WishList Member turns your WordPress blog into a membership site.
Features Include:
Unlimited Membership Levels –
Your membership site can have as many “levels” as you want. So if you want “Silver”, “Gold” and “Platinum”, you can! Now you can charge more for a higher level of access – all within the same blog.
Simple Installation With New or Existing WordPress Blog –
Whether you have an existing WordPress site or if you are starting a new one, installing WishList Member is a breeze. Just unzip the file, upload to your “plugins folder” and activate.
Flexible Membership Options – WishList Member gives you the ability to create Free, Trial or Paid membership levels (and any combination of all three).
Sequential Content Delivery –
Depending on your setup, you may want to graduate your members from one level to the next. For example, members start at “Module 1″ and after 30 days they are automatically upgraded to “Module 2″. That’s what the Sequential Content Delivery system is for.
Control Viewed Content –
If you don’t want your members to see content they don’t have access to, just click the “Hide” button. This works REALLY well if you have a “modular” membership and only want people in “Module 1″ to see “Module 1″ and not “Module 2,3,4,5″ etc.
Shopping Cart Integration – WishList Member seamlessly integrates with the most popular shopping cart systems including PayPal, ClickBank, and many more. Plus, WishList Member now has total integration with Cydec and Infusion.
Easy Member Management –
At a glance you can see your members, their registration status, membership level and much more. It’s also a snap to upgrade members, move them to different levels, “pause” their membership or delete them entirely.
Multi-Level Access – WishList Member can go beyond just a membership site as you can easily give your members access to multiple levels within your membership (this works well if you’d like to create a central download location).
Since the beginning, the Internet has been used as a way to make money.
A variety of techniques have been dreamed up and tried out, some with more success than others, but it’s only now that the idea of membership sites is being fully utilized by those marketers who realize the power of a recurring income.
Many people think membership sites are hard to build, so this resource has been left somewhat untapped. However with the right software, you can turn your membership site into not only powerful money making machine, but also something that is extremely easy to administer.
Here are some pointers on how to build your own membership site and recruit enough members to turn YOUR website into a cash generating machine.
Before you run off and start writing content, there are some things that you should think about.
First, you need to decide what your membership site is all about!
Is there something that particularly interests you? Do you have products, services, or information no one is privy to that you want to distribute?
There are plenty of membership sites are successfully turning a profit. Here is a look at some of the topics they cover.
BTW, one of they key issues (I find anyway) is the realization that people are either very busy or very lazy, and one of the secrets of success in running a membership site is ensuring everything a members could possibly need for their particular niche is provided for them, this is especially true if people are “newbies” and need a lot of assistance.
Information is a big seller on the Internet, after all it is one of the first places people stop when they want to find out more on a topic.
Therefore membership sites that offer information product packages can be very successful. These may include ebooks, headers, graphics, keyword lists, and more. (Be warned though, this market is now getting very saturated.)
In this type of membership site new packages are usually offered on a regular basis, and the packages are designed to fit a very specific genre or niche.
Membership sites often also offer lists of keywords that feature the most profitable AdSense keywords which are updated on a regular basis.
What about content article packages? These are another profitable membership site idea, again new packages can be offered on a monthly basis.
Another style of membership site is to offer products that make your members’ lives easier. Total solutions packages are one way to do this.
They might include web hosting, products for sale with corresponding pages, scripts, templates, and other items. Your members continue to use these services for as long as they have a membership.
Or your membership site could offer turnkey and pre-made packages to assist your members with making money. The niche you decide to fill will influence which type of membership site is most profitable for you.
The next part of creating your membership site is to calculate your profit. Remember, the key to membership sites is keeping them exclusive.
If your products are offered to 2000 members, the site is less exclusive, and possibly less inviting, than a similar one that only allows 200 members. The rule of thumb is that the more members you have, the lower the subscription fee should be.
Keeping the cost of membership balanced with the number of members you allow is a key part of a successful membership site.
Contrary to popular belief you do not now have to be a computer geek to build your own membership website. There are plenty of software programs that are available to help you get things going. EasyMemberPro is the script of my choice obviously.
Simply upload your script fill your pages and almost immediately you are ready to start accepting members.
For the more ambitious, you could choose total management systems. These however often have a huge price tag. They are more powerful though with a range of super cool functions.
Having said that, you just may need to be that computer geek to run it. Be careful when choosing your membership script that you realize your own capabilities as there is no point in buying the latest in computer gizmo software/scripts, and discovering you need a degree in rocket science to use it.
EasyMemberPro is the exact script you need to get you up and running ASAP.
When you create a membership site, your customers are paying you for access to content you are providing.
The site itself is only going to be as strong as the content within. You want and need your customers to come back and renew their membership so you make money, this will only happen if they like the content you are providing for them.
It stands to reason that one of the most important things to running your membership website is providing great content.
There are several things you should consider when providing your content, these include substance, style, tone, and voice.
Also since you are working with an online medium, your content doesn’t have to be limited to the written word. Audio, video, and still images work as well, as long as you keep things consistent.
The most important thing to consider in your membership site is ensuring your material is highly relevant to your audience. Because by making your audience very specific, you can make your content specific to their needs and desires.
Next, make sure that your information is unique. If your customers can find the same information for themselves easily and for free, they will have little reason to pay you for a subscription to your membership site.
Having said that, there is nothing wrong with mixing some PLR tidbits in with your “original” information. You just need to ensure you don’t overdo it.
The golden rule is if you offer cheapskate content, you will end up with a cheapskate site!
Next, make sure your site is updated frequently – in many cases at least weekly if not more often.
Obviously, this is going to be somewhat dependent on the exact information you are offering your members, as some things lend themselves to updating easier than others.
It is a must, however, that you update often enough that your members have a reason to keep coming back to visit.
Always make sure that your information is current. Old news can be found anywhere, and your members are going to want the latest information around.
If they feel they are not getting that from you, they will go somewhere else.
Keep it short and sweet. People read slower on the web than they do printed material, so if it is taking them too long to get through your information, they will look for something else. Make sure your content goes straight to the point!
Make sure your information is correct. Free information on the internet is not always the most reliable, so if people are paying for it they expect it to be correct. (If you are outsourcing your material, ensure it is factual).
Keep your information easy to read. Your membership site is not the place to write a 20 page novel. Use words your audience will understand, and use short sentences and paragraphs. It’s much easier to read.
Keep things personal. You are the expert and members are paying for that expertise, so let your writing have a style and tone that is your own.
Mix it up. People like variety and it will keep them more interested. Try new ideas, and watch and see what is more popular with your members.
A picture is worth a thousand words, plus it makes your pages more interesting to read so make sure you add lots of graphics and photo’s etc.
Be generous, offer bonuses (and make them worthy), people love it when they receive presents!
Be willing to get feedback from your members. Rating articles, leaving comments, etc. are all ways that you can get feed back and your members will feel more involved with the site. (A forum is a good idea.)
Make sure your pages are printable. Many people still print articles to read at home or share with friends. (I certainly do.)
Following these simple guidelines will help keep your content interesting and your members coming back simply because your members will love you.
One of the best ways to make money from membership sites is to learn from the professionals.
There are plenty of money-making membership sites out there, and they are a great way for you to earn money from your information publishing.
By learning these key points, you can make sure that your membership site is elevated to the status of money maker instead of just an average performer.
One of the most important things you can do is to keep delivering the same quality and value that drew your customers to your site in the first place.
Remember, a membership site differs from an e-book in that it will always have fresh and pertinent information available. An e-book can be edited, but for the most part it stays the same.
Membership sites should be updated frequently, and some are even updated multiple times a day.
Offering fresh, good quality content on topics that are relevant to your readers will keep them happy and renewing their membership for a long time.
Your customers want fresh information that is exclusive to your site, so be sure to give it to them.
Another important thing is to continue to strive to retain your current member base.
Some rookies in the membership site business get bored with the idea once they are finished with the initial promotion.
And as their enthusiasm dwindles, so does the number of members that are looking at the site and buying memberships.
However membership sites that are the most successful constantly strive at making their members want to stay aboard.
After all, how easy is it for a member to lose interest and cancel a membership and move on?
Making sure that the customer continues to see your membership site as a valuable source will help keep them with you longer.
Oftentimes, special incentives for older members can help sweeten the pot and have them stay with you.
Special bonuses, discounts on your products and services, or sending them a special note will help your membership site stand out above the competition.
It costs less to keep a current customer than to recruit a new one, so make all of your members feel special.
The last tactic of successful membership sites is that they use the members they have to make money by marketing them other products and services.
While this may seem a simple enough idea, only about ten percent of membership sites have a system in place to sell their members other items.
However, you must use caution here. If you try to sell your members everything under the sun, you will soon lose your credibility and your memberships.
Promoting specific products and services your specific group of members will be able to benefit from will not only help you to earn some residual income, it will also cause your members to feel your site is more valuable.
All of these things are simple, easy ways for you to turn your membership site from an average producer to a super star money maker.
Remembering to incorporate them into your business plan will help you to reap the rewards for a long time to come.
As more customers become willing to pay for quality information in their interest area, membership websites are becoming more common place.
Those people trying to give information away for free are finding it hard to maintain their sites, since advertising costs continue to fall while the competition gets fiercer. Therefore, running a paid membership site can turn out to be a very attractive concept.
For a start, there is the speed and low cost of starting up a membership site. Your membership site can often be up, running, and earning you a profit in just a few weeks or maybe even less. It all depends on your skills with computers and html.
When you compare it to the cost of other business models, the cost for starting a membership site is relatively small. Often, just a few hundred dollars will get your membership site up and running.
Secondly, there is the high profit percentage to consider. Generally, membership websites have a low overhead. They also may not need anyone else to keep them up and running besides you. Your expenses will include membership software, hosting, and the like, but on average you will receive 50% to 80% profit, which is an extremely high margin.
Another positive about membership websites is the continual income you will receive. The hardest thing for businesses to overcome, particularly when they are getting started, is finding a way to maintain income and have cash flow coming in on a regular basis. Trying to find new customers can be a major drain on time and financial resources.
A membership website allows you to receive a steady amount of income coming in monthly, and you do not have to waste valuable time and resources recruiting new members.
Lastly, there is the quick turn around on your investment money. You put money into a business with the hope that you get that money back and then some once the ball gets rolling. A membership site offers a quick return.
For example, imagine that it costs you $300 a month to startup you website and then another $100 each month to keep it up and running.
Then say you find 16 new members that sign up for $20 a month. At that rate, your first month will bring in $320 – which will cover all of your set up costs and $20 towards the operating fee of that month.
Month two brings in another $320, which covers the remaining operating fee from the first month, the operating fee from that month, and leaves you with $140 in profit.
By month three, if you assume that nothing has changed, you are now brining in $220 each month in pure profit. That means, for your first year alone, you will bring in over $2300 in profit.
While this may not sound huge, remember that was with a mere 16 members. As your membership base grows, so do your profits and you can quickly increase the amount of profit you receive each month.
An added bonus of membership websites is that they can be on anything that interests you. The smaller the niche in the market, the more likely people will pay for information and the more money you can charge per subscription.
Original Articles - Constant-Content
