Running
Membership sites - What {Is Needed To Start and Run One?~What Do You Need to Start and Run a Membership Site?}
A Membership Site is a website that only allows members to visit. Quite often the members pay a monthly fee to belong. The common thread amongst the members is passion for a particular topic. That topic may be a membership site about a particular type of fish, or a particular video game, or a particular sport. The owner of the membership site is usually considered an expert on the topic. Although most members join because of the promise of information on their niche, many of them continue paying for their membership because of a sense of belonging to something. If you are passionate about a particular topic, even a topic about a very narrow niche, there are probably thousands of people on the Internet who are also very passionate about that topic. If this is you, you can operate that membership site.
What reasons are most often given for operating a membership site? I am sure that some people answer that question by saying that their passion drove them to begin the site. However, I am sure that many people do it simply for the cash. Those passionate members are each paying a monthly fee to be members. At a monthly fee of $10, a site with 250 members results in an income of $2,500 per month. Once the site is active and you have those members, the time cost of maintaining this site is a part time job.
What do you need in order to start a membership site?
1. First of all, a topic. More specifically, a niche topic. As we have already stated, it is best if you are passionate about this topic.
2. The second requirement is content. You must have high quality content in order to both attract and retain your members. Don't forget, they are paying you a monthly fee and expect quality in return.
3. Third, you need some technical expertise. The membership site will require special software to maintain memberships. The forum will also require software. Knowing how to install and maintain the software will be a valuable ability.
There are alternatives to running your own membership site.
1. Locate a partner. If you have the content ideas, you can find a technical partner. This obviously would require some legal documentation in order to determine how work and profits are shared.
2. Locate a membership site that offers an affiliate program. The site owner will share the profits with people who do the marketing. You would find potential members and in return receive a monthly residual for all that join. That residual is quite often 50% of the membershipfee, but may be higher or lower.
3. There is another model that borrows from the first two. In this model you are charged an up front fee, and you then get to keep all the monthly fees from the members you find. In addition to the fee you pay to join, there may be a monthly fee as well, akin to a franchise fee. Again, you find members, and the site's owner finds a niche topic, content, and a technical support team. A great example of this structure is the new MemberSnap system started by Eric Louviere. You can understand more about how this system works by going to the MemberSnap site.
In summary, the beauty of a Membership Site is the residual income model that is used. Keep your members happy with fresh, quality content; keep your members feeling a part of a community; and they will gladly pay their fee for many months to come.
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