How to Build a Membership Site to Transform Your Online Business

If you’ve ever thought about creating a membership site for your online business, you’re not alone. The idea of having a professional, branded space where your clients can access all your content is appealing. It gives you a unique edge and can elevate your business above competitors.

But when is the right time to create a membership site, and how do you get started? Plus, what’s the best software to build a coaching membership site that works for your online business?

These are all the questions we’ll answer in this blog post, giving you clarity on how to take your business to the next level.

Before diving into creating a membership site for your online business, there are a few important steps you need to take.

Nail Down Your Niche

Your membership site will only be as successful as the niche it caters to. I know I’ve talked about niches in just about every YouTube video I’ve made, but there’s a reason for it—they are the backbone of your online business.

Having a well-defined niche can be the difference between making $5k a month and $50k a month. If you don’t know exactly who your membership site is for, it will be difficult to get the right people to sign up. Take the time to refine and perfect your niche before moving forward.

Prove Your Offer

Before you invest time and energy into building a coaching membership site, you need to prove that your offer is in demand. This means selling your program at a high-ticket price (around $1,000 or more) multiple times, ideally five or more.

Why is this important? You don’t want to build out a membership site only to find there’s no real demand for it. The best advice I received early on was to prove your offer first—then worry about building out a membership site to support it.

Beta Test Your Program

Next, take your offer through a beta test with a small group of clients. Whether you’re developing a new program or revamping an old one, this step is crucial to avoid pitfalls later on.

Running a beta test helps you shape your program based on client feedback, ensuring that your offer delivers the desired results. Sometimes we, as business owners, think we know what our clients want, but their real needs may differ.

Through this beta phase, you’ll gain valuable insight into how to fine-tune your program before scaling it through a membership site.

Building Your Membership Site

Once you’ve validated your niche, offer, and program, you’re ready to create your membership site. Here’s how to do it step by step:

Start with a Plan

Begin by outlining your program. Use a simple Google document to map out how your membership site will flow, module by module. For instance, if your program is 12 weeks long, break it down into weekly modules with content ideas for each one.

This simple outline will help you visualize how the membership site will look, making the process of building it out much easier later on.

Focus on Video Content

When it comes to delivering your content, video is king. It’s engaging, effective, and allows you to communicate your message clearly. Plan to deliver the majority of your modules through video, but also include supporting documents for key takeaways and action items.

Don’t try to create all your content at once. Instead, take it one module at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

The Right Equipment and Tools

For video creation, keep it simple but professional. Here are a few key tools you’ll need:

• Logitech C920 HD Webcam ($100) for clear, high-quality video.

• Blue Yeti Microphone ($100) for crisp sound quality.

• Loom ($10/month) for recording screen shares and talking head videos. Loom also stores your videos and allows easy downloading.

• Vimeo ($30/month) for hosting your videos. Unlike YouTube, Vimeo hides your videos from the public and eliminates distractions like suggested videos.

Choosing the Right Membership Site Software

When it comes to actually building your membership site, there are several platforms to consider. Each offers unique features, depending on the needs of your online business. Here are my top recommendations:

High Level

High Level is a powerful platform for building not just membership sites but also CRM, marketing automation, and funnels. It’s an all-in-one solution designed for businesses looking to automate everything from client communication to sales processes. You can use High Level to create a robust membership site that integrates with other business operations seamlessly. It’s ideal for online businesses looking to streamline operations while also providing a great client experience. High Level starts at $97/month, with higher plans for more advanced features.

Link: https://links.davejcrawford.com/go-high-level

Clickfunnels

If you’re already familiar with Clickfunnels, you can easily create a membership site using their platform. They offer templates that give you a head start, and their help center and YouTube tutorials make it easy to get going.

Clickfunnels costs around $100/month and is set to improve with the upcoming release of Clickfunnels 2.0, which will feature even better tools for membership sites.

Link: https://links.davejcrawford.com/clickfunnels

Kajabi

Kajabi is designed specifically for membership sites and is highly recommended for online business owners. It’s user-friendly, professional, and comes with a variety of features that make building and managing your membership site simple.

However, it is slightly more expensive, starting at $149/month, but its features make the investment worthwhile.

Link: https://links.davejcrawford.com/kajabi

Skool

Skool is a newer platform that’s quickly gaining popularity in the online coaching and course community. It combines community features with a membership site setup, which is great for fostering engagement and interaction with your members. Skool has a clean, intuitive design and allows you to manage courses, host content, and engage members in one place. The pricing is around $99/month, making it a competitive option for those who want a balance of community and course delivery.

Link: https://links.davejcrawford.com/skool

Uscreen

If your membership site will be video-heavy, Uscreen is a top choice. Uscreen is designed specifically for video creators and offers an all-in-one platform for hosting, monetizing, and streaming video content. It provides advanced video hosting options, video monetization tools, and even live streaming capabilities, making it a powerful tool for video-centric businesses. Plans start at $99/month, and while it’s slightly more focused on video than traditional course platforms, it's perfect if videos are a central part of your offer.

Link: https://links.davejcrawford.com/uscreen-creator-workshops

Conclusion

Building a membership site is an exciting way to scale your online business, but it’s not something to rush into. Make sure you’ve nailed down your niche, proven your offer, and beta tested your program before making the leap. Once you’re ready, platforms like Clickfunnels and Kajabi make it easier than ever to create a professional membership site that will help take your online business to new heights.

If you would like more content like this then check out my channel - Dave J Crawford