Membership Sites & Online Courses

Step 1: Gather Context

• Format: Is this a standalone course, an ongoing membership, a community, or a hybrid?
• Topic & niche: What subject matter? How competitive is the space?
• Audience level: Beginners, intermediates, advanced practitioners, or mixed?
• Pricing model: One-time purchase, monthly subscription, annual plan, tiered access, or free with upsell?
• Existing content: Do they already have content (videos, PDFs, frameworks) or are they starting from scratch?
• Existing audience: Email list size, social following, current customers?
• Tech stack: Are they already on a platform? Do they need migration?
• Revenue goal: What's the target monthly/annual revenue?
• Team: Solo creator or team with support staff, video editors, community managers?

Step 2: Strategy

Membership & Course Models

Pricing Strategy

• One-time vs. recurring: One-time is simpler but caps revenue. Recurring builds predictable income but requires ongoing value delivery.
• Monthly vs. annual: Always offer both. Annual plans reduce churn dramatically — offer a discount (typically 2 months free) to incentivize annual commitment.
• Tiered access: Use tiers to capture different willingness-to-pay segments. Common structure:
  • Basic: Core content only
  • Pro: Content + community + live Q&A
  • VIP: Everything + 1:1 access, bonus resources, or certification
• Free tier / freemium: Use a free tier or trial to build trust. Convert with limited access (e.g., Module 1 free, rest paid).
• Founding member pricing: Launch at a lower price, grandfather early members, raise price as you add content.

Content Structure

• Modules → Lessons → Steps: Break the curriculum into 4–8 modules, each with 3–7 lessons. Keep individual lessons under 15 minutes for video.
• Drip vs. all-at-once:
  • Drip: Releases content on a schedule (weekly). Prevents overwhelm, encourages consistent engagement, reduces refund requests. Best for memberships and cohort courses.
  • All-at-once: Full access immediately. Best for self-paced courses where students want to move fast. Higher completion if paired with accountability.
• Lesson format: Mix media types — video (primary), written summaries, downloadable worksheets, quizzes, action items. Every lesson should end with a clear next action.
• Progress milestones: Mark completion points (badges, certificates, unlockable bonuses) at module boundaries to sustain motivation.

Retention & Reducing Churn

• Engagement loops: Weekly live calls, challenges, or content drops give members a reason to return regularly.
• Community: Active peer communities (forums, chat groups) create social bonds that increase switching costs.
• Progress tracking: Visible progress bars, streaks, and completion badges tap into commitment psychology.
• Quick wins: Ensure new members get a meaningful result within the first 7 days.
• Onboarding sequence: A dedicated 5–7 email onboarding sequence that guides new members to key content and community spaces.
• Annual plan incentives: Offer bonuses for switching from monthly to annual (exclusive content, 1:1 call, discount).
• Win-back campaigns: For canceled members, send a re-engagement sequence at 30, 60, and 90 days post-cancellation with a compelling reason to return (new content, limited-time offer).
• Exit surveys: Ask why members cancel. Use the data to fix the top 3 reasons.
• Benchmarks: If monthly churn exceeds 10%, there is likely a value delivery or onboarding problem. If annual churn exceeds 40%, the core offer needs rethinking.

Step 3: Platform-Specific Guidance

In Groove.cm (GrooveMember)

1. Create a membership site: In GrooveMember, create a new membership. Choose between free, paid (one-time), or subscription access levels.
2. Define access levels: Create multiple access levels for tiered pricing (e.g., Basic, Pro, VIP). Each level controls which content is visible.
3. Build your curriculum: Add categories (modules) and posts (lessons) within each category. Posts support video embeds, text, downloads, and quizzes.
4. Configure drip content: Set drip schedules per category or per post. Options include:
   • Drip by days after signup (e.g., Module 2 unlocks on Day 8)
   • Drip by specific date (for cohort launches)
   • Manual unlock (for gated content tied to completion)
5. Connect to GrooveSell: Link your membership access levels to GrooveSell products. When someone purchases, they automatically get the correct access level.
6. Customize the member area: Use the built-in theme editor to brand your membership portal — logo, colors, navigation layout.
7. Set up automations: Use GrooveMail automations to trigger onboarding emails, drip reminders, engagement nudges, and win-back sequences based on membership events.

• No additional transaction fees (included in Groove plan)
• Native integration with GrooveSell, GrooveMail, GroovePages — no Zapier needed
• Unlimited memberships, courses, and members on higher Groove plans
• Built-in affiliate program via GrooveSell

• Fewer third-party integrations compared to Kajabi or Teachable
• Community features are less mature than Skool or Circle
• Reporting is more basic than dedicated course platforms

Kajabi

Teachable

Thinkific

Skool

Other Platforms

• Podia: Simple, affordable ($39–$89/month). Courses, memberships, digital downloads, coaching, email. Good for beginners.
• Mighty Networks: Community + courses + events. Branded mobile app. Best for network-effect businesses.
• Circle: Community platform that pairs well with a separate course tool. Strong for discussion-based memberships.
• WordPress + LearnDash/MemberPress: Maximum flexibility and ownership. LearnDash for courses, MemberPress for membership gating. Requires more technical setup but avoids platform lock-in and monthly platform fees.
• Patreon: Creator-focused subscription platform. Best for ongoing content creators (podcasters, writers, artists) rather than structured courses. Easy to launch but limited course/curriculum features.

Step 4: Actionable Guidance

Course Outline Template

Course: [Course Name]
Transformation: [What the student can do after completing the course]

Module 1: Foundation (Days 1–7)
  Lesson 1.1: [Topic] — [Outcome]
  Lesson 1.2: [Topic] — [Outcome]
  Lesson 1.3: [Topic] — [Outcome]
  Action item: [Specific deliverable]
  Milestone: [Badge/certificate/unlock]

Module 2: [Core Skill] (Days 8–14)
  ...

Module 3: [Application] (Days 15–21)
  ...

(Repeat for each module)

Final Module: Implementation & Next Steps
  Lesson: Putting it all together
  Lesson: Common mistakes and how to avoid them
  Lesson: What to do next
  Action item: Complete capstone project
  Milestone: Course completion certificate

Lesson Format

1. Hook (30 seconds): Why this lesson matters, what they will learn
2. Core teaching (5–12 minutes): The main content, with examples
3. Summary (1 minute): Key takeaways
4. Action item: One specific thing to do before the next lesson
5. Supporting materials: Downloadable worksheet, template, or checklist

Drip Schedule Recommendations

• 12-week course: Release 1 module per week. Each module has 3–5 lessons available immediately within that module.
• Monthly membership: Drop new content weekly (e.g., Tuesday video, Thursday resource). One major monthly drop (masterclass, guest expert).
• Cohort-based: All content for the current week available Monday. Live session midweek. Assignment due Friday.

Onboarding Sequence

1. Immediately: Welcome + login credentials + "start here" link
2. Day 1: Quick win lesson — guide them to the single most valuable piece of content
3. Day 3: Community introduction — prompt them to introduce themselves
4. Day 5: Progress check — ask if they completed the quick win, offer help
5. Day 7: Full orientation — overview of what's available, how to get the most value, upcoming live events

Community Setup

• Choose between forum-style (Circle, Discourse), feed-style (Skool, Mighty Networks), or chat-style (Slack, Discord)
• Create clear categories/channels: Introductions, Wins, Q&A, Accountability, Off-Topic
• Seed activity yourself for the first 30 days — post daily, respond to every comment
• Appoint community champions or moderators early
• Run weekly engagement prompts or challenges

Progress Milestones

• Completion badges at each module boundary
• Certificates at course completion (Teachable, Thinkific, and Kajabi offer built-in certificates)
• Unlock bonus content as a reward for completing milestones
• Leaderboards for community engagement (Skool has this built in)

Win-Back Campaigns for Churned Members

• Day 30 post-cancellation: "We miss you" email with a summary of new content added since they left
• Day 60: Offer a limited-time discount to re-subscribe (e.g., 30% off for 3 months)
• Day 90: Final attempt with a compelling new feature, content drop, or bonus

Gotchas

1. Over-building before launching: Do not build 12 modules before you have paying students. Launch with Module 1 ready and build as you go. Pre-selling validates demand.
2. Underpricing: New creators consistently price too low. Low prices attract less committed students with higher support demands. Test higher prices — conversion rate often stays the same.
3. Ignoring onboarding: Most churn happens in the first 30 days. If members do not engage in week 1, they are unlikely to stay. Invest heavily in the onboarding experience.
4. No community, no retention: Content alone is not enough for a membership. Members stay for the community and relationships. If you skip community, expect higher churn.
5. Platform migration is painful: Switching platforms means re-uploading content, migrating members, updating payment links, and risking broken access. Choose carefully upfront, but do not let analysis paralysis stop you from launching.

Related Skills

• /sales-groove

  — Groove.cm platform-specific guidance (GrooveMember, GrooveSell, GroovePages)

• /sales-checkout

  — Payment pages, order bumps, upsells, and checkout optimization

• /sales-email-marketing

  — Email sequences, automations, and campaigns for member communication

• /sales-webinar

  — Webinar-based selling and live launch events

• /sales-funnel

  — Sales funnel strategy and funnel building

• /sales-do

  — Route to any sales skill by describing what you need

Examples

Example 1: Structuring a 12-Week Course

• Model: One-time course with optional upsell to a monthly mastermind
• Structure: 12 modules (1 per week), 3–4 lessons per module, drip weekly
• Pricing: $497 one-time (or 3 payments of $197)
• Platform: Teachable or GrooveMember depending on existing stack
• Key modules: Positioning, Portfolio, Outreach, Proposals, Closing, Delivery
• Quick win in Module 1: Rewrite their freelancer bio using the provided template
• Capstone: Submit a real proposal to a prospective client

Example 2: Reducing Membership Churn

• Diagnose: Run an exit survey to identify the top 3 cancellation reasons
• Onboarding: Audit the first-7-day experience — is there a clear quick win?
• Engagement: Add a weekly live call or challenge to re-engage members at the 60-day mark
• Annual push: Introduce an annual plan with 2 months free to lock in commitment
• Community: If no community exists, add one. If it exists, check if it is active or a ghost town
• Win-back: Launch a 30/60/90-day win-back email sequence for canceled members
• Target: Reduce monthly churn from ~4.2% to under 3% (which drops annual churn from 40% to ~31%)

Example 3: Setting Up a Course in Groove

• In GrooveMember: Create a new membership site with two access levels (Basic, Premium)
• Basic gets Modules 1–4, Premium gets all 8 modules plus bonus resources
• Drip schedule: One module per week, starting from the member's signup date
• In GrooveSell: Create two products — Basic ($197) and Premium ($397) — and link each to the corresponding access level
• In GrooveMail: Set up an onboarding automation triggered by purchase, with drip reminder emails matching the content unlock schedule
• In GroovePages: Build a sales page with a comparison table showing Basic vs. Premium features

Troubleshooting

"Students aren't completing the course"

• Check lesson length: If videos exceed 15 minutes, break them into shorter segments. Completion drops sharply after 10 minutes.
• Add action items: Passive consumption leads to abandonment. Every lesson needs a concrete next step.
• Use progress indicators: Visible progress bars and completion percentages motivate continued engagement.
• Send reminder emails: Automated nudges for inactive students (e.g., "You're 60% done — keep going!") can re-engage dropoffs.

"Members cancel after the first month"

• Audit onboarding: Did they log in? Did they consume the quick-win content? If not, the onboarding sequence failed.
• Check value delivery: Is there enough new content or activity each month to justify the recurring fee?
• Survey churned members: Ask directly. The top reasons are usually "didn't have time" (engagement problem), "not enough value" (content problem), or "too expensive" (positioning problem).
• Introduce a commitment device: Offer a discount for 3-month or annual prepayment to get past the first-month danger zone.

"I can't decide which platform to use"

• Already in Groove ecosystem: Use GrooveMember. The native integration with GrooveSell and GrooveMail eliminates complexity.
• Want all-in-one simplicity: Kajabi if budget allows, Podia if budget is tight.
• Community is the core value: Skool or Mighty Networks.
• Maximum control and ownership: WordPress + LearnDash + MemberPress.
• Just starting out, budget-conscious: Thinkific (has a free plan) or Teachable (affordable starter plan).
• Do not overthink it: Pick a platform, launch, and migrate later if needed. Launching beats optimizing.