The clue is in the name…

If you want an online membership service, you need to make your member experience your first priority.

Does that sound a bit obvious?

That’s because there is a common misconception that the main area of focus is in getting members (aka ‘sales and marketing’). The fact is, however, that the cost (in time, effort and advertising) of finding a new member is much higher than keeping a member who you already have.

Creating a great member experience

If you give the people who have already joined your membership the right level of time, attention, and effort, you will massively increase the chance that they will stay with you. And, in remaining a member and getting a great member experience, they’ll start sharing your service with their friends too.

A couple of months ago, on my blog, I spoke about the member’s journey. For ongoing customer service this is really important. So, when you are planning your service, don’t just think about what you want members to be doing at each point, but also consider their experience and how you might help them.

The many aspects of customer experience

Every service will be different so the exact details of what you need to put in place will be different too. But, using your member journey, you can check that every stage has the right level of ‘wow’ factor to keep people engaged in the service. As you are planning, ask yourself the following questions:

How do I make sure my members make a strong start?

When they first get access to the membership site, is it clear what they need to do? Have you made getting logged in and using your content easy and clear? Training videos about the platform so people know how it works, for example, are a must. Never believe what your provider tells you about it being ‘intuitive’ – everyone’s intuition works differently!

Do my members understand all the benefits of the service?

You may have a whole range of amazing benefits to excite and give value. You know all about them but your brand-new member may not even know they exist. How can you make them aware of all there is to explore?

Am I overwhelming my members with too much too soon?

While you are busy creating a wow factor of all your benefits and clever toys, check that you aren’t overdoing it. Some people love to dive in and play with all the features. Others will find it too hard to handle – so make sure you pace how much you place on them in the first few weeks.

How easy is it for new members to find all my great content?

You know your way around your membership site but what might seem obvious to you might not to others. Think about a tour of the site for new members.

What do I do if a member hits problems when they sign up?

Have an inbox for your membership and set clear expectations how quickly you can turn around queries and questions. The impression you make in the first few hours can be key, so issues logging in or paying should get priority. And, if there are common issues, include notes on how to resolve these in the welcome email.

How do I support members who are accessing my services via a range of devices?

This comes down to the choice of platforms and how well you have tested on multiple devices. Then you’ll have all the answers when someone tries to log in on an uncommon device.

How do I help members who might be struggling to engage with my content?

Most platforms will give you engagement data which allows you to see if members are signing up and then not using the service, or if they are ‘dropping off’ at a specific point in the process. Be ready with encouraging messages or even direct communications to help them.

How do I help a member who can’t get the results they want from the service?

Remember my blog on knowing what your membership site is for? Knowing the outcomes a member can expect is important. If they aren’t getting results because they were expecting something else, you need to handle that in one way. If the programme isn’t working for them, you need to plan how you respond to that too.

How can a member get in touch with me and how long should it take for a member to get a reply?

Setting expectations is vital in the world of customer service. There are inbox management system to acknowledge emails and prioritise them for you. Even if you are handling it manually put something on the site about how to get in touch and how long to wait for a reply.

If a member wants to leave what is my next move to encourage them to stay?

Don’t end your customer journey when someone joins the service. Plan your responses if someone wants to cancel – anything from the exit process to what incentives you might offer to keep them.

How do I learn from my members’ experiences to improve my customer service?

Gathering feedback allows you to know where to focus your efforts for future versions, and it can give you the opportunity to also use testimonials on your landing pages and adverts. Make sure you consider this as part of the process.

All these things to think about! It seems a lot to take in, I know, but thinking it through in the planning stage means that you have to do less reacting when members need to reach out to you.

Then you’ll have happy, engaged members who receive a great service and will stick around for years. Which is what it is all about, isn’t it?

If you’d like support outlining your member journey, we can help. Book a call to find out about our content planning services.