MEMBERSHIP / Subscription Site Biz ...

In the last few years, Membership // Subscription websites have take the Internet by storm (as well as OFFline). Most subscription sites offer their subscriptions for a recurring monthly fee; however, a handful offer their information for free [at least initially] to anyone who will provide an email address and name.

The focus here will be on FEE-based membership / subscription websites. Back in the Internet dark ages in 1997 or so, everyone expected everything online to be free of charge. For a few years, as more and more people purchased computers and chose to be online, that philosophy worked quite well. Around the year 2000, however, that philosophy began to change.

  The dot-com bust was beginning, and many companies realized that continuing to provide their services or content free of charge wasn't going to work in the new Internet marketplace. The fee-for-content phase was beginning - and many were skeptical - saying that people would never pay for something that was once free.

Now, paying for information online has become the rule, rather than the exception. Newspapers charge to access their article archives - membership associations charge to access their membership lists - and membership / subscription websites charge to access the "insider" information that a particular industry or niche finds vital for success.

-- Membergate - a membership website development company that will host and help you develop your site  

-- Membership Site Owner - software that you purchase and install to help you manage your site    

-- Launch Formula Marketing - the newer kid on the block    

  Integrating a membership website as a key part of your marketing funnel will be a time-consuming endeavor, but you could find it worthwhile. Here are some tips to keep in mind, as you think about launching your 'own' membership / subscription website:

((1))-- Pick a niche market with which you have some experience and credibility. Your audience is paying for your expertise and insight, so trying to fake it won't work.

((2))-- Talk to members of your target market and evaluate their enthusiasm for providing content they want online. You may find out that they'd prefer the delivery of the content via a different medium.

((3))-- Determine the size of your market. Are there already some products and services available for this market? How does your pricing compare? How will they find you? What will be their incentive for joining? What sets you apart and makes you different from others offering a similar product or service?

((4))-- Is the information you're providing readily available offline?  If it is, people may not be willing to pay a monthly or yearly membership fee to access the information.  However, they may be willing to pay for convenience if you bring all of the info together under one roof.

((5))-- Don't think of a membership / subscription website as a "get rich quick" effort. It will take 3-6 months for you to develop the content for and then launch the website, and at least another year to build your membership and begin showing a profit.

A Membership / Subscription website can be a wonderful way to leverage your expertise,  and it can grow to become a lucrative, multiple-profit center for your business. Create your business plan for your site and do the research up front to determine if this strategy will be a viable profit center for your business, and how you will integrate it into your current business offerings. 

HOW ATTRACTIVE?

What can be accomplished with these sites is impressive. In some cases, entrepreneurs are bringing in - $4,000/mo -- $35,000/mo -- $75,000/mo -- $200,000+/mo.  BUT, the time and effort to do so can be high, as they can be labor-intensive to maintain and update - they will require constant attention.

SAMPLES of Other Membership / Subscription Sites:

-- Self Made Millionaires    

-- The Janitorial Store   

-- Landlord Support    

-- Patterns Patch   

-- Dog Problems   

  theWealth RxTEST?- Remember the 2 things that any Biz Vehicle must meet to provide us with Principled Prosperity? => 1)- it must LEVERAGE our time / effort / money => 2)- it must give us multiple streams of 'passive' income. Simplicity and affordability? It obviously must also be legal and ethical. So, how does a MEMBERSHIP Biz measure up? 

Finally, a look at an AFFILIATE MARKETING business...