By Guest Blogger Sandra Martini:
Whether you’re currently hosting a membership program or plan to host one in the near future, there are some trends which have popped up that you’ll want to be aware of.
First, let me define what I mean by “membership program”:
Any program or service which results in you receiving automatic, recurring revenue:
- It could be ongoing with no definitive end
- It could be 12 weeks, 6-months, or any defined period of time
- It could be a program with benefits such as teleseminars and a forum
- It could be a Done 4 You service such as website maintenance or virtual business management
You get the idea. . .
I’m seeing two different, yet similar trends when it comes to membership programs:
1. Membership program hosts are getting “lazy” by over-repurposing their materials and using the same info again and again without including anything new.
In reviewing a potential new client’s offerings recently, I noticed that she offered the same basic material to everyone who hired her, regardless of the level (from basic membership to private 1-on-1) they came in at.
While that itself isn’t bad and is actually a smart thing to do, she stopped there. Her private 1-on-1 clients didn’t get anything more than those investing in her lowest end programs.
It was immediately clear why her high end clients were leaving and not re-upping: she was resting on what she’d already done/provided and not offering more (a.k.a. “laziness”) and it was costing her tens of thousands of dollars in lost revenue, not to mention what it was doing to her reputation and credibility.
2. Membership program hosts are getting “lazy” in that they’re not building their businesses as their current membership programs are steadily bringing in revenue and they’ve gotten used to that revenue level. This is often a combination of “laziness” and “mindset blocks” around bringing in additional revenue.
Membership programs are great! If they’re successful, you get a notice from your shopping cart each day telling you how much revenue is automatically coming in. It’s a fabulous feeling and one that, sadly enough, can lead to laziness since you *know* money’s coming in and so you end up being “too busy” to continue building your business.
It’s another form of resting on what you’ve done. . .as you sit and wonder why you’re not reaching your revenue goals.
My Request to You
If you’ve been reading my stuff for any length of time, then you know one of the business growth strategies I highly recommend is creating a marketing and promotional calendar which lists out which programs, products and services you’ll be offering — in as much detail (price point, goal number of participants, dates, etc.) as you know.
If you’re not sure about the details, that’s okay. . .write it in and create the spot for something to come into. After all, nature abhors a vacuum! :
Now’s the time to take that calendar out (or start one) and, looking at it with a critical eye, ask yourself:
“Is this the marketing calendar of a growing business, a stagnant business or a declining business?”
Once you have your answer, act accordingly based on your goals. . .
Participating in membership programs? Please share your experiences below. 
About the Author:
Sandra Martini (www.SandraMartini.com), founder of Escalator Marketing™ and creator of the Escalator Profits Program™, shows creative heart-based entrepreneurs how to build sustainable businesses without losing their integrity or their minds.
Increased productivity, increased profits and the freedom to enjoy them both. Seriously.
Get Sandy’s new report “Get Off The Roller Coaster and On The Escalator” at http://www.EscalatorMarketingPlan.com
