The Membership Guys Podcast - Practical Advice For Membership Website Owners

In most cases, you might think the words “membership” and “personalized experience” don’t belong in the same sentence. So, you’re probably wondering, “how exactly am I going to offer tailored experiences when I’ve got hundreds or thousands of members?” The good news is that it’s not impossible. In fact, there are so many ways to form that personal connection with your members that will ultimately drive them to fulfill their goals. Essential Learning Points: Why offering a personalized experience is beneficial How segmentation can make the membership experience better for users The many uses of a member survey How personal videos and check-ins make your members feel seen When to use a private welcome video How to correctly segment your community Important Links & Mentions: https://www.membershipgeeks.com/ (Membership Geeks) https://www.membershipacademy.com/ (Membership Academy) https://www.membershipgeeks.com/segmentation/ (Using Segmentation to Increase Leads and Member Sales) Key Quotes: “What everyt

Imagine launching a membership based on your passion…  It’s the dream, right? But what if you’ve built your business delivering classes in-person and are faced with the challenge of finding an online solution that will deliver the same value? And you need to do this in the midst of a global pandemic… That’s exactly what https://lucywalkerjewellery.com/ (Lucy Walker) from https://lucywalkerjewellery.com/membership-plans/ (The Metalsmith Academy) did… And her story is awesome!  She’s only a year into her membership and has thousands of members… And while she’s been hugely successful as a membership owner, the past year hasn’t passed by without its challenges…  In this episode Lucy joins us to share her journey so far…  Listen to hear about:   How the pandemic forced Lucy to put her entire business online and make the transition from offering courses to launching her membership.  How The Metalsmith Academy launched with over 3,000 members in total, with 1,300 of them opting for

Are you running your membership on the side while managing an existing client focused or service based business?  Maybe you’re a web designer who still builds websites… Or a music teacher dealing with private students…  And to put it quite simply, you’re feeling stuck…  You want to make the transition from working with clients to running your membership full-time…  But you’re not sure how to do it…  Or even if it's the time is right to make the switch!  We’ve been there…  And completely understand that it’s a HUGE decision to make…  So we’ve decided to help you out…  In this episode we share some tips on how to switch from working with clients to running your membership full-time… Essential Learning Points: Why you should treat your membership as a client.  How to decide when to start making the switch to working on your membership full-time. Three different approaches to choose from for making the switch.  Our tried and tested process for making the tran

After 7 years we have a very sad announcement to make... The Membership Guys are no more. I know, I know... what a devastating way to start the New Year! But the good news is that we've just undergone a little bit of a rebrand and henceforth shall be known as... Membership Geeks! This is a change that is several years in the making, so tune into today's very special episode of the podcast to discover why we've rebranded, what it means going forward, and get the inside track on some of the exciting things we have planned for 2022 and beyond.

Is it me or has 2021 been a bit of a blur?! It's definitely been another strange year as we've all tried to navigate life running a membership in the midst of a global pandemic... But from what we've seen in our http://membershipacademy.com (membership) and https://www.facebook.com/groups/506428616152347 (Facebook) communities, you all seem to be handling it pretty well! So what have we been up to? It's been another busy 12 months for myself, Callie and the TMG team... In 2021, we’ve:  Created and launched our EPIC new Roadmap inside https://www.membershipacademy.com/ (Membership Academy.) Celebrated the 6th anniversary of our business. Grown our team further with the addition of our awesome Community Manager, Hannah, and...  Created another year’s worth of https://www.themembershipguys.com/podcast/ (The Membership Guys) weekly podcast and season 5 of Callie’s https://www.themembershipguys.com/behind-the-membership/ (Behind The Membership) podcast.  And a whole lot more besides! That being said

Have you recently launched your membership website?  If you have then you’re in the midst of a steep learning curve…  One we’ve all been through as membership owners.  As we’re approaching the end of the year, now is the perfect time to plan what we want to achieve over the coming months…  For more established membership owners the year ahead might be fully mapped out so they know what to expect... But for those new to the membership world, what lies ahead is largely unknown. While we don't have a crystal ball to tell you exactly what's going to happen over the next 12 months... We can try our best to prepare you for some of the things you're likely to discover in your first year of running a membership site… And that’s exactly what we’re doing in this podcast episode.  Join us to hear 5 things you quickly learn in your first year as a membership site owner Essential Learning Points: Good customer service can be the difference between losing a member and leaving someone with a positiv

Is your membership built on rented land? Are you relying on third parties with little control of your own content or community? While there’s something to be said for third parties and all-in-one platforms, you need to be wary. Those platforms could go down, or maybe they could be hacked, and then what? If you can’t access your membership assets, that’s bad news for your business. In this episode, you’ll hear all about the perils of building a membership on rented land. Tune in to hear why control and having alternative options in the bag are so important and what you can do to protect yourself from a Facebook 2021-style outage. Essential Learning Points: What the Facebook outage taught us about the dangers of relying on third parties Why control is the most important thing you need Why you need to protect your business assets The pros and cons of building on rented land Important Links & Mentions: https://themembershipguys.com/ (The Membership Guys) https://membershipacademy.com/ (Membership Academy) K

Email marketing is the golden ticket to growing any kind of membership or online business. But a successful email marketing campaign is about so much more than sending out the occasional email to your mailing list. If you really want to step up your email marketing effectiveness, you need to use some tried-and-tested tactics. In this episode, we share six ways to improve your email campaigns. You’ll hear why emailing more often is the right move, how to use narrative and open-loop emails to keep interest and how to use different email marketing features to transform your campaigns. Tune in today to learn more. Essential Learning Points: Why you should get out of your comfort zone with email marketing How to utilize the P.S. section of your emails to drive sales Why storytelling is the key to a good email How to maintain interest through open-loop emails Why you should always try to experiment with email marketing  How to use conditional content Important Links & Mentions: http://www.themembershipg

Want to give your membership a little revenue boost? Who wouldn’t? The chances are, you’re already working on 101 things to grow your membership over time. But what can you do today? In this episode, we cover four super simple ways you can boost your revenue both in the short and long term. These are simple tactics you can get started on today that don’t take too long or cost much. This episode covers how you can use flash sales and discounts to boost sales, why you should pay extra attention to your non-buyers and ex-members, and how you can get members to upgrade. Try these tactics today and integrate them into your long-term strategy to see consistent results for years to come. Tune in to hear how you can get started. Essential Learning Points: How to use a flash sale to boost revenue Why you shouldn’t ignore your non-buyers The benefits of getting in touch with ex-members How a simple email can prompt members to upgrade Important Links & Mentions: https://themembershipguys.com/ (The Membership Guys

Every successful membership site owner knows their numbers. If you don’t know how your business is performing in key areas, then you have no basis for growth and making improvements, or any idea of whether or not your membership site is doing well or if it’s in trouble. Worryingly, our Online Membership Industry Report revealed that 14% of membership site owners aren't tracking their KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) at all. And an even greater number only track a few key metrics!  This is something that needs to change.  So if you're currently not tracking metrics on your site or are measuring some, but are not sure if they're the ones you should be focusing on, then this episode of The Membership Guys podcast is for you. Join us as we explore KPIs that every membership website should be tracking.  Essential Learning Points: Different metrics to focus on for analyzing website traffic and activity  Why you need to have an in-depth understanding of your conversion rates How your churn rate

Preparing to launch your membership website?  This can be both an exhilarating and terrifying time, with lots of tasks to tick off your checklist and limited time in which to get as many eyeballs as possible on you and your business.  So how can you make your membership launch a success? The key is to generate excitement and buzz around your site that will result in your first influx of members and give you some momentum to move forward with.  And in this episode of The Membership Guys podcast, we’re sharing with you six tactics to implement to do just that.  Essential Learning Points: Why a membership website doesn’t live or die based on launch alone  Why you don’t necessarily need a large audience to launch your membership  How to connect with your audience and make them feel like they’re involved from the get-go Different tactics to implement to get in front of a wider audience to promote your membership Important Links & Mentions: https://www.membershipacademy.com/ (Membe

Do you want to transform your tweeting into real results? Unsure where to start? Social media is a tough nut to crack. You can post consistently and still see no results and no sales. The good news is that you can turn it around with some proper planning and a little help from your analytics. This episode, takes you through a 12-step social media plan to help you tweak and fine-tune your current strategy. Tune in to hear why social media is so important, why you need to audit your channels, learn from your audience, keep an eye on your analytics, and much more. Essential Learning Points:  Why social media should be key to your marketing strategy      Why you should audit your channels and your audience The importance of knowing your audience well    How to serve and build your audience How to offer value consistently Why you need to keep an eye on analytics Important Links & Mentions: https://www.themembershipguys.com/ (The Membership Guys) http://www.membe

Are you struggling to get members to consume and complete your content once they’ve signed up? If you want to keep members happy and improve member retention, the work doesn’t end once they hit ‘join.’ Members need to constantly feel like they’re getting value, but sometimes they need a prompt to get involved in the content. In this episode, you’ll hear four super simple tactics to improve content consumption and engagement in your content library. We share how rewarding your members can go a long way, how you can get involved, and what you can do to your content to improve its effectiveness. With these tactics, you’ll help to boost your engagement rates across your content library and help members progress towards their goals. Essential Learning Points: Why you should try to boost content consumption How rewarding your members can go a long way How to use reminders to prompt your members to consume more content Why getting involved in the content yourself boosts engagement The benefits of using multiple

First impressions are key, especially in the membership world. A good experience in the early days is absolutely crucial to encouraging engagement, community collaboration, and retention. But a good onboarding experience is just step one. Even if you have all the necessary steps covered, there’s still more you can do to amplify and enhance that experience. In this episode, we cover five simple yet effective ways to level up your new members’ experience, so they’ll want to stick around for years to come. This episode covers why you should try to go above and beyond in the early days, why a personal touch can help you create a great first impression, and how to make your new members feel welcome. Essential Learning Points: Why leveling up your membership experience can boost satisfaction and retention How personal videos can go a long way How a member questionnaire can help both you and your members The importance of using segmentation Why you should consider throwing a welcome party How physical welcome gif

Do you want to offer a brand-new course or live event…separate from your membership? Is this something you’re allowed to do, or will all hell break loose in your membership? First off, yes, you can do this. But you also need to understand how your members will react. If they’re expecting all new content to come included in what they’re paying for, they could be disappointed. Luckily, there are a few ways around this that we share in this episode. If you want some tips on how to navigate this delicate topic, tune in today. We’ll share the pros and cons of keeping everything in your membership, why you shouldn’t always cave under pressure and ways to keep your members happy. Essential Learning Points: The problem with selling a separate product from your membership Why this can upset members Why it’s all about setting expectations and your message How to avoid doing yourself a disservice Three simple ways to keep members happy and offer separate products Important Links & Mentions: https://www.themembers

If you’re thinking about starting a membership site, the very first decision you need to make is what it’s about. Your choice of topic is fundamental to your success. A good choice is a strong foundation. A poor choice will lead to an uphill battle you really don’t want to tackle. But how do you make the right choice? Tune in to this episode to hear the crucial elements that make a good membership topic idea. We cover why you need some expertise and what to do if you aren’t an expert. We also discuss why you should pick an evergreen topic if you want to be in this for the long haul, and much more! Essential Learning Points:    Why your choice of topic is essential Why you should chasing avoid any fads     The importance of picking a topic you have some expertise in How to pick a topic that’s evergreen Why you need to love your topic What to do if your membership idea doesn’t tick all the boxes Important Links & Mentions: https://www.themembershipguys.com/ (The Membership Gu

Is it time to finally increase the price of your membership? It’s tricky to answer that because there are loads of different things to consider first. What are your costs? What value do you provide? How are the competition pricing? How can you stay competitive AND maintain a good profit margin? These are some of the many questions we’re answering in this episode. Tune in to hear 11 signs that it’s finally time to give your pricing a bump and why increasing your price won’t make your customers run for the hills. Essential Learning Points: Why it may be time to increase your price for the first time How to price based on the value How to maintain a healthy profit margin What potential members really think about low-priced memberships How to be competitive without competing on price Important Links & Mentions: https://www.themembershipguys.com/ (The Membership Guys) https://www.membershipacademy.com/ (Membership Academy) https://www.themembershipguys.com/increase-membership-pricing/ (Strategies for Incre

How do you keep the peace in your membership community? As a community leader, it’s your job to make the space your members inhabit welcoming, friendly, and harmonious. But managing a big group of members can be tough. Sometimes people are rude, break the rules, others feel left out, and this leaves people feeling uncomfortable. No one wants to stick around in a toxic community. So, how do you keep the peace and deal with members who break the rules? Having a plan in place will help limit the damage and keep everyone happier. In this episode, I dive into six simple ways to maintain the harmony in your online community. Essential Learning Points: Why you need to keep the peace in your online community How to put clear rules in place and enforce them Why it’s important to lead by example Why you might want to appoint moderators The benefits of encouraging members to use real names and photos Why you shouldn’t only interact with the cliques Important Links & Mentions: https://www.themembershipguys.com/ (T

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 stability How monthly billing can improve engagement Why annual billing provides a better profit margin The effect annual billing has on your member base Why you don’t have to pick one or the other Important Links & Mentions: http://membershipguys.com/ (The Membership Guys) https://www.membershipacademy.com/ (Membership Academy) Key Quotes: “You can, of course

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 first The tough questions you need to ask yourself Why sometimes the simplest way to identify the problem is to just ask How you can relaunch your membership Ways to grab your members’ attention Important Links & Mentions: The Membership Guys Membership Academy Key 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 n