Membership Geeks Podcast with Mike Morrison

In our early days of working with memberships, we stumbled across an article that claimed that the average member only stays subscribed for a mere 3 months. You’ve probably heard this yourself. It’s a claim that’s been repeated and republished so much, that it became readily and widely accepted. But it’s nonsense. There’s not a single shred of data or evidence for that ‘3 month’ claim. No source data, report or study cited, anywhere. The fact that this claim persisted for so long is part of a larger problem. There is no reliable data available about the online membership industry. Truth is, this market is relatively tiny. It’s a niche, of a niche, of a niche. What data we do have comes from either the broader subscription industry, or from membership associations. Neither of which reflect the online membership world. We figured it was time to change that. It’s time for some real data and benchmarks for the online membership industry. So we’ve spent the past 4 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 very first Online Membership Industry Report In today's episode of The Membership Guys Podcast, I talk about some of the biggest takeaways from this report and discuss which membership benchmarks surprised me, the trends to pay attention to and other interesting tidbits and insights taken from the survey results. In this episode... How this report obliterates two of the most common myths in the online membership space The definitive answer to the "Open vs Closed" membership debate What's the most worrying trend amongst membership site owners? Surprising insights around pricing, retention, team size and more...

It's coming up to that time of year where promotions and discounts abound.Whether it's Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Christmas or New Year, the sales season is definitely upon us.While these kind of sales are traditionally for physical products, there's no doubt that digital products have jumped onto the bandwagon over the last few years, and you'll see more and more discounts being offered.But what about membership sites? Should you capitalize on these busy promotional periods where some kind of special offer is almost expected?And what about the rest of the year?Promotional campaigns can be a bit of a minefield for membership site owners, who need to walk the delicate line between getting new members in the door and keeping existing members happy.In this episode we're going to explore the different types of promotions that you can run for a membership website and the situations where they can be beneficial.

Despite what the slickest of snake oil salesmen will try to tell you, there is no secret sauce or golden formula for building a successful membership website.The key to the long term success of your membership site lies beyond marketing tactics, sales spiel and fancy production values; and the memberships which do best are those which - at their heart - understand and embrace a core set of fundamental principles.In this episode, I outline 7 essential principles shared by the most successful memberships around.

The path to membership success is paved with a litany of mistakes.Along the way you’re going to screw up, especially in the early days. It’s all part of the learning curve and it happens to the best of us – yes, even your friendly neighbourhood Membership Guys!However you will come to a point where it feel like you truly have your house in order, you’re now on the right track and those initial stumbles are far behind you.But time and time again we see seasoned membership site owners falling into the same traps as they attempt to manage and grow their business.In this episode, we’ll take a look at some of the most common pitfalls for experienced membership owners and, more importantly, how you can avoid them.

There are many reasons people are attracted to the membership model.The most compelling for us is how dramatically different (and better) making recurring income from a membership is compared to servicing clients on a one-on-one basis.This is particularly true if you’re a “one man band”, where you’re solely responsible for the delivery of what you sell, so that might be: Website developersBusiness coachesGraphic designersMarketing consultants Or anyone else who works with clients one on one or even in small groups. Your business is holding you back. In this episode, I’m going to explain why the membership model is far superior to offering one-to-one services, as well as show you how you can start incorporating memberships and subscriptions into your own business.

Retain Live 2019 was a phenomenal success - especially for our very first live event! However as we discussed during the first part of our "debrief", it was a little rocky in the build up. In this concluding episode, Callie and I talk through the event itself, breaking down everything that happened and how it all came together; sharing some of our biggest lessons and top takeaways for anyone thinking of running a similar event. In this episode... The moment we realised that all of our hard work, and the complete burnout we'd experienced, was totally worth it. A recap of the sessions, speakers and surprises from across the 3 days of the event How we added special touches and memorable moments to make our event truly remarkable Answering that all important question about whether we'll be running another event like this one

Two weeks ago, we kicked off our very first live conference: Retain Live 2019. It's the first time we've run an event of this scale, and to say it was a new, interesting and challenging experience would be a major understatement! While the event itself was a huge success and we've had overwhelmingly positive feedback - getting there certainly wasn't smooth sailing. In the first of our two-part debrief, Callie joins me on the show to discuss the weeks leading up to the event - as the workload (and stress levels) ramp up. In this episode... Why we hated the whole process of selling tickets for our event, and the reason we ended ticket sales early The big discovery we made about ourselves while preparing for the conference and working with our event team Unexpected challenges and frustrating obstacles that led to us hitting breaking point the week before the event Our biggest lessons and top takeaways for anyone thinking of running an event like Retain Live

If you have a great idea for a membership, you need to validate whether or not it’s destined to fail or succeed. Like Rome, the world’s leading membership sites weren’t built in a day. They started as an idea in someone’s mind, which was nurtured, tested and validated until there was undeniable proof the idea was a winning concept. When you’re excited about an idea for a membership, it’s easy to let your bias belief that your idea is gold get in the way of reality. This frame of mind can give you a false sense of security and cause you to invest everything in an idea that will never get off the ground. Before you pursue your membership idea, you need to test and validate it with an MVP. This will help you to discover whether your idea has true potential or not. In this episode, I reveal the importance of using an MVP to test and validate your membership idea and how to create one. Episode Summary: What an MVP is and how it will validate the potential success of your membership idea The characteristics of an effective MVP An insight into the six main types of an MVP as they relate to membership sites How to know what type of MVP will work best for testing your specific membership idea Why you should still use an MVP to test your new membership idea despite already selling products or services successfully Key Quotes: “A good MVP should solve a problem or deliver an outcome that's either the same or similar to that of your membership.” “An MVP is a minimum viable product, something that you offer to your market that is a relative representation of your membership with just enough features. It’s the bare minimum that you need to be able to put it out there and try and get people to buy or register interest.” Thank You For Listening We 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.

Deciding how much you should charge for your membership site is one of the most important decisions you’ll make. Charge too little and you risk losing out and making no profit. On the other hand, if you charge too much, there’s a chance nobody will be able to afford your membership. So, how much should you charge? Unfortunately, there’s no one-size fits all approach when it comes to pricing your membership. But there are four key areas to look at to help you land on a price that you and your members are happy with. Tune in to hear what they are and discover a few helpful tips when it comes to defining your membership pricing strategy. Episode Summary: Why you need to know your cost of member acquisition How to make sure your membership site is profitable and sustainable How to move the focus away from the price of your membership and towards the value of your site instead Considering your competitors when working out what to charge Why you need to consider the profile and financial situation of your audience A general rule of thumb for B2B and B2C membership prices Mentioned in this episode: Membership Academy Membership Mastermind Facebook Group Key Quotes: “Above all else, your membership site needs to be profitable. If you're not making money, you're not going to last long. And the business that doesn't make money isn't a business. It's a hobby.” “Your members should be getting so much value from your site that they don't ever question whether it's worth paying the $50 a month or whatever you charge. “Do not compete on price. Competing on price very quickly becomes a race to the bottom. No matter how cheap you are, there is always someone who will undercut you. Remember, your membership needs to be profitable, don't price yourself out of business.” Thank You For Listening We 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.

Have you ever wondered what the main differences are between B2B memberships and B2C memberships? When it comes to membership sites, most of the strategies that we talk about on the podcast and inside the Membership Academy can be applied to pretty much any niche or market. But, there are a few key differences to look out for between a B2B membership and a B2C membership. These differences are important because they can potentially impact how you approach your strategy, marketing, and even your mindset when it comes to your membership site. Dive into this episode of The Membership Guys Podcast to hear what those key differences are and how you can use that knowledge to plan your membership content accordingly. Episode Summary: How vast the range of potential impact your membership can have with a B2C market vs. B2B The importance of assessing where you fit on the scale - between something that’s seen as a hobby and something potentially life-changing How attitudes towards cost and affordability vary between B2B and B2C members Adjusting expectations when it comes to how much time your members can afford to give to your membership site Why you need to consider the level of exposure your market has to advertising, sales and marketing tactics Key Quotes: “The scale of how important your membership is and how much of an impact it can make is usually going to be far broader with a B2C membership.” “While there is no one size fits all approach to pricing and there’s certainly not a set industry average, you'll often find in terms of monthly payments, that a B2C membership will fall somewhere between $15 to maybe $35, or $40. Whereas B2B memberships usually around the $30 to $60 mark.” “It’s down to you to find ways that you can deliver value and deliver results without demanding a lot of your members time, you need to make it convenient for them to use your membership.” Thank You For Listening We 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 iTunes to make sure that you never miss an episode.

Holy smokes, has it really been four years already?! It honestly feels like yesterday that we were gearing up to open the doors to the Academy. I'm not sure we fully realised the awesome journey we were about to embark on. Join us as we celebrate the 4th anniversary of Membership Academy by taking a look back at the last 12 months and highlighting the 7 'ups' and 3 'downs' from the past year. In this episode, Callie and I discuss: How the changes we'd introduced a year ago have changed the way the Academy runs in a major way The HUGE milestone we hit, and why we haven't been shouting about it from the rooftops! What effect planning the Retain conference has had on our business (and our lifestyle) Our top priority as we head into year 5...

Like it or not, membership cancellations are going to happen. Hopefully if you run your site well those cancellations will come at the end of a long tenure, but regardless they will happen. How you deal with these cancellations has numerous implications for the continued success of your membership site or online course; so it’s important to know how to handle them and also what to avoid. In this episode of The Membership Guys Podcast, I share my top tips for dealing with member cancellations the right way.

Having a hard time deciding which membership plugin is for you? Although the main feature of a membership plugin is to give you control of the content in a restricted ‘members-only’ area of your site, there’s a lot more to consider when selecting the right one for your site. So, what should you keep an eye out for when choosing a membership plugin? Tune in to hear four factors that could be huge game changers and make all the difference between making the right choice and making the wrong choice when it comes to your membership plugin. Episode Summary: Why the customer support options offered by the developers of the plugin are so important What to look out for when looking at the specifics of the license that your plugin comes with and the potential restrictions The problem with having a plugin with encrypted code including customization drawbacks and potential issues with your web host Why you should check when the plugin was last updated Key Quotes: “If you bought a plugin where the only support available is through a forum or a Facebook group where the developer themselves isn't present, you’re relying on other users to support you, and that might not be great if you have an emergency.” “If the developer of your membership plugin hasn't released a new update in several years, and that is a huge, huge red flag. Chances are there's potentially security issues.” “Make sure that you pay attention and do a little bit of research on the nature of the licence required for your membership plugin. Make sure you know if there’s any restrictions, how many websites you can use our plugin for and make sure you're aware of any recurring costs that you're going to have to keep paying in order to use that plugin.” Important Links & Mentions: Thank You For Listening We 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 iTunes to make sure that you never miss an episode.

Have you ever had somebody tell you that your membership is overpriced? Honestly, it would be a surprise if you haven’t. Discussions like this are usually followed up with a bargaining attempt to reduce the cost of your membership. You might have experienced when a somewhat pushy potential member tries to haggle your price down. Or, they might even ask for a discount or a free trial run that lasts for an entire month. If somebody tells you that they can’t afford your membership fee, it’s important to take it with a pinch of salt. Don’t take what they’re saying to heart because the truth is that not everyone will be able to afford your membership, and that’s okay Listen in to find out what you should do the next time someone tells you that they can’t afford your membership site. Episode Summary: Why you shouldn’t read too much into it when someone questions your affordability Whether it’s ever a good business strategy to offer a free trial and if so, when? How to reframe things to ensure people focus on the value of your site, not the cost Ways to make people aware of the various joining options Understanding that not everyone will be able to afford your membership and why it’s unrealistic to expect otherwise Key Quotes: “For as many people who think that your membership is too expensive, there'll be just as many or more who think that it's an absolute bargain.” “Pricing is not based on logic, it's all about value perception. There's no sweet spot, there's no correct price to offer…So, you want to reframe things to ensure that people are focusing on value, not on the cost.” “Not everyone will be able to afford your membership, it's unrealistic to think that they will. Your membership doesn't have to be accessible to absolutely every person. It's okay if someone's not ready or not able to join right now.” Thank You For Listening We 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 iTunes to make sure that you never miss an episode.

Our members often ask questions about how we run our membership and how our business has grown over time. The first thing we tell them is that our success didn’t fall out of the heavens and onto our laps. It took a lot of hard work, dedication and strategic thinking to get to where we are today. We’ve intertwined a concoction of approaches and strategies that have helped move our business forward. In this episode, we pull back the curtain and reveal five things that have positively impacted the growing success of our business as well as a few that we thought would work but ultimately turned belly side up. Essential Summary: Why you shouldn’t stray from your niche and risk confusing your audience How segmentation helped us to craft compelling lead magnets and grow our email list The importance of creating a killer opt-in and how to know if yours is good enough to move the needle How our unique Memberoni Theme for WordPress has helped us attract new members What we include in our weekly email blasts to increase open rates and keep members intrigued A few things that we thought would have a great impact on our business but turned out to be a let down Mentioned in this episode: Membership Academy The Membership Plugin Comparison Chart Key Quotes: “When we really started making use of segmentation, our sign-ups literally doubled overnight. Within a space of 24 hours, we were getting more than twice as many email signups just because we've been more deliberate about segmentation.” “By going above and beyond what most people will do when creating their lead magnets and creating something that was truly comprehensive that had a real practical benefit that people just HAD to have, was a massive game changer.” “The more that we speak and the more that we get to know other speakers on the circuit, the more we realise that public speaking is not a big deal in terms of delivering sales and increasing traffic.” Thank You For Listening We 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 on Apple Podcasts 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 in iTunes to make sure that you never miss an episode

How do you ensure that your membership doesn’t get the chop when your members decide it’s monthly subscription payment Armageddon? With so many businesses moving into the membership space, consumers are faced with an overwhelming amount of choice. There comes a point when rather than juggling a countless array of subscriptions, your members will do a brutal clear out and scrap anything they consider non-essential. No mercy. So, what can you do to ensure your membership is classed as essential, and doesn’t get tossed on the scrap pile? Tune in to hear my six top tips to dodge the chop when people are battling subscription fatigue. Episode Summary: Why you should take steps to personalize your member’s experience How to combine subscription products to stack your value proposition The value of creating multiple pricing tiers and how this can help keep members in your ecosystem Why giving members the ability to pause their account can be a better alternative to losing them completely How to remove the subscription element to your membership site and attract more members with flexible fixed-term passes Steps you can take to make your membership essential and indispensable Key Quotes: “Anything which makes their relationship with you and your membership have more of a personal connection will make the decision to end their subscription much harder when they're evaluating their expenses…so take steps to personalize your member experience.” “The flexibility of offering something like a three-month pass or a one-year pass to your membership could actually attract more members who otherwise might be put off by the idea of a recurring subscription.” “Ensure that your membership is not only delivering great value to members…but also that you're doing a great job of communicating to your members the value they're receiving.”

Memberships have been a hot topic in recent years. Everybody is talking about them, and it seems like everyone and their dog is starting a new membership; but what happens when all of this hype dies down and people move onto the next thing - what will that mean for the future of the membership model? Are memberships just the new shiny fad? And is there any point starting a membership if the bubble is about to burst? I address these questions head on in this episode of The Membership Guys Podcast, and dissect whether memberships are a passing fad or whether there's a future for this industry. Episode Summary: Why it feels like everyone is suddenly jumping on the membership bandwagon What is the "recency illusion" and how does this affect the membership market? Signs that the stage is set for significant growth in the membership industry The real danger that the rise of memberships and subscriptions poses to your business

It's an exciting time for us here at The Membership Guys as we unveil a fresh new update for our brand, and also announce that Member Site Academy is now Membership Academy! While on the surface it may not seem like a major change, there's a lot more involved than meets the eye... In this episode I give a bit of backstory about why these changes mean so much, and walk you through the process we used to update our brand identity. Episode Summary: Why changing Member Site Academy to Membership Academy is such a big deal for us The $10 secret behind The Membership Guys brand... Why your logo is one of the least important elements of your businesses brand Our top takeaways for anyone going through a brand refresh

Membership site owners wear a lot of hats and juggle a lot of tasks on a day to day basis. With so many moving parts, and so many plates to keep spinning, anything that we can do to streamline our workload and become a little more efficient is a big win. In this episode of The Membership Guys Podcast, I talk about 4 specific things we do within our business to make us far more productive in running our membership Episode Summary: The one small change to our video creation process that cut production time in half The specific way we involve our team members in our regular live calls that seriously lightens the workload for us How batch creating several months worth of content at one time is far more efficient than doing it on the fly The importance of documenting processes for any task you repeat more than once per month

Are you trying to be all things to all people with your content? The truth is, the more broad your content is, the less compelling, relevant and effective it's likely to be for the individual reader. By trying to cater to everyone, you end up catering to no-one. This is where segmentation can be a gamechanger. By identifying 3-5 key segments within your audience, and tailoring not only your content but also your lead generation strategy, your sales funnel and your email marketing to those segments; you can move the needle right across all the important KPI's in your business. More traffic, more leads and ultimately more membership sales. Episode Summary: Why trying to help everyone with your content results in you actually helping nobody! The 3 main options for segmenting your audience, and how they apply to memberships How to apply segmentation to not only your membership site, but also your content and sales funnels Examples of how we use segmentation in our own business, and the dramatic results it's had

Are you delivering an exceptional member experience? Your membership could have the best content in the world, but if your member experience isn't up to scratch then people just aren't going to engage. They're less likely to log in, less likely to consume your content or participate in your community, and ultimately less likely to stick around long term. Much of crafting a remarkable member experience comes down to finding ways of making your members feel extra special, and in this episode I highlight 6 simple ways to do just that. Episode Summary: Don't underestimate the importance of personally welcoming new members to your site How making a deliberate effort to loop other members into conversations can be hugely empowering Why you need to be attentive to your power users and reach out to people who are slipping away How using your platform to showcase members and celebrate their successes is a major win-win

Attracting the right people to your membership is essential for the growth of your business. Not all members are created equal - the best ones will consume your content, positively engage with your community and actually use what they're paying for. These are the members who will stick around for the long term. But how do you tailor your marketing to ensure you're attracting more of the right type of member? Episode Summary: Why trying to get sales at any cost is a dumb mistake we see too many people making The qualities and characteristics of members who are more likely to stay subscribed long term The gulf in difference between a member who is interested in your topic, and one who is committed to it Steps you can take to better identify your ideal members, and adapt your marketing to appeal to those people

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 – Member Site Academy – as well as the reasons why we chose those particular options. Episode Summary: Which membership plugin and other software we're using to power Member Site Academy Why 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 have What WordPress theme do we use for our websites?

This week we're doing something a little different on The Membership Guys Podcast! You may or may not know that we actually have another show called 'Behind The Membership', which is hosted by the one and only Callie Willows Behind The Membership features hype-free, no-fluff, frank conversations with real membership site owners just like you about the highs, lows and day to day realities of running a paid membership business. These are real people, real stories, real memberships. We're gearing up for our THIRD SEASON, which will be kicking off on June 13th; but to whet your appetite we've gone back into the archives from past seasons and picked out one of our favourites to share on The Membership Guys Podcast. This episode features Scott Devine from Scott's Bass Lessons Scott was actually a client of ours for many years, the very last client we stopped working with in fact. And we saw his site go from free YouTube videos and a PayPal donate button to a seven figure membership site in the 5 years that we worked with him. Scott's Bass Lessons has been running for 8 years now and has attracted over 50,000 members in that time. It's also gone from one-man bad to having a full faculty of world class bass educators. So there's a lot to pack into this episode!

Memberships can be challenging products to sell, as often they're made up of so many different things that it's hard to get specific in your marketing. One way to counteract that is with the "Splinter" strategy. This is where you take one piece of content from your membership and you make it available to buy as a standalone product. But you market it in such a way that makes joining your membership a preferable option to purchasing just that one thing. In this episode I dig deeper into how the "Splinter" strategy works for memberships and talk about how you can start testing it within your own business. Episode Summary: Why one of the best things about memberships also makes them challenging to sell What the 'splinter' strategy is and how it applies to membership websites How 'anchoring' is used to make joining your membership a total no-brainer Simple ways to test and validate whether the splinter strategy will work for you

It's easy to get carried away in those early days of planning and building a membership site. So many people get overexcited by their idea and a little too swept up in the process that they skip the first few fundamental steps. Most importantly: idea validation and research. And then when they launch their membership and it doesn't quite go to plan, they're left scratching their heads wondering where it all went wrong. In this episode, I highlight the 7 most important things that you need to validate BEFORE moving forward with your membership idea. Episode Summary: The important of solving problems for your members, and how to know which problems people will actually pay for a solution to. Why identifying a gap in the market is over-rated, and doesn't always mean there's an opportunity for you. How having the perfect product and a 'hungry' market is not enough. There's an important third ingredient... Why you need to seriously question your own long term objectives for your membership

We're celebrating a huge milestone for The Membership Guys Podcast as we hit our 200th episode! To mark the occasion, we thought we’d do something a little special... So both Callie and I opened the floor up to you, and invited our members and wider audience to ask us absolutely anything you wanted - about anything! We’ve picked the best questions and answered them together in this special 200th episode. Enjoy! Episode Summary: How we handle working together, and our top tips for running a business with your spouse If we could go back in time, what would we do differently with our membership? What were those early days like for us? What challenges did we have? Did we have any doubts or fears? PLUS we discuss everything from community engagement to videogames, movies to content strategy and more!

Membership websites are a value exchange. As long as you keep delivering value to your members - in the form of content, resources and ongoing investment in your product - they'll keep giving value to you in the form of their continued subscription payments. So what content can you actually include in your membership in order to ensure you keep up your side of the bargain?

When publishing content online - whether freely or inside a membership - there's always the chance that someone will copy or steal your hard work. In truth the only way to guarantee that this won't happen is to not publish anything online. However this doesn't mean you should just roll over if it happens to you. In this episode I give my top tips for dealing with people stealing and copying your content, with specific examples of the process we use in our own business. Episode Summary: The two main types of content theft that membership owners are susceptible to, and what you can do about them. Why the worst type of theft is the one where the offender likely doesn't realise that they're doing something wrong! What copyright theft actually means, and how to identify and gather evidence on more nuanced cases The process (and exact wording) that we use for approaching people who have ripped off our content

Reducing the price of your membership might sound like the last thing you'd ever want to do. As time goes on and you add more content, the value of your membership increases - so surely you'd be considering putting your prices up, not down? Why would you want to go backwards? However there are some situations where lowering your price might make total sense. Maybe what you're offering has actually changed? Maybe you got your pricing wrong from the start? Maybe you started off very hands-on but now you want to remove yourself from the picture. These are just a few scenarios where a price decrease might be considered. In this episode I discuss the implications of reducing your price and how to navigate the change in a way that doesn't cause problems with your existing members. Episode Summary: Situations where you might need to consider reducing the price of your membership site Why it's more complicated than you might realise to reduce the price of existing subscriptions Our top tips for making pricing changes without losing your existing members An alternative to reducing your membership price that's a win-win for everyone

Whether you're teaching a specialist subject, or want to support others who share your interests; it's now easier than ever to reach a global audience and get paid for sharing your time, skills, experience and expertise. Two of the best models for doing so are online courses and paid membership websites. However with those terms often used loosely and interchangeably, it can be tricky figuring out which is best for you. In this episode, we discuss the differences between courses and membership sites, and talk through the key factors to consider when choosing which to create.

We can spend months creating content, writing workbooks, pulling our hair out, and spending a small fortune on promoting a new membership site and then when we finally launch it… nobody joins. We all dread this as membership owners; and when it happens, the panic sets in and we start scrambling to rearrange the website, add testimonials, and change prices. This is all completely irrelevant stuff and won’t turn things around. So what should you do if your new membership fails?

One of the best things about running a membership website is that we can market and position it in a way that we attract the sort of members that we most want to work with. However no matter hard you try to get only the “right type” of people in your membership, you will inevitably experience problem members. Sometimes it will be a personality clash, where certain members just rub you up the wrong way; however there will be instances where you need to deal with potentially toxic elements among your member base. So how do you deal with them? I address that question and more on the latest episode of The Membership Guys Podcast. Episode Summary: The questions you need to ask yourself before dealing a ‘problem’ member How to implement a two-tier “strike” based approach to dealing with issues When it’s the right time to kick out difficult members The process and steps to take when removing someone from your membership

Creating membership content can be one of the most time consuming parts of running a paid membership website. If you’re billing people on a recurring basis, you need to deliver value on a recurring basis; and often delivering that value involves some form of content. In this episode of The Membership Guys Podcast, I discuss how to approach content strategy for your membership, and the steps to take in order to ensure your production process is streamlined so you’re not constantly grinding to put out new content. Episode Summary: Two key mindset shifts to embrace that will change how you approach your membership content What content you should be creating, and how to deliver more while actually REDUCING your workload The steps you need to take before hiring someone to help you to produce content The one thing that will make a monumental difference to your content production process

Less than a month ago, Callie bought a book. Unbeknownst to her, that simple act would be the start of the single worst buyer experience she's ever encountered, as she found herself subscribed to a membership she never signed up for, with no clear way out. In the interests of seeing how far the rabbit hole of terrible business practices went, she decided to see it through... Join us on this rather unusual episode of The Membership Guys Podcast as we take a step by step tour through how NOT to run a membership (or any other business, for that matter!) Episode Summary: Why tricking people into joining your membership is a seriously dumb strategy! (And could land you in serious trouble) Ignoring support emails and deleting comments from your community will hurt your rep and cost you customers Trying to hold members hostage and making it impossible to cancel doesn't work Why seeing people who lack integrity and use bad practices motivate us to be better

Many people measure success according to vanity metrics. How many followers you have rather than how much engagement you get; how much your turnover is rather than how much net profit you make; how many members you have rather than their average lifetime spend. But is success as a membership site owner all about how many members you have? Or is it about the money you make? Or the lifestyle your membership affords you? I give my take in this week's episode of The Membership Guys Podcast... Episode Summary: Are your goals ambitious enough? And if they're not, does that make you a bad entrepreneur? Why member numbers are meaningless when it comes to assessing the success of your membership Would you trade in a measure of personal happiness for a measure of increased profit? How small membership sites can actually be more attractive

If you’ve spent much time looking at online courses or membership sites and their associated plugins and software, then you are probably already familiar with the terms ‘drip feeding’ and ‘content dripping’. Drip feeding is essentially time-releasing your content so that it isn’t all available to someone immediately after they sign up to your site. But unlike simply providing ongoing content (where new content is released into the general membership regularly), your content is released on a set schedule based, usually, on when the member signed up. While this can be a great way to stagger content, prolong subscriptions and avoid 'hit and run' members; there are some downsides to consider. In this episode, I discuss the pros and cons of drip-feeding your membership content.

It can be difficult to judge whether or not you're delivering enough value in your membership for the price you wish to charge. That's mostly because "value" is an abstract concept. There is no scientific formula behind it; it's not something you can accurately measure - it's entirely subjective, based entirely on individual perception. So how do you know if you're getting it right? It is even possible to know?! That's what we're tackling in this episode of The Membership Guys Podcast. Episode Summary: What 'value' truly means in the context of online memberships The most common mistakes people make when pricing their membership and assessing what it's worth Questions you can ask yourself to get a better measure of whether you're delivering enough for what you're charging What do your members care about most, and how does that factor in to their perception of the value your membership offers

While the majority of online memberships tend to fall into the same 2 or 3 models in terms of how they deliver their premium content; there is much to be learned from those membership sites that do things a little differently. In this episode I discuss 4 content strategies for memberships that are fairly uncommon but certainly effective, and discuss ways in which you could incorporate aspects of those strategies into your own business. Episode Summary: Why platforms such as Patreon and the creator programs offered by YouTube and Facebook are giving way to a new breed of online membership. How some memberships give away their content for free initially, and then charge money for access to their archive How one of the oldest offline content distribution models could be used for a membership website Giving your members "credits" to allow them to purchases limited quantities of content

One of the key decisions to be made when planning a membership is whether to offer multiple membership levels or a single 'all access' option. While we always advocate for simplicity, there are definite pros and cons to consider. In this episode I discuss the key things you need to consider when deciding whether to have multiple levels in your membership, and provide my top tips for making this strategy work. And I also share a 'middle ground' for people who prefer to stick with a single level. Episode Summary: Pros and cons of offering multiple different membership levels The benefits of keeping things simple in your membership (especially at the beginning) How "price anchoring" can increase sales, and an alternative way to leverage it Why you shouldn't differentiate your membership levels based on content alone

Most membership owners - especially those earlier on in their journey - try to do everything themselves Chris Ducker refers to this as "Superhero Syndrome" - where you convince yourself that everything in your business rests on your shoulders; that you’re the only person who can possibly handle it all. But it’s a fallacy. You shouldn’t be trying to do everything yourself because it’s just not sustainable, especially as your membership grows. In this episode of The Membership Guys Podcast, I highlight 6 key areas of your membership business that you should look to outsource in order to free you up to focus on the things that only you can do. Episode Summary: Why trying to do everything yourself is actually bad for your membership (and your members!) Outsourcing isn't just about offloading tasks you're no good at or think are 'beneath you' How to change your mindset about paying for specialist help Why you need to be the "rockstar" and not the "roadie"

This year we embark on our biggest and most daunting challenge to date - running our very own live conference: Retain 2019 It's something we've wanted to do for years, and we're beyond excited to bring together hundreds of membership site owners from around the world for 2 days of amazing speakers and high-level networking. But the journey has not all been smooth sailing... In this episode of The Membership Guys Podcast, I take you behind the scenes of the story so far, revealing our thought process, strategy and sharing the highs and lows of orchestrating this kind of event. Episode Summary: Why we've waited until now to run our first conference of this scale What happened that almost made us throw in the towel and cancel the entire event The specific steps we took to validate our idea for this event, including our pre-sale strategy Insights into choosing speakers, picking a location, approaching sponsors and more

Your membership sales page is perhaps the single most important piece of the puzzle for attracting member signups. Whether it's a cold lead or someone who has been following you for years - it's your sales page that needs to seal the deal and help them to make the final decision to join your membership. So it's crucial that you get it right! In this episode I walk through the key elements that every membership sales page should have in order to maximise new member sales. Episode Summary: Why you need to zero in on the problems and pain points your potential members have, and how to use that info on your sales page The importance of transparency, particularly when it comes to your membership pricing What "risk reversal" is and why it plays such a big part in crafting an effective sales page Pre-empting your customers questions and overcoming objections that might stop them from joining

Most online memberships involve content. A lot of content. Not only are you creating content for your membership, but often you're blogging, podcasting or creating videos as part of your marketing strategy too. It can be a lot to handle! That's why it's crucial to have a solid plan for your content production, so you know well in advance what you need to create in order to schedule accordingly and avoid constantly doing everything at the last minute. In this episode I'm joined by Janet Murray to discuss how to plan an entire year's worth of content, and the tips and tools you need to help you stay on track.

Considering starting a membership website in 2019? Perhaps you should be... In this episode I look at 6 types of people who are especially well suited to starting a membership site, and discuss some of the various strategies they could consider.

And so another year draws to a close... How was 2018 for you and your membership? Rather than lament the passage of time, once again we're wrapping up the year by taking a look back at the most loved episodes of The Membership Guys Podcast, counting down the top 10 most downloaded episodes of the past 12 months. Thanks to each and every one of you for your continued support of the show - here's to even more membership awesomeness in 2019!

Lead generation is a critical part of the sales process for membership owners. For most membership businesses, this means getting people to subscribe to your email marketing list, where you can engage with them further on a more direct basis and guide them towards joining your membership site. In this episode of The Membership Guys Podcast, I talk about how to convert website visitors into email leads, and give my top tips for increasing both the quantity and the quality of the leads that you generate.

It's easy to get carried away when creating a membership website. We often turn to other memberships for inspiration, and as a result end up with a wishlist of shiny bells and whistles that we absolutely MUST have for our own website. And the end result of cramming all of those features into your membership is a convoluted frankenstein's monster of a website that's a pain to manage and an even bigger nightmare for members to use. It's not just the tech side of things that people tend to over-complicate; we see the same thing happening with marketing, sales and overall business strategy too. In this episode of The Membership Guys Podcast, I warn against adding too much complexity to your membership business and discuss the benefits of embracing simplicity.

As the year draws to a close and many inside your membership and your wider audience will be in a festive mood, what sort of things should you be doing as a membership owner? Whether you're a Christmas fanatic or a modern day Scrooge - the festive season brings with it a few unique opportunities for your membership business. In this episode of The Membership Guys Podcast, I talk about 6 things you should do in your membership over the holiday period. Episode Summary: Creating "year end review" content - what we do at The Membership Guys, and some ideas you can try The importance of taking time away from your membership over the holidays Reviewing your achievements in the past year and setting goals for the next 12 months How the festive season affords you more opportunities for promotional campaigns

Membership websites have a whole mess of moving parts - plugins, themes, integrations, payment processors - they all add up to make memberships one of the most complicated types of sites that you can build. And even if you have help getting everything up and running, chances are there'll be numerous times you'll need a bit of tech support in the day to day running of your membership. But finding reliable help with the technical side of building and maintaining a membership can be a crap-shoot. In this episode of The Membership Guys Podcast, I run through some of the most viable options for finding tech support that you can rely on for different stages of your membership. Episode Summary: The number one resource for learning how to build your membership site yourself (Spoiler alert: it's Member Site Academy - because of course it is!) How to distinguish between a legit web developer and someone who has just learned how to configure a handful of plugins and themes Why it's not essential that your chosen web developer has specific experience with membership sites Where to get help with ad hoc tech issues and day to day maintenance