What do some membership sites have over others?
They have found a profitable niche to base their
site upon. If you want to drive traffic and
increase membership numbers, find a topic that
people are interested in.
Finding a topic is not that hard but it does
require some research. That is always the most
important first step in any business venture. If
you don’t know what else is out there, how can
you compete? How can you improve on an existing
model?
Finding Your Topic
Start with what you know. English teachers always
tell you to write what you know. That philosophy
goes for business as well. If you are interested
in fitness, begin your research there. Are there
other membership sites on the topic of fitness,
nutrition or both? If there is, find out what
makes them stand out.
Within each topic there is room to move around.
You can choose a niche within that general topic
(fitness for example) to specialize your
membership site. Maybe the site will offer fitness
tools for women or men’s fitness. One advantage
that your niche membership site would have is a
more focused approach to fitness for that
particular gender.
Choosing Your Price
What is it about $0.95 or $0.99? It’s almost as
if people are saving a lot with only a few cents.
Someone is more likely to pay $9.95 than $10.00.
It must be a psychological thing but it works.
Knock off a few cents and you are in business.
Your price will depend on two things: competitive
prices and your offerings. If another fitness site
offers membership for $9.99, you will have to have
something spectacular if your price is higher.
And, that might be possible if they offer the
basics for their members. Choose membership tools
that make life easier for your potential members.
Testing the Waters
If you already run a website or a blog, use that
forum to gauge how much interest there is in your
niche topic. Poll visitors; send survey links to
customers and post engaging blog entries that beg
feedback on your possible new enterprise. You
don’t want to sink money into a venture that
won’t even get off the ground.
Want to start a membership site that will make
you a profit? Research topics for your site and
explore niche possibilities that will bring you
the traffic and the money. But, when you find a
worthy niche, you will see a recurring income each
month from your hard work.
