The Membership Guys Podcast - Practical Advice For Membership Website Owners

Not everyone starts their business planning to launch a membership. This week’s Behind the Membership episode features Christelle Janse Van Rensburg, Co-Founder of the Creative Crafting Club, who talks about her franchise-turned-membership business.  Christelle was running a successful arts and crafts club franchise until the pandemic shut everything down. She and her sister searched for a solution and found that a membership was a perfect fit.  Since then, their member numbers have exploded, and they’ve seen great success! We wanted to hear how she and her sister pulled it off, what tips she has for others, and why she loves the membership business lifestyle.  Essential Learning Points: How the Creative Crafting Club works Why the pandemic sparked the idea of starting a membership  Why the Creative Crafting Club uses a closed model membership Why running challenges has been a key marketing tactic How Facebook groups keep everyone engaged and supportive of each other The biggest challenges

Finding new ways to get members piling into your membership is a difficult path to navigate. But finding a niche market and establishing yourself as an expert in that field is certainly a way to boost your chances. That way, you can build authority and trust and get members joining in their droves. In this episode of The Membership Geeks podcast, hosts Mike Morrison and Callie Willows dive into the steps you can take to establish yourself as an expert on your membership topic. They go on to explain how these pointers could help your membership site flourish more quickly than you think. Essential Learning Points: Why building authority will help your membership service flourish How to cater to a niche market How content creation can help you build your reputation Why writing a book is not dated – it would still hugely help your reputation Important Links & Mentions: https://www.membershipacademy.com/ (Membership Academy) https://www.membershipgeeks.com/ (Membership Geeks) https://www.membershipgeeks.com/n

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

When you start up a membership site, you naturally want to give your members a perfect experience. Or at least as close to perfect as possible. The key to that is finding the right tools, software, and plugins to help you deliver a fantastic membership experience. But it’s tough to find the right tools and even harder to know whose opinions to trust. In this episode of The Membership Geeks podcast, your hosts, Mike Morrison and Callie Willows share some expert tips on finding the closest thing to ‘the perfect plugin’ and how to find reviews you can trust. Essential Learning Points: Why not all reviews can be trusted (they may be paid affiliates) What works for one membership service may not work for yours How people’s past experiences can affect their opinions and suggestions for plugins Why great functionality is the most important thing to look for Important Links & Mentions: https://www.membershipacademy.com/ (Membership Academy) https://www.membershipgeeks.com/ (Membership Geeks) Key Quotes: “Whatev

Juggling a 9-5 with a membership in a saturated marketplace sounds pretty impossible, right? But Scott Millar of IT Rockstars has somehow pulled it off and is seeing great growth in his membership. In this episode of The Membership Geeks, he shares some top tips and insights for others looking to start a membership. He also delves into his membership's unique origin story, as well as how his geographical cap doesn't limit his growth. Essential Learning Points: How Scott found his ‘wow’ factor in a saturated market Why there’s a geographical cap on enrolment for IT Rockstars The ins and outs of juggling a 9-5 with a membership business IT Rockstar’s unique onboarding process Why it’s important for your idea to align with what your audience wants Important Links & Mentions: https://www.membershipgeeks.com/ (The Membership Geeks) https://www.itrockstars.net/ (IT Rockstars) Key Quotes: “One big tip for anyone starting a membership is to make sure they are tracking how people are joining their membership — a

Is your cancellation process as effective as it could be? As a membership site, it’s vital to get the balance right! You need to make the decision for your members to leave difficult…not the process. It’s very easy to feel hurt or worried when members depart in their droves but don’t take it personally. Members will end their subscription for so many different reasons… and they may well come back very soon. In this episode of the Membership Geeks podcast, hosts Mike Morrison and Callie Willows discuss some of the most common things membership site owners get wrong when faced with customer cancellations. Essential Learning Points: Why you should remember to ‘think like a member’ – how would you want the process to go if you wanted to cancel a membership? Why it’s important to make the decision to cancel difficult – not the process Why you should avoid turning members who might rejoin away Finding the right software to make the process seamless  Important Links & Mentions: https://www.membershipacadem

Does old automatically mean useless or outdated when it comes to membership content? Definitely not. In fact, there are so many things you can do to breathe new life into your archived content. Especially, when the core subject matter is still as relevant as the day it was first posted. This episode of the Membership Geeks podcast is all about six concrete ways you can reuse your old content and drum up some engagement in the process. We’re talking about everything from repurposing content to simply giving it a touch-up. By tuning in, you’ll get six handy tips to refresh and reuse your existing content to maximize its value. Essential Learning Points: Why watch alongs offer a great way to engage with your audience How repurposed content helps you meet your audience where they are How you can grow your audience by giving content away for free How to drum up new members through a cohort experience Why you should always have something available for your members to tackle next Important Links & Mentions: h

Can you use science to boost your membership numbers? It’s not magic but getting to grips with the science behind how people make purchase decisions will help you transform your own content. Kenda Macdonald, CEO of Automation Ninjas, international keynote speaker, and author of the best-selling book, Hack the Buyer Brain, joins this episode to talk about the science behind why people choose to sign up (or not) for a membership.   Tune in to hear what behavioral automation is, how the five stages of awareness work, what neuroscience tells us about buying decisions, and much more! Essential Learning Points: What behavioral automation is How the buyer journey typically works The problem with relying on marketing funnels What neuroscience tells us about the buying decision The five stages of awareness and how they can help you build better content The problem with using scarcity tactics How Kenda uses automation for her membership Important Links & Mentions: https://www.automationninjas.com/ (Automat

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

With more businesses migrating online, how do you give yourself an edge? Amanda Schonberg, a chef and marketing enthusiast, shares the answer to that question in this informative episode. She’s not just a skilled baker, she’s also passionate about generating sales and taking her business to new heights. And it looks like she’s cracked the code. In the spirit of community, she’s gone on to teach fellow bakers how to strike that balance between craft and business with her own membership – The Entrepreneur Community. In this episode, we hear about Amanda’s inspiring membership journey —the highs, lows, and everything in between. Essential Learning Points: How Amanda uses 4 Cs to offer value to her members Amanda’s transition from working a business partnership to sole proprietorship Why serving before selling works How to use fun to create engagement The importance of combining creativity with business skills Important Links & Mentions: https://www.membershipacademy.com/ (Membership Academy) https://www.bak

Are you at that point where you’re wondering if the membership model is truly for you? Numbers are dwindling, and all of a sudden, it seems like people aren’t buying what you’re selling. You’ve probably fallen victim to one of the common obstacles we’re looking at on this episode of the Membership Geeks podcast. In this episode, we explore six common roadblocks that get in the way of membership sites and give a few pointers on how to tackle them head-on. With this newfound awareness, you should be able to smash through those barriers and get those membership numbers rising again. Essential Learning Points: Why it’s important to distinguish yourself from the competition The disadvantages of providing too many options within your membership How pricing can affect your membership offering When it’s OK to charge a joining fee Important Links & Mentions: https://www.membershipgeeks.com/ (The Membership Geeks) https://www.membershipgeeks.com/competing-memberships/ (Competing with Established Memberships in Y

Do you ever find feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day to get everything done in your membership? Or do you feel chained to an endless to-do list that taunts you at the end of the workday? Then this episode of the Membership Geeks is for you. Productivity specialist, Mike Vardy, joins us to discuss the concept of productivity, how it's changed, and the best way to approach it. He also delves into the idea of what productivity is not, while providing lots of actionable takeaways for membership owners. There are plenty of insights to dig into in this episode, so grab that pen and notebook. Essential Learning Points: Why productivity isn’t just about churning out work The advantage of approaching low-energy tasks first The difference between projects and tasks How to trick your brain into getting things done Why it’s better to approach perfection as a journey Important Links & Mentions: https://www.membershipgeeks.com/ (The Membership Geeks) https://productivityist.com/dobedobedo (The Starting Six)

Social proof is an extremely powerful tool in your marketing arsenal and a key component of the Membership Marketing Flywheel. Demonstrating your ability to help others get fantastic results, and having those people advocate for joining your membership, will go much further than any marketing copy you write yourself. And testimonials from happy successful members are amongst the most effective types of social proof there is. In this episode, we share our top tips for collecting member testimonials, and most importantly using them effectively to add a whole new level to marketing your membership. In this episode:What makes for a good quality testimonial Best practices for requesting testimonials from your members Which format of testimonial works best? Specific ways to use testimonials in marketing your membership Related links:https://www.membershipacademy.com/courses/membership-marketing-flywheel/ ([Course] Attract More Members with the Membership Marketing Flywheel) https://www.membershipgeeks.com/7-ways-a

Running a membership has its perks, but there’s also the turbulent side of things. From transitioning through different iterations of her business to managing a spike of engagement during the pandemic, Nicola Taylor knows how to brave some turbulence. In this episode, she discusses the origins of the Makers Momentum Club and the various challenges she’s faced along the line. Nicola also shares some of her wins and lessons for aspiring membership owners. Essential Learning Points: How members reacted to Nicola’s switch to a membership style business Why more engagement can be a bad thing The interesting effect of the pandemic on the Makers Momentum Club Why an action-driven community inspires more wins Why passion is a major ingredient for starting a membership Important Links & Mentions: https://www.membershipacademy.com/ (Membership Academy) https://makersbusinesstoolkit.com/makers-momentum-club/ (Makers Momentum Club) Key Quotes: “The business skills we teach within the membership aren’t specific to

Are Facebook groups still a good option for your membership community? The answer has become more complicated considering that Facebook has upped their game over the past few years. But, as it is with most things, with the good comes the bad. On this episode of the Membership Geeks, we’re delving into the age-old debate of Facebook groups vs on-site forums, with a little twist. We explore new and useful features that come with Facebook groups and the downsides of hosting your community on the platform. We also look into a few alternatives to using Facebook or on-site forums for your membership community. Essential Learning Points: Why Facebook’s accessibility is both a pro and con How Facebook groups can impact your live events   Cool new features Facebook has added in their groups Why Facebook groups are more suited for informal interactions Alternative platforms to host your community Important Links & Mentions: https://www.membershipgeeks.com/ (The Membership Geeks) https://www.membershipgee

Trying to build a membership website is a sizable undertaking for anyone... But building one in under a day, that sounds unrealistic, right? After all, you've got to wrestle with technology, create content and focus on building your audience - quite often ahead of your launch - all while generating ahttps://www.membershipgeeks.com/6-ways-generate-interest-buzz-membership-launch/ ( buzz) to ensure you get that initial influx of members when you open the doors to your membership...  There are a lot of plates to spin... Surely it's not possible to do that in under a day? Well, if you're able to bring some of those elements to the table from day one... So if you already have an established audience who are eager to buy from you... Or a wealth of content curated from past projects, maybe via courses you've previously released or workshops you've delivered... Then it’s entirely possible to build a membership website a lot quicker than you may think - in under a day.  And in this episode of The Membership

What do you fear most as a membership site owner? Let us guess... Cancellations?! We'll let you into a little secret... You're not alone in this. Cancellations are without doubt the big bad boogeyman of the membership world... Even your friendly neighbourhood Membership Geeks face this fear with you! No one likes them... The truth is, cancellations are inevitable. But there are ways to minimize them…  Especially if you can predict drop-off points in your memberships ahead of time and take action to fix them. In this episode of the Membership Geeks podcast, we’re going to share with you how to do just that.  Essential Learning Points 5 key drop off points majority of memberships face.  How to make people want to stay after the initial 30 day period.  Strategies to put in place to maximize your number of annual renewals. How to identify and prevent seasonal cancellations.  Key Quotes:  “Sometimes the reasons for cancellation are beyond your control. And often, they're even beyond

How much time does it actually take to run a membership site? This is probably one of the most common questions we get asked... And as with many things when it comes to memberships, there isn't a 'one size fits all' answer.  Some membership sites can quietly tick away in the background without really needing much attention... Others, however, need you to work on them pretty much daily. How much time you dedicate to running your membership is entirely up to you... It could be half an hour a day, 5 hours a day or 8 hours a day. But how do you decide how much time is needed?  In this episode of the Membership Geeks podcast, we explore where you’ll most likely spend the bulk of your time when managing your site, how to decide what tasks to spend your time on and we share some top time-saving tips to help you maximize your input into your site.  Essential Learning Points:  The benefits and drawbacks on your time spent running live sessions.  Content creation is one of the most time consumi

For performing artists, the global pandemic was a bleak time. With everything shut down, and no hope in sight, Jim Cooney, the founder of Amplified Artists, found a way to turn lemons into lemonade. In this episode, he tells us a bit about Amplified Artists, from how it started to how it’s going now. Jim explains what inspired him to start a business in an industry that was dealt a bad hand and how he’s managed to grow steadily as things have opened up a bit more. You’ll also hear about how he juggles his personal life with the responsibilities of running a membership. Essential Learning Points: What inspired Jim to start Amplified Artists during the pandemic How Jim engages his members by asking them to create content Jim’s marketing strategy for Amplified Artists The benefits of building your membership around your life Why starting simple is so important Important Links & Mentions:  https://www.membershipacademy.com/ (Membership Academy) https://www.amplifiedartists.life/ (Amplified Artists)

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