Email Marketing For Membership Sites

Email marketing looks different for membership sites.

You might think email marketing works the same for memberships as it does for any other product. But as mentioned in the previous blog, this isn’t the case! When you’re writing emails for your membership audience, you’re trying to do something a little different. 

Your goal with membership email marketing is to get people to purchase your subscription and then stay engaged and subscribed. Get this crucial factor wrong and you could be losing members. And if you’re losing members, you’re losing money, so the stakes are pretty high.

With that in mind, it can feel impossible to know where to start with your membership email marketing. So we’ve made it easy – here’s how to get email marketing for membership sites right – and ensure the best profit for your membership website.

What’s The Difference?

When it comes to membership products, it’s all about retention, retention, retention.

If you’re selling a one-off physical product, marketing is simple. You want more people to buy your thing. But memberships thrive when the people you’ve already sold to keep on buying (i.e. renewing their membership). 

So, how does this come into play with email marketing?

Emails are most useful for marketing your membership because it’s a simple and friendly method to stay in touch with your existing members and give them a reason to stay members!

The difficult part comes when someone unsubscribes from your membership. The reconnection and re-engagement can be hard, no matter how eloquent your emails are.

The obvious solution is to give them good enough reasons not to leave in the first place, and that’s what your email campaigns should focus on.

Dodge Buyer’s Remorse

Ever signed up for something that you were excited about, only to later feel a hint of buyer’s remorse? Buyer’s remorse can set in for no particular reason at all, but it’s hugely common in the membership community.

Don’t give your new members the chance to regret signing up. If they become a member and then you just leave them to it, in all likelihood, they may start to feel ignored or uninspired to actually take advantage of your membership.

Instead, send them an email that gives them a call to action immediately when they sign up or renew.

You could direct them to your latest video or send a link to a welcome message that talks them through using your site and what they can expect from you throughout their membership. A welcome message on your forum or within your private Facebook groups is also a good way to connect.

Another idea is to give them an offer that requires them to take fast action in return for a clear reward. For example, you incentivise referrals to friends or family in return for a discount or product. This not only increases your warm leads list, but it’s also free marketing!

Make Your Retention Strategy

To keep your members renewing month after month, year after year, you’ll need to have a retention strategy. This is an action plan that will include your email campaign ideas, as well as other marketing tactics.

To know what to include in your retention strategy, discover why your members might want to leave, and then address those problems or unanswered questions head-on.

If you’re struggling to figure out why your members are leaving, bear in mind the 80-20 rule. 80% of people are trying to get away from a problem, and 20% are trying to move towards their shiny happy future. 

Statistically, then, it doesn’t make sense to spend all your emails talking about your promises. Instead, find their pain points and hash them out in detail – that way, you know that 80% of your members will feel considered.

A Different Kind Of Sales Email

Sales emails need to follow the same focus pattern. Instead of pushing ahead, ignoring your existing members to amass as many new clients as possible, give your members your attention. 

Because every time a member renews with your website, that’s a sale WITHOUT the cost and effort of sales and marketing.

As your members have already paid once, sales content looks a bit different. You have the advantage of selling to an audience that is already sold on you! 

But don’t be lulled into a false sense of security. 

Make them feel special and exclusive by sending specific offers, discounts, upgrades and additional access. Members who feel valued will value their membership in return.

Where To Start With Membership Email Marketing

Now that you know membership email marketing works a little differently, you’re ready to get started. Avoid your members getting the dreaded buyer’s remorse with speedy call-to-action emails and then follow up with a retention strategy with sales emails that will turn your newbies into lifelong members.

If you’re excited to get your membership website marketed, take a moment to learn more about who your ideal members are.