The Membership Guys Podcast - Practical Advice For Membership Website Owners

In this episode of the Membership Geeks Podcast, I dive into the topic of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its implications for online membership businesses. Get my analysis of the hype surrounding AI as well as practical insights on how membership site owners can navigate the AI landscape.In this episode:How should membership site owners react to the rise of artificial intelligence?Does AI signify the end of online education or memberships?Should membership site owners prioritize AI or stick to their current business models?How can AI be practically applied in your membership businesses?Key Quotes & Takeaways:"These are just tools, they should be used as such, which is to say they should be used to solve actual problems, not just for the novelty factor.""The rush to capitalize on AI is leading to a lot of pointless and generic content, and the content that's created is actually quite inaccurate a lot of the time and requires a lot of checking and correction."Get more detailed insights about AI for member

Online summits can be a fantastic way to promote and grow your memberships; tapping into the attention and urgency created with 'event marketing' and converting a captive audience into paying subscribers.In this episode of the Membership Geeks Podcast, I'm joined by Krista Miller from Summit in a Box to share her strategies and top tips for selling your membership via an online summit.In this episode:What is the ideal length and number of sessions and speakers for your online summitThe most effective strategy for generating membership sales on the back of your summitTop tips for reaching out to guest experts to participate as summit speakersHow to ensure you get plenty of people attending your summitFind out more:Get more from Krista at Summit in a BoxThank You For ListeningWe really appreciate you choosing to listen to us and for supporting the podcast. We would be eternally grateful if you would consider taking a minute or two to leave an honest review and rating for the show. They're extremely&nb

Membership Academy just turned 8 years old!Listen in as Callie and I discuss the in's and out's of the past 12 months at Membership Academy and look ahead to what’s in store for the coming months and beyond.In this episode:Dissecting the most significant change we've ever made to Membership AcademyHow we finally solved a problem that's stumped us for almost a decadeThe big new addition to the Academy that had people thinking we're crazyWhy we've started coaching after years of turning down requestsThank You For ListeningWe really appreciate you choosing to listen to us and for supporting the podcast. We would be eternally grateful if you would consider taking a minute or two to leave an honest review and rating for the show. They're extremely helpful when it comes to reaching our audience and we read each and every one personally!Finally, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast to make sure that you never miss an episode.

It may not surprise you - given where you are - that we're HUGE fans of podcasting as a way to promote and grow a membership business.This podcast has been the cornerstone of our marketing strategy since 2015.But a LOT has changed since then as the podcast industry has experienced multiple boom periods and in more recent years seems to have hit a whole new level.In this episode I'm joined by one of the leading voices in the industry, Mark Asquith from Captivate.fm, o dive into what - if anything - this means for membership owners using podcasting as part of their strategy and how we should be adapting our approach to stay ahead of the curve.In this episode:The most significant ways in which podcasting has changed, and what that means for the "average" podcast hostThe importance of self-editing to stay focused and ensure you're delivering valuable content that helps you stand out in a crowded audio spaceUsing podcasts as a promotional tool for memberships and ways to more closely integrate your membership busi

We regularly get asked for our recommendations on the top tools for membership website owners.The truth is that there’s no such thing as the “perfect” membership site setup that will work for everyone – it all depends on what it is you want to achieve with your membership site, what features and functionality you need it to have, which email and payment software you’re using and a whole bunch of other details that determine which membership tools are the best fit for you.In this episode, we talk about the tools we use for our own membership website – Membership Academy – as well as the reasons why we chose those particular options.In this episode:Which membership plugin and other software we're using to power Membership AcademyWhy you don't need to use the exact same setup that we use (or anyone else is using)Changes we're considering making to our tech stack and frustrations we haveWhat WordPress theme do we use for our websites?

Join me on Episode 373 of the Membership Geeks Podcast as we dive deep into the fundamentals of the online memberships model! Get the scoop on the differences between courses and memberships, pricing models, and how to explain memberships to potential customers. In this episode:How memberships and subscriptions differ and why one does not always have to involve the otherKey differences between online memberships and signature coursesWhat is typically meant by the term "online membership" and which types of business this does NOT apply toKey Quotes & Takeaways:"A subscription is just a payment arrangement, a way to collect the recurring payments needed in most cases for continued access to a membership. The two go hand in hand for the vast majority of online memberships, but they are separate things. You don't need to have one in order to have the other.""The term membership is broad. It is ubiquitous, it can mean all sorts of different things, and it gets used by people for all sorts of different thi

In this comeback episode of the Membership Geeks Podcast, we dive into the importance of having a cart abandonment strategy for your membership business, exploring practical tips and proven strategies to prevent potential customers from leaving the sign-up process.In this episode:Understanding the reasons behind cart abandonment, such as unexpected extra charges and confusing payment termsSimplifying the checkout process and minimizing distractions to encourage sign-upsAddressing technical issues that may lead to abandoned checkoutsClarifying and simplifying pricing to avoid customer confusion and abandonmentSetting up email automation to follow up with customers who abandon their checkout processKey Quotes & Takeaways:"Anyone selling anything online should have a solid cart abandonment strategy. It really is that important.""A study found that a significant number of people who abandoned carts did so because of extra charges they weren't expecting. Extra costs, unclear payment terms, and unexpected taxes

Did you miss me?That's right, your favourite source of membership tips and advice is back in town after a bit of a hiatus, and we've got a whole bunch of fantastic new episodes lined up for you in the coming weeks and months!Time to really level up your online membership...

Wow… 7 years of Membership Academy! It’s been an exciting year as we began 2022 with a rebrand. Since then, we’ve gone from strength to strength as we’ve focused on growing our membership. Listen in as Callie and I discuss the highs and lows of Membership Academy and look ahead to what’s in store for the coming months and beyond. Go behind-the-scenes of our Academy roadmap launch and learn what surprised us the most. Plus, discover the changes we’ve made in order to grow our business. Join the Membership Academy:https://www.membershipacademy.com/ ( https://www.membershipacademy.com/) For more membership growth tips,subscribe to the Membership Geeks podcast and listen on the go!

In this episode going Behind The Membership, ClickUp consultant, Layla Pomper, chats to Callie to discuss how she went from accidentally creating a waitlist of buyers to running a membership with over 600 members. Layla reveals how she made the leap from service-based provider to thriving membership owner… Plus, she also shares how getting into the minds of her active members has been crucial towards her success. Essential Learning Points:The accidental marketing that led to a SURPRISE waitlist of potential buyers. How starting a membership has given people value while solving practical issues around software updates. How Layla made the transition from service provider to full-time membership owner. The ONE thing she’s used to overcome the challenge of supporting her members colleagues. The aspect that’s been one of the hardest things to build due to the nature of her niche. Reasons behind her pricing strategy in correlation to understanding member pain points. How recognizing the main value of the membership

How can you create a personal touch in your membership when you have hundreds or thousands of members to serve?... The bigger your membership grows, the more difficult it is to create a personal connection with individual members… But, if you want members to stick around in the long-term, and set yourself apart from your competition, forming a deeper relationship with people is essential! In this episode, Mike shares 8 simple ways to add a personal touch to your membership.  Discover the one thing you can do to create an instant impact on new members, why short video messages can provide maximum value, and how to provide individual attention in a highly leveraged way.  Join the Membership Academy:https://www.membershipacademy.com/ ( https://www.membershipacademy.com/) For more membership growth tips, subscribe to the Membership Geeks podcast and listen on the go!

Creating a membership is an exhilarating time… The creative juices are flowing… And there’s no better feeling than the buzz of a new member joining… But what happens when that excitement begins to fade?... In this episode, Mike explores 8 effective ways to prevent your membership from becoming a burden.  Discover why content doesn’t equal value, the one thing you should do to prevent your membership from taking over your life, and why keeping things simple is important! Join the Membership Academy:https://www.membershipacademy.com/ ( https://www.membershipacademy.com/) For more membership growth tips, subscribe to the Membership Geeks podcast and listen on the go!

In this episode of Behind The Membership, artist, Josie Lewis, chats to Callie to reveal how she attracted over 800 members during her very first launch of the Art Revenue Coaching membership.  Josie shares how pivoting her existing audience helped her to double her email list and validate her membership idea… Plus, she discusses the one thing she will do differently when her membership doors reopen.  Essential Learning Points: How Josie overcame her fear of creating an online membership. The MAJOR benefit of online memberships that led to her adding this income stream to her business. The TRAP that many business owners fall into when they have an existing audience. The ONE thing that resulted in her DOUBLING her email list. How learning what the audience wants has been pivotal towards her success. What Josie plans to do differently for her next launch. The HUGE membership benefit that she didn’t anticipate. The model she plans on implementing within her membership to aid her members growth. Importa

What happens when the buzz of your initial membership launch dies down? In many ways, launching your membership is some of the easiest marketing you’ll ever do! But keeping people interested is a challenge…. In this episode, Mike reveals 7 effective ways your membership can continue to make sales after launching. Discover what you can do to create FOMO (the fear of missing out), the one thing that exposes gaps in your marketing strategy, and why you should remarket to ‘almost’ buyers. Join the Membership Academy:https://www.membershipacademy.com/ ( https://www.membershipacademy.com/) For more membership growth tips, subscribe to the Membership Geeks podcast and listen on the go!

Do you know what the average churn rate is for a typical online membership? How about revenue benchmarks? Average conversion rates? What about the most popular tech solutions? Or the most effective marketing channels? Truth is, there's very little reliable data available about the online membership industry. That's because this market is relatively tiny. It's a niche, of a niche, of a niche. What data we do have tends to come from either the broader subscription industry, or from membership associations. Neither of which reflect the online membership world. A few years ago we made it our on a mission to change that by conducting a survey of thousands of membership owners designed to shine a light on the real data and benchmarks for the online membership industry. And now it's time for an update... We’ve spent the past fews months tapping into our audience of tens of thousands of membership business owners to identify how they’re performing, what challenges they’re facing and which benchmarks and trends a

How do you create the best member experience? That’s a big question to tackle, but we’re taking a swing at it in this episode of The Membership Geeks podcast. You’ll hear why the first four weeks are the most vital in the membership journey as far as setting the tone for the member experience is concerned. There’s also a five-phase approach and a comprehensive list of things to do within and after the first four weeks of a member’s journey. Armed with this information, you’ll get your members settled and engaged right off the bat.   Essential Learning Points: The importance of linking your deliverables to tangible results Why you should draw out a roadmap for your member’s journey The bare minimum approach to enriching membership experience vs. the comprehensive approach How pattern interrupts brighten up the membership experience Important Links & Mentions: https://www.membershipgeeks.com/ (The Membership Geeks) https://www.membershipacademy.com/ (Membership Academy) Key Quotes: “Gamification

Not everyone starts their business planning to launch a membership. This week’s Behind the Membership episode features Christelle Janse Van Rensburg, Co-Founder of the Creative Crafting Club, who talks about her franchise-turned-membership business.  Christelle was running a successful arts and crafts club franchise until the pandemic shut everything down. She and her sister searched for a solution and found that a membership was a perfect fit.  Since then, their member numbers have exploded, and they’ve seen great success! We wanted to hear how she and her sister pulled it off, what tips she has for others, and why she loves the membership business lifestyle.  Essential Learning Points: How the Creative Crafting Club works Why the pandemic sparked the idea of starting a membership  Why the Creative Crafting Club uses a closed model membership Why running challenges has been a key marketing tactic How Facebook groups keep everyone engaged and supportive of each other The biggest challenges

Finding new ways to get members piling into your membership is a difficult path to navigate. But finding a niche market and establishing yourself as an expert in that field is certainly a way to boost your chances. That way, you can build authority and trust and get members joining in their droves. In this episode of The Membership Geeks podcast, hosts Mike Morrison and Callie Willows dive into the steps you can take to establish yourself as an expert on your membership topic. They go on to explain how these pointers could help your membership site flourish more quickly than you think. Essential Learning Points: Why building authority will help your membership service flourish How to cater to a niche market How content creation can help you build your reputation Why writing a book is not dated – it would still hugely help your reputation Important Links & Mentions: https://www.membershipacademy.com/ (Membership Academy) https://www.membershipgeeks.com/ (Membership Geeks) https://www.membershipgeeks.com/n

Running a membership website can be one of the most rewarding experiences... You become recognized as an authority within your niche, build a loyal community, and a successful business in the process...  But what people don't tend to talk about are the potential pitfalls that you need to avoid... And there are a few of them! As anyone running an online business - or any business in fact - will tell you... There are risks that will pop up at lots of different stages of your entrepreneurial journey... Knowing what these risks are... And, more importantly how to avoid them, can be really useful. With that in mind, this episode explores five of the biggest risks facing membership owners right now.

When you start up a membership site, you naturally want to give your members a perfect experience. Or at least as close to perfect as possible. The key to that is finding the right tools, software, and plugins to help you deliver a fantastic membership experience. But it’s tough to find the right tools and even harder to know whose opinions to trust. In this episode of The Membership Geeks podcast, your hosts, Mike Morrison and Callie Willows share some expert tips on finding the closest thing to ‘the perfect plugin’ and how to find reviews you can trust. Essential Learning Points: Why not all reviews can be trusted (they may be paid affiliates) What works for one membership service may not work for yours How people’s past experiences can affect their opinions and suggestions for plugins Why great functionality is the most important thing to look for Important Links & Mentions: https://www.membershipacademy.com/ (Membership Academy) https://www.membershipgeeks.com/ (Membership Geeks) Key Quotes: “Whatev