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Are you ready to build your email list? Do you already have one but you’re not sure how to get the most value out of it?Whether you’re starting from scratch or are revamping your email series, this episode is for you. We cover five great email types to send your new subscribers to entice them into signing up to your membership site. These are simple yet effective ways to give people a taste of what your membership is like, how it can help them, and the value they could be getting from you. Essential Learning Points:Why creating an email series is so important for new subscribersWhat to include in a welcome email The best ways to create an email sales pitch for new subscribersHow a case study can effectively sell your membershipWhy you should send value-driven emails as well as sales pitchesImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership Guys   Membership AcademyKey Quotes:“Choose a single success story from your member base to write a mini case study around. This should be a story that shows people what's possible by being a member of your site.”“Memberships are pretty abstract products. They're typically made up of many different elements, so it can be challenging to concisely describe them. So being able to show as well as tell can be a real advantage.”“A way to over-deliver is to give them an extra surprise freebie, an eBook, a cheat sheet, a free workshop, something along those lines that they weren't expecting.”

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes of a membership? Maybe you’ve considered joining one in the past but just have no idea what to expect. Does your audience feel the same way about your membership?Hopefully not, but if you’re looking for a way to bring some transparency, trust, and a behind-the-scenes look into your membership, then this episode is for you.I go into four simple yet effective ways to give your members a sneak peek behind the curtain at what goes on in your membership.The benefits of this marketing tactic are incredible, so tune in today to hear our ideas, how they could help, and how we use them in our own content to promote Membership Academy. Essential Learning Points: Transparency can build trust, so take members behind-the-scenesHow to use screen capture footage as a simple piece of marketing contentHow to use social media Stories to give insights into your day-to-day lifeWhy you should create content that focuses on your journeyWhy you should showcase your members and their successesImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyBehind the Membership podcastKey Quotes:“Not everyoneknows what an online membership is like. If you're in an industry where onlinememberships aren’t particularly prolific, yours might be the very firstmembership that your customers are encountering.”“In the onlineworld, it can be difficult to trust. There are too many cases of people payingfor something that ultimately either just didn't get delivered or was nothinglike what was promised. When you have something like a behind-the-scenes video,you're showing proof that your product exists.”“Transparency canbe very appealing to people. A lot of people these days feel like they needthat connection with the people they choose to do business with. Sotransparency can go such a long way.”

Are you comfortable talking about money?Many aren’t and avoid the topic altogether. Others are on the opposite end of the spectrum and will flaunt it all day on social media.As money isn’t something that we talk a lot about, either here on The Membership Guys or in real life, this episode is a bit of a different one. In this episode, I explore some financial food for thought about memberships and money in general. I cover things like mental money blocks, the influence of social media, putting money to good use, and scaling your business.This episode’s a bit of a different one than usual, so tune in for a talk on all things money-related. Essential Learning Points:Why our marketing isn’t money focusedThe common money blocks that hold us back Why we shouldn’t compare ourselves to people on social mediaHow the membership model is about slow and steady growthHow to put money to good use in your businessWorking out your effective hourly rateHow scaling your business is all about mindsetImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyThe Untold Origin Story of The Membership Guys (Episode 300 Special)SuperfastbusinessWork Less Make More by James Schramko  Key Quotes:“The money side of memberships is relatively boring. It's not an exciting roller coaster ride. And so, we need to make sure that we don't get complacent and take it for granted.”“When you buy cheap, you end up buying twice. And so, you start to recognize the value of investing money.”“Instead of paying yourself more and taking more per month, pay yourself the same but for doing less work.”“I love memberships because the output is usually substantially more than the input. I can spend an hour creating a piece of content. And that can help hundreds of people who then refer dozens of people, which makes me X amount of extra money for one hour of my time.”

Are you ready to build your membership website? Before you get started, there are a few key tech decisions you need to make first. These decisions will influence every element of your membership, so you need to choose wisely!How you host your website, build it, choose a domain name, and build a community are just some of the most important but tough decisions to make. In this episode, I cover five tough tech decisions you’ll need to make before you can launch your website. If you’re just getting started and aren’t sure how to get the ball rolling, don’t miss this episode!Essential Learning Points:The differences between self-hosted and using a platform When to hire a developer vs. build a website yourselfWhat to consider when choosing a domain nameHow to choose the best themes and plugins for your siteWhat to consider when building a membership communityImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyShould You Build Your Website Yourself or Hire Help – with Martin & Lyndsay from Jammy Digital Should I Host My Membership on a Separate Domain Name?Why you should add a community to your membership site11 Proven Tactics for Starting a New Membership CommunityKey Quotes:“These are decisions that can have an impact and repercussions on so many different elements of your membership, how you run it, how you grow it, your member experience, and so on.”“WordPress is the most popular content management system in the world. And a big part of the reason for that is the fact that there are all sorts of add-ons you can install.”“If you’re cash-rich but time-poor, you're probably going to hire someone. If you're the reverse of that, then the likelihood is you're going to need to build your site yourself.”

Are you considering a switch from a closed to open-door membership? Maybe you’ve heard about all the benefits of open membership models and want to try it out for yourself.Great! Open memberships can be a fantastic business model. It’s the very same model we use for our own Membership Academy. But don’t just jump headfirst into the switch! If you’re changing to an open membership model, it’s not as easy as changing your mind and keeping the doors open all year. There are lots of things to consider and adjustments to make if you make such a big move. You’ll need to think about all sorts of things like marketing, sales figures, how it will affect the community, and much more!In this episode, I share some things to know about and the best ways to prepare your membership for an enrolment change.Essential Learning Points:Why you need a solid reason for switching membership modelsHow your approach to marketing will need to changeWhy you need to change your sales expectationsThe importance of member onboarding with an open-door membershipHow the membership community will change once you switchImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership Academy5 Reasons Why I Dislike the Closed Door Membership Launch StrategyKey Quotes:“An always open membership relies heavily on evergreen marketing, having that marketing machine that works year-round. And the big piece of that is going to be your core sales funnel.”“Don't start panicking when you have a day where you don't get any sales because it's all about the long term.”“You can't get away with sloppy onboarding as much in an open membership as you can in a closed membership.”

Are you toying with the idea of switching from an open to a closed-door membership model?Hold on! Before you make the switch, there are some vital things to consider first. In this episode, I’ll take you through the top things to prepare for, decide on, and consider before switching your enrolment model.Switching to a closed-door model isn’t a decision to take lightly. It doesn’t just affect your marketing. It can change the whole member experience as well. This episode covers some ways you can weather the storm and make the switch a smooth transition. Essential Learning Points:Why you need a solid reason for changing your enrolment modelWhat you need to prepare for and communicate to your membersHow a closed-door model can change the member experienceWhat switching to a closed-door model will do for member numbersWhy you still need to market and keep people engaged throughout the yearImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership Academy6 Situations Where The Closed Door Membership Model Makes SenseKey Quotes:“It just stands to reason that, if you have a product, you want to make it available and accessible for people to buy and join when the time is right for them.”“Clear, transparent communication about this change, whether you're going from open to closed or close to open, is key to really nailing this process.”“Whether your doors are open all the time or closed and only open two or three times a year, you still need to market year-round. You still need to show up in between your launches.”

Good news... it's my birthday!! Bad news... I literally NEVER work on my birthday…It’s one of my rules...And as much as I love The Membership Guys podcast… I can’t break this rule. So I’m taking the day off….And that can mean only one thing... CALLIE IS TAKING OVER!(And I get to eat cake)Join the other (some would say better) half of The Membership Guys for a very special episode, as Callie shares her top takeaways from season 4 of her podcast, Behind the Membership, and reveals the release date for season 5. Listen to hear about: The changes membership owners have made to better serve their audiences during the global pandemic. Caryn Liles explains how Covid 19 resulted in her transitioning her well established brick and mortar dog training business to an online membership model, which is now allowing her to provide more in-depth support than before. Katie Wardrobe talks about how she reduced the price of her membership and offered more free content to help teachers adapt to working online, which has increased the growth of her business. How Carole Copeland Thomas’s membership has become more important than ever due to the growing racial tensions across the U.S. Why a one size fits all approach doesn’t work when it comes to memberships. Pamela Mitchell explains how she created a model to suit her needs and Felicia Lo shares the benefits and challenges of running an online membership alongside a well established international yarn business. Steve Pavlina also talks about how he offers a high ticket annual membership that only launches for five days a year. How season 4 reinforced the message that memberships give owners the freedom and flexibility to live life on their own terms. Whether it’s accommodating health issues like in the case of Marisha Mets, building a location independent business enabling family travel like in the case of Trish Blackwell... Or using your membership to reach big goals and eventually give back to underprivileged communities like John Michaloudis. How running memberships can lead to positive change. Warwick Brown explains how leaving his corporate role and launching his membership has led to a happier, more energized life and Warren Mcpherson shares how he reduced his income streams and took ownership of his time so he can spend more of it with his young family.    Links and Mentions: Behind The Membership podcast Launching Quickly in a Global Crisis with Caryn LilesDouble your member base during a pandemic with Katie Wardrobe Facilitating Change Through Difficult Conversations with Carole Copeland ThomasCreating a High Level Coaching Membership with Coach Pamela MitchellAdding a Membership to a Successful Manufacturing Business with Felicia LoAligning Your Members to Your Vision with Steve PavlinaCreating a Custom Web App for Your Members with Marisha MetsFighting Through a Crisis of Confidence with Trish BlackwellStaying Consistent as a One-Man Band with Warwick BrownSetting Ambitious Goals for Your Membership with John MichaloudisMore Time, More Freedom, More Income with Warren McphersonKey Quotes: “Memberships are game changers at the best of times, but in 2020 they proved that even more.”“Everything is possible with a membership model if you focus on what’s going to serve you and your members” “There is no right or wrong way when it comes to membership sites, it’s what’s best for you.”

Whether you are new to memberships, thinking about starting one, or have been doing it for years, there are some key things that everyone needs to know. In this episode, I share some of the admittedly boring yet super important things you need to know about running a membership. This episode covers things like insurance, tax, payments, and copyright laws – all that fun stuff!To keep your website and business fully protected, give this episode a listen in case there’s anything you’re currently missing. Essential Learning Points:How to cover the legal aspect of running a membershipWhy it’s important to get a hold over your finances and taxHow to protect your website and content from theft What you need to know about insurance and protecting your businessImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyEssential Guide to GDPR for Membership Site OwnersKeeping Your WordPress Membership Site SecureWhat To Do When Someone Steals Your Membership ContentShould You Allow Competitors to Join Your Membership?How to Deal With Payment Disputes in Your MembershipSuzanne Dibble’s websiteDigital VAT 2015 Facebook groupTermsFeedTermageddonKey Quotes:“It’s better to be safe than sorry, and getting professional indemnity insurance generally will not cost much at all.”“The truth is most security issues for any type of membership, product, or website come from human error. So, you want to make sure that you are clued up.” “It’s certainly advisable to get an accountant on board to help you set your membership up correctly and ensure all your tax and reporting obligations are met.”

Is your membership stressing you out?When you first started your journey to being a membership owner, the chances are you didn’t picture sleepless nights and dreading going to work. In fact, you probably imagined finally getting to live the life you always wanted ­– so, where’s it all gone wrong? Owning any business, including a membership, is going to come with stressors. That’s just a fact. But there are several things that could be happening in your membership that are making you unhappy, that you can do something about.In this episode, we talk about the eight most common areas that cause stress for membership owners. We reveal how you can manage these and make running your membership as enjoyable and stress-free as you hoped it would be!Essential Learning Points:How to adjust your expectations for your membershipWhy you should be focusing on the long game How to set manageable deadlinesHow to be realistic with your content strategyWhich tasks you should be outsourcing to free up your timeHow to stay focused on your own progressWhy setting boundaries is essential to managing stressHow context can reframe your anxieties Important Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership Academy 6 Tasks You Should Outsource To Make Your Membership More ManageableKey Quotes:“With memberships, you get to set the terms. You get to create a business of your own design that fits with your goals for your life.”“You're not creating a finished product, you're starting a journey. You have the freedom and flexibility to adapt and evolve your membership over time.”“Don't try and do everything yourself. You're not a superhero.”

Are you ready to launch a membership? Are you really ready? If you’ve been toying with the idea of launching a membership for some time, you might be wondering if the timing is right. Many business gurus out there will tell you to jump in and “just start,” but hold on!Memberships are a funny business. Launching your membership is all about timing it right. If you get it wrong, it’s much harder to change your mind or get out of it when you have paying members with high expectations. You need to do the groundwork first. In this episode, we take you through the signs that now is the time to launch your membership. These are signs that your membership will get off to a great start, has a real audience, and won’t fizzle out over time. Essential Learning Points:Why timing is so important when starting a membershipThe downsides of jumping into a membership before you’re readyWhy you need to be clear on what you’re offering and who you’re servingHow much time you need to dedicate at the beginningWhy building your audience before launching a membership is the best moveImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyWhy Membership Site Owners Need to Niche Down (And STAY Niched)Membership ToolkitKey Quotes:“The most successful memberships are the ones that solve a specific problem and serve a specific audience.”“The riches are in the niches when it comes to memberships.”“It's not about having thousands of people on an email list before you can even contemplate starting a membership. It's far more important that your following is relevant than it is huge.”

In this one-off bonus episode to mark Mental Health Awareness Week, I'm opening up about my history of dealing with clinical depression.To say this is not a typical episode of The Membership Guys Podcast would be an understatement...There's nothing here about memberships, there are no tips, there is no advice. Just my story of mental health challenges which I'm sharing in the hopes of removing the stigma and normalising discussion around topics like depression.If you choose to skip this and stick to the 'membership stuff' then that definitely does not make you a bad person! However if you do listen then I hope sharing this frank, "warts and all" story of my personal fight with depression helps you to either better navigate your own challenges or to support others in your life who are struggling.Please consider supporting others by donating to www.mind.org.uk or alternative mental health charities in your area if you can.

What’s the secret to marketing your membership? Spoiler: there isn’t just one secret! There are multiple different methods to try, but there are some universal truths to always bear in mind first. In this episode, we share the 12 universal truths to membership marketing. There may not be some hidden secret that will guarantee you success, but these truths apply to all types of membership (and many other businesses as well.)If you’re unsure of what marketing approach to take or whether you need to spend much time marketing at all, don’t miss this episode!Essential Learning Points:The 12 universal truths that apply to all membershipsWhy there’s never a one-size-fits-all approach to marketingWhy building trust should be a key part of your marketingThe importance of marketing and why you can’t overlook itImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyKevin Kelly’s 1,000 True FansBob Berg’s The Go-Giver book Key Quotes:“Think of your membership as a painkiller, not a vitamin. You want it to be a must-have, not a nice-to-have.”“An average product that has great marketing will always beat a great product with average marketing.”“What someone says about you is worth so much more than what you say about yourself.”

There’s a lot of advice out there about memberships, some of it good, some of it downright awful! If you’re not sure who to listen to or you’re worried you’ve made a mistake about starting a membership, don’t miss this episode. In this episode, we break down the five top pieces of bad (and damaging) advice we’ve seen about running a membership. We take you through competition in the membership world, whether you really need scarcity to sell and if memberships are as dead as people claim. *Spoiler* they’re not!Essential Learning Points:How to recognize bad membership adviceWhy the membership model is NOT dying out Why healthy competition is good The problem with using scarcity to sell Why a closed-door membership does not mean less workImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership Academy1,000 True Fans by Kevin KellyCompeting with Established Memberships in Your MarketAre You Leaving Money On The Table in Your Membership Business?Key Quotes:“It’s fine to leave money on the table if it’s not a table you want to sit at.”“If you’re building your business and basing your strategy on whatever’s in vogue this month, then that’s the wrong approach.”“We shouldn’t be scared off by the existence of competition or worried that a market is too oversaturated. In fact, it’s more of a worry if there’s no competition.”

In this special one-off episode, we're asking you guys to help us shape the future direction of The Membership Guys Podcast by having your say on the topics you'd like us to hear more about.To help you do this, we're testing out some incredibly nifty new tech from our podcast hosts Captivate that add interactive surveys to our show - so not only do you help us out, you also get a glimpse at some cool tech stuff too. Win-win!Head over to https://www.themembershipguys.com/podcastsurvey to make your voice heard.

How can you launch a membership without any audience? The simple answer is you don’t have to. You need to put in the work to build that audience first.  That’s exactly what we did, and in this episode, we share all the little details that went into building our audience BEFORE we launched the Membership Academy. So, join me on a trip down memory lane. We’re talking about the early days of The Membership Guys and what we did six years ago to get where we are today.We share detailed tips on content marketing, blogging, building your email list, and gaining interest before you even sign up your first member. Essential Learning Points:It doesn’t take thousands of dollars to launch a membershipYou don’t need a huge email list to launch your membershipWhat steps you can take to build interest in your membershipThe importance of a solid launch strategyWhere The Membership Guys are today.Important Links & Mentions:The Membership GuysMembership AcademyMember Machine bookMembership Economy by Robbie Kellman BaxterSuperfast Business Membership ToolkitKey Quotes:“Do what you can with what you have.”“We hated having to turn people away and not being able to give them a suggestion of where to go.”“450 people on an email list…you’re not going to brag to many people about that. It’s still fairly small…but it was big enough.”

How do you make your membership ‘stickier’? By that, we mean, how do you get members to stick around for your content?The key is to give them something worth sticking around for. You might have great content on the horizon, but do you members know about it? In this podcast episode, I share seven simple ways to let your members know about all the amazing things you have planned for future content. Most of these are simple tweaks you can do today, such as posting on social media or emailing your members. We also share some less commonly known tactics to showcase upcoming valuable content. Essential Learning Points:Why it’s so important to signpost future contentHow to use the ‘Pain of Disconnect’ or FOMO to keep your members interestedWhy an upcoming content list is a simple way to signpost future valueThe types of future content you should promote and howHow to use future content to influence current content.Important Links & Mentions:The Membership AcademyDigital Marketer The Memberoni themeAddEvent7 Things to Consider When Choosing a Membership Site Theme21 Quick Tips for Improving Member RetentionKey Quotes:“Memberships are a value exchange.”“The true value from a membership comes from the things the content enables, the results, the wins, the success stories.”“You’re giving them a glimpse at a possible future that they could have, in terms of outcome, transformation, results, wins, if they actually apply the content that is being released.”

What should you do after you launch your membership? Once the launch is all over and done with, what next? Do you just wait for more members to drop by? No, you’ve still got plenty of work to do to grow your membership business. In fact, the easy part is over!  In this podcast episode, we share six things you need to do once you launch your membership to keep growing. You’ll want to focus on member retention, follow up with non-buyers, and develop a solid marketing strategy. Listen in to hear my top tactics for making the most of your successful launch, so interest doesn’t just fizzle out. Essential Learning Points:How your membership launch is probably the easiest marketing you’ll ever doWhy the first 30 days of your new membership are the most importantHow to utilize your happy members for future marketingWhy running a membership isn’t just about getting new members, it’s all about what happens after the saleImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership AcademyGoogle Analytics Key Quotes:“90% of success is all about what happens on the inside of a membership.” “In the afterglow of your launch, those first 30 days or so, really keep an eye out for any posts, comments, and feedback that you can use from your community…and then turn that into marketing collateral.”“You want those people that were on the fence during your launch and decided against joining to be kicking themselves for not signing up.”

Every superhero has an origin story…And as we're celebrating a huge milestone of recording 300 episodes of The Membership Guys podcast, Callie and I decided to do something a little bit special and share ours.In this episode we talk about things we’ve never talked about publicly before, giving you an insight into how The Membership Guys came to be and how we got to where we are today. Hopefully some of our story will resonate with you. Enjoy!  Episode Summary:The story of how Callie and I metOur business journey, including bad partnerships, 20 hour work days, and of course… membershipsSome personal struggles with depression, burnout and general health that we've never talked about beforePLUS we discuss how Callie has never seen the movie Karate Kid (shock), how in a weird multiverse The Membership Guys may never have come to be and much more!

What if your membership has a natural end date? While no membership will last forever, some hit a natural point where members drop off. This doesn’t necessarily mean the content was bad or you did anything wrong. That’s a whole other story. Sometimes members get everything they need and simply don’t need to remain a member. For example, if you have a membership site for helping people pass a driving test, that has a natural end date. After they pass, they probably won’t need your content anymore. So, what can you do? Do you just accept it, or do you fight to keep these members? In this episode, I discuss some of the tactics you can use to retain members, but also some alternatives and different ways of looking at it. If you’ve been scratching your head trying to come up with a solution, give this episode a listen, and hopefully, it’ll give you some fresh ideas to try out. Essential Learning Points:Why you need to question whether the membership model is right for youHow you can extend the scope of your content to maximize interestWhy retaining members isn’t always the right moveHow a natural end date could actually be a good thingThe most important metric to know in a membership business.Important Links & Mentions:The Membership AcademyWhy Member Lifetime Value is More Important Than Churn RateDespite What You’ve Heard, Average Member Retention is NOT Only 3 Months Key Quotes:“Membership works best when it’s addressing a recurring need.”“One-off needs like “I need to learn this specific process or pass this test” tend to work better as a course where there’s a very clear start and endpoint.”“When it comes down to numbers, everything is about one metric: Customer Lifetime Value.”

We all want to win over as many new members as possible. But did you know that keeping those members is often more important?Member acquisition is still essential. But unless you’re keeping those members, you’ll find yourself always relying on short-term, one-off members to make ends meet. Making people stick around is often harder than getting them interested in the first place. However, this is exactly what will help you grow your membership business. In this episode, I discuss the six top member retention mistakes I see businesses make. I also talk about why retention is often more important and valuable than member acquisition. Essential Learning Points:Why member retention is so important Why cancellations are not always a bad thing How important feedback is for keeping members The best ways to approach canceling membersImportant Links & Mentions:The Membership AcademyIntercomThe Membership Economy book by Robbie Kellman BaxterKey Quotes:“If the only thing standing in the way between someone being a member and someone leaving is that you have hidden the cancelation button, you’ve got bigger problems.”“When you’ve got members on your site engaging and using your membership, getting results, making progress, and forming connections, that is fuel for continued growth in your membership.”“Make the DECISION to cancel difficult, not the process.”