Get Ready For Your Membership Site

I recently conducted a teleseminar for First Step members on the topic "Create Your Own Membership Site". In preparing for this teleseminar, I asked members to send me their most pressing questions in advance, so I could make sure I answered them in the teleseminar.

Matt Hern asked this question:

"What is the priority of items/elements to prepare before launching a membership site? I know you need content, but what are the most in-demand / used / needed content elements?"

This is a great question, because some people launch into a membership site with great fanfare, but quickly lose interest because they haven't prepared for it effectively. On the other hand, if you do prepare well, your membership site can be one of your most profitable - and personally rewarding - offerings.

So how do you set your priorities for content?

Answer: Give them what they want, in the way they want it, when they want it.

In other words, it depends on your members. There's no one-size-fits-all answer.

Now I admit that might not be a very useful answer - on the surface. But here's the point (two points, actually):

  1. You should already know what your market most wants to know. They're telling you in your presentations, in client meetings, in diagnostic assessments, in coaching sessions, in e-mail questions, and at any other time you interact with them.
  2. And you should already know how they prefer to receive your solutions - in short e-mail replies, in detailed white papers, in small group sessions, in one-on-one coaching, or at large conferences.

Now you just have to translate that to your membership site.

For example ...

  • If you do your best work in small group sessions, plan a series of teleseminars.
  • If you keep getting the same questions over and over again, create a Frequently Asked Questions section.
  • If people keep asking for your take on news and current affairs items, publish a members-only blog.
  • If the people who come to your public seminars get as much value from talking among themselves as they do from your material, you know they value peer interactions (or maybe you're just not very good ), so focus on a discussion forum.
  • If people are buying your books, e-books, CDs and audio downloads from your Web site, make them available at no cost to members.

What if you don't know what they want or how they want it?

In that case, you're not ready for a membership site yet.

If they're not buying you in real life, they certainly won't buy you on-line. Not unless you're a brilliant Internet marketer. And most infopreneurs aren't.

But we do have a big advantage as infopreneurs. Before trying anything on-line, we can test it in real life with real people who have real problems and are seeking real solutions.

So cut your teeth in the real world, then figure out how to take this on-line. That's true of anything you do on-line, but particularly for something as big an investment as a membership site.

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Gihan Perera is an Internet coach who helps business professionals with e-marketing and e-learning. He's the author of "Web Sites for Speakers, Trainers, Coaches and Consultants" and "Fast, Flat and Free: How the Internet Has Changed Your Business". Visit http://GihanPerera.com and get your complimentary special reports.

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