The first step is to figure out what type of membership or subscription you want to start.
The most common type of content-based membership is an online membership where members have access to certain content, advice, tools, etc.
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- You can offer a monthly course, digital newsletter, articles, how-to information, demonstrations, and more.…whatever your members want.
- You can include downloadable software, offer to coach, and provide templates or other tools. What your membership site does is completely up to you.
- Your aim is to ensure your members are provided with a VIP experience they are paying for to access your content.
While offering content, you can also offer your personal advice and time, through webinars, coaching, etc.
Offering a combination of options to your members to receive and engage within your membership will ensure longevity and very likely member retention. Additionally, we all need to ensure our membership lasts!
ARE YOU INCLUDING INTERACTION?
Adding an element of interaction to your membership site can help increase the value of your membership, but it often increases your workload too. Weigh your options and preferences to decide if you want to add interaction.
Some options are:
- Members Forum: Allow your member to communicate with one another through a message board or forum. You will also likely have to start and participate in discussions.
- Social Wall: Sometimes it feels easier to jump outside of your membership set up, but keep in mind you want to keep your members engaged without distractions, so look at a platform that can offer “in-house social walls” like wisdome.com.au to create interactivity.
- Blog: If a member’s forum seems like too much work, thikn about a blog, or posting weekly updates to allow some interaction. You post member content to a blog and if members want, they can post a comment, ask a question, etc. It is also a much more controlled way of the discussion of your members as the topics are laid out for them.
- Webinar: You can hold periodic group sessions via webinar. Everyone can listen in and have the opportunity to ask questions and interact towards the end.
BUILD YOUR COMMUNITY WITH A PLAN
- Firstly, plan your content and realize you will need to get discussions started
- Secondly, ask a few key people to become participants in your community.
- Then, write content or make a list of topic starters to get the conversations going.
HOW WILL YOU ORGANISE YOUR MEMBERSHIP?
Decide on the specific topics your membership is going to cover and how you are going to organize the information.
TOPICS – Things to Consider:
- Look at what information is included in other similar membership sites. Don’t copy, but of course see what else you can offer in your signature way.
- Think about your target market and what their biggest struggles are. How can your product address that? How can you help them do it in less time and without as much work?
- Survey your readers and customers on what they would find helpful. Always keep tabs on what your members want and evolve your membership according to their changing needs.
PAYMENTS – Things to Consider:
- How often will you add new content/products to the membership?
- A general guideline is to add something new at least as often as your members pay. For example, if they pay weekly, something should be added to their membership, at minimum, on a weekly basis.
MEDIA – Things to Consider:
- What type of media you will use to deliver your content?
- You may even choose to use more than one for each lesson. For example, you might include a recording and a written guide, so students can choose their preference.
- Or you might conduct a live webinar and offer transcripts and recordings for those who can’t attend live.
Next, you need to look further into the types of media you will use for your membership. And, you have plenty of options when it comes to the types of media you can use in your membership. Having a variety of media formats has a number of benefits including:
- Increase perceived value of your product.
- The ability to cater to people’s different learning preferences and disabilities.
- Some subjects are easier to teach in writing.
Download a full list here of media options and ways you can engage with your members.
CREATING YOUR CONTENT
- Write it yourself
- Reuse and repurpose what you’ve already created
- Get audios and videos transcribed and repurpose the content.
- Get your members to create it. Ask them questions, run contests or even hire them to create content. You get the content and strengthen your community at the same time.
YOUR MEMBERSHIP SETUP
To help your members use your product, plan how you will have them access your membership content.
A Few Options:
- Single document download: If your membership content is just one file sent monthly, you might give your readers a link to download it.
- A download area: An advantageous way to deliver your product is to give your readers access to a download area. This can be a page or several pages where you welcome your customer and give them instructions on how to use the product. Moreover, this method has the advantage of creating a more personal experience, instructions are very clear and your download area is the perfect place to promote back-end products.
- Interactive area: If you plan to incorporate interaction into your membership, make that part of your plan. Whether it’s a blog where you add the weekly/monthly content or a message board, make it easy for your members to find and access.
- Referencing media on the move: If you plan on offering video or audio access, think about the ways your members will use your content, this may direct you further in the type of platform you will use to house your membership.
It never has to be hard to do. , See you next time!
