What You Should Know Before You Start a Membership Site
Business Overview:
If you are an expert in your field or have specialized knowledge and want to start a business, you should consider learning how to start a membership site. There is a huge market these days for subscription-based websites that offer valuable information on a wide variety of subjects. People will pay a monthly fee—month after month, often for years—to have access not only to the information you provide, but also to be able to interact with other people on the site. To get started, you’ll need to decide what type of content you will provide. It could be video training or written articles on the subject that you are an authority on. You could also hire someone to write them for you if you’re not an expert on that particular niche. You could offer weekly or monthly conference calls to your members as part of their membership. People love to watch a good interview, so you could find experts in the field you are focusing on and interview them and then post the recording—either video or MP3. Most membership sites have forums so that members can interact with each other and give one another the support they need. Here are just a few ideas for membership sites: weight loss, parenting, technical assistance, health issues, dating, etc. If you are a technical support specialist during the day, consider starting a membership site that helps people with computer and software issues. If you are a registered nurse who stays home with your children, you could start a site addressing general health questions that new mothers often have with their first baby. If you know what it’s like to be a single parent desperately needing support, you’ll understand the value of a membership site. As you can see, the options are unlimited as far as what subject you can offer your valuable advice and training on. Perhaps the best aspect of this business idea is that you can do it entirely online. You don’t need a storefront or even business hours. You can work on your website as much or as little as you want and you can easily keep your day job while you ramp up your member list. If you aren’t familiar with how to start a membership site, you should know that this online business idea can be started with very little financial investment and very little technical knowledge. Free software can be found online that will help you get your website up and running. Then you will need to set up a payment page to handle subscription payments. Next you will need to market your new site. Start by spreading the word to friends and family. Frequent non-membership site forums that are focused on your topic of choice and leave helpful comments in response to questions asked there. You could also advertise on a website where your target audience spends a lot of time. If you’re looking for people with health concerns, you could advertise on health-related websites. As word of mouth grows about your site, the more subscribers you will get.
A Day in the Life of a Membership Site Business Owner:
Your day will begin by checking on any new subscriptions. You will check to see if any members have any questions or concerns that need addressing. Once your administrative duties are taken care of, you will get to work writing content for your website. If you have a staff working for you, you will coordinate everyone’s efforts to ensure no one is duplicating work. You will also need to make sure subscription payments are going through as they are supposed to.
About Your Customers:
Your customers will be individuals looking for high quality information, support and advice on various subjects.
What You Need to Start:
- Expertise in a particular subject—or to be willing to hire or interview others who do
- Computer with high-speed internet connection
- Financial tracking software
- Website
The Good:
- This is a great way to run a lucrative business from your knowledge.
- Helping people with their problems is highly rewarding.
- Start-up costs are low.
- If your site offers valuable information, you can charge more for subscriptions.
- You can operate this business part-time, at any time of day or night.
The Bad:
- It can take some time to get your first few members.
- You need to do some work to get your site populated with important information people will pay for.
Resources:
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