Membership Space Blog: Insights for Effective Management

There are several ways to earn revenue while helping others out.  The most successful ones, however, have the added bonus of providing their members with a sense of community where they can come together and share their experiences, as well as their ideas.  You should be familiar with the importance of providing your audience with a means of becoming a paid subscriber on your membership websites.  But, how much does it cost to set up and run a membership website?

 

This is a critical aspect that should be answered before you can figure out how much it will cost.  The reason for this is that there are various types of content that can be generated, such as marketing material, videos, photos, and more.  Generally, it costs about $10 per hour for each salesperson hired for membership websites.  Nevertheless, you need to adjust the costs based on several factors, including the skill level of the person hired and whether or not they sign a contract.

 

If you are starting a membership website, then you need to make a decision on hiring employees or freelance workers to generate the required content.  Freelance work is much cheaper than hiring employees; but, it might be less efficient since they need more time to finish their work.  Once you decide on how the required content will be created, you get a better idea about how much it will cost.

 

If your membership website is successful, it may be required to pay taxes.  This is because the profits earned from sales depends on the amount of money spent on marketing campaigns that you use in order to promote the website.  Determining the costs associated with setting up and running a membership website are not only based on how much it costs when you are starting out but also on whether or not you have been in business for many years.

 

Most associations want to create a membership website; however, there are quite a few barriers that need to be cleared before the website goes live.  One of the most critical decisions for a membership website might be how much it costs to set up and run.  There are numerous factors that should be considered beforehand in order to identify these costs, such as what the website will offer, what content will be provided, and whether or not any staff members being hired need to sign contracts.

Membership websites are an integral part of an online business, but they do not always come with a wealth of content.  When you look at most club websites, you will notice that quality content usually requires time, effort and creativity, as well as the addition of new skills as technology changes.  It takes dedication and invaluable content creation tools to set up a membership website for success.  Here is an overview of some content creation tools that will help your membership succeed.

 

User-generated content (UGC) is a marketing tactic that allows associations to engage their members through content created by members themselves.  When you analyze most club websites, you realize that it includes podcasts, pictures, videos, reviews, and blog posts.

 

This type of social media strategy makes it easy for members to talk about what they like and dislike about products and services, providing valuable feedback so you know where to make improvements.  While user-generated content has been used for several years by brands to collect feedback and reach a wider audience, it has become a very popular tactic with memberships.

 

Google Trends analyzes search data across varied languages and regions, then shows which search queries are becoming more popular over time.  That can be a real treasure for content creators who are interested in identifying the hottest topics to explore and write about.  Google Trends provides demographic data related to who is searching for specific products or services and what queries are trending where you live.

 

The Strive Content Calendar is a useful way for creating and distributing content for membership websites.  In particular, this tool can be helpful in ensuring your posts are always organized, which is beneficial if you have a large association.  The tool can also assist you with scheduling new content and automatically post it.  More importantly, you can use it to publish old posts again with revisions and enhance your SEO tactics without writing fresh posts.

 

If you are maintaining a membership website, the content on your site is one of your most critical assets.  It helps members stay engaged and it is what drives them to remain a member.  By using these content creation tools, you increase your chances of creating high-quality content so each piece is valuable and members are more likely to renew their membership.

When it is time to launch your own membership website, you are likely full of anticipation on what the next few months will bring.  You have poured a lot into this and now it is finally time to see what will happen.  Membership management software makes it easier to acquire more members during and after the website launch.  Below are three great ideas to attract new members after the initial launch is over.

 

Social proof is a psychological phenomenon that happens when people copy the actions of others in their environment.  Basically, most people will follow anything that appears to be the popular choice.  The more members who join your association, trust your product, or follow your membership on social media, the more other people will too.  Take advantage of this opportunity by showcasing testimonials from happy members and use membership management software to know what people prefer.

 

One way to keep your association going strong is by frequently asking your members why they joined in the first place, what they like, and what they don’t like.  This helps you understand if changes need to be made or if more members are needed in order for the association to work properly.  Leave everything open for discussion with your members, whether it be a poll or in a forum.  If there are issues, then you need to be aware of them so you can make improvements for the future.

 

There are many reasons why a particular launch may not be as successful as expected, and finding out why is key in order to determine what needs to be done for the association to have better results going forward.  You could conduct a survey for your target audience to answer what made them join your membership.  That way, you can easily see where there may be gaps in your marketing strategy so you will know the issues you should concentrate on.

 

When starting a new membership, the major hurdle is getting the first few members.  As a result, most start-ups focus on launching early and getting initial users on board.  However, after that point, they should shift their efforts and consider how they can actively attract new members who want to join as soon as possible!

Everyone knows that cancellation policies are not always fair, especially if you’re buying a membership.  Sometimes, when you cancel a membership, you might get sent to collections or all your payments might be refunded, but other times they just drop it.  When you look on membership websites, you will discover that the worst members are those who hold onto their membership for a long time but never use it.  Here are the cancellation policies to avoid with your membership at all times.

 

One of the policies to avoid with your membership is that access must be revoked as soon as a member cancels.  In other words, it’s unethical to instantly end a member’s access during the period they have paid for since they will remain a member until the next billing cycle.  For instance, if your billing cycle date is on the 28th and you cancel your membership on the 8th, you still have about 20 days remaining.

 

It can be difficult to follow through on your plans regarding canceling memberships.  One of the main reasons that people decide not to cancel memberships is that they don’t want their members to be able to rejoin.  That’s why it’s important for your cancellation policies to clearly state whether or not a member will be able to join again after they have canceled their membership.  Doing this will ensure that you set the right precedents and stay true where others have failed.

 

It’s immoral to demand a notice period before one cancels their membership.  Since members didn’t provide a notice before joining, they should not have to give one before leaving.  Most membership websites recommend that you should read the fine print before you sign a membership agreement.

 

If the association gives a specific amount of time in which you have to cancel, check if there’s a specified number of phone calls or receipts that must be given to determine whether or not you meet the requirements.  As a member, you want to find a fair cancellation policy to avoid issues later on.  The best cancellation policies provide you with easy-to-understand information about charges.

When you develop a membership website, the best way to keep your customers engaged is through relevant and helpful content.  You should provide them with the information they are looking for in a quick, easy, and engaging manner.  It will boost your chances of retaining their interest and increase the likelihood of them returning to your club websites.  This guide will help you discover what improves engagement on membership websites.

 

Obviously, you can’t please everybody and you definitely won’t be able to do so on membership websites.  So, the key aspect to improved engagement is to create a balance that resonates with enough people that they stay interested in what you offer.  The most important thing to do here is to remember how much time your members have each day to invest in your content.  For engagement to happen, not only do they need to want the content but they also need the time to invest in it.

 

One point in sharing content is so that a visitor or member can also share it with others that might find value in it.  If people are reading your blog posts and getting value from it, they should be able to easily share it on social media.  Try using a plugin that adds social sharing buttons to certain pages on your club websites.  This way, members can easily share their favorite content with friends and followers.

 

To execute this strategy successfully, you need a few practical tactics prepared ahead of time so you know exactly what to do when someone takes it.  For example, the website might have a reward system for logging in each day.  However, if that isn’t enough, you could create a list of desired member behaviors and reward those behaviors for increasing engagement and retention rates on your website.

 

Engaging visitors with interactive content on membership websites is usually difficult since associations face multiple challenges to create tools and experiences that will attract visitors and keep them engaged once they arrive.  Often, it requires analysis, website management, and continuous improvement, which all come at a cost for organizations with limited resources or teams dedicated solely to these tasks.

It’s common for membership websites to have the same content and frequently the same price as other websites in their niche.  This might be an issue for several reasons depending on the market and what experience you offer to your members but don’t worry!  There are plenty of ways to use membership management software so you impart your own touch and still offer a competitive service.  Consider using these ways to instill uniqueness in your membership.

 

You should have an introduction section in your forum as it gives members a chance to introduce themselves and their hobbies.  Using this tells you what members are like, why they joined, and how the forum has helped them.  It helps build trust between people who aren’t well known for being themselves but instead their skill sets.  It’s also a good idea to have membership management software set up so there are additional options for users to update information about themselves regularly.

 

One way that has proved to be successful with instilling uniqueness in a membership is to have an online questionnaire for those who sign up to join but haven’t provided any information other than their email address.  If they answer the questions, you get more details about them which can be used to tailor their content.

 

In-app messaging systems work similar to email marketing with one big difference, they’re delivered within the timeframe of the app or at least near enough so as not to interfere with the user’s experience.  The goal should be that by the user opting into your messages, they will know exactly what to expect from the beginning and start getting excited about the fact that they opted in.

 

Begin by having someone on camera at the start of every meeting or event for just a few minutes as it can really make an impression with new members as it builds trust and delivers what no one else has.  The videos can be used for a variety of purposes, but make sure you instill your passion and share the vision of your business.

Membership marketing is easier when you stick to your typical sales pitch.  Although this method of marketing has proven to be successful in the past, it isn’t likely to be enough anymore.  In order for associations to stand out from others, they have to have something unique about them!

Marketers know that getting everyone to pay for their products and services is the toughest challenge.  That’s why getting people on a payment plan is critical before they forget or cancel.  Most membership websites indicate that if members sign up with a recurring billing program, you can provide them with more ways of paying and be likely to boost conversions.  With the following tips, you just might be able to recover some of your payments and maintain member renewals.

 

Even if you have a credit card on file, you should never assume the consumer knows what their next step is or that they even think about your product or service.  Under most consumer laws, you must confirm that consumers know how to contact you on membership websites; some states require written notices to be provided.  The easier it is for them to pay and recover payments, the more likely it will be for your organization to keep members.

 

Obviously, it’s wise to know your state’s laws when it comes to debt collection laws and regulations.  It might be more than a matter of your finances; if you go into debt with a vendor, the vendor may attempt to collect that debt from you later on.  Owing merchants can even impact credit scores so make sure you know the state laws before trying to collect debt from consumers.

 

If you have members who have an issue with their payment on a specific date, you may want to consider offering a flexible renewal date for their convenience.  For example, if members are planning to be out of town on the notice date but would like to make an early payment, you could offer a flexible payment deadline that allows members to pay before they leave.  That will eliminate any problems with payments and ensure that all your members are up-to-date on their dues.

 

In this era, all organizations need to know how to recover payments and maintain membership renewals.  Often, consumers don’t realize that monthly or annual commitments will automatically go into effect until they receive a receipt.  For this reason, you need to provide all relevant information in an easy-to-ready manner on invoices and statements so your consumers won’t be caught off guard when they see an impending charge.

It can be extremely difficult for a business to stand out from their competition and make an impact on their customers.  With so many other businesses using social media, marketers have a tough time finding a voice that is uniquely theirs.  According to club websites, social media platforms allow you to get an unfiltered look into what people think and feel about your brand, which can give you fresh insight into what drives them.

 

Social media is a powerful vehicle for reaching your audience, but not all networks are created equal.  Here is a brief look at the best social media platforms you should use to promote your business going forward.

 

Facebook is a platform that has achieved sky-high status over its many years as an online destination.  It has a huge user base with friends willing to check in frequently on your profile.  That makes it a great place to share pictures of new products or services and work-related updates with people that might be interested in your ideas.  For businesses, it’s not just a place to share and advertise but a place where you can exchange ideas.

 

Twitter is an effective platform to promote your brand and stand out from the crowd.  With its quick way of giving updates, people will often pay more attention to tweets that hang around and have over 140 characters.  While Twitter lets you stay in touch with customers and potential clients, it has proven profitable for many brands such as companies that sell products and those that deal with services like tourism.

 

Social media is there to build relationships with users through your online presence.  With LinkedIn, you can create a professional presence that will help you build connections with individuals since it is more of a social networking site.  Comments on club websites suggest that people who are looking for relevant connections are more likely to follow you on LinkedIn than other platforms as the site is generally used for business purposes.

 

One critical aspect to keep in mind with social media platforms is that people tend to stick to one rather than use all of them.  Try adding content to each one as variety gives you a better chance of reaching new people and getting noticed.  When you mix it up, you give your company a better chance of building an audience interested in what you offer in terms of products or services.

Sponsorships are a significant part of an association’s marketing and fundraising strategy.  After using membership management software for a number of years, you realize there are benefits to a sponsorship but many associations struggle with getting their message out to potential sponsors.  Whether you are board member scrambling for new ideas or a marketing manager looking to improve your standard approach, these tips will help you maximize your association’s ability to get sponsorships in the future.

 

Most associations are not designed around managing sponsorships, and many lack a strong sponsorship function.  So when a sponsor comes along with the right proposition, the traditional structures of association management may create “roadblocks” to better results.

 

One recommendation is that associations adopt a strategic partnership model to engage sponsors, which could include an enhanced collaboration between staff, management, and their external community partners.  This would allow for a better understanding of the actual needs of each partner or customer and provide opportunities for scope expansion specifically to capitalize on unique segments or markets.

 

For many associations, sponsors are the only way for them to generate new revenue.  But a sponsorship strategy will only be successful if the organization clearly understands its sponsors and what they expect from such partners.

 

Associations should use membership management software to develop sponsorship target profiles, including an understanding of market segments that help identify target candidates and research their expectations to confirm they align.  Ultimately, associations must leverage these insights to identify partnerships that help achieve sustainable results.

 

Associations don’t usually make more money from sponsorships as they are not yet all that appealing to sponsors.  The main reason for this is that the opportunities on creating value for all parties involved are not considered in the sponsorship proposal.  To improve such a situation, associations must think about changing their approach.

This includes some strategies to identify and deliver on the opportunities for generating new revenue, especially in target markets that are not yet covered.  For most people, the thought of brand and sponsorship marketing is a complete mystery as their sponsor strategy is still a case of trial and error.  They have been trying different tactics to attract more sponsors for years and are still in search of that winning combination.

Lead generation includes one of the most important aspects of any membership website.  However, in order to generate targeted leads and potential buyers, a website must collect as much relevant data as possible.  There are many types of leads that membership websites can generate which include an email list lead, a search result lead, and even a traffic lead.  The following strategies will help you focus on what type of lead your website generates best so you can create an appropriate strategy.

 

Membership websites can be very effective at generating attention and converting visitors to members.  In essence, you need to focus on the benefits that your members will get after joining instead of trying to sell your product directly on the website.  Therefore, the more benefits and features that you put on your website, the more likely people will be to sign up.

 

Marketing is an important aspect of a lead generation strategy but you might be putting your brand at risk if you only do it for the sake of marketing.  This is why combining member-led and paid strategies can help you achieve more.  For instance, as long as you do not make it appear that you are simply trying to get members through paid ads, some members are more likely to trust your brand and buy from it.  In other words, the chances of them signing up with a paid membership is greater.

 

You should also know that membership websites can be very effective because of their ability to convert.  Although there are times when visitors are unsure about signing up.  In those situations, you must have a solid offer that will persuade them to become a member.  Try using a set of bonuses or a special offer that entices them to join your membership.

 

In recent years, the internet has continuously given businesses more efficient ways to reach their target audience.  This includes a wide range of marketing strategies that can generate leads for your company through member value, content marketing, and advertising.  But even with these trends, you should still tell your story and identify the best marketing strategy for your audience when developing a lead generation strategy for a membership website.