Membership Geeks Podcast with Mike Morrison

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.

• Dissecting the most significant change we've ever made to Membership Academy
• How we finally solved a problem that's stumped us for almost a decade
• The big new addition to the Academy that had people thinking we're crazy
• Why we've started coaching after years of turning down requests

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.

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.

• The most significant ways in which podcasting has changed, and what that means for the "average" podcast host
• The importance of self-editing to stay focused and ensure you're delivering valuable content that helps you stand out in a crowded audio space
• Using podcasts as a promotional tool for memberships and ways to more closely integrate your membership business with your show
• How podcasting can enhance your member experience and open up additional revenue streams

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.

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.

• Which membership plugin and other software we're using to power Membership Academy
• Why 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 have
• What 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. 

• How memberships and subscriptions differ and why one does not always have to involve the other
• Key differences between online memberships and signature courses
• What is typically meant by the term "online membership" and which types of business this does NOT apply to

Key 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 things."

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.

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.

• Understanding the reasons behind cart abandonment, such as unexpected extra charges and confusing payment terms
• Simplifying the checkout process and minimizing distractions to encourage sign-ups
• Addressing technical issues that may lead to abandoned checkouts
• Clarifying and simplifying pricing to avoid customer confusion and abandonment
• Setting up email automation to follow up with customers who abandon their checkout process

Key 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 can discourage people from joining or making a purchase immediately."

"Ensure that you have an email automation that's triggered by an abandoned checkout, which tries to get people back to your site to finish signing up and make sure you're sending out that first follow-up email within an hour of that happening."

We really appreciate you choosing to listen to us and for supporting the podcast. I

We'd be eternally grateful if you would consider taking a minute or two to leave an honest review and rating for the show in iTunes. 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

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/

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.

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 has led to worrying less about what free content to provide.

The GREAT tip that Layla gives fellow membership owners on not making assumptions about their members. 

Important Links: 

•  ProcessDriven
•  Layla’s YouTube channel
• ProcessDriven Collective Facebook
• Layla’s Instagram
• Join the Membership Academy: https://www.membershipacademy.com/

For more membership growth tips, subscribe to the Membership Geeks podcast, and listen on the go!

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/

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/

For more membership growth tips, subscribe to the Membership Geeks podcast and listen on the go!