Creating a membership club does not have to be an unmanageable task. It requires a good strategy and some basic considerations.
Even if you already have a good idea and are ready to jump into creating a membership club, you should check these 7 points before getting started:
1. Identify the target audience: Start by identifying your target audience. Who is your club aimed at? What are their interests and needs? Once you know your target audience, you need to tailor your message and marketing towards exactly this group of people in order to attract them.
a. It is not enough, for example, to offer training on a subscription basis. There is a huge difference between training for a marathon or ironman and training pregnant women, people with back injuries or those who want to lose five kg.
2. Define the value proposition: You must make it crystal clear from the very beginning why people should join your club! What do you get out of it? It is important to define the club's value proposition clearly and precisely, so that it is completely clear to potential members what they can expect to get out of membership.
a. If we use training as an example, the value is, for example, being able to complete an ironman, run a marathon under 3 hours or avoid back pain.
3. Build trust: Trust and credibility around your club is absolutely fundamental. If you want people to pay month after month, you need to show them that you are a trusted expert who can help them solve their challenge or fulfill their desire. You must be open and available for feedback from members. It creates a positive experience for the members and increases the chances that they will recommend the club to others. If your members can feel that you are dedicated to creating a quality club, they will stay longer.
a. Use, for example, "About us" on your website to tell where you got your knowledge from or how you got to where you are today.
b. Get testimonials from others who talk about how you have helped them.
4. Create a sense of community: One of the biggest benefits of being part of a club is the feeling of being part of a community. You can offer this by creating opportunities for members to interact and engage with each other. The more engaged the members are, the more likely they are to remain members of the club.
a. A sense of community can be via events, online forums or groups. It happens when you experience that there are others who have the same challenge or desire as myself.
These four points are the most important when you start creating a membership club. Once you've got these four in place, there are a number of specific things you need to get started on:
5. Create an attractive website: Your club must have a website that looks professional and attractive. This is where potential members will go to find information about the club and sign up. Make it easy to find the registration button on the website.
6. Marketing: Find the right places to market your club in order to reach your target group. Share interesting and relevant content on social media or in blogs and articles that will appeal to your target audience. Always remember an invitation to join the club.
7. Offer a trial period: Prospective members may be reluctant to join a club without knowing what to expect. Therefore, offer a trial period where new members can try the club for a limited period before making a decision to become a long-term member.
8. Get a handle on the key figures: As soon as you are up and running in the members' club, you must follow how the key figures develop. You must keep track of the number of new members, how many continue after a possible trial period and, not least, how many unsubscribe. In the longer term, you also need to know the lifetime and lifetime value of your members.