Every interaction counts. It's as true on your membership site as it is in your grocery store. 

How you interact with your members (and whether you interact at all) is central to their engagement, loyalty, and the likelihood that they'll invest in more of your products and services. 

Once a member signs up with their email address, you have a direct line of communication, with immense potential to grow that relationship and ensure a higher lifetime customer value. 

With the WishList Member, Campaign Refinery integration, you can realize that potential with personalized, targeted messaging.

Read on to find out how segmented email marketing helped one brand achieve a 300% increase in sales during their Black Friday campaign. 

I'll also provide other scenarios where you can use an email integration with WishList Member for precise and effective member communications. 

By the end of this blog, you'll be able to use email segments to boost sales, upgrades, and engagement among your members. 

From first click to lasting impact, orchestrate a journey of engagement and growth with every member. Let's tune up and get started!

Introducing the WishList Member Campaign Refinery Integration

This integration (available with WishList Member Pro and Elite plans) is all about automating interactions based on member behaviors. Turn their every action into an opportunity for tailored communication.

The Mechanics: Seamless Synchronization

At its core, this integration allows you to apply or remove tags in Campaign Refinery based on a variety of member actions in WishList Member. 

Here is the full list of actions that can trigger an add or remove tag automation in Campaign Refinery:

• Added: When a member joins a membership level or is added to a membership level.

• Removed: When a member is removed from a membership level. Members can be removed from a level via admin, level actions, sequential upgrades, and LMS Integrations Actions (eg. via the LearnDash integration)

• Cancelled: When a member stops or cancels payments to their membership level and no longer have access to protected content.

• Uncancelled: When a member rejoins a membership level after cancelling, or after a successful rebilling payment after having been cancelled.

• Expired: When a member's membership has expired after a trial or one-time payment.

• Unexpired: When a member rejoins a level by renewing membership after expiration.

Each of these actions can trigger specific automations. This isn't just about tracking member movements; it’s about responding to them in the most relevant way possible.

The Benefits: Precision and Personalization

What does this mean for your member communications? Precision. Personalization. Impact.

By segmenting your email audience based on these automated tags, your messages hit closer to home. Far from just broadcasting information, you’re engaging in a conversation, tailored to the member's specific journey and needs.

Let's Get Set Up (It's Easy!)

Activate The Integration

Activating this integration is a piece of pie. From your WordPress dashboard, navigate to WishList Member > Setup > Integrations > Email Providers > Campaign Refinery. 

In the box that appears, click the slider to enable Campaign Refinery.

Paste your Campaign Refinery API Key from your Campaign Refinery account and you’re set! Two powerful tools, now synched up and ready to roll!

For a more in-depth, step-by-step run through, check out our WishList Member, Campaign Refinery knowledge doc.

Leveraging Tags: Automated Engagement

Here’s where it gets exciting. From your Campaign Refinery account, you create tags that categorize members based on their actions within WishList Member. 

Whether they’re joining a new level, canceling their subscription, or coming back after a hiatus, each action can be assigned specific tags. This setup allows for incredibly focused and effective communication strategies.

Let’s imagine you have 3 membership levels set up in WIshList Member: Bronze, Silver and Gold. You then create 3 corresponding tags in Campaign Refinery so that you can send emails to only members tagged “Gold”, for example.

In this scenario, you can create automations to add the Bronze tag in Campaign Refinery when a member joins your Bronze level, add a Silver tag when they join your Silver level, and so on. 

Similarly, you can automatically remove these tags when a member cancels their payments and ends their membership.

In this instance, you can also add a new “Cancelled” tag in Campaign Refinery to target these former members in a re-engagement campaign. 

We’ll look at these scenarios in more depth later. 

The Outcome: Targeted Communication

With these tags in place, the communication possibilities are endless. You can reach out to members who have just canceled with messages tailored to bring them back, or nudge lower-level members with compelling reasons to upgrade. 

It's about creating a conversation that feels personal and directly relevant to each member’s experience.

The Big Picture: Beyond the Click

This integration is more than a technical setup; it's a strategy for cultivating relationships with your members. 

From the first click to the lasting impact, each interaction is an opportunity to deepen engagement, increase loyalty, and ultimately, drive growth for your platform.

Stay tuned as we dive deeper into how you can use these features to not just communicate, but connect with your members in a way that truly matters.

3 Ways to Supercharge Member Communications Using WishList Member and Campaign Refinery

Now that we've set the stage with the WishList Member and Campaign Refinery integration, let's look more specifically at how you can leverage this powerful combo to enhance your member communications. 

1. Encouraging Upgrades for Lower-Level Members

Direct Approach for Upgrades:

Use the tagging system to identify members at lower levels, like “Bronze”. Then, craft and send personalized messages highlighting the perks of higher tiers. 

You can showcase exclusive benefits, testimonials, or sneak peeks into what the “Silver” or “Gold” levels offer. It’s about painting a picture of what they're missing and making the upgrade irresistible.

Result-Driven Communication:
Focus on the results and experiences of upgrading. Share success stories or case studies of members who’ve moved up and seen tangible benefits. This approach turns abstract perks into real outcomes, making the upgrade more appealing.

2. Reengaging Members Who Cancel

Targeted Reengagement Campaigns:

When a member cancels, automatically tag them as “Cancelled” and initiate a tailored reengagement campaign. 

This campaign can address their possible reasons for leaving, offer special incentives for rejoining, or update them on new features or content that might reignite their interest.

Personalized Follow-Ups:

Follow up with personalized communication that shows understanding and value for their membership. Sometimes, a simple message asking for feedback or offering help can open the door to reengagement.

3. Cross-Selling to Product Purchasers

Identifying Purchasing Patterns:

Tag members based on their purchases, like tagging someone who signed up for a beginner's course as “Course-Beginner”.

Use this information to recommend advanced courses or related products, creating a natural progression in their learning journey.

Creating an Ecosystem of Complementary Products/Services:
Introduce them to other aspects of your platform that complement their purchase. For example, if they’ve bought a course, introduce them to a relevant community group or additional resources.

This strategy is about enhancing their overall experience, not just pushing more products.

Building a Community, Not Just a Customer Base

Each of these strategies goes beyond traditional member communications. They're about building a community, where each member feels heard and valued. 

Focus on providing messaging that really benefits them, builds their trust in your product, and enhances their experience. 

The Power Of Email Segmentation: A Black Friday Case Study

Let's take a look at how one brand hit it out of the park with their Black Friday campaign, boosting sales by an incredible 300% through smart email segmentation. This story is a great showcase of what happens when you get member communications just right.

Strategy Overview

This brand got creative and divided its audience into four groups: non-customers, past customers, existing lower-tiered customers, and top-tier customers. Each group received emails crafted just for them, fitting their unique relationship with the brand.

1. Non-Customers: Show and Tell

For folks who hadn't bought anything yet, the brand rolled out the red carpet. They shared the best parts about their products, topped with some glowing testimonials. The idea was to turn curiosity into clicks and clicks into sales.

They also ran a competition on RafflePress to enhance engagement and incentivize social sharing of their Black Friday offer.

2. Past Customers: Look What’s New

Past customers got a nudge about all the cool new features and updates. The goal was to reignite their interest and bring them back into the fold.

3. Existing Lower-Tiered Customers: Sweet Upgrade Deal

The brand made a tempting offer to their lower-tier customers: upgrade to a better plan for less than the cost of renewing the current one. It was a clever move to show the value of higher tiers for customers.

4. Top-Tier Customers: More to Love

For the loyal top-tier customers, it was all about cross-selling. The brand suggested products that complemented what they already had, making sure these suggestions added real value to their existing investments.

Results and Reflections

This targeted and thoughtful approach really paid off. Engagement, conversions, sales – everything went up. Each group felt like the brand was talking directly to them, which is a big win in the world of marketing.

This Black Friday success story is a testament to the magic of getting your email segmentation just right. By truly understanding different customer needs and speaking their language, this brand saw some amazing results.

Wrapping Up: Making the Most of WishList Member and Campaign Refinery for Awesome Member Communications

Throughout this blog, we've seen how combining WishList Member with Campaign Refinery really steps up your member communications, bringing a fresh and effective approach to connecting with your audience.

By blending the robust functionality of WishList Member with the dynamic email capabilities of Campaign Refinery, you have the power to transform your member engagement strategies.

Key Takeaways:

• Tailored Communication: With automated tagging and segmentation, you can ensure that every message you send is relevant and personalized, deeply resonating with each member’s unique journey.
  
• Enhanced Engagement: From re-engaging past members to enticing current ones to upgrade or explore new products, this integration allows you to create meaningful connections that drive loyalty and growth.
  
• Measurable Results: The success stories, like the Black Friday campaign case study, demonstrate the tangible impact of well-executed, segmented communication strategies.

Now, it's your turn to experience the magic of this integration. Explore WishList Member today and see how it can elevate your platform’s communication and member engagement.

If you have any thoughts or experiences to share regarding member communications, or if you're just excited about these possibilities, drop a comment below. We love hearing from our readers!

And don’t forget, for more insightful tips and tricks on membership site management and marketing strategies, subscribe to our blog. Stay tuned, stay informed, and let's keep growing together.

Here's to your success in creating a thriving, engaged community!

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Choose the right WordPress membership plugin for you, and creating a membership site with all the functionalities you need is a breeze. That said, some membership plugins don’t seem to make things all that simple and easy on you, with steep learning curves and involved setup processes.

We’re here to change that as we share some tips to find how you can find the best WordPress membership plugin.

Below are some of the things we’ll cover in today’s article:

• Best WordPress Membership Plugin Tips.
• How Do I Set up a Membership Site on WordPress?
• Can You Create A Membership Site on Wix?
• Which Membership Plugin is the Best?

Why It's Important To Research Your Membership Plugin

Choosing the best WordPress membership plugin for your site might seem daunting. After all, your chosen plugin will power your membership site for years to come.

Not to mention that switching from one plugin to another can lead to a bigger headache and can consume a lot of resources. So making the right choice when starting out can save you both time and effort.

In our interview with Shelly Agam from RevitPros, she explained how difficult it was for her to switch from one WordPress plugin to another. She ultimately decided to use WishList Member for its robust functionality and easy customization.

By the end of this blog, you should feel much more confident about the decision-making process. We'll cover everything you need to consider before selecting your membership plugin.

Can You Create a Membership Site on Wix?

Before we delve into choosing the right plugin for your WordPress site, you might be wondering, can't I just use Wix to build my membership site?

This is one of the most-asked and searched questions online these days, and understandably so, as not everyone uses WordPress and some might actually prefer Wix.

The short answer is yes, you can create a membership site on Wix.

However, while Wix is a popular platform, it may not offer the same level of functionality, flexibility, and integration capabilities as WordPress.

We go more in-depth through the pros and cons of using Wix compared to using WordPress in this post.

With that in mind, let's explore how to optimize your WordPress site with the best membership plugins available.

Best WordPress Membership Plugins: Find The Right Fit For You

Here is a checklist of things to consider while researching your options.

Define What You Want Your Membership Site to Do

There are many reasons why you might want to use a membership plugin on your WordPress site. Here are just a few:

• Run Online Courses: Design, manage, and monetize e-learning platforms.
  
  
• Create an Employee Hub: Create a centralized space for company resources, updates, and internal communications.
  
  
• Build an Online Community: Foster a dedicated space for like-minded individuals to discuss, share, and collaborate.
  
  
• Offer Subscription Content: Offer exclusive articles, videos, or podcasts to paying subscribers.
  
  
• Sell Digital Products: Sell e-books, software, or other digital downloads to registered members.
  
  
• Manage Events: Organize, promote, and manage events, workshops, or webinars.
  
  
• Create Networking Platforms: Allow professionals to connect, share portfolios, and collaborate on projects.
  
  
• Offer Private Forums: Offer a space for members to ask questions, share experiences, and provide support.

Of course, your website can incorporate more than one of these functionalities. For example, you might want to release exclusive content and have a forum for your users to discuss it.

You might also research similar sites that you admire to inspire you.

Have a clear understanding of what you want to be able to do with your website and it'll make the next step (deciding what features you need) a lot easier.

With the right plugin, you can get all the functionality you need to help build your ideal WordPress membership site.

Write a Checklist of Features and Functionalities

Most membership plugins have the following features as standard

• Membership Tiers: Offering different levels of membership, each with its own set of benefits and pricing.
  
  
• Content Protection: Safeguarding premium content, ensuring it's accessible only to authorized members.

But depending on what you want your membership site to do, you might also want more specific or advanced features like:

• An Easy-To-Use Course Builder: This feature allows you to design and structure your online courses with ease, incorporating multimedia elements, quizzes, and assignments without needing advanced technical knowledge.
  
  
• Gamification Elements: These are interactive components, such as badges, points, and leaderboards, that motivate and engage users by turning learning or participation into a game-like experience.
  
  
• Drip and Schedule Content: This functionality lets you release content to your members over time, rather than all at once. It's especially useful for online courses where you want students to progress at a certain pace.
  
  
• CRM Integrations: With this feature, you can seamlessly connect your membership site to Customer Relationship Management tools. This helps in tracking member interactions, segmenting users for targeted communications, and automating certain tasks like email notifications.
  
  
• Email Integrations: With email integrations, you can automatically add new members to mailing lists, segment users based on their membership levels or activity, and automate communication processes like welcome emails, reminders, and newsletters.It simplifies the task of managing member communications and ensures that you can deliver personalized content directly to their inboxes.

• Unlimited Membership Levels: This feature allows you to create as many membership tiers as you need, catering to different user needs and price points.Whether you want to offer basic, premium, or VIP memberships, or even more nuanced levels, you have the flexibility to customize your offerings without any restrictions.

Shop Around and Compare Plugins

So you've got your list of desired features and functionalities, it's time to research your options!

If you're struggling to find a list of features for a plugin, head to the pricing page of their website. There you'll find a bulleted list of key features for each of their pricing plans.

When looking at this list, remember that more isn't necessarily better. Why pay a premium for a site with lots of features that you'll never touch? However, it's also important to consider your future.

If your business rapidly scales, you need to make sure you chose a plugin with unlimited memberships and the right functionalities to support your growth.

Of course, features aren't the only things to consider. Here are a few other points to keep in mind when browsing around for a WordPress membership plugin:

• Ease of Use: Can you easily get done what you need to do?
  
  
• Integrations With Your Other Tools and Software: We've mentioned integrations as a feature, but does the memership plugin integrate with tools you already use? That's the cherry on the top!
  
  
• Pricing That Fits Your Budget: Do you get value for the price you are paying?
  
  
• Great User Experience on the Back-End and Front-End: Is it a positive experience for you and your members?
  
  
• Customizability: Are you able to make changes and tailor it to fit your needs?
  
  
• Security Features for You and Your Members: Is your information and your member information safe and secure?
  
  
• Support Docs: Does the plugin have extensive and easy-to-follow step-by-step support documents?

Naturally, your priorities for each of these points will differ based on what you need for your membership site and your level of experience. But it’s important to have a general idea of what you should look for before making a purchase. 

Many options offer a money-back guarantee, and it is highly recommended to try the plugin first to see if you like the experience.

That will give you a general overview of what the plugin looks like from the backend, and if it’s easy enough to use. You will also find out pretty quickly if it provides all the features you need.

Make Sure the Support Team Has Your Back

No matter how great a membership plugin is, a time will likely come when you need help. That's why when shopping around for your WordPress membership plugin, it's just as important to check into the available support options as it is to look into their features.

Some plugins offer email support, chat support, and phone support options. Others even go that extra mile to provide additional support through online Q and A sessions. An online knowledge base is also a popular method to provide support. 

Try contacting the support team and asking some questions. This allows you to get more information about the plugin and also experience how their support team provides assistance.

Ideally, you will want to choose a membership plugin with a great customer support team that truly cares for you and your site. The key is having a team that shows they are willing to assist you and support you.

Take a Look at the Integrations

A membership plugin isn’t always the only thing you’ll need to create a successful membership site when using WordPress. You might also need different tools, apps, plugins, and software to complement your membership plugin.

This is part of what makes WordPress such an effective starting point when building a membership site. It has been developed to work with a wide variety of other systems.

These include email providers, payment providers, CRMs, and more. So you will want a membership plugin that seamlessly and almost effortlessly connects to whatever other tools you’re using. Quick and easy integrations save you so much time and effort when setting everything up.

When shopping around for the best WordPress membership plugin, make sure to look at all the integrations they offer. Make a list of the tools you need and check if your chosen membership plugin can integrate with them. 

Make Sure Your Chosen Plugin Works Best for Your Skills

Every membership plugin advertises itself as the “best,” the “easiest,” and the “most powerful” solution. But the reality is that no matter what they’re advertising, if it’s not the right fit for your skills, it's not a good match.

That is another reason why refund periods are important, as they allow you to use the plugin firsthand. If the membership plugin you’re interested in doesn’t offer a grace period, you can look at their tutorial videos and their knowledge base articles to get a feel for how it works.

Sure, there are plugins out there made for beginners, but do they provide all the advanced features and functionality you need? Or you may find one that seems like the best plugin for you with all the options you’re looking for, but is cumbersome and difficult to set up and manage. 

It’s all about finding the right fit for you. Or, if you’re hiring a web developer to help manage or run your site, make sure the plugin you choose lines up with their skill set.

Find the Right Plugin with the Best User Experience

Your needs aside for a moment, you also want to consider which membership plugin will provide your members with the best experience.

Granted, part of their user experience and how your website will look on the front end will depend on your WordPress theme and how you design the site. But your chosen plugin should still make it easy for you to handle the membership aspects of your site.

This includes how simple it should be for members to log in and access protected content. You want a membership site that provides a smooth experience for members at all times.

This includes a quick registration process and a well laid-out members area. Members want to feel comfortable when they visit your site. That feeling can also contribute to encouraging members to return. Comfortable members tend to come back. 

How Do I Set up a Membership Site on WordPress?

Once you have chosen and installed your ideal plugin, it is time to begin configuring your WordPress site and putting the appropriate content in place. 

Create Paid and Non-Paid Content

Use WordPress to generate your content, and then define which portions of the site and content should be protected using your membership plugin.

Don't make the mistake of thinking that your protected content is more important and requires more time and investment than your public-facing content.

The main area of your website and the member section will each play an important part in your overall success:

• The area that is visible to the public must be intriguing and interesting enough to pique people's curiosity and encourage them to sign up.
• The members-only, restricted content must provide enough value to warrant the membership fee if it’s a paid membership.

These two areas work hand in hand to both generate interest in what you’re offering and then deliver on that offer once members decide to join.

Choose a WordPress Theme

The WordPress theme you choose is also an important decision. There are plenty of choices out there, so you’ll have your pick from the wide selection available.

It's important to choose a design that is clean and clear, especially on the sales page. A simple theme helps members navigate the site, a major factor in the overall user experience. You might want to consider a WordPress theme that is tailored specifically for membership sites. 

If you use a theme that offers different templates or designs, it can be useful to use different templates that complement one another. You can use one template for your public content, and another template for members-only content. This helps create a visual separation between protected and public content.

If you want complete design control, Divi by Elegant Themes is a theme that functions as a page builder.

Alternatively you can install the Elementor plugin to customize any WordPress theme. But be advised, Elementor takes a little time to learn and get used to, so only use it if design control is important to you.

Learn how you can make a WordPress page visible only to paying users here.

So, Which Membership Plugin is the Best for You?

There are plenty of different options to choose from when it comes to finding the best WordPress membership plugins. So, which one is right for you?

The answer will ultimately come down to what you need, what your budget is, and what you want to achieve. Your membership plugin is out there and ready for you. 

Consider the tips we mentioned above to make an informed buying decision and you will find your ideal membership plugin. One that fits your needs and provides the best user experience for you and your members.

Good luck on finding your perfect match, and we hope this helps!

If you have questions, reach out to our support team here.

Discover how to leverage Facebook groups to benefit your business.

Imagine a passionate runner, committed to enhancing her sprint speed. She becomes a member of a site exclusively for runners. However, she needs a space to discuss her techniques with others who share her interest.

Where can she find such a community of like-minded enthusiasts?

Consider a man who has an unusual fascination with tea cozies. He signs up for a crochet-themed membership site to hunt for the best deals on tea cozies. Yet, he lacks a community to share his unique passion with.

Just like the woman and man in these scenarios, your site's members can greatly benefit from being part of a Facebook group.

A Facebook group provides a platform for individuals to:

• connect, 
• exchange feedback, 
• discuss shared interests, 
• gain access to exclusive information and deals, 
• and even form friendships.

Being the administrator of a Facebook group for your business can be an excellent strategy to maintain customer engagement and ensure they keep returning to your site.

So get cozy and read on to find out how.

Facebook Group or Facebook Page: What’s The Difference?

What exactly is a Facebook group, and how does it differ from other social media platforms?

A Facebook group is a private space, meaning membership is granted access either through an invitation or a request.

Any member can post in a group, subject to the rules you establish. 

Facebook groups is a great way to foster a community for two-way conversations for members of your membership site. 

On most social media platforms, you're the one calling the shots. You control all the content. For example, on a Facebook page, you're responsible for creating regular posts. However, in a Facebook group, you act more as a facilitator rather than the primary voice.

It’s this dynamic that creates a sense of community, and deepens the relationship between business and consumer. 

The Importance of Fostering Community: Why Does It Matter?

Building a sense of community around your business isn't merely a feel-good endeavor—it's a strategy with significant potential to enhance your revenue. Here are some of the key benefits:

Customer Engagement and Feedback

A Facebook group offers a platform for your customers to interact with your brand and each other.

 It's an excellent place to get feedback, understand customer needs, and refine your products or services based on their suggestions.

Brand Loyalty and Community Development

By establishing a space where customers can engage and share, you're nurturing a sense of community. This can result in heightened brand loyalty, as customers feel more connected and committed to your brand.

Increased Visibility and Organic Reach

Every interaction or post by a member within the group amplifies the group's visibility within their network. This can stimulate organic growth and boost brand awareness.

Customer Support

The group can function as an extra customer support channel where customers can pose questions and receive assistance from both your team and other customers.

More Reasons to Form a Group

• A group can instill a sense of exclusivity among members. Offer updates, special deals, and bonus content solely for the members of your Facebook group.

• If your site's members create their own group, you may be unaware if a situation escalates or if a user has a negative experience. If you're the one in control, you have the power to screen posts and establish guidelines.

• Facebook provides insights and analytics for groups, which can aid in understanding your audience better and making data-informed decisions.

Guidelines for Managing a Facebook Group

While it's true that the community largely governs the page by contributing content and comments, you'll still need to do some work. 

Here are a few pointers to remember when managing a Facebook group for your membership site.

1. Establish a set of rules to prevent discussions from veering too far off-topic. Consider prohibiting political debates and self-promotion, and definitely include a clause about hate speech and bullying.

2. Make sure you post occasionally and respond in supportive ways. Members appreciate seeing that the person in charge (that's you) values their input.

3. Choose a specific and clear name for your page so your members can easily find you.

4. Don’t overwhelm members with your own content. This isn't the place for self-promotion, so be cautious about posting excessive promotional content or being the primary poster.

5. Act fast to shut down negativity in your group. If the group becomes negative, a subscriber may link that experience with your site. If you spot a negative comment, kindly request the member to remove it or do it yourself.

Can Your Business Benefit From a Facebook Group?

If you manage a membership site, the answer is most definitely yes. Members, or subscribers, have made a commitment to your brand, and there’s a good chance your business is an excellent candidate for a successful Facebook group.

 Here are a few examples of business types that can especially benefit from creating a Facebook group:

Service Providers

Whether you're a fitness trainer, a software consultant, or a hairdresser, you can leverage Facebook groups to share valuable content, respond to queries, and cultivate a community around your services. 

This can help you position yourself as an authority in your field and attract new clientele.

Educational Institutions and Online Course Developers

Facebook groups offer a platform for students to discuss course content, ask questions, and offer peer support. As the course creator, it can also be a place for you to share supplementary resources and updates.

Online Retailers

Facebook groups can be a platform for sharing exclusive deals, announcing new product launches, and collecting customer feedback. 

It's also an ideal space for customers to share their experiences and recommendations, which can stimulate sales.

Event Organizers and Community Developers

If you're coordinating webinars, local gatherings, or large-scale conferences, a Facebook group can be an effective way to maintain attendee engagement before, during, and after an event. 

It's also a venue where participants can network and share their experiences.

Non-Governmental Organizations

Non-profits can use Facebook groups to foster a community of supporters, share updates about their initiatives, and organize fundraising events.

In essence, any business that stands to gain from… 

• building and engaging with a community, 
• offering customer support, 
• collecting customer feedback, 
• and enhancing brand loyalty 

…can benefit from using Facebook groups.

Facebook Group Community Case Study: Popsy Clothing

For an exemplary illustration of a business that has harnessed the power of Facebook groups to its fullest, let's examine Popsy Clothing.

Popsy Clothing, a small UK-based business, specializes in women's vintage dresses featuring unique prints. Their Facebook group has grown to over 47,000 members and enjoys high levels of post engagement.

Let's delve into some of the reasons why the Popsy Facebook Group has achieved such success.

Promoting Respect & Support

The administrators strive to foster a positive and supportive atmosphere within the Facebook group. As a business that caters to women of all body shapes, they are especially vigilant in safeguarding the group from negativity.

One way they achieve this is by emphasizing positivity during the membership application process. 

Prospective members must agree to a set of rules that include being “kind and respectful”, refraining from “hate speech or bullying”, and not posting “diet and medical advice”.

Cultivating Relationships Within the Community

Popsy also encourages members to engage in conversations unrelated to the brand, stating in its rules: “this is your space to make friends, support each other, and a place of positivity.”

This openness has led members to share and bond over personal matters.

In fact, the bond are so strong between Popsy Facebook group members that some have even independently organized in-person meet-ups through the group using Facebook events.

Exclusive Offers for Members

While Popsy regularly shares and promotes new releases, they take several steps to make the experience doesn’t feel like a hard sell. 

For instance, new releases are often paired with limited-time discount codes exclusive to members. Members also receive behind-the-scenes insights into the inspiration behind each design and styling advice.

These graphics are visually appealing, engaging, and can be easily created using a user-friendly graphic design tool like Canva.

1:1 Communication

The personal involvement of the owner and designer, Cherish Reardon, in Popsy's content significantly enhances Popsy's narrative as a small, independent business.

Cherish models her designs, interacts personally with members, and shows genuine interest in their opinions. 

For instance, Cherish recently appeared in a live video, offering members a sneak peek at her Christmas range design ideas. This was followed by a poll, asking members to vote on their favorite patterns.

This approach makes Popsy members feel appreciated and involved in the brand's decision-making, undoubtedly fostering increased brand loyalty.

In Conclusion

Here are the key points we established in this article: 

1. Creating a Facebook group for your business fosters a sense of community, leading to more contented, loyal customers.
2. Running a Facebook group isn't a passive task. Be an active participant and demonstrate genuine interest in the community.
3. Promote positivity by implementing community rules and encouraging open communication.
4. Cultivate a sense of collaboration by involving members in product-related decisions.
5. Offer a VIP experience with insider news and exclusive deals.

Whether it's tea cozy owners discovering the quirkiest knits or runners achieving personal bests, everyone benefits from the support of others.

Your subscribers will appreciate the sense of community that a Facebook group brings, and they'll have you to thank for it. Along the way, you'll be enhancing brand loyalty, organic traffic, and brand visibility.

With six distinct blogs on different websites, each catering to a unique product, staying on top of things can get pretty intense. And let's not forget about the talented group of writers who contribute their brilliance to our blogs, there are a lot of cooks in the kitchen, spinning a whole load of plates.

At least that's how it used to feel until we discovered a game-changing WordPress editorial calendar. And let me tell you, it's completely transformed our content management experience.

It's called the Strive Content Calendar, and I couldn't wait to share its magic with fellow content creators and blog managers like you.

After using Strive for the past few months, I've come to realize just how invaluable it is for streamlining the content management process.

Ready to rev up your content game? Let's go!

Here's why you probably need Strive

If you're immersed in the world of content creation or blog management, you understand the vital role played by blog content calendars. These invaluable tools serve as the backbone of your operations, enabling you to:

• Track and organize topics
• Structure ideas
• Assign tasks
• Schedule posts
• …and so much more!

Now, if you're as organized as we are, you know that your blog content calendar is just a piece of the puzzle. Enter the mighty main content calendar, where you manage not only blog posts but also a myriad of other content types, such as guides, infographics, ads, and PDFs, all neatly organized by topic.

At WishList Member, we rely on Asana to construct and maintain our colossal main content calendar, which effectively captures the bigger picture. However, we encountered a couple of challenges along the way:

1. The sheer size of our main calendar made it too cumbersome for a practical working blog content calendar.
2. Not all our esteemed writers are housed in our office premises, granting them easy access to Asana. This led to a time-consuming cycle of back-and-forth emails and Google Docs exchanges when assigning topics to external writers.

Thankfully, our salvation arrived in the form of the Strive Content Calendar, which swiftly resolved these hurdles and presented us with a seamless solution. Allow us to shed light on how Strive effectively transformed our content management woes.

Now onto the best part: the Strive Content Calendar

The Strive Content Calendar is a remarkable WordPress plugin, just like WishList Member. This means it seamlessly integrates into the WordPress backend, creating your very own blog content calendar right where you need it most.

This ingenious solution directly tackles my two primary concerns:

1. By housing the blog content calendar within the WordPress backend, each of our six blogs has its own dedicated calendar, distinct from our main calendar. This streamlined approach simplifies the management and organization of topics, ensuring an efficient workflow. (Curious about how we amalgamate all the blog calendars into our Asana main calendar? Keep reading, we'll reveal our secret!)
2. Each of our writers has access to the WordPress backend. With Strive, our blog content calendars are now nestled within WordPress itself. As a result, it's now a cinch to assign, review, and process posts for all involved! No more back-and-forth Google Doc sharing. (We'll delve into more details about this later on!)

Plus, Strive's drag-and-drop functionality just adds to its overall incredible ease of use:

Want to change the date of your post? No problemo! Strive lets you effortlessly rearrange posts to your heart's content, swiftly moving them between scheduled slots and the unscheduled drafts sidebar. Each relocation instantly triggers automatic scheduling within the WordPress editor for seamless organization.

This feature stands out as a personal favorite, but the Strive plugin boasts a whole array of other impressive offerings. Let's take a look at some more.

More of Strive's great features

In addition to its user-friendly setup and seamless integration, Strive is tooled up with impressive features designed to save you valuable time. Such as…

Effortless content revisions

Getting your blog to rank highly and stay there requires regular content revisions. However, the revision process can be a real headache. You certainly don't want to disrupt the SEO performance of a live post that already has substantial value.

Enter Strive's Revisions feature, the ultimate solution to streamline your revision workflow. Upon installing the plugin, you'll notice a “revision” option linked to each published post. Accessible via the frontend admin bar in WordPress or your list of posts in the backend.

This feature works its magic in two simple steps:

• Clicking the “revision” link generates a new draft of the post, separate from the published version.
• As you make updates and hit “Publish,” Strive seamlessly merges the revised version with the original. The result? An optimized article without the hassle of confusing redirects. Your SEO juice remains intact, while you save precious time.

Notably, the Strive calendar view prominently labels revisions, allowing you to easily track the ratio of new-to-updated content.

Alternative Pipeline view

While the Calendar view serves as my primary workspace, the Pipeline view gives you a big-picture perspective. By clicking the Pipeline tab, you get visibility into the statuses of all your posts in a single, organized space.

This prevents any posts from slipping through the cracks, providing a holistic snapshot of their progress. Whether they are scheduled, in progress, ready for editing, or not yet started, you can easily identify and manage each post's status. Additionally, you have the flexibility to toggle between row and column layouts based on your preferred workflow.

Customizable Checklists

Crafting a well-structured blog post involves juggling numerous details, from grammar and style to meta-data and image settings. This challenge becomes even more pronounced when working with new writers.

Strive's Checklists feature comes to the rescue, eliminating any guesswork and ensuring consistency. Simply compile your list of essential details under the Checklist tab, and you're ready to go.

Whenever someone works on a post, they can access the checklist directly from the WordPress editor, and check off items as they progress. This not only streamlines practical writing tasks but also serves as a valuable tool for your process.

Clear Post Statuses

Post statuses play a vital role in organizing your content workflow. How do you know if a post is in progress, ready to edit, or edited and ready to go? Strive's Post Statuses feature offers unparalleled clarity in this regard.

Unlike the default WordPress setup, where it's challenging to differentiate between posts requiring edits and those ready for publication, Strive introduces a crystal-clear solution.

The Strive plugin enriches your WordPress environment with the following intuitive post statuses:

• Not Started
• Writing
• Editing
• Complete
• Published

Each status is associated with a distinct color, providing a visual cue throughout the Strive Calendar. Updating a status in the WordPress editor triggers an immediate reflection in Strive, and vice versa. This feature enables efficient organization, ensuring that you never lose track of your posts' progress.

These are just a few of the remarkable features that make Strive an indispensable asset for optimizing your content process. Now, let's delve deeper into how Strive can revolutionize your blog workflow management.

Streamlining Your Blog Workflow with Strive

In this section, I'll walk you through how the WishList Member Content Team effectively uses Strive to manage our blog post workflow. With several writers contributing to our six distinct blogs, maintaining an organized and controlled workflow is super important.

Thankfully, Strive provides two great features that simplify the process and ensure seamless organization. Let's explore how we leverage these features:

New Drafts

Located on the right side of the Content Calendar page, the “Add New Draft” is your launchpad for your next blog.

When clicked, it opens a pop-up window where you can effortlessly input all the essential details required for a post.

We make use of the Title field to indicate the assigned writer by including their name before the post title.

The magic happens when you click the Add New Draft button at the bottom of the window.

Strive automatically creates a new draft in WordPress, populating all the entered information into the WordPress Editor. This integration between Strive and WordPress eliminates the need for time-consuming data transfer, ensuring a smooth and efficient workflow.

When you create a new draft, Strive auto-generates a dedicated box in the Unscheduled Drafts column, conveniently displaying all pending assignments for our writers. This feature enables clear visibility and easy access to ongoing tasks.

Streamlined Workflow with Color-Coded Progress

Strive's vibrant color system not only adds visual appeal but also serves as a powerful tool in our blog post process.

Each color represents a specific stage in the workflow, allowing us to effectively communicate the next steps and responsible individuals. Here's how we utilize these colors:

1. Not Started (Red): When I create a New Draft, it automatically adopts the Not Started status with a striking red color. This signals to the assigned writer that the blog post is ready to be written.
2. Writing (Orange): Once the writer begins working on the draft, they transition the post status to Writing, accompanied by an eye-catching orange hue. This change lets me know that the post is in progress.
3. Editing (Yellow): When the draft is completed and ready for review, the writer updates the post status to Editing, represented by a vibrant yellow shade. This notifies me that the post requires my attention for further review and revisions.
4. Complete (Green): After I finish the edits and consider the post ready for publication, I switch the status to Complete. The post box promptly transforms into a reassuring green color.

Green plays a vital role for us, as Strive offers an optional setting that automatically publishes any Complete (green) post according to its scheduled date and time in the WordPress Editor. This feature significantly saves time. However, it necessitates diligent checking of dates and times whenever we “go green.”

Finally, once a post is successfully published, it transitions to black, indicating that the entire process is complete.

By employing this color-coded system, we maintain an organized workflow, ensuring clear communication and seamless progression throughout the content creation process. Let's explore more valuable features and benefits that Strive brings to the table.

Seamless Integration with Your Main Content Calendar

Strive's individual blog content calendars simplify our blog workflow tremendously. However, what about our main Asana calendar, where we track all the deliverables associated with our topics?

Transcribing each WordPress post into Asana would be a tedious and time-consuming task. Luckily, our remarkable Dev Team devised an ingenious solution using Zapier.

Through a custom Zap, triggered whenever a new draft is created in WordPress, the draft seamlessly transfers into our Asana content calendar, specifically the “New Blogs” section I established.

The Zap automatically assigns the corresponding task to me, ensuring I receive an alert about the presence of the draft. From there, I simply navigate to Asana and effortlessly drag the post into the appropriate topic section.

It's an absolute triumph, streamlining our workflow and eliminating the need for duplicate efforts.

The Takeaway

The Strive Content Calendar is an invaluable asset for creators. It offers a wealth of features and benefits that can revolutionize your content management process all at a very reasonable price.

For only $7 per month, you gain access to all the remarkable features we've discussed and more. Not to mention, the first two weeks come free of charge.

Consider the value of your time, which is estimated at around $100 per hour. With Strive, you'll be paying less than half a cent per hour, making it an incredibly cost-effective solution. Factor in the time-saving advantages it provides, and it's an absolute steal.

Ready to experience the power of Strive firsthand? Click the button below and embark on a test drive that will transform the way you manage and organize your content.

Start optimizing your content process with Strive today!

TRY STRIVE CONTENT CALENDAR FOR FREE FOR 14 DAYS

We value your feedback and would love to hear about your experience with Strive. If you decide to give it a try, please share your thoughts and insights in the comments section.

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Trial offers have proven to be successful for countless subscription-based businesses—offline and online. 

Amazon, Netflix, Spotify, Hulu, YouTube Premium, Audible, PlayStation, and LinkedIn Premium, are some of the most popular subscription-based businesses that offer a free trial for their service. 

Here's the catch; free trial offers are not for everyone. Like every other marketing strategy, it is not foolproof and comes with its own pros and cons.

To help you decide whether or not offering trials is a good strategy for your site, here are some of the things we'll talk about in this article:

• Are Trials For Membership Sites a Good Idea?
• The Different Types of Trials for Membership Sites
• Pros and Cons of Trials for Membership Sites
• Should You Run A Free Or Paid Trial?
• When Should You Not Offer a Trial for Your Membership Site?

Are Trials for Membership Sites a Good Idea?

Yes. For many membership sites, trials are a good strategy to use. We have already established that.

It is an efficient and incredibly profitable way for your subscription-based service or site to generate new sales. Not to mention how it lowers your customer acquisition costs.

However, is it a good idea for YOU? 

The answer to that depends entirely on your preference, budget, and marketing strategies. 

Offering a trial period allows you to SHOW your potential customers what you have to offer instead of TELLING them. 

Instead of spending hundreds and thousands of dollars on advertising, you can just give them a live preview or demo of your product.

Put yourself in your customers' shoes. Would you buy something just because the salesperson tells you it's great? Or would you rather see it for yourself first?

Would you buy a car without a test drive? Or clothes without fitting them? 

It's the same thing with subscription-based businesses. Your customers will treat your product or service as an investment. 

That is why almost every single one of them would want to try it for themselves first. 

Almost every membership site owner would agree that offering a trial period gets more leads and convert more sales at a faster and higher rate. And it increases customer satisfaction.

But not every trial offer is the same. Let's look at each type of trial offer and how they differ from one another.

The Different Types of Trials for Membership Sites

Here are some of the trial offers you can try:

• Limited time trial offer
• Limited access trial offer
• Free-trial offer
• Discounted-rate trial offer
• Service-based trial offer.

The best part is, you don't necessarily have to pick just one from these. You can try a combination of two or more. 

Limited-Time Trial Offer

With this type of trial offer, you can give your potential customers free access to everything on your membership site for a limited time.

You can offer a one-week, two-weeks, or even a 30-day free trial so they can try your product or services for free. 

In addition to that, you can also make a limited-time trial offer at a discounted rate. Or, you can offer free services during their trial period if they commit to buying a membership. 

Limited Access Trial Offer

Similar to the limited-time trial, you can also use limited access in combination with other offers.

Here, you can offer your potential customers a sneak peek or a preview of your membership site, course, product, or service without giving them access to the whole thing. You can easily do this by using WishList Member’s Sneak Peek + Partial Display feature.

For instance, if you're offering an online course, you can allow trial members to access only a certain number of lessons.

Or, if you're offering a trial of your product or service, you can give them access to only some of the most basic features. 

Pro tip: you can use CourseCure to easily create a fully-customizable online course.

Free Trial Offer

This is one of the most common trials offers we see today. It is often used in conjunction with limited-time or limited-access offers. 

As the name suggests, free trials are—well… free.

Discounted Rate Trial Offer

Your trial offer doesn't always need to be free. You can also offer it at a discounted rate.

Service-Based Trial Offer

Lastly, there are service-based trial offers where you can give your customers access to your service for free or at a discounted rate for a limited time.

Naturally, you would want them to sign up for your membership site at the end of the trial period, so make sure that the service you're offering is enticing enough to keep them hooked. 

And make sure that you overdeliver once they do sign up.

Pros and Cons of Trials for Membership Sites

Just like with any type of marketing, trials for membership sites have their pros and cons. Let's look at some of them.

Pros of Trials for Membership Sites

Save $$$ on Customer Acquisition

If a person decides to go for a trial period, their feet are already halfway through the door. It is now up to you how you can deliver what you promised to get them all the way in. 

Most of the time, you can let your product or service sell itself during the trial period. 

The good news is that once they're in the trial period, it will save you hundreds of dollars because no additional marketing is necessary. Of course, that is if what you're offering is enticing enough to make them become a full-fledged member.

Higher Customer Satisfaction

Few people who take advantage of a free trial are bitterly disappointed after converting because they know exactly what to expect based on their trial experience.  

Such a degree of honesty helps you give your customers more transparency and prevents them from having unrealistic expectations. That also means fewer complaints and cancellations.

Reduces Their Fear of Commitment

Memberships are a commitment. And most of the time, customers can feel a fear of binding themselves to a monthly or yearly payment.

By providing a free or low-cost trial, you empower your market to see what they're missing and reduce their anxiety about committing by demonstrating what they're missing out on.

Gather Feedback

Trials for membership sites are also ideal for gathering feedback on your services and products. 

It's the perfect opportunity to gain the market's feedback and valuable insight so you can make better and more informed business decisions.

More Valuable Leads for Your Email List

Another advantage is that you can get more valuable leads. These people have already taken the time to view your product and test it out for themselves.

That means they already know you, and they will most likely feel more inclined to become a member after the trial or at some point in the future.

In our Memberships and Podcast episode with Jan Koch, he talks about how valuable email lists are to every business, and how you can build a massive list. 

WishList Member integrates with many popular email service providers including ConvertKit, ActiveCampaign, and Campaign Refinery.

These integrations allow you to create tags and lists automatically based on user engagement with your membership programs.

For example, when a user signs up for a trial membership, you can automatically add them to your contact list and tag them as a trial member. Then, when they upgrade to a paid membership, the “trial” is removed and replaced with their new membership level.

Cons of Trials for Membership Sites

While risks are inherently minimal for offering trials, there are still some that you should consider. 

Potential Loss of Time, Money, and Resources

Before offering a trial for your membership site, be sure to consider if your budget can afford it. 

You should also consider those who are just trying to get in the free trial period but have zero intention of signing up to be a member. 

You can try to alleviate these risks by doing some or a combination of the following tips:

• Offer a discounted fee trial – that means you still get a portion of sales in exchange for their access.
• Filter who gets in the trial period – you can have your customers fill out a form or a quiz so you can filter who gets to be a part of the trial. 
• Protect valuable content – offering a limited access trial can help you protect valuable content without giving away the whole thing.
• Limit the trial duration – it will take a lot of testing, but if you can find the perfect duration to help your customers make an informed decision, that'll benefit you greatly.

Should You Run A Free Or Paid Trial?

Most trial offers to run for free. But that doesn't mean that you should do it too. 

You can always choose the discounted rate or even offer a trial for a minimal fee. 

Instead of just providing them with a free trial, you may consider charging a small charge to increase their psychological “buy-in” to membership site.

Charging a minimal fee is also a great strategy if you want to filter out those just looking to get something for free and those who are truly interested in becoming members.

Ultimately, the answer will always be up to you.

When Should You Not Offer a Trial for Your Membership Site?

The answer will depend on what you're offering. 

For instance, if you're offering an online course, a trial period might not be your best option. That is because your audience might finish the whole course before the trial is over. 

However, there is always a way to get around that. You could protect or drip-feed the latter or a certain part of your courses and exclude it from your trial. 

Another example will be if you're offering a service. For instance, you're offering a free garage door repair for members who are in their trial period.

You may want to consider a different strategy than a trial. Or, you could charge a minimal fee to balance out the costs.

You could also offer a basic level for your membership site where trial members can get access to a scaled-back version of your whole offer.  

At the very least, it gets people inside your membership site and your community, which may encourage them to get the full version after the trial. 

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Offering a Trial

Before you jump the gun on that trial offer, here are some questions to ask yourself. The answers to these questions will help you make an informed decision.

• How long should the trial period be? Your audience will need enough time to really dip their toes in and determine if what you're offering is something they won't be able to live without. At the same time, you want to make sure that it's not “too long.”
• Can you afford it? Definitely consider if giving people free access to your product or your service is something you can afford and something that will benefit you in the long run.
• How long will conversion take? When it comes to running a business, time is money. Consider the length of time that it will take for your trial members to become paying members.

In the recent podcast we published with Brian Kurtz, one thing he said that caught my attention was, “Once people renew once, the odds that they'll renew again grows.”

Brian also mentions that “renewals give me the most satisfaction.”

We’re talking about Recurring Revenue. Subscriptions. Continuity.

Right now, there's a lot of talk about our economy and whether or not we're in a recession. I'm not an expert when it comes to economics or what the definition of a recession is.

What I do know is that during COVID when a lot of business owners were struggling, online courses and training were doing better than ever because people were at home, in front of their computers, bored, and they knew that they needed to increase their skillset.

If YOU have a skillset that you can teach others, trust me when I say you have potential for a business.

There are a lot of different models you can use for a membership site, but if you want something more recession proof, allows you to reach more people, and provides a steady stream of income then you need to look at offering subscriptions.

You can make a million dollars by selling $39/m subscriptions one at a time. Look at the news companies, Netflix, Spotify…. And it will probably be easier than selling $2,000 courses one at a time.

Why?

Because the upfront investment is small. And once you get someone on that subscription and they renew, each time the odds they’ll renew grows.

Sell once and collect over the lifetime of that subscription. In addition to what you’re doing to generate new sales.

I would strongly recommend adding some sort of continuity to your membership model if you haven’t already done so.

But even more, I would recommend that you listen to the full interview with Brian Kurtz because there is an unbelievable amount of practical advice and wisdom in it.

“People buy on emotion and justify with logic.”

You can't get five seconds into most marketing advice without hearing it (probably for the 1,000th time). Problem is… it's wrong. Or, at the very least, incomplete. And, frankly, not knowing how it's incomplete is the missing link for a lot of marketing and marketers.

So, let's start at the beginning…

Why do most advice-givers say people “buy on emotion”?

Well, because emotion IS a part of the decision to buy. A critical part. Maybe the most important part. In fact, neuroscientists have studied it and found that people whose brains are damaged in the area that generates emotions are incapable of making decisions.

“Um… I thought you were telling me buying decisions aren't based on emotion? Not really helping your case here, Johnny Boy.”

As with anything, details matter.

What the research actually says is “Decision-making is a complex process that requires the orchestration of multiple neural systems.” Patients who have damage in certain emotion-related parts of the brain have “difficulties with decision-making”, but they're not fully incapable.

That is, emotion is a critical piece of the puzzle, but it's not the only piece.

In fact, Aristotle identified three components of persuasion: pathos, ethos, and logos.

Today, you might hear those referred to as emotion, believability, and logic. Which brings up an interesting point…

Why does believability matter?

Pretty much everybody agrees that believability is important. In fact, you've likely heard the same advice-givers who go on about “people buy on emotion” rail about the importance of believability.

But, believability isn't emotion.

Interesting.

The point I'm making isn't that emotion doesn't matter. It absolutely does. It's that there's more to it… and I argue that logic is actually what pushes people over the edge to buy. It's that critical missing piece for most marketers.

So, enough of me playing coy. What am I actually saying here?

I believe there are three things that go into buying decisions:

• Desire
• Believability
• Rationalization

Think about any buying decision you've ever made. It's actually pretty rare that you see something, want it, and just immediately buy it. Maybe the king size Snickers bar at the grocery store checkout, but anything more than the occasional (or not so occasional) impulse buy?

There's more to it.

If emotion is all that mattered, hype would work. You'd see some amazing claim that you'll instantly lose 30 pounds in five seconds just by taking this pill and you'd buy it without thought.

That's not what happens.

The moment you hear a claim like that, you think “yeah right” — and you don't buy. The emotional appeal is there, it's believability that's missing.

So, how do we get to logic as the basis for buying?

It's that moment of uncertainty… when you've heard the emotional appeals and you do kinda want the thing. You've been given some evidence and the thing seems credible. And you're sitting there, finger on the mouse, debating if you should go through with it.

What pushes you over the edge?

Probably something like this:

• “Well, I can always return it if I don't like it.”
• “I've gotta do something because what I'm doing now isn't working.”
• “I better just get it while it's half off.”

Sound familiar? Those are rationalizations. They are logical appeals. They are the justifications we use to say “screw it” and go for it. So, the saying “People buy on emotion and justify with logic” is close.

But, it's really that “People desire based on emotion and buy based on logic”. The justification comes before the purchase.

Why does that matter?

As a marketer, you want to provide those justifications. In fact, I'd argue that's what a sale is: “Well, it is half off right now” and what urgency is: “I better just get before the price goes back up”. Limited-time offers provide a built-in and compelling justification.

Again, notice those are logical appeals not emotional ones.

Aristotle had it right all along.

Yes, you need emotion. You also need believability… and you need logic in the form of justifications that push people over the edge and get them to click that buy button.

Give it a shot the next time you sit down to write some sales copy. I'm confident you'll see a jump in the results you get. I mean, it can't hurt, right?

Speaking of boosting the results you're getting… can you imagine what you'd learn if you had a bird's eye view of over 110,000 membership sites? How much bigger you could grow your membership?

That's the position we're fortunate to be in and we created a free video training that'll teach the five most impactful marketing secrets we've learned from all that experience. Surely, there's a thing or two you'd pick up that'd help you increase your results. Get free access below:

You've probably seen his “hierarchy of needs”. It's become a bit of a staple in marketing circles. The problem is, it's not based on any actual research. Maslow just kinda made it up based on what he thought.

Fine. That's how lots of theories begin, but eventually they need tested. Maslow's have been and the results have been mixed at best.

That's why psychologists like Henry Murray and David McClelland kept advancing Maslow's original ideas.

McClelland, in particular, conducted numerous studies using the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT). The TAT isn't a perfect test, but as ScienceDirect puts it, it “is useful in revealing a patient's dominant motivations, emotions, and core personality conflicts”.

McClelland used it to refine Maslow's needs theory.

What did he find?

That, in reality, it's really only three needs that dominate human behavior. Three needs that animate 90% of how and why we act the way we do. Useful for those (like you and I) attempting to motivate others into action?

Uh, yeah.

So, what are these “three needs”?

1. The Need for Power
2. The Need for Achievement
3. The Need for Affiliation

McClelland found that of all the different needs identified my Maslow and Murray, 86% of people were dominant in one or more of these three needs. Evidence,  data, something you can trust.

Quickly, what exactly are each of these needs?

The Need for Power

When people hear “power”, they automatically think of control and evil despots like Stalin and Hitler. That can be part of it, but it's more about impact. It's the ability to influence the world around you — people, objects, etc. Imagine a baby who throws a ball and then giggles uncontrollably. It's her ability to control something outside of herself that makes her light up. That's the Need for Power.

Phrases you might use in your messaging to appeal to this need are things like:

• “more control…”
• “change the world…”
• “have tremendous impact…”
• “dominate…”
• “greater influence…”

You speak to their need to impact and influence the world around them because, for people high in the Need for Power, that's what motivates them.

The Need for Achievement

This need is more like it sounds — the desire to achieve things. Set a goal, work toward it, and ultimately achieve it. People high in the Need for Achievement want to engage in that simple process over and over again.

A little nuance, though. If a goal is too easy, it won't bring the satisfaction they're after and it won't motivate them. If a goal is too hard, they'll assume they can't achieve it and, again, it won't motivate them.

So, the goal has to be “just right” in order to motivate people high in this need. But, put challenging but achievable goals in front of them and they'll grind them out one after the other like a machine.

Phrase you might use in your messaging for this need are things like:

• “mastery”
• “achieve your goals”
• “challenge yourself”
• “show what your made of”
• “be all you can be”

The final need, then, is…

The Need for Affiliation

As McClelland says, this is “The need to feel a sense of involvement and belonging within a social group.” This one's more well-known. Social networks have illustrated people's need for connection and belonging.

Today, many products and services include communities, Facebook groups, live events, virtual events, and so on.

Still, it's important to include in your messaging. Phrases you might use include:

• “join a group of like-minded”
• “connect with other”
• “we're one of you”
• “welcome to the family”

And, so on. And, of course, including community-type elements in your products and services when and where appropriate.

So, how do you use all this?

Well, consider that virtually all (good) copywriting is “reason-why” based. You're giving people reasons why they should take the action you're asking them to (subscribe to your mailing list, buy your product, join your community, etc).

So, any basic argument can be broken down into two parts:

1. Take this action
2. Because reason why

The three needs tell you what those “reasons why” should be. They should speak to the three needs because that's what motivates people to act. That's what will make your writing, speaking, whatever kind of messaging you're doing… more persuasive.

Yes, you still have to prove these kinds of claims, provide evidence, get attention and all that… but getting the appeal right in the first place is critical. Otherwise, people just shrug and say, “Eh, who cares?” It doesn't animate them.

So, the next time you're sitting down to write some copy or whip up a video script, forget Maslow and remember McClelland. Your copy will thank you for it.

That said, this is just one of the many marketing secrets we've learned working with over 100,000 other online business owners like you.

Want to know the five most impactful secrets we've learned? To ramp up your marketing, blow through your income goals and creating a thriving membership community of people you love working with?

If yes, check out our free training below where we'll share those secrets with you:

He said, “Don't invest a lot of time or money when starting a new project, start with an MVP and go from there. Your customers will tell you what's the direction to go and what they like or don't like about your product. That will save your time and money.”

Something that I've seen over and over again are people who put EVERYTHING into building a course or membership site without first validating the idea at all.

Don't get me wrong, I've been there and understand the mentality.

But there is a better way.

Maybe you already have a successful site and you're wondering what this has to do with you. What I'm about to share works for starting a new site, but also adding new programs to existing, established sites.

So…

Before you spend a ton of time and energy planning, recording, editing, and marketing your program, try this.

1. Reach out to all your contacts and potential buyers (if you're just starting, this is likely all your friends on social media, colleagues, etc.)
2. Invite them to a live 4-8 week course held on Zoom, 1 hour each week, over the topic you'll be creating your course on
3. Charge a nominal fee for it
4. Use this to gauge the interest

If you can't get 3 people to sign up for the live course, you're going to have a hard time getting people to buy into a membership program.

The other reason why this is so powerful is you don't have to have all the content ready ahead of time. Go in prepared to teach the first lesson and then the next lesson will be tailored around what your students need help with.

By the end of the program, you will have actual feedback from real students who paid you. This will help you build a course that's actually valuable since you will have uncovered ideas/problems/solutions you didn't originally think of.

I hope you can use this tip whether for a new membership site or just adding a new course to your existing one.

A few weeks back, my wife was driving to work and hit a deer. For context, we live “deep” in the Ozarks down in Missouri. So, deer abound. Anyway, she was fine — a little shaken, but fine — but our truck obviously was not.

Did the usual… filed a claim, got it to a body shop, and figured no big deal.

Boy, was I wrong!

The shop did fix it (or so they said) but on the drive home, our dash display lit up like a Christmas tree. Lights I didn't even know existed going off. Plus, the truck was stalling bad and, overall, something just not right.

And that began our saga.

Several weeks of hassling with insurance, several different body shops, towing the truck here, driving it to this mechanic — probably 10-15 different people all telling us different things and pointing the finger at each other.

And a truck that's still not fixed.

Ever experienced something like that?

Remember how it made you feel?

If you have, you know… it's the trump card. You can be the greatest mechanic, restaurant, or online business owner in the world, but it won't matter if you provide shoddy support. In fact, customers will often deal with products that maybe aren't quite as good as their competitors because the support is so good.

Even more, I had a mentor who had built several successful tech companies and his entire startup strategy was based around providing exceptional customer support.

It may just be one of the easiest ways to “win” in online business that doesn't require a ton of marketing talent or the latest whiz-bang camera for recording content, and so on.

Simple customer service.

That might sound a bit too simple, but I've seen it work time and time again.

And especially important when you're talking about membership sites where people are paying you month after month. Your customer service better be on point.

Anyway, a little tidbit that might help you as your build your online business.

And, of course, you can learn even more online business-building tips inside the free training video below: