We’ve all got lurkers in our memberships—the ones who pay but stay silent, never post, never engage, and eventually cancel.
In this episode, I sat down with one of the most brilliant minds in membership retention, Mike Tielemans, co-creator of the Tribe Method and co-author of 27 Tribe Secrets. He helped me build the Over 40 Alpha Brotherhood into a retention machine—and today, we’re sharing how YOU can do the same.
From crafting emotional onramps to designing rituals that turn customers into tribe members for life, this one’s a masterclass.
Inside this episode, we dive into:
How to convert silent lurkers into loyal, engaged tribe membersWhy most memberships fail at onboarding—and how to fix it with MRRThe psychological triggers that drive retention and long-term engagementHow to use rituals, rewards, and messaging to build a thriving community
Listen to This Episode on Your Favourite Podcast Channel:
https://tribemembershippodcast.com/captivate-podcast/episode-17-lurkers-into-lifetime-members-with-mike-tielemans/
Subscribe and Listen on iTunes:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-tribe-membership-show/id1789584393
Subscribe and Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/1BQ6TZeRRT3hIoIxsa9jsj
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to The Tribe Membership Show00:55 Meet Mike Tielemans: Co-Creator of the Tribe Method01:58 Mike's Origin Story: From High School to Digital Marketing03:46 The Journey to Building Successful Memberships07:07 The Importance of Indoctrination in Building a Tribe10:23 Creating a Strong Community Identity14:16 The Power of Rewards and Milestones28:47 The Role of Gamification in Member Engagement32:16 Exclusive Rewards and Status33:01 The Power of Gamification34:02 Launching a Sleep Challenge35:22 The Importance of Rituals38:19 Creating Community Engagement48:47 Reigniting Lurkers with Challenges53:59 The Role of AI in Fitness Communities01:00:38 Building a Lasting Tribe
Resources & Links:
Want help implementing milestones in your membership? Apply for Tribe Membership Coaching - https://course.tribemethod.com/book-call🧠 Grab the Tribe Secrets Book – Your guide to building lifelong members - http://www.tribesecretsbook.com/book🎥 Watch this episode on YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@TribeMembershipShow
Connect with Mike Tielemans
YouTube: @thecultcreatorsInstagram: @thecultcreatorsWebsite: www.tribemethod.com
Connect with Funk Roberts
Website: https://www.funkrobertsfitness.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/funkrobertsfitness
This episode wasn’t just about strategies—it was about mindset. If you want retention, you need belonging. If you want engagement, you need identity. Now go implement the MRR method and stop leaving your tribe’s potential on the table.