subject: Increase Profits Using Membership Levels [print this page] Today, the aspiration of many Internet marketers is to produce a recurring income by charging a monthly subscription fee to a membership website. Affiliate marketing is the classic method most entrepreneurs employ, which most often produces a one-off sale. This translates into doing the tough work of acquiring a new customer and then making only one lifetime sale from that customer. Subscription based marketing offers the greatest opportunity to create wealth for the Internet marketer. This is an area that is frequently overlooked by many but should be studied more closely for those wanting to leave their legacy upon the world. Creating a powerful membership website leverages both time and money spent marketing. The major advantage of building and maintaining a membership website is you get to go past the days of feast or famine as with traditional Internet marketing. During the growth phase, once critical mass has occurred then the viral element of word of mouth puts growth on autopilot. Honestly, the Internet is really all about communities. Communities are where people meet who have common interests and experiences. You may ask, why are community sites so prevalent? You don't have to look far to observe how well-liked membership sites have become. Look at MySpace and Facebook as good examples of disconnected people who have come together to form communities. If you stumble upon a topic of interest to many that isn't well represented by a sizeable number of websites then go and build it. Your possibility for success will go through the roof when you are the one responsible for bringing such groups together. Find a subject that is under-represented on the Internet and then capitalize on the potential income it can bring by connecting people by providing a desperately needed service to a starving crowd. Now, having identified a subject around which to build a community, what is the best way to start? This step is something that most entrepreneurs have wrestled with. The procedure of going from concept to operation is the hardest part of any business endeavor. Typically, most people have one shot at getting this correct so care must be taken to maximize your potential income right from the start. During the startup phase, you should nurture your community and quickly monetize it. Membership growth is the fastest way to accomplish this end. Consider different membership levels as part of your overall subscription marketing strategy. Memberships broken down into various levels allow multiple subscription fees to be charged. This allows different levels of entry for community members. Levels of membership can mean anything you decide. The different levels of membership will separate individuals within the community based on their interests. This should not be thought of as segregating your community members. Instead, think of it as optimizing your community platform to supply the best possible experience for members and you as the owner. When you include awards and optional levels you empower the most influential members to spread the word about your site through word of mouth. Now, what owner doesn't want that as an end result? It's all quit easy, reward the influential members of your community and watch your numbers soar. Otherwise, market your community the usual way and see your membership rise slow and steady. If you provide your membership with the right incentives to stick around and they discuss your site with colleagues then you have the winning formula for massive long-term success. Membership marketing is replacing the one sale mentality of traditional Internet marketing and you should share in the benefits of the steady earnings it provides.
