What is it with marketers and membership sites?
Seems every second person I talk to is dead-set on creating the next latest, greatest, whiz-bang membership site.
And they’ve all laid out grand plans for the ultimate site — complete with articles, videos, interviews, forums and more… on paper it’s the best thing since sliced bread.
Sure it’s a lot of work — a few months effort getting everything up and running — but this site is sooo much better than all the others.
Just a few members will make it all worth while…
Problem is, people don’t want a membership site.
They don’t need all that “stuff.”
They don’t WANT all that stuff.
And they sure as hell don’t want to pay for more stuff each month.
Everyone is already overloaded with information. What they want… what they need… is solid actionable information they can use right away. NOT a whole bunch of stuff.
That’s why most membership sites are stoopid — because they’re built based on what the marketer thinks will sell, not what people actually want to buy.
Besides, they’re a bunch of work!
Give me a simple continuity program any day:
- A niche newsletter
- A CD or DVD of the month club
- A paid coaching forum
Why? Because they’re simple to setup, deliver laser-targeted bite-size information, are high margin, and can be largely automated.
Of course there are exceptions to the rule — membership sites with tons of “stuff” that are super-successful.
But for every one of these successful behemoths there are a dozen would-be sites gathering cyber dust.
And another half dozen simple continuity programs quietly turning over thousands each month.
So before you go planning a mega membership site take a moment to think about what people actually want… and the easiest way you can deliver it.
Talk soon
Kyle
P.S. You can learn how to setup simple (and profitable) continuity programs in my Overnight Membership Site course which you get when you grab my FIRESALE package here:
http://www.kyletully.com/imfiresale/
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Kyle,
Really well said. I think the time is quickly coming when people are going to realize that MORE is not in fact better… but that it’s worse. And it’s that MORE that’s actually KEEPING them from getting where they want to go.
And that’s when the “We dump so much stuff on you” sales strategy will fall flat on its face… if it doesn’t already.
Great post.
Right on Jason, smart marketers are now using the “We dump so much stuff on you” as a MARKETING strategy instead.
People don’t want to buy information but they need information to make the decision to buy.
Give them the information and sell them the systems to get the results.
Finally, a voice of sanity about this!
I’m so tired of being told I should put all my content into the typical membership site model with a forum, 2 calls per month, etc. First of all–I may have the content but it’s still a TON of work. Plus 99% of membership sites I’ve had access to are just not worth the money. The calls are the same as what the guest speaker is saying for free elsewhere. And the dead forums just look pathetic.
Personally, I think that’s why all those “cash map” type systems are so popular right now. People are tired of being inundated with stuff. They just want clear and simple info on how to get it done.
Tracy