Published by Membership Geeks
Join Mike Morrison - founder of the Membership Geeks - for advice, tips and insight on planning, running and growing a successful membership website plus interviews with existing membership owners and industry experts.
Listen on Apple Podcasts19 min
In this episode, I break down the buyer awareness journey, a five-stage framework from Eugene Schwartz's Breakthrough Advertising that maps how someone moves from having no idea they have a problem to being ready to buy. I focus on the very first stage, problem unaware, because it's the biggest, cheapest, and least competitive audience available to you right now (and it's also the one most membership owners have no idea how to market to!). We cover what symptom-first marketing actually sounds like, why diagnostic content and case studies build trust faster than any sales page, and the mistakes that will lose this audience the second you make them. If you're tired of marketing that only seems to work on people who were already going to buy, this episode is for you. In this episode: What the buyer awareness journey is and why every stage needs a different kind of marketing Why the problem unaware audience is the biggest and least competitive one you're not talking to How to reframe your messaging from problem aware to symptom aware, in your audience's own words Why diagnostic content, quizzes, and case studies build trust faster than sales copy The mistakes that make problem unaware people tune you out immediately Want the exact questions to help your audience name their own problem? Grab the free Symptom Discovery Question Bank , full of ready-to-use prompts for your email list, quizzes, and social posts. And if you'd like a wider view of where the gaps in your membership business actually are, our free Membership Healthcheck is built for exactly that. Key Quotes & Takeaways: "Your job at this stage isn't to sell the solution, it's to give a name to the problem." "When you accurately diagnose and correctly name a problem that someone didn't even realize they had, you instantly become a trusted authority in their eyes." "This is someone who understands me better than I understand myself." "That market is saturated, it's expensive to acquire from, it's full of price-centered comparison shoppers." You might also find useful: Understanding the Customer Journey with Kenda Macdonald Busting The Most Common Membership Marketing Myths 9 Membership Marketing Tactics That'll Get You More Members Thank You For Listening We 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.
12 min
Every piece of marketing you write is making a choice, whether you realize it or not. You're either talking about the pain your members are running from, or the future they're running towards. Most membership owners never actually decide which one they're doing. They just default to whatever feels natural and end up leaning hard on one side without realizing it. In this episode I break down push positioning and pull positioning: what each one does, why push converts faster but pull retains better, and why the type of member you attract, and what they'll pay, depends on which one dominates your marketing. This isn't about picking a side. It's about using both deliberately, in the right order, so your marketing gets attention without filling your membership with the wrong kind of members. If you've never actually audited whether your sales page, your emails, and your social content are leaning push or pull, this episode is for you. In this episode: What's the difference between push positioning and pull positioning, and why does most marketing lean on one without meaning to? Why does push positioning convert faster, and why does it also carry a higher risk of refunds and churn? What makes pull positioning better for retention and community health, even though it's harder to write? How should you combine both, and in what order, to get attention without attracting the wrong members? Why does the type of positioning you use affect who joins and how much they're willing to pay? Want to work through your own push and pull positioning? Grab the free Membership Messaging Workbook at membershipgeeks.com/484 . It walks you through mapping the pain your members are running from and the destination they're running to, then shows you how to blend both into positioning you can actually use. And if you'd like a wider view of where the gaps in your membership business actually are, our free Membership Healthcheck is built for exactly that. Key Quotes & Takeaways: "Push positioning focuses on the things that people are running away from. Pull positioning focuses on what people are running to." "I quite often talk about the notion of being a painkiller rather than a vitamin. Needling on those pain points can really work." "Pull positioning is generally better for long-term retention and community health. Push positioning is typically better for short-term conversions." "Lead with what they're escaping to get their attention and to kind of light a fire under them to propel them into action, but anchor your offering firmly around what they're moving towards." You might also find useful: 9 Reasons Why People Aren't Joining Your Membership Site Do's and Don'ts of Marketing a Membership Website 9 Membership Marketing Tactics That'll Get You More Members Competing With Established Memberships In Your Market Thank You For Listening We 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.
19 min
In this episode, I'm tackling one of the most misread signals in your cancellation data - people leaving saying that they "didn't have time" Most membership owners write that off. Busy people, can't be helped. But in a lot of cases, that's not what's going on at all. When a member says they didn't have time or weren't using the membership enough, what they're often really saying is that it felt too big, too hard to navigate, or too overwhelming to start. They froze. And members who freeze, fade - and eventually cancel. What looks like a time problem is almost always an overwhelm problem. And unlike time, overwhelm is something you can do something about. If members are leaving and you're not sure why - or if "I didn't have time" keeps showing up in your cancellation surveys - this episode is for you. In this episode: The five distinct sources of overwhelm hitting your members - and why most owners only spot one of them Why "value overwhelm" (subscriber remorse) is the sneakiest retention killer of all How NBA (Next Best Action) works and why it's the most powerful single change you can make to your membership experience Why your annual content audit is often worth more than any new content you could create How to shift from "here's everything you could do" to "here's what I'd recommend" - and why that shift matters If you want to score your membership against all five sources of overwhelm - and get a clear picture of where to focus first - grab the free Member Experience Review at membershipgeeks.com/483 . It's a self-audit that walks you through each source with scoring and built-in action guidance. And if you'd like a wider view of where the gaps in your membership are across growth and retention, the free Membership Healthcheck is built for exactly that. Key Quotes & Takeaways: "In a lot of cases, what your members are saying is they were just overwhelmed. Your membership felt too big, too busy, too hard to navigate, too much for them to consume. They didn't know where to start, they didn't know what to do next. So they didn't make any progress at all. And when that happens, they just fade away and then they cancel." "Too often we equate volume with value. But your members didn't join because you have the largest content library. They joined to make progress, to move forward. But if the path to progress feels unclear, you've got a big problem." "By reminding them that they're only using 5%, 10%, they start to feel a little bit ripped off and they end up canceling." "Everything in your membership that doesn't serve a clear and current purpose is just noise. And noise is one of the biggest drivers of overwhelm that there is." You might also find useful: How To Reduce Overwhelm In Your Membership What Most Membership Owners Get Wrong About Content How to Ensure You're Delivering Results for Your Members 21 Quick Tips For Improving Member Retention Thank You For Listening We 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.
22 min
Most membership owners treat their marketing like a straight line with a finish line at the end. Get the traffic. Build the list. Make the sale. Done. But that model is fundamentally broken for subscription businesses, because the sale isn't the end - it's the beginning. The membership marketing flywheel flips that thinking completely. Instead of treating new members as the end product, it treats your existing members as the fuel that powers your growth. It's a cycle - not a funnel - and once you understand how it works, it changes how you think about every decision you make in your membership business. In this episode, I break down the three stages of the membership marketing flywheel: attract, engage, and delight. More importantly, I get specific about what's happening inside each stage, why most memberships stall at the same point, and what you can actually do to keep the flywheel spinning. If you've been pouring effort into traffic and lead generation but struggling to get real momentum, this episode is for you. In this episode: Why treating the sale as a finish line creates a leaky bucket - and what to focus on instead How to build an attract stage that brings in the right people, not just more people What the engage stage actually requires beyond just having an email list Why the delight stage is where most memberships fall down, and what fixing it unlocks How happy members become your most powerful marketing asset and fuel every other stage Want a practical framework for mapping your own flywheel and identifying exactly where it's breaking down? Grab the free Membership Marketing Flywheel Tracker at membershipgeeks.com/482 . And if you want a broader view of where the gaps are across your entire membership business, the free Membership Healthcheck gives you a clear picture in about two minutes. Key Quotes & Takeaways: "Marketing your membership successfully is not about getting sales at any cost. That's where so many people go wrong. They chase big numbers, they're constantly chasing more traffic, more signups, more leads, and they end up with the wrong kind of people." "I would gladly take 1,000 highly active, highly aligned people on my email list over 100,000 who only subscribed because we were giving away an iPad. The size of your list is irrelevant." "Member advocacy is the secret weapon to the membership marketing flywheel because when a stranger sees a member talking about your membership, that's worth a hundred times more than anything you could say yourself." "Content fuels traffic, traffic fuels leads, leads fuel sales, sales fuel your member experience, member experience fuels retention, retention fuels social proof, and then social proof fuels everything else at the top of the funnel. It's one big cycle." You might also find useful: Discover the 12 Universal Truths of Membership Marketing How To Use Content Marketing To Sell Your Online Membership Avoid These 6 Common Member Retention Mistakes 9 Membership Marketing Tactics That'll Get You More Members Thank You For Listening We 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.
23 min
The online business world is in the middle of a trust recession. Influencer fatigue, polished-to-the-point-of-fake marketing, and one too many bad purchases have left your potential members cynical, guarded, and slower to commit than ever before. Your membership is feeling the effects - whether you've noticed it yet or not. And the frustrating irony is that it's the honest operators, the ethical businesses, the people who actually do good work, who are being forced to do more to prove it. The good news is that this is also an opportunity. If you're willing to show up differently, the bar is lower than you think - because most people aren't doing what I'm about to share. If you're wondering why growth has got harder or why conversion feels off, this episode is for you. In this episode: Why the trust recession is directly affecting your membership's growth and conversion How to upgrade your social proof so it actually builds trust rather than raising eyebrows Why your affiliate program might be doing more harm than good - and how to fix it The case for taking people behind the scenes of your membership before they buy Which common marketing tactics are actively damaging your credibility - and what to do instead If you want to put this into practice straight away, grab the free Social Proof Upgrade Pack at membershipgeeks.com/481 - it includes a self-assessment to score your current testimonials against the trust recession standard, plus ready-to-send scripts and question frameworks for collecting stronger social proof from your members. And for a broader look at where the gaps in your membership are, the free Membership Healthcheck will give you a clear picture in about two minutes. Key Quotes & Takeaways: "Trust is in scarce supply. And your membership is probably feeling the effect of that, whether you've noticed it or whether you've connected the dots or not." "If there's any part of your marketing that you're needing to say quietly, that is unethical." "That vulnerability builds so much trust. Hey, just be more human. That's the part that AI can't fake, it can't replicate. Nobody can fake you." "When it comes to a membership, that trust is probably more important than with any other type of business model. People aren't just buying a one-and-done product. They're making a decision about who they want to stick around with and who they want to invest with for months and years to come." You might also find useful: 7 Ways to Add Social Proof to Your Membership Sales Page How to Sell Your Membership Without Sleazy Marketing The Way You Market Might Be Killing Retention 9 Membership Marketing Tactics That'll Get You More Members Thank You For Listening We 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.
16 min
In this episode, I share a strange little tactic for your next membership promo - one that goes against pretty much everything you've been told about sales offers. Instead of giving people the lowest possible barrier to entry with a free trial or a discounted first month, I make the case for going in the complete opposite direction: incentivising new members to commit to a longer initial period of 90 days. I explain why this counterintuitive approach attracts better-fit members, protects you against the riskiest retention window, and makes it far easier to frame your offer around a real outcome people can actually picture. If your usual trials, discounts and bonuses have stopped hitting the mark, this episode is for you. In this episode: Why does asking new members for a longer initial commitment so often outperform free trials and discounted first months? What makes the 90-day window the "Goldilocks zone" - long enough to demand real commitment, short enough that people believe they can achieve something? How does locking members in past the risky first 30 days improve both your retention and the quality of the people you attract? How can you build an onboarding and engagement plan around a single 90-day outcome so the offer genuinely delivers? How could you turn this into a series of 90-day sprints that carry members through every stage of your wider roadmap? Want help turning this tactic into an offer you can actually run? Grab the free 90-Day Offer Planner at membershipgeeks.com/480 - a fill-in-the-blank workbook that takes you from outcome to pricing to the full 90-day pathway. And if you'd like a wider view of where the gaps in your membership business actually are, our free Membership Healthcheck is built for exactly that. Key Quotes & Takeaways: "The biggest retention risk window in most memberships is the first 30 days." "90 days, I think, hits the sweet spot between requiring people to actually make a commitment to do it properly, but also to realistically believe that they can make meaningful change." "The people who will say yes to a 90-day commitment are the ones who are more likely to be taking things seriously." "Most meaningful change in a membership doesn't happen in month one, it doesn't happen in 30 days." You might also find useful: Should I Charge Monthly Or Annually For My Membership Site? Is Your Member Onboarding Missing These 3 Vital Things? Should I Offer a Trial for My Membership Website? How To Improve Member Retention And Reduce Churn Thank You For Listening We 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.
16 min
In this episode, I'm tackling one of the biggest mistakes I see membership owners make: treating content as the be-all and end-all of what their membership offers. So many people set out to build the Netflix of their niche, chasing the biggest, most comprehensive library they possibly can. But your members don't join for the volume of content. They join for what that content makes possible. I share why volume and value are not the same thing, the trap of the content treadmill, and the four things every membership owner needs to do to reframe the role content plays in their membership. If your value proposition currently rests on how much content you've got, this episode is for you. In this episode: Why do so many membership owners fall into the trap of trying to build the Netflix of their niche? What's the real difference between volume and value, and why does more content so often mean less? How does the content treadmill quietly erode your member experience? What four shifts will help you reframe the role content plays in your membership? Why can pruning your library add more value than constantly expanding it? Ready to stop confusing volume with value in your own membership? Download the free resource for this episode to audit your content library and reposition your membership around the things that actually keep members subscribed: grab it here . And if you want a quick read on where your membership stands right now, take the free Membership Healthcheck to spot the gaps that are limiting your growth and retention. Key Quotes & Takeaways: "Content is the vehicle, not the destination. Members are buying the transformation, the outcome, the result, not the biggest lesson count, not the most hours of videos." "You cannot, as a membership owner, confuse volume with value. More courses, more events, more features, more sections in your community doesn't just instantly equate to more member value. Usually it's the opposite." "Your role is to narrow down the choices, not expand them. To provide clarity, not further confusion." You might also find useful: How Much Content Do You Need to Launch Your Membership? How to Decide Which Content Should Be Free vs Paid 12 Types Of Content To Include In Your Membership Site 4 Unusual (But Effective) Membership Content Strategies Thank You For Listening We 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.
15 min
In this episode, I get into something that's becoming more important than ever for membership owners: the ability to actually deliver results. For years, memberships have leaned on giving people more content, more features, more bells and whistles. That was never the right approach, and now AI is exposing it. Members don't want information. They want transformation. I walk through what a results-driven membership actually looks like in practice, from understanding what your members really want, to engineering early wins, to building a culture where progress is recognised and celebrated. If you want your members to stick around for years rather than months, this episode is for you. In this episode: Why content and features are no longer enough to keep members engaged long term The four membership motivators that drive most memberships, and why knowing yours matters How to engineer an early win in the first few weeks of a new member's experience Why your members need a clear pathway, not just a content library How to build a results-driven culture by recognising, rewarding, and reinforcing member wins Want a step-by-step framework for engineering a tangible early win for new members in their first 2-3 weeks? Grab the free Early Win Playbook at membershipgeeks.com/478, including worked examples for all four membership motivator types. And if you'd like a wider view of where the gaps in your membership business actually are, our free Membership Healthcheck is built for exactly that. Key Quotes & Takeaways: "Members don't want information, they want transformation. And all these new AI tools are giving them content, they're giving them info. That's covered. Your membership needs to give them something more." "People don't join memberships to stand still. They join because they have an outcome in mind, they have a problem they need solving, they have a goal they want to reach, a transformation they want to undergo." "At no point should your members be in your membership thinking, what should I do in order to move forward? There should always be clarity through your content, through the way in which you engage with people on the precise step they need to take next. The clearer the path, the more members will actually walk it." "They don't want the stuff. They want the results that the stuff makes possible." You might also find useful: Using Onboarding to Give New Members a Warm Welcome Why you need a solid member onboarding process 21 Quick Tips For Improving Member Retention How to Create an Extraordinary Member Experience Thank You For Listening We 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.
14 min
In this episode, I'm tackling a problem I see all the time: memberships with healthy-looking waitlists that convert far worse than they should when the doors finally open. The issue almost always comes down to the same thing: the waitlist has been treated like just another email list, when it's actually something very different. I share how to set up, nurture, and test your waitlist so the people on it are genuinely ready to buy - not just curious browsers who wandered in for a freebie. If you're building a waitlist for a launch, or running a closed-door membership that relies on a waitlist between enrolment windows, this one's for you. In this episode: Why adding a freebie to your waitlist opt-in is actively hurting your conversions How to nurture waitlist subscribers differently from your general email list What the Ikea effect has to do with getting more sales when your doors open How to test the intent of people on your waitlist so you know who's actually ready to buy A clever referral tactic one UK membership uses to let waitlisters skip the queue Key Quotes & Takeaways: "No one's going to join a waitlist if they're not at least a bit interested in actually joining when the doors open. People generally won't join a waitlist out of curiosity." "When the doors do open, it's not just the doors opening to your membership, it's the doors opening to their membership." "This is a waitlist. It's not just an email marketing list. It's not a case of getting as many people on that list as possible. We only want people on that list who have genuine, clear, unmuddied intent to join your membership." "If you've had a waitlist, you've not been nurturing them, or if you've been closed for quite a long time, they've been waiting for a while. The interests may have waned, their circumstances might have changed, or they might have gone looking for an alternative that is available right now."
27 min
In this episode, I tackle one of the most under-appreciated drivers of retention in any online membership: expectation management. I share why memberships are uniquely unforgiving when it comes to overpromising, and how a mismatch between what you sell and what you deliver will quietly kill your retention long before a cancellation email ever hits your inbox. We'll walk through seven practical ways to set realistic expectations - from the claims you make in your marketing, right through to how you signpost future value for members already inside your community. If you want members who stick around, get results, and rave about your membership rather than resent it, this episode is for you. In this episode: Why managing member expectations matters so much more for memberships than for one-off products The danger of "magic beans marketing" and how to sell with confidence without overpromising Why being clear about who your membership isn't for will attract better-fit members who stay longer How showing behind the scenes, tweaking your pricing strategy, and using FAQs can pre-empt misaligned expectations The role of signposting future content and events in keeping existing members engaged and reinforcing clarity Want the practical companion to this episode? Grab the free Magic Beans Swap Sheet – a swap table, list of words to retire from your marketing, and a self-edit checklist for your sales page. And if you'd like a wider view of where the gaps in your membership business actually are, our free Membership Healthcheck is built for exactly that. Key Quotes & Takeaways: "One of my favourite things with the online membership model is that there's no place to hide. If you cannot live up to what you promise your audience, they're going to figure that out and they're going to do that pretty quickly." "Don't go out there selling magic beans. Don't make these kind of wild guarantees and promises because of course there's no such thing as a guarantee." "Don't be afraid to put people off joining your membership and to tell them explicitly, this is not for you. Because then you can double down on the people your membership actually is for." "If you set your expectations sky high, there's no way to go after that. But if you've set realistic expectations, then you can wow them a little more. Then you can surprise and delight them."
21 min
In this episode, I tackle one of the most common problems I hear from membership owners — people just aren't joining. Or not enough of them are. I share the three biggest reasons this tends to happen, and why the problem is almost never what owners think it is. Spoiler: it's usually not your sales page, your funnel, or your offer. I also give you the single most effective (and embarrassingly simple) technique for finding out exactly why your audience isn't signing up — straight from the horse's mouth. If your sales have stalled, fizzled out, or never quite got going in the first place, this episode is for you. In this episode: Why a "sales problem" is almost always an audience problem in disguise What happens when you take your eye off audience growth after launch (and why the damage shows up later than you'd expect) Why skipping proper research and validation is the fastest route to a failing membership How under-marketing your membership actually does your audience a disservice The simple email you can send today to find out exactly why people aren't joining -- Want the exact email to send, plus a response tracker and a guide for turning the replies into action? Grab the free Email Swipe Kit at membershipgeeks.com/475 . -- Key Quotes & Takeaways: "About 90% of the time when I dig into it, they do not have a sales problem. They have an audience problem." "Build it and they will come is not a valid membership strategy." "If your membership can genuinely help someone, you should be doing everything in your power to make sure there is absolutely no possible way that they are not aware of your membership. Do not be the best kept secret in your industry." "You want to know why people aren't joining your membership? Ask people why they're not joining your membership. I really wish it was more complicated than that because it would make me seem a heck of a lot smarter." Thank You For Listening We 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.
39 min
In this episode, I dive deep into the crucial role that frameworks play in building a successful membership business. Joined by Charlotte Crowther, founder of Signature Framework , we explore why simply piling on content isn’t enough to help your members get results or to make your membership stand out in a competitive market. We break down what a framework actually is, the difference between methodology and framework, and how having a signature, visualized structure can streamline both your teaching and your product offerings. You'll get practical advice for building your own framework and insights on avoiding the most common mistakes. In this episode: What exactly is a framework, and how is it different from just a collection of courses or resources? How does having a signature framework offer advantages over a standard “content library” model in a membership? What are the best ways to implement and leverage a framework within your membership, including for non-linear or community-driven memberships? What are the common missteps to avoid when developing a framework, and how can you ensure it becomes a powerful asset for your business? Key Quotes & Takeaways: "I feel more and more people just want the specificity. And they don't want to be told, here's a thousand things that could be useful. They want to be told just the 10 things in the right order that are specific and useful for them." "knowing that there is a structure, a reference point, like there is a method to the madness, is always going to reassure people and make them more likely to actually jump in and engage the way that you want them to." "Often a key factor of a successful community is that everyone's on a transformation journey together. So when you give them the building blocks of that, you just make it easier for everyone to connect and get on." Thank You For Listening We 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.
16 min
In this episode, I share practical, quick tips for offering multiple tiers within your membership business. I dive into the common challenges faced when creating tiered memberships, from avoiding over-complication to choosing the right differentiators for each level. I also cover how to effectively focus your marketing, prevent friction for members, and optimize upgrade/downgrade pathways. If you're considering multiple tiers or struggling to manage existing ones, you'll find actionable advice to help your membership thrive. In this episode: How many membership tiers should you offer, and why is keeping it simple important? What are the best ways to differentiate your tiers beyond just content? How can you effectively market your membership when you have multiple tiers? What strategies ensure smooth upgrade and downgrade paths without making lower tiers feel like a "second-class" option? Thank You For Listening I really appreciate you choosing us and for supporting the podcast. What's your next step? Whether you're looking to launch your very first membership or scale and grow an existing one, come and join me inside Membership Academy - where I'll give you everything you need to succeed at every stage of your membership journey. And if you found this episode valuable, I'd be eternally grateful if you would leave an honest review and rating for the show. They're extremely helpful when it comes to reaching our audience, and I read each and every one! Key Quotes & Takeaways: "So having too many tiers and therefore too many different options for people to compare and weigh up makes the decision-making process harder. It adds friction." "It's so much easier and clearer for you and your audience when you choose one tier whether it is your lowest priced or your highest priced, to be the focal point of everything that you do." "You don't want to make the low price feel like it's for second-class citizens. Because who wants to be part of that? Who wants to join a membership where right from the get-go we know that we are being seen as less than?" "If you can offer a lower price tier as an alternative to canceling, then that can keep people in your membership for much longer. It can increase their lifetime value, and also they could always end up upgrading again in the future when the time is right."
16 min
In this episode, I dive into the time management and productivity techniques I've personally honed through years of running a membership business. I share the exact frameworks and mental models I use each day to structure my workload, prioritize tasks, and maintain focus amidst the constant demands of membership ownership. You'll hear about the Eisenhower decision matrix, the “big rocks, little rocks, and pebbles” method, and my own 3x3 daily structure. Whether you’re overwhelmed by your to-do list or just looking for more consistency in your routine, I break down practical approaches you can try right away. In this episode: How do I quickly decide which tasks to prioritize and which to ignore as a membership owner? What practical system can help me distinguish the size and impact of different tasks? How can I structure my typical workday to ensure that both big projects and smaller tasks get the attention they need? What mindset should I adopt to stay flexible and consistent with my time management approach, even when days don’t go as planned? Thank You For Listening I really appreciate you choosing us and for supporting the podcast. What's your next step? Whether you're looking to launch your very first membership or scale and grow an existing one, come and join me inside Membership Academy - where I'll give you everything you need to succeed at every stage of your membership journey. And if you found this episode valuable, I'd be eternally grateful if you would leave an honest review and rating for the show. They're extremely helpful when it comes to reaching our audience, and I read each and every one! Key Quotes & Takeaways: "Some people will use this grid to essentially categorize tasks into 4 things: the tasks they do, the tasks they decide on scheduling, the tasks they delegate, or the tasks they delete. Handily comes out as 4 Ds: do, decide, delegate, delete." "I can't remember where the whole big rocks, little rocks came from, but it lodged in my brain. I look at, okay, what are my big rocks? So the stuff that's going to take forever. What are my little rocks? So the stuff that I could get done today. And what are the pebbles? What are the little 5, 10-minute things that could be done?" "The decision matrix helps give me that quick ability to prioritize, to determine what needs my attention, what needs a simple decision on the scheduling, on where it's going to be taken care of, what I could look to have someone on the team do, and what I can just cast off the list forever." "Rigidity, that lack of flexibility, is what I often have found makes methodologies, structures, frameworks, or whatever you want to call it for trying to be productive, kind of fall apart."
12 min
In this episode, I discuss three practical strategies to boost attendance for your live member calls, whether you run Q&As, workshops, masterminds, or office hours. I share actionable tips that can easily fit into your workflow, from leveraging technology to personalizing member onboarding. If you’ve ever worried about empty seats during your live sessions, you’ll find plenty of fresh ideas here to increase engagement and ensure your members get the most out of their membership experience. In this episode: How can you make it easier for members to remember and RSVP to upcoming live events? What’s an effective way to invite new members to live sessions to improve their chances of attending? How can you help first-time attendees feel more comfortable and included in your live calls? What small tweaks to your onboarding and event reminders can make a big difference in live call participation? Thank You For Listening I really appreciate you choosing us and for supporting the podcast. What's your next step? Whether you're looking to launch your very first membership or scale and grow an existing one, come and join me inside Membership Academy - where I'll give you everything you need to succeed at every stage of your membership journey. And if you found this episode valuable, I'd be eternally grateful if you would leave an honest review and rating for the show. They're extremely helpful when it comes to reaching our audience, and I read each and every one! Key Quotes & Takeaways: "The first is to use a subscribable calendar. So there's a fantastic service called addevent.com that enables you to set up an events calendar where you can give the link to your members. You can also embed it in your member area. That then enables them to subscribe to that calendar so that whether they're using Google Calendar, whether they've got the calendar in Outlook, Apple Calendar, whatever it is, the events you add to it will automatically populate that calendar." "Set up a subscribable events calendar embedded in a location on your membership website, but also email the link out to your members so they can subscribe to it so that all events that you add automatically get pulled into their calendar." "You could actually start it 15 minutes early and have that first 15 minutes exclusively for first-time attendees, whether they are brand new members to your website or just someone coming along to a live session for the very first time. That can be your newbie 15 minutes." "People are getting what they pay for because they're using what they pay for. And if people are using what they pay for, they're less likely to go and cancel it."
16 min
In this episode, I dive into the crucial relationship between your marketing strategy and member retention. I explore how the way you attract new members to your membership business lays the foundation for whether they'll stick around long-term. I break down why focusing solely on sign-ups can backfire and how certain marketing tactics may actually set you up for higher churn rates. The aim is to help you develop a retention-first mindset that keeps your membership thriving. In this episode: Why does retention start with the way you market your membership? How can urgency and scarcity tactics impact member retention negatively? What are the risks of relying on discounts, offers, and bonuses to drive sales? Why is overpromising in your marketing strategy detrimental to long-term member success? Thank You For Listening I really appreciate you choosing us and for supporting the podcast. What's your next step? Whether you're looking to launch your very first membership or scale and grow an existing one, come and join me inside Membership Academy - where I'll give you everything you need to succeed at every stage of your membership journey. And if you found this episode valuable, I'd be eternally grateful if you would leave an honest review and rating for the show. They're extremely helpful when it comes to reaching our audience, and I read each and every one! Key Quotes & Takeaways: "Without question, we all know memberships are a retention business. If this is news to you, then this is something you need to get to grips with pretty quick." "Retention starts with the way that you market. I really want you to understand and to embrace that and to develop this long-term view when it comes to your marketing, because marketing for a membership, the success is not measured by how many new signups you get. True success comes from how well those signups, those sales you get, actually stay subscribed. How long do they stick around?" "If somebody can't afford $50 a month, but they'll afford $40 a month. That's too small and too narrow a margin to be sustainable because all that it needs is for one of the things that that person's paying for in their life to become a little more expensive. And then all of a sudden your membership's potentially on the chopping block." "The biggest culprit, or one of the biggest culprits, for the kind of marketing that ends up backfiring in terms of long-term retention is membership owners who hugely overpromise. They oversell, you know, they really, really go over the top with their value proposition."
12 min
In this episode, I dive into the concept of "1,000 true fans" and why it's the key to building a thriving membership business. Forget chasing massive audiences and vanity metrics—what truly matters is finding and nurturing a core group of highly engaged superfans who love what you do. I break down the myths about audience size, share why smaller, more passionate communities lead to deeper connections (and profit!), and show you how to shift your focus from quantity to quality when growing your membership. If you've ever felt discouraged by your follower count or overwhelmed by the competition, this episode is for you. In this episode: What does the "1,000 true fans" theory mean, and why is it crucial for membership success? Do you really need a massive audience to launch and grow a successful membership site? How can having a smaller, focused, and passionate audience be more valuable than chasing big numbers? What practical steps can you take to find and connect with your own 1,000 true fans? Thank You For Listening I really appreciate you choosing us and for supporting the podcast. What's your next step? Whether you're looking to launch your very first membership or scale and grow an existing one, come and join me inside Membership Academy - where I'll give you everything you need to succeed at every stage of your membership journey. And if you found this episode valuable, I'd be eternally grateful if you would leave an honest review and rating for the show. They're extremely helpful when it comes to reaching our audience, and I read each and every one! Key Quotes & Takeaways: "You don't need to have hundreds of thousands of people on your email list or millions of followers on your social networks before you can be in a position to start something like a membership." "Some of the advice that you see out there that tells you just start, doesn't matter if you don't have an audience, doesn't matter if you don't have an email list or waitlist, all you need is one member, that's all it takes. Honestly, it's some of the most dangerous, nonsensical advice you'll ever find out there." "All you need to build a sustainable business is 1,000 true superfans who will hang on your every word, who put in extra effort to consume your content, to buy what you're selling. They're so engaged, they're so connected with you. They are your people. Everything you put out speaks to them, and they absolutely love you for it. 1,000 people like that is all it takes to accomplish fantastic success in the online space." "Because by drilling down into that smaller audience, you're more likely to find your people. You can appreciate the value of that smaller, more specific, more targeted market who have the sort of connection with you that simply wouldn't be feasible if you were trying to be all things to all people, trying to please everyone, trying to tick everybody's box."
17 min
In this episode, I dive into the most common reasons why membership site owners lose members—and more importantly, what you can actually do to prevent it. Taking a trip into the Membership Geeks archives, I unpack actionable strategies to tackle member cancellations, improve retention, and boost overall engagement in your community. xWhether you’re battling churn or simply want to keep your members around for longer, these practical tips will help you plug the holes in your retention strategy and maintain healthy growth. In this episode: Why do members leave after consuming all available content, and how can you continue delivering ongoing value? How can technical issues and poor onboarding lead to cancellations—and what solutions can reduce frustration? What strategies can you use to re-engage members who’ve forgotten about your site or slipped into inactivity? How should you handle pricing, failed payments, and members who leave after achieving their goals to improve retention and customer loyalty? Thank You For Listening I really appreciate you choosing us and for supporting the podcast. What's your next step? Whether you're looking to launch your very first membership or scale and grow an existing one, come and join me inside Membership Academy - where I'll give you everything you need to succeed at every stage of your membership journey. And if you found this episode valuable, I'd be eternally grateful if you would leave an honest review and rating for the show. They're extremely helpful when it comes to reaching our audience, and I read each and every one! Key Quotes & Takeaways: "Techie gremlins can cause an immense amount of frustration, particularly if your members are having issues from day one of their membership. And in a lot of cases, they'll simply cancel their account rather than trying to persevere, rather than trying to figure out what's going on, and sometimes rather than contacting you and giving you that opportunity to fix the problem." "We've all done it— signed up for a product or a service with the best intentions of using it to its fullest, only for it to fall to the bottom of the to-do list because life simply gets in the way." "Even if you get a lot of signups for a product that has a high monthly premium, if those same members quit after a month, then it's likely they never intended or were never able to pay that amount on a regular basis." "Make use of testimonials, case studies, endorsements, and interviews so that even if you aren't in a position to offer something to help that particular member on the next stage of their journey, you can at least utilize the fact they have achieved their goals as a way of bringing in new members to replace them by leveraging that social proof."
17 min
In this episode, I take you back into the Membership Geeks Podcast vault to revisit one of the most pressing challenges facing membership owners today: subscription fatigue. I share insights into why consumers are becoming increasingly overwhelmed by the sheer number of subscriptions and how this impacts membership-based businesses. I break down practical strategies for making your membership essential so it doesn’t end up on the chopping block when your members review their recurring expenses. In this episode: What is subscription fatigue and how is it affecting membership businesses today? Why are consumers feeling overwhelmed by subscriptions, and what does this mean for your membership? What proven strategies can you use to make your membership indispensable and avoid cancellations? How can you repackage, personalize, and communicate the value of your membership to stay competitive in a crowded subscription market? Thank You For Listening I really appreciate you choosing us and for supporting the podcast. What's your next step? Whether you're looking to launch your very first membership or scale and grow an existing one, come and join me inside Membership Academy - where I'll give you everything you need to succeed at every stage of your membership journey. And if you found this episode valuable, I'd be eternally grateful if you would leave an honest review and rating for the show. They're extremely helpful when it comes to reaching our audience, and I read each and every one! Key Quotes & Takeaways: "This idea of subscription fatigue was kicking in because more and more businesses have been moving towards a subscription model. Not just memberships, but TV and movie streaming, music subscriptions, subscription boxes, subscriptions for your software, subscriptions for your car. Like, pretty much anything imaginable shifted towards a subscription model." "Anything which makes their relationship with you and your membership have more more of a personal connection will make the decision to end their subscription much harder when they're evaluating their expenses, particularly when they're comparing to other subscription products they're paying for that doesn't have that personal connection element to it." "If you bring them all together under a single product, a single payment, a single subscription, then that can make it far more likely that you'll avoid the chop when someone's reevaluating the services they're paying for." "The easy way to remove subscription fatigue is to remove the subscription element. So consider non-recurring fixed terms. Sell a 3-month pass, a 6-month pass. Maybe sell credit credits to your site that can be redeemed for downloads or courses or something like that. Maybe even go pay-as-you-go."
27 min
In this episode, I take a deep dive into one of the most debated topics in the membership world: why member lifetime value is actually more important than focusing solely on churn rates. I share my insights on reframing how we look at member retention and challenge the idea that churn makes the membership model less viable than courses or other digital products. Whether you’re struggling to boost retention or just questioning your business model, this episode is packed with practical advice and a fresh perspective on what really impacts your bottom line. Get ready for a mindset shift that could transform how you approach your membership strategy! In this episode: Why is member lifetime value a more valuable metric to track than churn rate in a membership business? How should membership owners reframe their thinking when faced with member cancellations and natural churn? What’s the real financial impact of churn compared to other business models like selling courses or client services? In practical terms, what steps can owners take to improve the overall value of each member rather than just fighting churn numbers? Thank You For Listening I really appreciate you choosing us and for supporting the podcast. What's your next step? Whether you're looking to launch your very first membership or scale and grow an existing one, come and join me inside Membership Academy - where I'll give you everything you need to succeed at every stage of your membership journey. And if you found this episode valuable, I'd be eternally grateful if you would leave an honest review and rating for the show. They're extremely helpful when it comes to reaching our audience, and I read each and every one! Key Quotes & Takeaways: "If a member only stays for X months, then what's the point? Usually that's followed by, I might as well do X. So why would I run a membership? Because if members are only going to end up canceling after 10 months, then I might as well just sell online courses." "We debunk the whole myth that industry average churn rate is 3 months, and we actually debunk the idea of industry average at all. Now, if you had to pin it down and you absolutely had to give a thumb in the air industry average, it's more like 8 or 9 months." "If you get exactly the same amount of sales of a $500 course, the end result financially is still the same. Each sale of that course to you is worth $500 for the lifetime of your relationship with that person who buys the course. In the same way that the lifetime value of every individual person who joins your membership, that's $50 a month, 10% churn rate, is $500." "Churn rate is merely a factor in determining the end point after which you get no more money from that person. So when you use that definition, courses have a churn rate. It's just that churn rate is instantaneous because you get no more money from the sale of that course after the initial sale goes through. So it has a 100% churn rate."