey Quotes:“With memberships, you get to set the terms. You get to create a business of your own design that fits with your goals for your life.”“You're not creating a finished product, you're starting a journey. You have the freedom and flexibility to adapt and evolve your membership over time.”“Don't try and do everything yourself. You're not a superhero.”

Are you ready to launch a membership? Are you really ready? If you’ve been toying with the idea of launching a membership for some time, you might be wondering if the timing is right. Many business gurus out there will tell you to jump in and “just start,” but hold on!Memberships are a funny business. Launching your membership is all about timing it right. If you get it wrong, it’s much harder to change your mind or get out of it when you have paying members with high expectations. You need to do the groundwork first. In this episode, we take you through the signs that now is the time to launch your membership. These are signs that your membership will get off to a great start, has a real audience, and won’t fizzle out over time. Essential Learning Points:Why timing is so important when starting a membershipThe downsides of jumping into a membership before you’re readyWhy you need to be clear on what you’re offering and who you’re servingHow much time you need to dedicate at the beginningWhy building your audience before launching a membership is the best moveImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyWhy Membership Site Owners Need to Niche Down (And STAY Niched)Membership ToolkitKey Quotes:“The most successful memberships are the ones that solve a specific problem and serve a specific audience.”“The riches are in the niches when it comes to memberships.”“It's not about having thousands of people on an email list before you can even contemplate starting a membership. It's far more important that your following is relevant than it is huge.”

In this one-off bonus episode to mark Mental Health Awareness Week, I'm opening up about my history of dealing with clinical depression.To say this is not a typical episode of The Membership Guys Podcast would be an understatement...There's nothing here about memberships, there are no tips, there is no advice. Just my story of mental health challenges which I'm sharing in the hopes of removing the stigma and normalising discussion around topics like depression.If you choose to skip this and stick to the 'membership stuff' then that definitely does not make you a bad person! However if you do listen then I hope sharing this frank, "warts and all" story of my personal fight with depression helps you to either better navigate your own challenges or to support others in your life who are struggling.Please consider supporting others by donating to www.mind.org.uk or alternative mental health charities in your area if you can.

What’s the secret to marketing your membership? Spoiler: there isn’t just one secret! There are multiple different methods to try, but there are some universal truths to always bear in mind first. In this episode, we share the 12 universal truths to membership marketing. There may not be some hidden secret that will guarantee you success, but these truths apply to all types of membership (and many other businesses as well.)If you’re unsure of what marketing approach to take or whether you need to spend much time marketing at all, don’t miss this episode!Essential Learning Points:The 12 universal truths that apply to all membershipsWhy there’s never a one-size-fits-all approach to marketingWhy building trust should be a key part of your marketingThe importance of marketing and why you can’t overlook itImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyKevin Kelly’s 1,000 True FansBob Berg’s The Go-Giver book Key Quotes:“Think of your membership as a painkiller, not a vitamin. You want it to be a must-have, not a nice-to-have.”“An average product that has great marketing will always beat a great product with average marketing.”“What someone says about you is worth so much more than what you say about yourself.”

There’s a lot of advice out there about memberships, some of it good, some of it downright awful! If you’re not sure who to listen to or you’re worried you’ve made a mistake about starting a membership, don’t miss this episode. In this episode, we break down the five top pieces of bad (and damaging) advice we’ve seen about running a membership. We take you through competition in the membership world, whether you really need scarcity to sell and if memberships are as dead as people claim. *Spoiler* they’re not!Essential Learning Points:How to recognize bad membership adviceWhy the membership model is NOT dying out Why healthy competition is good The problem with using scarcity to sell Why a closed-door membership does not mean less workImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership Academy1,000 True Fans by Kevin KellyCompeting with Established Memberships in Your MarketAre You Leaving Money On The Table in Your Membership Business?Key Quotes:“It’s fine to leave money on the table if it’s not a table you want to sit at.”“If you’re building your business and basing your strategy on whatever’s in vogue this month, then that’s the wrong approach.”“We shouldn’t be scared off by the existence of competition or worried that a market is too oversaturated. In fact, it’s more of a worry if there’s no competition.”

In this special one-off episode, we're asking you guys to help us shape the future direction of The Membership Guys Podcast by having your say on the topics you'd like us to hear more about.To help you do this, we're testing out some incredibly nifty new tech from our podcast hosts Captivate that add interactive surveys to our show - so not only do you help us out, you also get a glimpse at some cool tech stuff too. Win-win!Head over to https://www.themembershipguys.com/podcastsurvey to make your voice heard.

How can you launch a membership without any audience? The simple answer is you don’t have to. You need to put in the work to build that audience first.  That’s exactly what we did, and in this episode, we share all the little details that went into building our audience BEFORE we launched the Membership Academy. So, join me on a trip down memory lane. We’re talking about the early days of The Membership Guys and what we did six years ago to get where we are today.We share detailed tips on content marketing, blogging, building your email list, and gaining interest before you even sign up your first member. Essential Learning Points:It doesn’t take thousands of dollars to launch a membershipYou don’t need a huge email list to launch your membershipWhat steps you can take to build interest in your membershipThe importance of a solid launch strategyWhere The Membership Guys are today.Important Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyMember Machine bookMembership Economy by Robbie Kellman BaxterSuperfast Business Membership ToolkitKey Quotes:“Do what you can with what you have.”“We hated having to turn people away and not being able to give them a suggestion of where to go.”“450 people on an email list…you’re not going to brag to many people about that. It’s still fairly small…but it was big enough.”

How do you make your membership ‘stickier’? By that, we mean, how do you get members to stick around for your content?The key is to give them something worth sticking around for. You might have great content on the horizon, but do you members know about it? In this podcast episode, I share seven simple ways to let your members know about all the amazing things you have planned for future content. Most of these are simple tweaks you can do today, such as posting on social media or emailing your members. We also share some less commonly known tactics to showcase upcoming valuable content. Essential Learning Points:Why it’s so important to signpost future contentHow to use the ‘Pain of Disconnect’ or FOMO to keep your members interestedWhy an upcoming content list is a simple way to signpost future valueThe types of future content you should promote and howHow to use future content to influence current content.Important Links & Mentions:The Membership AcademyDigital Marketer The Memberoni themeAddEvent7 Things to Consider When Choosing a Membership Site Theme21 Quick Tips for Improving Member RetentionKey Quotes:“Memberships are a value exchange.”“The true value from a membership comes from the things the content enables, the results, the wins, the success stories.”“You’re giving them a glimpse at a possible future that they could have, in terms of outcome, transformation, results, wins, if they actually apply the content that is being released.”

What should you do after you launch your membership? Once the launch is all over and done with, what next? Do you just wait for more members to drop by? No, you’ve still got plenty of work to do to grow your membership business. In fact, the easy part is over!  In this podcast episode, we share six things you need to do once you launch your membership to keep growing. You’ll want to focus on member retention, follow up with non-buyers, and develop a solid marketing strategy. Listen in to hear my top tactics for making the most of your successful launch, so interest doesn’t just fizzle out. Essential Learning Points:How your membership launch is probably the easiest marketing you’ll ever doWhy the first 30 days of your new membership are the most importantHow to utilize your happy members for future marketingWhy running a membership isn’t just about getting new members, it’s all about what happens after the saleImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership AcademyGoogle Analytics Key Quotes:“90% of success is all about what happens on the inside of a membership.” “In the afterglow of your launch, those first 30 days or so, really keep an eye out for any posts, comments, and feedback that you can use from your community…and then turn that into marketing collateral.”“You want those people that were on the fence during your launch and decided against joining to be kicking themselves for not signing up.”

Every superhero has an origin story…And as we're celebrating a huge milestone of recording 300 episodes of The Membership Guys podcast, Callie and I decided to do something a little bit special and share ours.In this episode we talk about things we’ve never talked about publicly before, giving you an insight into how The Membership Guys came to be and how we got to where we are today. Hopefully some of our story will resonate with you. Enjoy!  Episode Summary:The story of how Callie and I metOur business journey, including bad partnerships, 20 hour work days, and of course… membershipsSome personal struggles with depression, burnout and general health that we've never talked about beforePLUS we discuss how Callie has never seen the movie Karate Kid (shock), how in a weird multiverse The Membership Guys may never have come to be and much more!

What if your membership has a natural end date? While no membership will last forever, some hit a natural point where members drop off. This doesn’t necessarily mean the content was bad or you did anything wrong. That’s a whole other story. Sometimes members get everything they need and simply don’t need to remain a member. For example, if you have a membership site for helping people pass a driving test, that has a natural end date. After they pass, they probably won’t need your content anymore. So, what can you do? Do you just accept it, or do you fight to keep these members? In this episode, I discuss some of the tactics you can use to retain members, but also some alternatives and different ways of looking at it. If you’ve been scratching your head trying to come up with a solution, give this episode a listen, and hopefully, it’ll give you some fresh ideas to try out. Essential Learning Points:Why you need to question whether the membership model is right for youHow you can extend the scope of your content to maximize interestWhy retaining members isn’t always the right moveHow a natural end date could actually be a good thingThe most important metric to know in a membership business.Important Links & Mentions:The Membership AcademyWhy Member Lifetime Value is More Important Than Churn RateDespite What You’ve Heard, Average Member Retention is NOT Only 3 Months Key Quotes:“Membership works best when it’s addressing a recurring need.”“One-off needs like “I need to learn this specific process or pass this test” tend to work better as a course where there’s a very clear start and endpoint.”“When it comes down to numbers, everything is about one metric: Customer Lifetime Value.”

We all want to win over as many new members as possible. But did you know that keeping those members is often more important?Member acquisition is still essential. But unless you’re keeping those members, you’ll find yourself always relying on short-term, one-off members to make ends meet. Making people stick around is often harder than getting them interested in the first place. However, this is exactly what will help you grow your membership business. In this episode, I discuss the six top member retention mistakes I see businesses make. I also talk about why retention is often more important and valuable than member acquisition. Essential Learning Points:Why member retention is so important Why cancellations are not always a bad thing How important feedback is for keeping members The best ways to approach canceling membersImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership AcademyIntercomThe Membership Economy book by Robbie Kellman BaxterKey Quotes:“If the only thing standing in the way between someone being a member and someone leaving is that you have hidden the cancelation button, you’ve got bigger problems.”“When you’ve got members on your site engaging and using your membership, getting results, making progress, and forming connections, that is fuel for continued growth in your membership.”“Make the DECISION to cancel difficult, not the process.”

The guiding principle of membership sites is that they are a value exchange. People subscribe to your site and you provide them with enough reasons to keep their subscription going. And so far, you are probably doing a fantastic job at solving their biggest problems and creating amazing content. But why stop there? You can sweeten the deal for your members by amplifying the perceived value your membership site has to offer. In this episode, I review four simple ideas to incorporate more incredible value for your members. And I promise that these won't require more effort and time on your part! Have a listen and, hopefully, you will be inspired to take action on one or all of these strategies.Essential Learning Points:How solving small problems creates big value.Ways to feature your members on your platform.Why your site is the perfect platform for building connections.How to make your members feel like they are flying First Class.Important Links & Mentions:The Membership AcademyzenForoIP.BoardKey Quotes:“You have to give people a reason to stay subscribed. The value you provide comes in the form of creating content and serving your community.”“Quick wins are absolute gold. If you can solve lots of these smaller problems, then the value this will deliver to your members is huge.”“Always make sure that your members are on the top of your list when it comes to preferential treatment.”“Being a connector and filling that role for your members can be of huge value.”

Choosing where to house your new membership site is a major decision. And you are not alone in feeling confused and uncertain about the options.In this episode of the Membership Guys Podcast, we will provide some clarity around this topic and hopefully, you will get the facts you need to choose what works best for you.In case you were wondering, we are not talking about which web hosting company to use, or whether you should use shared hosting or a dedicated server.We are talking about whether you should:a)     have your membership site hosted as part of your main website,b)     have the site live on its own with a separate, dedicated domain, orc)     have the site live on a subdomain. We will discuss these three options and the pros and cons of each. Essential Learning Points:The three key implications that could impact your decisionWhy a single site is more appealing to the tech-averse folksHow branding can factor into your decisionWhat your long-term plan is for your membership site and why that’s important Important Links & Mentions:The Membership Mastermind Facebook GroupThe Membership AcademyWooCommerceBuddyPressbbPressKajabiThinkificGoogle AnalyticsKey Quotes:“If you’re going to ask your users to register for a free community on your main site, but then ask them to register on a completely different website to join your membership then this causes a disconnect and is not great from a user experience perspective.”“Having everything under one roof gives you a single point of failure. If something goes wrong with that single website, then everything is offline.”“If you have separate sites for your main and your membership, then the decision making for the membership site is done in isolation. This can greatly uncomplicate things.”

So, you've launched your membership site and are ready to reach those goals and fulfill those dreams you imagined for yourself and for your membership.A word of caution: you may face a few challenges once your site is up and running. We want you to be prepared for the potential issues you may face when you become a new membership site owner. In this episode of The Membership Guys Podcast, I go through six of the most common challenges new owners face after a brand-new launch and share my advice on how to deal with them head on. Essential Learning Points:How to keep your start-up costs in check and avoid ‘shiny object syndrome’Tips for mitigating finicky tech issues – whether you’re tech-savvy or notWhat the momentum conundrum is and the 90 / 9 / 1 ruleHow to manage your time better so your membership site doesn't fall off your priority listThe highs and lows post-launch and what to do when your motivation runs dry  Important Links & Mentions:The Membership AcademyThe Membership Mastermind Facebook GroupTackling the 6 Biggest Challenges Every New Membership Owner FacesThe Membership Guys on TwitterKey Quotes:“When it comes to start-up costs, be realistic about what you actually need.”“Be patient, save your money, and wait before you jump into Facebook ads.”“Successful membership owners worry about the members they have far more than the members they don't have.” “There is no one size fits all or silver bullet strategy for bringing in new members.”

Did you know that private podcasting could enhance your membership business?By now, most of us are familiar with podcasts. Many of us are avid listeners already. Private podcasting hasn’t quite taken off as much as regular podcasting, mostly because of a lack of systems in place to create them. But, if you could get your private podcast set up the right way, it could be a great way to offer your members exclusive content and extra value. At The Membership Guys, we use Captivate.FM to host our podcast. Captivate is a great podcasting host which offers private podcasting. Using a selection of great automation tools, Captivate has really nailed their private podcasting system. In this episode, I’m joined by Mark Asquith, the CEO and founder of Captivate.FM to discuss how private podcasts work and how they can enhance your membership business. I also reveal some great strategies to help you create a private podcast for your membership. Essential Learning Points:●      What private podcasting is and why you should consider creating one for your membership site●      How to use Captivate.FM to create and host your private podcast ●      How to use private podcasts to enhance the quality of your membership siteImportant Links & Mentions:●      The Membership Guys●      The Membership Academy●      Captivate.FM●      6 Ways to Use a Podcast to Promote Your Membership

Did you know that every membership has a revenue ceiling? The revenue ceiling refers to the absolute peak of how much your membership is capable of generating. Knowing what your revenue ceiling is will help motivate you to achieve your full earning potential. And, if you’ve already hit the revenue ceiling for your membership business, you can begin to explore ways to raise the ceiling.If this is the first time you’ve heard anything about a revenue ceiling, you’re not alone. However, it is worth taking the time to consider whether or not you’ve hit the revenue ceiling for your membership business. In this episode, I help you calculate your revenue ceiling and discuss how you can raise the ceiling if you’re not ready to stall just yet.Essential Learning Points:How to calculate your revenue ceilingWhat to do if your monthly revenue is higher than your revenue ceiling calculationWhy hitting your revenue ceiling isn’t a bad thingHow to raise your revenue ceilingImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysThe Membership AcademyThe blog post for this episodeEpisode 292: Are You Leaving Money On The Table in Your Membership Business?Episode 61: How to Add Multiple Revenue Streams to an Existing MembershipKey Quotes:“The reality is every membership and every subscription has a ceiling.”“If you do the math, and the ceiling that you're coming out with is less than where you are right now… most likely, it means that your sales or your churn rates have dropped recently.”

If you run a membership site (or any business for that matter), you've probably heard things like, "You're leaving money on the table," from other so-called business professionals.They might encourage you to launch a new product, start hosting events, or doing one-to-one coaching sessions, etc., with the sole purpose of generating more revenue. While this may be true for some people, it doesn’t mean it’s the right move for everyone.In this episode of the podcast, I reflect on why it’s okay to “leave money on the table” if it's not a table you want to be at, how to be more confident in your decisions, and why you need to trust that you know what’s best for your membership site.Essential Learning Points:Why it’s okay to leave money on the table when it’s a table you don’t want to sit atUnderstanding why people like to share “business advice” and why you shouldn’t feel under pressure to listen!The true meaning of success and why you should choose opportunities carefullyImportant Links & Mentions:Episode 61: How to Add Multiple Revenue Streams to an Existing Membership    Key Quotes:“Memberships can work very well as part of a larger ecosystem of products and services.”“A lot of entrepreneurs will feel driven by their nature to feel like they have to jump on every possible opportunity available to them. However, that doesn't mean that you have to go in that direction.”“What works for one person isn't always guaranteed to work for someone else. There are no guarantees, no one-size-fits-all business model and no absolutes in this game.”

Are you struggling to encourage disengaged members? Member engagement can be a tricky thing. We want people to consume the content, engage with the community, and really use the membership that they’re paying for, but we don’t want to nag people with constant emails either. Once someone becomes disengaged, it can be difficult to nudge them back into action. In this episode I look at the ways you can maintain a careful balance between encouraging engagement without getting on people’s nerves, from soft unsubscribes to using email tags to using remarketing ads to gently encourage your members back to courses and back into the community.Essential Learning Points:Why it’s important to maintain a balance between nudging and naggingUsing tools in your CRM and messaging apps to create a buffer to reduce the naggingHow to use soft unsubscribes to reduce email overwhelmHow you can mix up the formats you use to send remindersMaking sure you don’t overdo it with your messages and emailsWhy it's important to remember that people engage in different ways Important Links & Mentions:Membership Academy Courses ConvertKitActiveCampaignIntercom DriftThe 90-9-1 Rule of Community EngagementKey Quotes:“If the reason they haven’t logged in is because they have something serious going on or a major change in circumstance, you don’t want to be that annoying person nagging them every week. Giving them the ability to soft unsubscribe from certain types of reminders and emails ensures that you don’t alienate or annoy those members.”“Mix up the format and how you get yourself in front of people to try and reengage them to log in, rejoin the community, or finish that course.”“You need to be smart and think about that bigger picture for the member and don’t overdo it, don’t try to force it and know when to stop. Make sure that you’re not going overboard.” 

Do you have an effective membership exit survey in place? It’s a depressing fact that no matter how hard you try, you cannot stop people from leaving your membership site. Cancellations are just par for the course in the membership game. But don’t despair, because there is one tool that can make all the difference and that all membership site owners should have in their arsenal – the exit survey. In this episode, I explain why it is so important to have exit surveys in place, what 3 simple questions will give you the information you need to change that person’s mind as well as creating a last final plea page, and gathering valuable data that could improve your content and marketing strategy in the future.Essential Learning Points:Why exit surveys are so important for your membership siteWhat questions to ask on an exit surveyWhat to do with that information once you have collected itHow to use the survey answers to create conditional messaging and a final plea pageWhy it is so important to keep your exit surveys simpleImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership AcademyThe Membership Academy – Enhancing Your Membership Site with Gravity Forms courseKey Quotes:“A membership exit survey is a critical tool in the arsenal of every single membership site owner.”“An exit survey is a great way to look at what changes you can make to improve the retention of the members you still have.”“If you can show people conditional messaging related to the reasons they’re leaving, then that enables you to make a relevant and very specific final plea to that member.”

Do you want to launch a membership, or have you launched already and now found that there are big, established competitors in your market?Don’t panic. Your competitors may have a massive library of content, years and years of experience under their belt, or thousands of members, but don’t let that intimidate you. Your size, your uniqueness, and your ability to zig when your competitors zag, gives you an edge – if you know how to take advantage of it.In this episode, I share many tips on how to differentiate yourself from the competitors. From zeroing in on your specialty and niche to emphasizing your personal brand and offering a personalized service, these tips will help you get a share of that membership pie.Essential Learning Points:1.   How understanding ‘why you exist’ can help you differentiate from your competitors2.   Why specializing and niching down on your topic and who you serve can help your positioning3.   The benefits of focusing on your personal side, embracing your underdog nature, and striving for quality4.   Why you should avoid getting wrapped up in competitor numbers and look for opportunities5.   What to avoid doing when dealing with competitorsImportant Links & Mentions:Bob Burg, “The Go Giver: A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea”The Membership AcademyThe Membership Mastermind Facebook GroupThe Membership Guys’ TwitterMike’s InstagramCallie’s InstagramKey Quotes:“If you can offer something that caters to a specific segment of your audience, then you are going to stand out and beat your competition every single time.”“Don’t be intimidated by that established competitor with a library of content. It’s all about what value and what results you can deliver.”“Don’t obsess about the fact your competitor has more members than you or that they have cornered a percentage of the market because, in all honesty, you only need a small percentage of the marketplace to succeed.” 

Are you finding Instagram a frustrating platform to promote your membership? Instagram is the one social channel where it is hard to add links to promote your content. But that doesn’t mean you should ignore it. As well as just using it as a content outlet to promote your blog, podcast, or video content, there are multiple ways Stories can be used to promote your membership business. In this episode, we share 7 ways you can make the most out of Instagram Stories. From creating native content to utilising interactive Stories badges. We have lots of suggestions about how you can use Stories to showcase your social side and promote your business at the same time. Essential Learning Points:How to creatively use Instagram Stories to promote your membershipWays to use native content on Stories to engage your membersThe benefits of using Stories to show behind the scenes contentHow you can use Stories to share social proof and brag about yourself The benefits of features like the Stories countdown and question badges to promote your content and engage your audienceImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership Academy The Membership Mastermind Facebook GroupThe Membership Guys’ TwitterMike’s InstagramCallie’s InstagramKey Quotes:“Instagram Stories has a lot of potential. But, you will have to be more creative to take advantage of it.”“You can use Stories to brag about your members and to showcase them. By shining, a spotlight on your member’s successes will show a different dimension to your business.” “Stories are great for getting existing members excited about what’s coming up and building connections, but also for enticing new members.”

Did your membership achieve its goals this year? If it did, congratulations! If not, could your approach to goal setting have improved your chances? As the year draws to a close, there's no better time to take stock of how far you've come. Reviewing the last 12 months is a great way to appreciate your achievements and the first steps to planning for your membership's future. Goal setting is a vital part of setting your membership up for success. But it can be challenging knowing what goals to set for your membership and, once you've figured those out, even harder to know the right way to achieve them. In this episode, we're sharing a practical goal-setting process that will help you determine where you want your membership to go and reveal how to get you there.Essential Learning Points:How the CO-STAR process can help you set and achieve goalsPractical goal setting examples and actionable steps Why your goals should be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound)The optimum time period for a planning and review cycleImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership Academy The Membership Mastermind Facebook GroupThe Membership Guys’ TwitterMike’s InstagramCallie’s InstagramKey Quotes:“Any time you're setting goals, any time you're planning, you need to take stock. You almost need to audit what's going on right now.”“You need to be able to measure the goals that you're setting in order to determine if you're on track.”“You have to consider your priorities and the relevance of what you're spending your time on, and what you're prioritizing within your plan.”

Just like that, another year is over...And what a year 2020 has been!Rather than dwell on what could only be described as an insane 12 months, let’s end the year on a high and think about what we’ve all achieved. It has certainly been a big year for Callie and I.We’ve: Grown our team with two full-time hires - Kathryn, our Head of Digital Content and Tom, our Graphic Designer.  Launched some amazing new features in Membership Academy including our Game Plans and Member Huddles, and…Created another year’s worth of The Membership Guys weekly podcast and season 4 of Callie’s Behind The Membership podcast. It’s been a lot of fun! We hope it’s been a successful and productive year for you and your membership. With only a few days left of 2020, 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 2020. 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 2021. Episode Links (not in order - don't want to ruin the suspense!):Using Facebook Ads to Promote Your Membership With Gavin Bell8 Things You Need to Know Before Starting a Membership Site  9 Simple Marketing Tactics That’ll Get You More MembersUsing Pinterest to Market Your Membership With Cara Chace Should You Allow Competitors to Join Your Membership?7 Things to do Before You Publish Your Next Piece of ContentWhy Signal vs Noise Ratio is Key to Membership Community Engagement Should You Build Your Website Yourself or Hire Help - With Martin and Lyndsay from Jammy DigitalCelebrating the 5th Anniversary of Membership Academy How to Use Content Marketing to Sell Your Online MembershipCheck out previous years' countdowns:10 Most Popular Episodes of The Membership Guys Podcast 201910 Most Popular Episodes of The Membership Guys Podcast in 201810 Most Popular Episodes of The Membership Guys Podcast in 201710 Most Popular Episodes of The Membership Guys Podcast in 2016

How are you planning to run your membership over the festive season?As a membership site owner, you have the freedom to choose how you run your membership all year round. However, the holidays present unique opportunities for producing content, running promotions, and taking the time to sit back and relax.In this episode, I tell you the six things you can start doing now to plan for the holiday season. From what seasonal content to plan, to when to start thinking about next year, these six things will help you figure out how your membership can effectively navigate the festivities.Essential Learning Points:Which content types are perfect for the festive seasonHow to run a seasonal promotionWhy taking a break is essential to your membership’s successHow to prepare your members for your reduced availabilityWhat to reflect on and how it can shape your membership’s futureHow to start planning for the year aheadKey Quotes:“The holidays are a great time to run a promotional campaign, whether it's a discount, whether it's a promotion where you offer some bonuses, some sort of event marketing, like a summit or a challenge.”“Even if you've got to force yourself to take some time off, know that time away is actually an extremely important investment in your business.”“If you haven't hit your goals, or things haven't gone the way you want, that's business. That's life. A lot of the time, these goals are arbitrary, they’re guesses, they’re best estimates. So, don't dwell. Make a deliberate effort to focus on the positives from your year.”

How do people view your brand?Businesses don’t achieve brand loyalty because they’ve picked a great color scheme for their website. You earn brand loyalty by aligning and effectively communicating your principles and purpose.You probably already know your membership’s values, vision, and mission, but does your audience? These key elements play a big part in how people view and interpret your brand. Your brand is far more than just your logo.In this episode, I break down what elements make up a brand and how you can use them to set up your brand for success. Essential Learning Points:What a brand actually is (and what it isn’t)Why your brand’s principles are importantHow to position your brand correctlyImportant Links & Mentions:Simon Sinek’s book, Start with WhyMembership Academy CoursesSubscribe to the Membership AcademyThe Membership Mastermind Facebook GroupKey Quotes: “People don't buy what you do. They buy why you do it.” “Imagine your brand as a person and think about what its personality would be like – what it would be like to hang out with them, what it would do, what it would be into, how it would talk, how it would sound.” “Your purpose, your mission, your vision, and your values: getting clear on those will inform everything else you do. This is the heart of what your business and what your brand is all about.”

Does your WordPress membership site have sufficient security measures in place?Many membership site owners live in fear of their website being attacked, and for good reason...If someone manages to hack into your Wordpress website, install something nasty or delete or steal your data, it could cripple your membership business.That's why it's so important to be extra vigilant and make sure you take adequate steps to keep your site secure...In this episode, I'm sharing my top tips for keeping your membership site secure and advising which plugins and services you can use to help.Essential Learning Points:Whether or not WordPress is an insecure platform to build your site onWhy it's crucial that your membership site has security measures in placeThe eight top tips to proactively safeguard your membership siteWhat you can do if the worst happens and your site is hackedImportant Links & Mentions:ManageWPSucuriWordfenceWP EngineLiquid WebBackupBuddyWP Fix ItFixRunnerKey Quotes:“The fact that WordPress powers 455 million sites definitely makes it more of a target. The counterbalance to that is that there's also a lot of people involved in keeping it secure and responding extremely quickly to any issues.”“If you need to give admin access temporarily to your web designer, or maybe someone from tech support at your plugin company, make sure you remove their account after they no longer need it. It's not about not trusting those people, it's about there being an additional potential account that someone could get into.” 

Are you considering increasing the price your existing members are paying?When you first launched your membership, you might have offered your initial members an amazing deal to entice them to join. However, it’s now a few years later and your membership has evolved. You’ve added lots of new content, your community’s grown, and your membership is much more valuable.You’ve increased the price for new members, and now you’re questioning the fee that your initial members are paying – and thinking about raising the cost of their subscriptions.In this episode, I explain why this is a short-sighted approach and highlight why you shouldn’t increase membership prices for your long-term members.Essential Learning Points:Why you might be considering raising costs for existing membersThree reasons why you shouldn’t put existing member prices upThe one situation where you can increase existing member pricesImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership Guys Facebook GroupMembership AcademyKey Quotes:“People who invest in a tech company when they're still working out of their dad's garage, they deserve the return. They deserve to be in that stronger position, years down the line, than investors who waited until they could back a winning horse.”“Remember just how important those earlier members are to your long-term journey.”“It doesn't matter that your membership has increased in value because you would not be in the position to grow your membership to where it is now if not for those initial members.”

Are you celebrating the milestones in your membership business?If not, you should be!Whether it's an anniversary or hitting an important goal, it's worth making an effort to mark those significant achievements.In this episode, I share my top tips for celebrating your membership milestones in style...

Turning your membership idea into a reality can take a lot of time and, often, a lot of money.As such you might be trying to find a way to raise funds earlier in the process.Some membership owners do this with a pre-sale.A pre-sale works like this: you have a great idea for a membership, so you test its viability by taking it to your audience to see if they are willing to invest in your concept (even though it doesn't exist yet!).If they are, then you can generate seed money to help finance the development of your membership.However, before pre-selling your membership idea, it's important to know the pros and cons...Essential Learning Points:How a pre-sale works, and how it relates to terms like "seed launch" or "founder launch"What the three main benefits to a promoting a pre-sale areThree big drawbacks to a pre-sale that you need to considerOur preferred alternative launch strategy with better chances of successImportant Links & Mentions:Pros and Cons of Offering Lifetime MembershipsCreating an MVP to Test and Validate Your Membership IdeaThe Lean Live Launch StrategyThe Membership Guys Facebook GroupMembership Academy Key Quotes:“The vast majority of ideas don't go any further than just thoughts in a brain or scribbles on a page. This kind of pre-sell, having money change hands, makes you more committed.”“If you don't get a good response to a seed launch, that doesn't tell you anything. That isn't a sign that your membership is not going to be successful.”

Customer service is at the heart of the member experience.No matter how great your membership site is, you’re going to have members contacting you for additional support at some point.Providing your members with good customer service is an easy way to elevate their experience of your site, and similarly a bad customer service experience will quickly turn their opinion of your membership sour.In this episode, I break down the 4 step approach to master your customer service strategy, as well as specific tactics for streamlining customer service as your membership scales.

As a membership site owner it’s easy to tie yourself in knots trying to come up with the best ways to get your members to engage with your site, your content, and your community.From fancy progress tracking to complex loyalty schemes; laborious member outreach programs through to advanced gamification systems.However it can be easy to forget that often some of the less glamorous methods of engagement are the most effective.So in today's episode I’m going to take a look at one of my favourite tactics for member communication, engagement and retention – the humble “member roundup email”.

When people think about launching a membership, they think about the day that they finally open their doors for the very first time and welcome their first crop of new members.It's a big deal!However that grand opening isn't the only opportunity you have to launch...There are different launch types for each stage of your business, depending on how far along you are in the membership site creation process, or what you might need your members to do to help get your product ready for market.Listen in for a full breakdown of the 6 different launch strategies you can use at various stages of your membership journey... Essential Learning Points:Validating your membership idea by running a pilot programThe difference between launch strategy for open memberships vs closed doorHow to generate seed money to help you develop your membership ideaThe best way to reduce the stress of a big launch and ease yourself into the membership modelImportant Links & Mentions: The 6 Different Types of Membership Launch When the closed door membership makes senseJeff Walker's book, LaunchCreating an MVP for your membershipThe lean live launch strategyMembership AcademyThe Membership Guys Facebook Group Key Quotes:“Your big launch event will usually be a week or two, where you're doing lots of promotional marketing activity to get as many eyeballs as possible on your launch – in the hopes that you'll get that influx of initial members.”  “The beta launch can be extremely useful for helping you to ensure that you are in absolute top shape, or as close as you can get to top shape, before you open the doors to your membership. And, it has the great side effect of also ensuring that you already have people there in your community.”“If you know you need a little bit of a softer entry into the world of running an online membership, then a soft launch can work for you.”