Within the past several lessons, I’ve covered a handful of different ways to build a website.
Today I’m going to talk about building a membership website…
(Watch this video…)
Main points:
– Get one that will install on your own domain.
– Get one that is popular… there’s safety in numbers.
– Make sure it will support your payment processing method.
Possible choices:
Membergate – high end solution with a great reputation. Runs about $4k-$30k.
Amember – this is what I use for my paid membership sites.
Butterfly Marketing – this is what I use for my multi-tier membership sites.
Marketing Website Generator – This is a souped up version of Butterfly, made by my friend and programmer Nick Temple. Highly recommended.
WordPress Wishlist – a membership plugin for WordPress (not shown on the video).
Monthly Income Formula – A complete step-by-step home study course for setting up a membership site, including the script, ALL for much less cost than any of the scripts above.
Action steps:
1) Decide if you’re going to create a membership site.
2) If yes, choose a script to run your site, and buy it.
3) Install the script, or pay someone to install it for you. You can post projects and get scripts installed as cheap as $10 at Rent A Coder
In the next lesson I’ll be covering WordPress!
As always, you are welcome to post your questions and comments below 🙂
Have a great day!
I should be ok installing it, im a little techy but im sure i might have a few questions in the long run, thanks for your prompt reply.
(no website yet)! i belong to empowerism and want to have “hits” and also have people join my member #. i have difficulty “getting it together.” i have made money doing practically nothing but not enough. Can you give me some simple ideas on getting people to my website?
It all starts with providing good content. Beyond that, there are many ways of driving traffic to your site. I like to use PPC, affiliates, and opt-in lists. I’ll be covering traffic generation extensively later in the lessons.
Hay Eric: today you where speaking directly to me.
I wanted to say I love reading your blogs and find them very informational. I was wondering if you would consider looking into MMT(MY Music Ticket). As they are to launch any day now.
Hey there Eric. I have been enjoying all these lessons and I appreciate the time it takes for you to put them together.
My question today is do you know of a free membership site script that you would be comfortable enough in recommending since I am on an extremely tight budget right now? I am kind of looking at a free site that will be monetized on the back end.
Thanks for your help and keep up the great work.
I am not familiar with MMT. Thanks
There are a couple ways I can think of for you to run your membership site for free (only pay for hosting).
1) cpanel has a built in password protection feature. You can use this with any cpanel host, including my recommended web host (see lesson 24). You can protect directories, and give the username and password to your customers via email, or directly on your thank-you page. If it’s a high priced membership, you might want to setup unique usernames and passwords for each customer. You can use a low cost payment solution such as Paypal to do recurring billing.
2) You could use wordpress. I talk about wordpress in lesson #33-36. You can make it so only logged in members can view the posts, and you can create a unique login for each paid customer.
With any free solution comes a trade-off… generally more work for you. But if that’s what it takes, it can be worth it.
Hi Eric i have been looking around for membership sites to learn about affliate marketing. i came across Maverick Money Makers.
maverickmoneymakerhotstuff.com
have you heard of Mack Michaels? I’m a newbie and found his site to be full of very useful information, in fact its saturated with information. I’m paying for it though $97 a month. he seems to care alot and makes sure he updates his information monthly. what are your thoughts about this Eric?
Many Thanks
Alison
I have not been through his course, so I can’t really say. If it’s working for you, then it’s probably worth it. His videos seem to be good quality. I am skeptical that Mack isn’t his real name… and it’s certainly hyped. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s bad. The one thing I do know is that he’s one of the all time best sellers on clickbank, and he’s made over a million $ from it so far this year. I would proceed with a high level of caution.
one step at a time- have an overload of info-but I wonder about the sites to send ‘THOUSSNDS-MILLIONS’ OF EMAIL A DAY. they claim it’s not spam! One free one is used by a co. in the health/med. equip. biz- says he will ‘mask’ the site. got any ideas why? Al Whaley You know i’m impressed if I stay up half the night after a full day’s activities. God is continuing to bless you. And myself.
Don’t do it. Those are mostly scams.
There are legitimate “safe lists”, but if you found out about it through a spam email, it’s probably not legit.
and if he says he needs to mask your site, I’d avoid it.
Again, there are some legit lists that you can mail to… but they are not a magic bullet.
Much better to focus on building your own list.
I still can not believe that it exists …
Hi Eric,
I have been waiting for this lesson since you comment on my previous questions on my Dad’s mystockpoint.com site. However, I still am on the planning stage (building the website) and don’t understand how things work together.
My questions to you:
Do I have to first build a website first (building and planning the web pages flow) before I add the membership module or script (various methods you recommended here) to it?
How does this lesson using the various methods (amember, butterfly marketing, word press etc.) to build a membership website compares to or different from the squeeze page with opt-in using Aweber you mentioned to me previously to build a list? I’m a bit confused how these two work together or I only need to concentrate on one and then eventually move to another?
Appreciate all the help and guidance you provide.
Shirley
As far as building the site first, or adding the membership script first… you could really go either way…
If you use Amember, you can build the site first (the internal membership pages, etc.) because you can turn any directories of on your domain into password protected membership areas.
However, if you use the Butterfly script, or WordPress script– you should install the script first. In the case of Butterfly, your membership pages will be built with the Butterly “templates”. In the case of WordPress, you will actually create the pages from within your WordPress admin panel.
In any of the above cases, you will integrate Aweber to build your list.
I would suggest start with Aweber and put up a squeeze page so you can begin to build your list even as you create the inner workings of the membership site behind the scenes.
Then when you actually launch the membership site, you can integrate Aweber into it. All of the above (Amember, Butterfly, and WordPress) have ways for you to capture members onto an Aweber list.
Eric,
It’s great to build a membership site with Aweber to attract targetted traffics without handling so much hassles in person but we mustn’t totally ignore the importance of, besides cloaking affiiate links, how do we hide our email links and IP address from hackers committing phishing scams at our expense? Please share with us of what you know?
i`ve seen your ad for membership websites,but i have no idea`s on what sort of a membership site i would run.i`ll have to think on it for a while,but it does sound like a good idea.
Being newbie is really hard in the blogging arena. Thanks to your lessons, the pains are made bearable 🙂 I am saving your lessons’ links because I can’t keep up, newbie as I am, with the pace. Will be getting back to them soon as I am ready. Keep ’em coming though. Again, thanks.
Why are you not makining this an affilate website, I would promote it.
If you are wheres my link .
$00.50Cents for a sighn up. CAN,T GO WRONG
IVE NEVER MADE ANY MONEY ONLINE BUT THIS SITE IS GIVING ME THE INFO.
I will eventually add an affiliate program to Eric’s Tips. In the mean time I do have affiliate programs available for several of my products.
I’m not sure what you mean about hiding your email and IP? Hackers can always find out your email and IP, but that’s generally not a problem. The best thing to do is make sure you’re using a very reliable script to run the membership site.
excellent ideas again just wonder how i can add a membership to my site!!!
Eric, many thanks for lesson 32.
Look forward to tomorrows lesson.
Anne
To Anonymous,
The lessons are free with tons of valuable information. If building an online business is your vision, but you can’t afford to make a commitment and get started right now, here is what you can do. Make a folder in your Favorites browser and continue with the lessons. Save the links of the websites, products and software as they are presented. These are the tools you will need to build your house when you are ready. Then, make a folder in your email client and save all the lessons so you can refer to them at a later date. This is what I am doing.
The information and recommendations from Eric are invaluable. To date I have only spent 14.00 to buy a .com and host site because I wanted to and that is what I can afford at the moment. Take it one step at a time at your own pace and only buy what you need at each step as you can afford it.
Best wishes to your vision!
PS. Thank you Eric!
This information was awesome, I have been looking to put up a membership site for a month now. I have some great ideas for my company and my non-profit, that I wanted to put out. i just didn’t want to charge an arm and a leg for it.
Thank You Eric
Eddie
P.S. I love the porno music in the video….lol! Keep up the good work!
Hey Eric,
I’m a newbie and am making a real effort on trying to learn Internet marketing, thanks to you. I been trying to find a free or real low cost Membership script. I don’t know if I can install it on my own or not. and if i did install it.. how do I link it to my Blog? I want the membership to lead to my blog. All free membership of course.
Hello Mark,
Here is Eric’s most inexpensive recommended membership site solution:
http://www.monthlyincomeformula.com/
You could include links in the member area to your blog, or even host the membership on the same site as your blog if you wanted to.
Instructions are included to guide you through the installation process.
Hi Eric I get a lot out of Erics tips, But I dont have much time to impliment everything that I learn,I am lagging behind,But I am looking forward to your wordpress coming up .thanks Eric
Hi Eric how come the explaination that you gave tonight was the same as lastnight?
Eric,
great information. I was thinking about building a membership site in the past. I am about to setup an ecommerce site.
Hmmm… I’m not sure, it’s different from the previous lesson…
Hi Eric, Great information on membership sites…I’m thinking that a membership site would be something I would like to try so
I bought your membership course. I have to say that THIS course is SO good, I feel really comfortable buying your stuff. Sometimes, I look at other programs and wonder if I am going to get anything that would compare to this course. I’m used to high quality with you…(actually, the few things I have bought have been disappointing in comparison.) I like the way you speak very precisely and I can understand you. You don’t speak too fast and I feel comfident after hearing your lesson that I can accomplish what you’ve talked about. You give me a sanity check and help me feel that I can master this material. One foot in front of the other!
I got the MagicListBot software and it came with 2 Ready Money Sites…well they require a knowledge of WordPress 2.8.4 so I can’t do much with them … I’m anxious to hear your next lecture on WordPress so I can understand what I downloaded! I looked at the WordPress site for install directions, but wasn’t sure
if I am hosting my stuff at Host Gator if I put WordPress on my computer or install it somehow on the server???
Best Regards!
Cool, thanks! My WordPress lessons will explain it… With hostgator you can easily install WordPress from within your hostgator control panel (Cpanel).
Hi Eric! Can I have permission to put your link to my web design related site http://www.anilinks.com
It would mean much to my clients…
Thanks, i saw your website http://www.monthlyincomeformula.com and it was really ok great information and the process of starting it look ok abit, but if i really want to start and i don’t know html or php, can i do it or how do i get started.
hey eric good stuff, i want to know is it a good idea to create a membership site that integrates other membership sites? Each one will leverage into the other one into the more lucrative paying one. Also,does monthly income formula go over this material and if not is it possible in any way?
Hello Priya,
Your link appears in your post. We wish you all the best with your site!
Hello Aigbedo,
If you sign up at the following link, you will get free access to an HTML instructional ebook:
Hello Spencer,
This is not only possible, but a very good idea for any membership site you create. We always provide bonuses on member pages that people can use. Often people will join another membership because they found value in the bonus!
Hi Eric, I’m a newby in the sense that my experience of the internet is bying a couple of things of ebay. I am on lesson 30 at present and have not written on the blog until now but I recently clicked on the archive and listened to lesson 32, I then read the blog following the video and read the “Refund” comments and have to say yes I have brought some of the products you mentioned but the problem I have is that their instructions are not very clear to someone like myself, which is why I am very grateful to you not only because I am learning so much but its free. Thanks again
Eric – the lessons and information you post cannot be valued enough! Thanks for making things so clear and also for offering support. Yours is one file I keep returning to for ‘how to’, time and time again.
Hi Eric,
I have been away from your lessons working hard over the summer to learn html and css. I now have my Dad’s website (stock picking) backbone ready all written from scratch with html and css.
I am now getting close to sign up hostgator so that I can load my pages and fine tune the website.
I am now considering whether to start relaunching the site as a membership site right away or shall I start with Aweber first and then add in the membership piece (probably using amember) later when I have a sizable list.
I have a few questions and need your advice: 1. If I use aweber to collect a list and add amember later to start membership on my site, will I have 2 sign in form on the website? Or one can be integrated into the other?
2. If I just use html and css to build my site and host my hostgator, will it work with amember? I read it somewhere that there are requirements for amember that it has to be PHP, mySQL or something.
I like to know beforehand how things work together before I dive into it and want to avoid a lot of tweaking afterwards especially I’m such a newbie. When I have my draft site uploaded to the host, will appreciate your comment.
Thanks again for your advice as always.
Shirley
I want to build a membership site and become an affiliate for your products like, Trading Pro System, Monthly Income Formula and more. I also plan to build a site exclusively for them to promote them. Pls guide me on how to do it. Ty
Hi Eric,
Thanks for your great info. I plan to run a membership site.Today I came across Joomla membership site which is free to use on as many domain as I have. The problem is that I have to learn how to install all the free software on Joomla. Do you give training tutorial on this?
Can you give me comparision between using Joomla membership site and Amember pro membership site? Thanks.
Hi Eric,
About the http://www.monthlyincomeformula.com/
The script is only for one domain or can be used for many domain?
Thanks.
You may use it on multiple domains. Thanks
I’m not planning on covering Joomla. It’s a good CMS though, and it can be installed with a few clicks through Fantastico in your Cpanel with Hostgator.
There are a lot of resources available at:
http://resources.joomla.org/
http://resources.joomla.org/
http://forum.joomla.org/
However, I will say that Amember is designed for Internet marketers, and it’s probably going to be easier to configure your site with Amember, in terms of integrating the sign up process, payments, membership levels, etc.
I will be covering affiliate marketing near the end of the lesson series. In the mean time feel free to become an affiliate of those products.
It’s up to you… you could go in either order. I would probably start with Aweber because list building is priority #1, and it’s easier to start building a list than it is to build a membership site.
to answer your questions…
1) you can integrate it, because there is an aweber plugin for amember. However, you will still probably use more than one form on your site. You’ll want to build a prospect list with Aweber (capture as many people as possible who visit your site), and then you’ll have a separate paid customer list. You can have Aweber automatically remove subscribers from the prospect list when they are added to the customer list. I’ll be covering this in a lesson.
2) Yes HTML and CSS will work just fine with Amember. That’s the thing I like most about Amember… you can protect ANY kind of content. The PHP/MySQL requirement is just for your web sever, and if you’re at Hostgator you’ve got it.
love your tips Eric.
How can I incorporate a membership site with an affiliate site? Could they be the same site and a diffrent page or should they be completely seperate using a link or an autoresponder.
There is so much info I get confused.