Be Kind, Be Helpful or Begone
How To Build A Powerful, Community-Driven Membership Website
Attracting and converting clients to your membership site is kinda easy…
(What's really hard is keeping clients there, year, after year, after year)
So how do you keep clients in your membership site on an ongoing basis? How do you stop the “revolving door” where members join, and leave shortly after?
In the year 2003, we started a membership site called 5000bc.
2004, 50% of the members didn't renew their membership. In 2005, we added some more members and lost 50% of those as well. Yet, something has changed over the years. Most members no longer come and go. So what's changed?
Introducing How To Build A Powerful, Community-Driven Membership Website
Most membership site books tell you how to set up a membership site. They talk endlessly about what software you need, how to use technology and then drive you to buy software (usually via affiliate links).
This book, on the other hand isn't about technology. It's about the psychology of membership sites. And the story of 5000bc and how we've battled the ups and downs (and there were lots of downs) to get the site to be an incredibly thriving community. It's a book that is based on two core factors: community and consumption.
So why is community so important and what is consumption?
Community isn't just having a whole bunch of people who congregate. True community is about “volunteerism”. It's when a member stops being just a spectator, and actually pitches in. Where they start to help not just themselves, but others as well. And they help you taking a heavy load off your shoulders. But how does this all happen?
And what is this consumption stuff all about?
Consumption is not just about reading, listening or watching your content/information in your membership site. But actually wading in and implementing. But how do you make a member consume? How do you get them not to feel tremendous overload with the content that's in your membership site?
Because when you think about it, attraction and conversion is relatively easy. If you do enough hoopla, give massive discounts, pile up unending goodies, you can indeed get members to buy. But that doesn't mean that they'll stay along for the ride. They simply enter, look around several times and then they're gone.
Then you have to start all over again, doing the discount trick and finding new members.
But that's hardly the biggest problem. The bigger problem is that you don't build a community. You have this constantly changing group of people that makes your membership site look like a bus station.
As you'd expect, there's a better way: The route that involves community and consumption. And as you'd also expect, there's even more. So let's take a peek inside the book.
Robert Williams
USA
“Sean’s membership site strategy book has made me do a few things that I wouldn’t have thought of.”
Although they were counter-intuitive at first, they’ve each permanently moved the needle for getting people involved and helping me take care of my community.
I assigned “guides” to the discussion area and mastermind groups. This has honestly been the most rewarding move. My guides, have helped my site stay super active. They basically make every discussion/introduction a genuinely interested/interesting experience.
I’ve asked members to pitch in a lot. Not just in content creation but also in improving the product. Providing this feedback takes some effort on their part but it’s brought up a lot of discussion.
I’ve put a pretty big emphasis on everyone introducing themselves. I pretty much copied his “introductory nudge” template, and I feel like i know everyone in the group personally.
Giving away vanishing reports (limited time articles that will become paid products) and goodies to the members, not only help me make the finished products better, they also make my members an integral part of my process.
These things have combined to make my site a lot more satisfying and reduce churn.
Buy Sean’s book it’s a guaranteed investment.
Henri Juntilla
Finland
“I was still unsure if it would be practical and what I needed. I was worried that the membership site I was going to build would be different.””
I’ve gotten to know Sean so well over the years that I didn’t doubt that this book would be full of valuable tips, but I was still unsure if it would be practical and what I needed. I was worried that the membership site I was going to build would be different.
But I discovered that it wasn’t. As I’ve read and listened to the book, I’ve gotten more and more ideas on what I can implement with my own membership site. When I first bought the book, I didn’t have a membership site, and now I have one. I started very small, and I’m using the concepts in the book with great results.
What I like most about the book is that Sean shares what has worked for him and what hasn’t. I save a lot of time and frustration by avoiding some of the mistakes he’s made.
Another thing I enjoy are the sections of a membership site that Sean has in place in 5000bc. I’m using them as a springboard with my own membership as I listen to my members and let it grow.
What’s Inside?
Most books are dull because they don't use graphics, cartoons and captions. The use of the above elements make the reading of the books a very pleasurable experience. Sprinkled within the chapters are lots of examples, so you can get ideas for your own business. Plus there are always detailed summaries that gives you a bird's eye view of every chapter.
Steven Washer
CT, USA
Membership site training always focuses on the money. Finally one that focuses on the experience.
I’d been waiting for this book for nearly 3 years, so it was going to be hard to meet my hopes for it. Three years is a lot of time to build up unreasonable expectations. So I’m happy to report that this book is really, really good. It’s a handbook, it’s a manifesto (without trying to be one) and it’s a step-by-step tutorial.
And I say this having started my own membership site just a couple of years ago. It’s a shame I didn’t have this then. You may have a hard time appreciating the genius of this book if you don’t have a site right now, but please take my word for it. This book will save you months, perhaps years of trial and error.
One of the things I love about it is that it doesn’t get into the technical mumbo-jumbo of all the software currently available. Instead it focuses on some new principles (based on timeless psychology) on how to make your membership site an amazing business.
If you want more than just a cash register-type website; if you want a community where everyone progresses together to meet their individual goals, and if you want to create a sustainable business that gives you time off and plenty of compensation, then this book should become your constant companion while you’re building it.
I haven’t been so excited by a book in a really long time. I had implemented several ideas in my membership site before I was half-way through it. Others will be deployed in the days, weeks and months ahead. Actually, I kinda feel sorry for my competitors right now.
What This Product Is About
- The story of 5000bc is interwoven all over the book. Real story.
- The two core pillars of membership: community and consumption (Consumption almost covers 100 pages).
- Community: How to create, attract, engage community.
- Consumption: What is consumption and the steps involved. And how it fits in with membership sites.
- The methods of engagement, including a detailed chapter on forums and why each one exists.
- The importance of fun elements.
What This Product Is NOT About
- No tutorials about technology. It's not a manual on software.
- No recommendations on which membership site software to use, because frankly we couldn't know.
- It's not a step by step, do this, then do this manual. It's our strategy, not THE strategy.
What’s Unique About This Book?
The uniqueness of this book is that it's based on years of running a membership site and still taking three months off every year. Most membership site owners are tied to their site.
At 5000bc, we've built the site around our life which allows us to take vacations, breaks and ¼ of the year. And we've done so since 2003, consistently. This isn't yet another membership site plan. It's a plan based on you being around when you're working and not checking the membership site at all when you're on vacation, or even on the weekend.
That's what makes the information in this book so very unique.
Smiley Psychotactics Guarantee
What if the product isn't good for you? This product is guaranteed for a whole month. If for any reason (and you don't have to give a reason) you don't like the product, you can ask for a full refund. And we'll refund your money with a smile.
Special Premium Bonus 1: Sources of Traffic (Valued at $27)
It doesn't matter whether you are selling jelly beans, shaving cream or a membership site—the sources of traffic are almost always the same. This 13-page booklet will show you seven different ways to get traffic to your website.
Special Premium Bonus 2: A Spotlight Interview with Sean D'Souza on Membership Site (Valued at $75)
In this interview you will get an insight into—Not only ‘Why People Join' membership site but also ‘Why They Stay'.
You are going to hear a lot of the deep psychological reasons why people want to be part of a community and why they want to be part of your membership. You will hear about—how to price your membership site, why content is so important a and how to effectively use bonuses to keep people as part of your membership. Also, how to raise your prices and certainly how to increase the interaction that you and your members experience in your membership site.
This is a fantastic interview and it goes for over two hours and every single part of it contains tons of information. Highly recommend that you grab a pen and a piece of paper. Or some way to be able to take notes because there are a lot of great ideas here for not only membership site owner but anybody who is looking at starting their own community. So sit back, relax and get ready to enjoy yourself.
Plus the entire book in audio
If you prefer audio, this book is read by me (Sean) and you'll enjoy switching between the text and audio. In fact, it helps to read and then listen later (or vice versa).
How do I purchase the How To Build A Powerful Membership Website Product?
Eligibility:
You will have to have purchased and read the Brain Audit. If you do not own a copy of the Brain Audit, please do not get on the waiting list.
Eligibility
This book is NOT about technology and setting up the technical aspects of your membership site. It's not a manual on software. And it's not THE strategy. It's OUR strategy at 5000bc. No, there's not even a recommendation on which software you should buy, because software changes all the time, and anyway, this book is about the strategy of a community-driven site.
| How To Build A Powerful Membership Website (This product will be available on 31 May 2025 for those on the priority list) |
Regular | Premium |
|---|---|---|
| Book: How To Build A Powerful, Community-Driven Membership Website (PDF) |
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| Audio: How To Build A Powerful, Community-Driven Membership Website (mp3) |
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| BONUSES | ||
| Booklet: Sources of Traffic ( PDF valued at $ 27) |
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| A Spotlight Interview with Sean D'Souza on Membership Site (Audio mp3 valued at $79) |
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| Special Price | US$ 201 | US$ 209 |
Important Details
If you have any questions that have been unanswered, please email me directly and let me know how I can help. I'd be interested in getting your feedback. The feedback that you give me is strictly confidential.
Important Usage: What will happen once you click the button
Once you fill out the form, you will receive an email with more details.
Sean D’Souza
Psychotactics.com
