One of the
benefits of setting up a membership site is that it provides you with a
recurring monthly income. Many marketers run successful membership sites, but
before you head off to create one, there are certain things you should take
into consideration.
1. Setting
up a membership takes planning, it is not something that you want to suddenly
advertise. When members join they want to see content available in their
member's area.
2. Use a
notepad or calendar and schedule out what you want to offer. Are you running a
tutorial type site, a how to site or are you offering reports and articles on a
certain niche or topic?
3. It is
advisable to have 3 months of content ready before you launch your site. This
way you aren't scrambling each month trying to get all the content ready. You
will free up time so that you can concentrate on attracting members.
4. If you
currently belong to a membership site, study it and see what you like and what
you don't like. Can you improve yours or use some of the same things in a
similar way?
5. Consider
how you want to display your content. Will it be dripped fed depending upon the
date someone joined? Will you just add content on a certain day each month,
regardless of someone's join date? Will you remove older content or leave it on
the site?
6. There is
literally a ton of membership software that you could use. This is often the hardest
thing to decide upon. Take the time to research what software is available and
look at the benefits and features as well as the price.
7. Decide
if you want to run an introductory special. This could be a ridiculously low
price for new members or you may want to run a lifetime option. If people
purchase a lifetime option you should commit to having the site up and running
for at least two years. Otherwise people may want a refund.
8. As you
run your membership always ask members for their input. Then be willing to
change what you offer based upon their answers. You may find your members want
to have monthly webinars or a coaching type of call.
As you can
see there really is a lot to think about when it comes to opening up a
membership site. Consider all your options carefully and don't forget to plan
and then plan some more.
