Most membership businesses don’t really believe me that they can actually MULTIPLY their membership. “It’s simply not possible!." is what they say.
I’m about to challenge the way you look at your membership business. In doing so, I want you to set aside the misconception that it’s only possible to add members, and instead believe that you can MULTIPLY your membership.
Not too long ago, I was able to take my youngest daughter, Emily, to the Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is the lowest elevation on land at 1,237 feet below sea level. As we were riding down the world’s lowest road, Highway 90, our ears began to pop as if we were in a plane.
What’s interesting about the Dead Sea is that there is only one river which feeds into it. That would be the Jordan River. The Jordan River flows from the Sea of Galilee south to the Dead Sea.
You probably already know that what makes the Dead Sea a big tourist attraction is the fact that you can easily float.
The Dead Sea is actually a hypersaline, landlocked lake. The concentration of sodium chloride and other mineral salts is what causes you to float.
It’s a great experience to float in the Dead Sea. Literally, you cannot go under the water, no matter how hard you try.
Most membership businesses are like the Dead Sea. They provide a great experience, a great place to hang out with others. Some even provide great memories, just like the memories Emily and I now share.
However, there’s a more unfortunate way that membership businesses are like the Dead Sea. It’s the fact that they only have one river feeding them.
Most membership businesses only have one way for people to sign up for membership.
There’s only one way into the membership (adding).
You may be saying, “But wait. People can sign up online, via email, phone, or even by application. I have multiple ways for people to sign up.."
But those are only modalities. Those are the means by which people sign up for membership.
I’m not referring to the modalities by which people sign up. I’m referring to the marketing methods by which you get people to sign up for your membership.
Most membership businesses only have one marketing method into membership. It’s not emails (that’s a modality), it’s the invite (that’s a method).
The single best way I’ve seen to move someone to membership is to offer a “Trial Membership.."
A trial membership is an opportunity for your prospects to take a test-drive of the membership, before they make a full commitment to the membership.
A Trial Membership is:
- A “limited opportunity." to get the full experience of membership. They become full members (not partial) and experience what every other member is able to experience.
- NOT a trick used to get people’s payment information so that you can keep on billing them.
- Able to be used in all different niches and types of membership businesses. I’ve yet to see a membership business not be able to successfully use a trial membership.
- Sometimes governed by state and federal laws and credit card processors.
No doubt that at some time you’ve probably experienced a trial membership. The problem that most membership businesses face is they don’t know how to give prospects a trial membership.
There are three major components of a trial membership.
THE 3X FORMULA FOR TRIPLING YOUR MEMBERSHIP
1. Length of OPPORTUNITY
This is the amount of time that a new member will have for their trial membership. The trial can last seven days, 14 days, 30 days, 60 days, or even 90 days.
During this length of time, you’re working to fully assimilate your new members into their membership. To move them from saying, “I signed up for…." to saying, “I’m a member of…."
This is your opportunity to give them the best experience possible so that they WANT to stay a member.
2. Type of OFFER
This is the initial offer that is being made to receive the trial membership. Some can include a dollar trial, free trial, just pay [insert amount], free trial with event registration, buy [product or service] and get a trial membership free, etc.
The type of offer is what you bundle with your membership to provide both the offer and the trial membership.
For every product or service you offer, you’re able to bundle that with membership and create a trial membership.
They get to keep the offer even if they choose to cancel the membership later on. They’re buying the offer and getting the membership as a test-drive.
If you don’t have a product or service to offer, you can offer your membership at a discounted rate as part of the trial membership.
For example, “Get your first month half off!." The length of opportunity is the first month and the type of offer is the membership itself.
3. Sign-up OPTIONS
There are two types of options. These are:
- Forced Continuity
- Optional Continuity
Forced Continuity means that the only way people can take advantage of your offer is by buying it with the trial membership.
It is forced upon them. They cannot remove it from their shopping cart. The only way to get the discount or offer is to take it with the membership.
When using this option, you may see a decrease in the number of people who sign up, but every person will have the membership. The recurring revenue from the membership typically makes up the difference in the decreased number of buyers.
Optional Continuity means that a person can remove it from their shopping cart or from their purchase and just get the offer without membership attached.
For example, if you’re offering a product at half-off with a two-month trial membership with optional continuity, then all they need to do is remove the two-month trial membership and they will still get the product at half-off.
When using optional continuity, you may see an increase in the number of people who buy, but not every person will have the membership. There will be a decrease in the recurring revenue and possibly an increase in one-time sales.
Some have attempted to abuse the trial membership and actually trick people into membership and make it hard for people to cancel their membership. There’s no room for that in our business.
I’m not a lawyer, nor do I claim to have knowledge of all the laws governing this process. Heck! Lawyers make and change laws faster than many of us can keep up with. But I do know that it is possible, and it is simple so long as you act in good faith. The laws are there to protect us good guys and go after the deceptive ones. Just don’t deceive people and you should be fine (this is my non-legal advice).
When done correctly, the trial membership gives your prospects the best opportunity to try out your membership and enables their experience with your membership to reinforce their decision to stay as a member.
Have Multiple Trial Memberships!
Go back to the Dead Sea for a moment. Remember how it only has the Jordan River providing a source for its water? That’s like most membership businesses.
There’s only one offer being made to come into membership.
But when you use “The 3X Formula for Tripling Your Membership." you will MULTIPLY your membership.
I want you to offer multiple trial memberships, over and over again. This is the best way to double and even triple your membership… again and again!
To learn more about “The 3X Formula for Tripling Your Membership." and double or even triple your membership visit:
AccelerateMyMembership.com
The book retails on Amazon for $19.99.
This is NOT an e-book, PDF or some download.
This is a physical book, I’ll mail to you. The book is FREE, I just ask that you pay a small shipping/handling fee of $7.95 (still cheaper than Amazon Prime.)
>> Get your free copy here!
I know that when I help you, I’m ultimately helping your members. When you’re able to get your message out there and grow your membership, then I’m having a direct impact on your members.
There’s not many practical tips, tools and books out there for people looking to get more members and increase retention. That’s why for every person who picks up a copy, they’re also going to receive one FREE month of the Membership Accelerators Club. You’ll get to join an elite group of membership marketers looking to grow their membership.
AccelerateMyMembership.com
Let’s accelerate your membership today!
Scott
About Scott Whitaker
Scott is an expert in creating and building membership programs within businesses, giving greater value to customers and multiplying income. Using his "Seven Systems of a Healthy Membership Program," he will help you get new members, increase retention and structure your membership program for long-term growth.