Why Should You Build a Membership Site?

Why Build a Membership Site Introduction

Presumably you’re reading this article, ‘Why should you build a membership site’, because you are considering launching your very own membership site! Is this because you’ve seen, dare I say it, other membership sites with enticing phrases such as:

• Become a member today!
• Learn success secrets from our panel of experts!
• Join our community of experts!
• Benefit from an entire library of information!
• Join our community of entrepreneurs and earn a $million!

Do these phrases sound familiar? Do you have your own phrase ready to rock and roll?

Well, be careful about your aims. A membership site is about like minded individuals acting as a closely knit group. Do a Google search on just about any topic and you’ll probably find a number of membership site and/or exclusive club “opportunities,” where you can learn just about anything on a given topic. Most are very enticing, but fail to live up to their promises, don’t fall into this group.

• To have a successful membership site make sure your site is well worth the investment of both you and your members time and money.

Why Should You Build a Membership Site?

If you’re an expert in something, and want to go beyond just blogging about it, creating a membership site can leverage your time significantly with the bonus of also being a sustainable online business.

A good membership site example is, ViralURL. This site currently boasts over 75,000 members with an income of over $3.2 million. In case your wondering ViralURL is a membership site for online business owners, their slogan states:

• “Join the 75,749 Members That Already Earn an Instant Income, Track, Cloak And List Build 100% on Autopilot! Get Your Very Own Supercharged ViralURL… FREE!”

Another excellent membership site is WishList Member. This site is not only a membership site in its own right but also sells the very popular WordPress WishList Member plugin software to its members. This enables WishList member to create their very own membership sites. Their slogan states:

• WishList Member is a powerful, yet easy to use membership solution that can turn any WordPress blog into a full-blown membership site.

The Keys to a Thriving Membership Site?

The keys to a thriving membership site are very simple. The most important steps are:

• Find a need or niche to fill, or a problem to solve.
• Make sure your solution delivers massive value and keeps your member base coming back for more.
• Aim to be the leading service provider in your niche.
• Make sure your content is easy to absorb and comprehend.
• Make the membership site easy to navigate.

Once your site is up and running, it’s important to make your new customers ‘raving fans’ as soon as possible. You must clearly illustrate the benefits of using your solution and provide the best customer service possible.

• Remember, your customers are the life blood of your business.

Use the Right Medium

The medium (the design methodology) of your site can be as important as your message. It’s important to match the style of your site to your audience. Should your site be mainly text, graphics or video biased? Should your site be mobile-friendly? Carefully consider your audiences age group and geo-demographic.

Get the Viral Aspect

A membership site relies heavily on the expertise and interaction of its members. Ensure your membership site has ‘viral aspects.’ Unless you have a huge marketing budget, your site needs ‘raving fans’ to champion your cause as easily and effectively as possible. Provide social sharing options, have a social media presence and reward your customers for spreading the word (freebees, affiliate programs, etc.) Leverage your customer base to attract new members.

• Remember: Members don’t join to pay dues, or necessarily to read lots of content. They join to learn and interact with other members.

The Members Come First

Without your members you don’t have a business so I hope you see that the members should come first in all aspects of your business. Make some simple rules to ensure the members have priority. These rules could include:

1. Respond quickly to customer concerns.

2. Announce any issues or changes to the membership.

3. Ask for customer feedback (and use it).

Why Should You Build a Membership Site Conclusion

Having a thriving community membership site is not rocket science. Just use a little common sense and a lot of good will. Keep asking yourself, as a member, “how would I like to be treated”, “what would I like from this membership”.

Well, I hope you found something useful and enjoyed this article, Why Should You Build a Membership Site. Don’t forget to let me have your thoughts in the comment box below. See you soon.