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If you want to increase revenue from your membership site and tap into customer insight, you need to use membership software that will enable you and your members to work and share more efficiently.

Your Membership Site Goals:

Increase Revenue
Tap directly into your customer base for product development
Sell products, services, advertising, event tickets and more…

When laying out the details and plans for your membership site, don’t forget the fact that you should have more than one type of subscription. Member management or subscription sales as it is most often called, can be paid or free.  Subscriptions can also have a trial period that automatically converts trial memberships to fully paid memberships. A good service will also allow you to offer a free subscription or a reduced fee trial membership.

Payment

When members get to the payment options, you should have the best possible service’s available to them. PayPal and Authorize.net are payment options that eliminate the need for a merchant account and charge anywhere from 2.95% to 4.95% of your recurring subscription sale with little or no monthly fees. This also happens to be the easiest way to enable real-time credit card sales without the risk and hassle. There are so many other things to have to worry about, why not make this an aoutomated process to speed things along for you and your new member? Automating this process also builds your new members level of trust in you and your website.

Access Levels

How many paid access levels should you have? It really depends on your needs, but having the ability to use 5 Paid Access Levels, allows you to be in complete control of what your visitors can see. This type of access allows you to create certain areas that are only for members while allowing guests or registered users limited access to other areas. What this actually does is play into the marketing of your membership and allows you to tease your guest or registered user with premium content and entice them to become a paid subscriber.

By creating different membership levels and allowing for self-admin for member preferences and customizable profile features, you are giving each level value tailored to the amount they are paying. Customizable preferences and features give value to members and keeps them returning.

What Features are the Most Beneficial to Membership Sites?

Member Directory: A community feature that allows members to communicate and network with each other. Studies show that features of this type increase retention rates by adding value.

List, edit, suspend and delete members easily: Makes it possible for you to quickly search and delete or edit members saving you time.

Flash or Static Banner Ad Management: Sell or manage your own web site ad campaigns. Ads can be static gif/jpg, animated gif or Flash. Set ads to track click-thru.

Automated Digital Download Sales: File, Software and ebooks Downloads (fee-based or free) Digital files downloads can be used to generate additional profit by providing downloadable ebooks, forms, reports or software with embedded affiliate codes. It is also great for providing free bonuses as a subscription or membership incentive.

Event Calendar: The built-in calendar allows you to remind your members about important events. Color code and categorize events for easy access for your members and team.

Built-in reminders let your members get reminders via eMail.
 

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Related posts:

1. Why Have Multiple Membership Levels?
2. Offering Trial Subscriptions to Increase Membership