What’s Your #1 Membership Site Question?
Since WishList Member now powers over 4500+ membership sites, we’ve been able to see all kinds of create (and profitable) membership “tricks” and powerful strategies.
With that in mind, we thought we’d reach out and try to help everyone by answering your top membership questions.
Here’s what to do:
1) Leave your questions in the comments below
2) Check out the “Top 10 Membership Models” video and sign up for the notification list to receive the info regarding the teleseminar where we will answer your questions and provide other training materials.
3) Make a guess for the contest by also leaving your comments below 
I know you can build your member’s content on Pages, but can you put member content in blogs? I want to be able to use the Categories and search feature so that my members can find all of the 100′s of articles that I am going to put in the member program.
Thanks!
PS – no clue on the T shirt, but you look good in green
How can I protect assets on my site – for example = pdfs, swfs, Word docs?
My pages, posts etc are protected, but I can’t find a way to protect pdfs.
Thanks
Funny video… especially with the zit.
My question is did you guys ever get that Kunaki add-on finished that you pre-sold at the Buffalo seminar?
This is the shirt you are wearing, from Threadless:
http://www.threadless.com/product/562/Infinity_MPG
Robert
http://www.threadless.com/product/562/Infinity_MPG
community center
?? Did I win ??
Is it the Threadless 12 Month Club?
http://www.threadless.com/12club
Hi Tracy and Stu
Thanks for the video!
My questions ar about the ideal URL structure for squeeze page, free blog and wishlist member blog.
Also what are the advantages or disadvantages of aweber vs other add-ons. Are Clickbank or PayPal sufficient to run a member site? What is the ideal package of paid services to make a newbie like me succeed?
Many thanks
Jonathan Crabtree
http://thebrainteacher.com
Loved the Top Ten models.
Number 4 – you talked about making them pass a test before they are moved to the next module… what are the mechanics of that? I love the sound of that… I know people are getting into my site and just consuming it all and not DOING anything with it… They keep paying me so I don’t get too mad, but I would love to be able to have them move on once they’ve passed a test!
Thanks.
Barry
Since a lot of membership sites offer downloadable items (software, PDFs, MP3s, etc.) can these be protected from those that are not logged in as members?
(So that only members can download the “items”.)
What is the best pricing model for a membership site to bring in new members? Do $1 trial memberships really work and how long do people stay for?
Also, with all of the billing failures because of credit card companies changing card numbers (due to identity theft breaches, lost cards, etc), how can we better ensure that renewals continue to be billed instead of losing the customer? How can we get customers to easily update their credit card information and stay on board as a paying member?
Any advice is appreciated.
No questions, but I am interested in the seminar.
1. How do we structure the external site to show content differently from the internal membership site?
2. What pages are the best for external micro websites?
3. I don’t have a list to promote the website. What are the quickest and most effective ways to get traffic and customers?
4. website for t-shirt: gearpatrol.com
Keep up the great work!
Hi
I’d love to know more about the coaching method you touched on in the other video.
Also, is there a facility for:
1. members to upload docs back
2. for members to interact on a 1:1 with me within the site?
3 does this work with any wordpress theme?
cheers, Aly
love the TShirt.
If you get too many send some my way it’s pretty cold in the North of England at present.
Hi, your shirt is another awesome design from community driven T-Shirt company, Threadless.com : http://www.threadless.com/product/562/Infinity_MPG
and their membership or continuity program is their “12 Club” or their 12 Month Tee Club.
Hope that is the right answer, cause I kinda wanna get my hands on a copy of ‘Purple Cow’.
Anyways, now my mebership question, OK I have a few, answer as many as you can if I’m not too greedy.
1. How can you set up short term trials? ($1 for 7 days, then $XX per month after that?)
2. Is there a good way to ensure that your site subscribers always have up to data credit cards, so that billing, and their access, doesn’t stop?
3. Is recurring billing integrated with your plugin? (If someones’ $ doesn’t turn up, is their access blocked?)
OK< i’ll stop at three questions for now. Hope to hear the answers to these and many many others on your teleconference.
Cheers, Fiona
Does the project manager module function similar to Basecamp and similar project management sites? Does it provide similar communication/notification features?
Hey Stu … you look good in green!
Hi there too Robert Plank… I was just wondering about the Kunaki thingy too… Stu.. Tracy!!
Am finally getting my first site up, hoping to launch January 2010, took me a while to get the info straight in my head… using WP-Clear, you were right Stu, it’s a good theme.
I’ll be back with questions later this week as I’m just starting the tougher organization function part of the site.
Happy Thanksgiving
Karrie
Barry,
“Number 4 – you talked about making them pass a test before they are moved to the next module… what are the mechanics of that?”
Listen to the Robert Plank and Lance Tamashiro interview to find out how to do that with Wishlist.
Cancellation Process is completly missing. A user has to call their credit card company to cancel membeships.
A membership software should include the courtesy of a customer stopping thier own subscription.
By forcing this action bypasses our ability to save the account with intervention, secondary offers, reduced costs.
This is a big oversight and costs everyone that uses this software as there membership software.
PLZ respond and commentors plz comment
The “Top 10 Membership Models” video was very informative and gave me some ideas about how I could use it with real estate prospects.
Now some questions…
Is there a way to “protect” a link within a page/post so that the site that is linked cannot be bookmarked?
Is there a way to have a dedicated page for some members? Example: As a realtor, I’d like to have a “private” page for each seller that I can update on a regular basis.
Do you (or anyone else) have any suggestions as to how realtors can use this with prospects/clients?
Thanks!
Are you planning to add affiliate features to WishlistMember? Are you going to add more payment gateways, such as e-junkie?
Just checking in with a question I’ve asked before concerning integrating Wishlist with InfusionSoft.
Any estimates on when you’ll have that add-on ready.
Also, I’m still patiently awaiting my copy of “Crush It!” by Gary Vaynerchuk. Have they been shipped yet?
http://www.threadless.com/product/562/Infinity_MPG
Hi Stu and Tracy,
I love Wishlist – it’s great and so easy to use.
My question is how can we have a signup to a Free Membership level in the sidebar of our theme. Much like having a newsletter subscribe box, but instead a free membership signup, that doesn’t require a clickthrough to another page.
Oh, and I have no idea about the T-Shirt….
Cheers,
Charly.
First up guys what a great great product, thank you for unleashing unto the world.
It’s certainly transformed what I do.
Ok my question/desire/wish/need!!!
How can I control navigation for members?
I would like to have menu options available only to certain member levels and seemed to have it a brick wall with this one.
When you say WL can be used to protect downloads, do you mean that the download LINK is hidden in a username/password protected area?
If so, that’s not true protection. The download link can be shared with friends (or posted on the internet!) and people can have direct access to the product.
But if WL uses a more cutting-edge solution (that uses htaccess, for instance), I would love to hear about it, and will probably buy your product pronto!
Hi
I’m considering the multi site licence but disappointed that the free upgrades are only for 1 year, also that there is no indication of what the likely cost would be thereafter.
The link to purchase the multi site licence is not working and takes me to an error page.
Aly
Above, Barry commented:
“Number 4 – you talked about making them pass a test before they are moved to the next module… what are the mechanics of that?”
Then Robert Plank commented:
“Listen to the Robert Plank and Lance Tamashiro interview to find out how to do that with Wishlist.”
But where is this interview? I have searched and can’t find it. I would love to know how to do this too.
Thanks!
Neil
I have found http://www.ultra-cart.com a brilliant shopping cart to use with Wishlist, mainly because of it’s ability to do one click upsells.
It would be great if you could develop full integration for it.
Like the activity I’m seeing now with the WL products and site.
Suggestions: 1) get a lapel mic 2) host your videos on Amazon S3. Youtube deliver was really bad.
Questions:
1) Amember plugin offers directory protection are there plans to ever add that feature?
2) Do you have a timeline on the Infusionsoft integration?
3) Could there ever be an opportunity for use to ‘customize’ the profile page of members easily?
What is more effective in getting people to sign up for membership sites, free bonus downloads, or 7 day free trial periods.
Is there an option to sell downloadable products from within the membership site.
In a comment above Barry mentions:
“Number 4 – you talked about making them pass a test before they are moved to the next module… what are the mechanics of that?”
Then Robert Plank commented:
“Listen to the Robert Plank and Lance Tamashiro interview to find out how to do that with Wishlist.”
I managed to find this interview: http://member.wishlistproducts.com/rplank/ and listened to it, and it’s a good interview, but at no point does it discuss the mechanics (i.e .the ‘how to’) of making people pass a test before they can move onto the next module.
I am very keen to know how to do this or find out whether it’s even possible with wishlist.
Thanks guys!
I’m an avid Seth Godin fan, so I’ve already got Purple Cow, but I thought your T-shirt came from CafePress.com.
Neil – I’m using Ultracart too, but can’t get the redirect to work after they purchase to log into the site. I had 1sc before and it worked like a charm, but my recent switch has left me MANUALLY entering each person. UGH!
Now, my question(s):
1. I wanna know how to get folks to pass a test before moving on as well. I’m turning my book into a course and that would be helpful!
2. How did Armand only show the first month of content, and then the second, etc? (I asked about this on the support site, but thought I’d post it here to make sure it gets covered in the telecall!)
You guys are awesome. LOVE the training videos and can’t wait for the next one!
idevaffiliate – heard there was going to be an integration – any update? This would make my site complete
I would like members to pass a test to get to the next module, maybe a 30 question multiple choice with a period before they can retry the test, or be given an alternative test from a set of questions so they can’t try it once, look up the answers and then just enter again knowing the answers.
Cual es la mejor forma de proteger los videos que son solo para clientes. ??
Hi guys,
Great plugin!
Is there a way to have “Upcoming Posts/Videos” text displaying somewhere to let members know what’s waiting for them through the sequential upgrades. Think this will really help the sitestick.
All the best!
Charl
Hi – I have two questions to submit:
1. How do you set things up in Wishlist Member so that after login the user stays on the same page where they were before they logged in? I use the login form in the sidebar so it appears on every page of my website. I can specifiy a specific page for redirection, but then the user might have to click several times to get back to where they were.
2. How you use Wishlist Member to provide a download that can be printed but not shared with others?
Thanks – I can’t wait for the teleseminar.
@Tom W mentioned the cancellation process, which is something I’ve thought about but haven’t had to figure out yet because all my current members were a one time payment and I will just end the membership when time is up.
I really don’t mind making members pay every month to retain access, but I have aweber subscriptions tied into the memberships and it will get a little old having to confirm email lists every month too.
Maybe I will just put a email list subscribtion form on the member dashboard?
Hmmm… this is too much work for the members to have to do, in my opinion. I’ll likely lose members by making them pay (but not a significant number?) or I will not get members signed up for the email updates.
Which is the lesser of the two evils?
How to set up a publisher model site. I can’t figure out a few things:
1. how do people get their account name and password
2. how do is another product added after the first one
3. how do they only get what they have paid for
4. how do you integrate this with 1Shopping Cart
I know all this is possible…probably have zit on my brain somewhere where it isn’t registerin.
thanks..pw
Hey Neil,
We discuss the mechanics at the 11:40 mark in that interview (about a third of the way through).
You create a membership level called “Challenge1″ and don’t grant access to it and leave it out the sequential content.
Make a blog post asking people to accomplish a task (like pass a test) and when they do it correctly, edit their member info and add them to the “Challenge1″ level so they can see that reward.
If you want to do this in a modular course, again… just don’t connect the levels in the sequential content.
Let’s say you have levels like this:
Module1Week1, Module1Week2, Module1Week3
Module2Week1, Module2Week2, Module2Week3
Set the sequential content so Module1Week1 copies to Module1Week2 after 7 days, and Module1Week2 copies to Module1Week3 after 7 days.
Do the same thing connecting Module2Week1, Module2Week2, and Module2Week3.
But DON’T have Module1Week3 automatically copy to Module2Week1 after 7 days.
Instead, have a post at the end of Module1Week3 that says here are the questions you have to answer.
Instead the “semi private comments” plugin so other people cheat and see each other’s answers.
If they answer the questions correctly, add them to the Module2Week1 level… and the incremental content continues.
There’s no way to do it at the moment, with the current version of the Wishlist API.
Is it possible to create a “pay to post” site with this software? The content will be visible to all.
Is there a way to have members be able to interact with each other like a facebook or ning.
I want my members to be able to set up something similar to a wall in facebook where they can share ideas and information among each other as well as us. In addition to be able to set up a profile of themselves.
I have seen WordPress.mu used with BuddyPress but that appears really complicated to get set up.
I saw your community clip and thought maybe you have come up with a way to actually set up a community like this.
Thank you,
Cathy
I too am interested in a couple of integrations already mentioned.
#1 – Infusionsoft
#2 – Kunaki
We are currently using Drupal and had coder create integrations. How soon will WLM have integrations and will they be “plug & play” or require a coder?
Thx!
Hi. I have seen all your training videos–very good stuff.
I have a couple questions:
QUESTION 1 – How can I slowly release “new” content on a scheduled basis once a person has joined a membership level (so it’s like an autoresponder delivering scheduled emails but it only kicks in once they join one of my memberships)? I think that there is a way to schedule WordPress posts for release, but that’s related to calendar dates. I want to release information to my new member (based on their join date like an autoresponder). I want it to be released on a continual basis so it looks like I’m continually adding new information–when in reality, it’s all pre-planned releases–like a full 6 to 12 months of pre-planned posts. I KNOW I CAN DO THIS if I set up membership levels and have them auto-upgrade to the next membership level after a given number of days. But for 6 months of simple posts that I might want to release every other day, that’s a lot of membership levels to set up for auto-upgrading just to get this type of “scheduled release” functionality once they join a membership level. I know it sounds like I can use the post scheduler in WordPress, but that’s not the type of scheduled release I’m talking about. Any ideas or other plug-ins that might work this way?
QUESTION 2 – What are the advantages (and disadvantages) to putting your content on “pages” and on “posts”? For example, I know that pages are permanent and but they don’t show up in categories. And I guess the advantages of posts are that they do show up in categories. I’m trying to decide whether to put my content on posts or pages but it’s hard to see all the advantages and disadvantages. Any ideas?
Do you have recommendations on the reasonable amount of content needed on a membership site to justify its value?
What is the best way to use WL while building content?
Once you have a wishlist site tweaked for your type of business model, is there an easy way to clone the site without having to re-formulate all of the membership levels, category names, defaults, etc.
I would like to see a more powerful mailing list feature built in, where we can natively send HTML and images via bradcast messages. If we can do that please let us know how.
I use the Thesis theme for my sites. Will Wishlist work seamlessly with Thesis?
@Robert Plank – Robert, thanks a ton for taking the time out to explain how you’ve set this up. Very helpful. I wish their was a way to make this automated without manually adding members to the next lot of levels, but it’s a great workaround. Thanks again.
Do you think it is a good idea to offer a trial membership – lets say for 7 days. Will you build in anything that can get people who sign up for free membership to upgrade – email campaign within Wishlist.
Great product and wonderful tech support.