Membership Dilemma - What I Can and Can't Provide

11 replies
Hi Warriors!

I'm having a little trouble I hope you can help me muddle through. I have many of my regular PLR customers asking me to make the site a membership to limit quantities.

However, checking up on the competition, I find that they offer things I can't - like graphics. I've tried several times to work with graphic designers for on-going stuff and I find they disappear or deliver late and I don't like relying on someone else for my deliverables.

So...I would love to launch a PLR membership site, but competitively, would it survive if I did something with content only? Such as (for a single niche topic):

One 50-Page eBook
10 One-Page Articles
7 Email Autoresponders

Since I wouldn't be offering graphics, I'd have to price lower, obviously, but then that would mean more members to make it worthwhile. Not even sure how many members to limit to.

Is it worth it? I'm hesitant because to do it right, I'd need to get 2-3 months worth of content finished ahead of time and then go through the set-up process, advertising process, etc.

Scared to jump in...I'm in my comfort zone and I can't get out! LOL
tiff
#dilemma #membership #provide
  • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
    Tiff, here's my professional opinion. Take it for what it's worth to you.

    People looking for this kind of thing are looking for a "business in a box"
    solution and are therefore looking for everything that goes with it. If you
    can't provide it, you're going to have a hard time even getting many
    members at any price.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[95679].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author KarlWarren
    Hi Tiff,

    comfort zones are there to be busted out of...

    I think you would find success, just from your name, if you provided what you're proposing and I don't doubt that it would be worth your while.

    The issues you've been having with other designers are all too familiar - I've seen them come and go. They often take on work at 'bulk rates' and then, after a while, become either:

    complacent, or
    burned out

    Resenting the fact that they've agreed to a certain rate when they feel they should be paid more. It's only experience that helps to weigh up the positives (regular work) with the negatives (lower pay.)

    From your point of view, I completely understand the issue with relying on others to provide deliverables - I've had times where I've had to jump in at the last minute and create something myself - for fear of being let down by suppliers.

    From a designer's point of view, it is a shame that you've been let down because I fear that developing a client/supplier relationship would require a lot of hard work.

    Kindest regards,
    Karl.
    Signature
    eCoverNinja - Sales Page Graphics & Layout Specialist
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[95684].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author ExRat
      Hi Tiff,

      I disagree with Steven (sorry mate ) but I might not be your typical customer? I have been a member of many PLR sites and currently am in one, and I have hardly ever valued the graphics anyway.

      As well as changing the wording I never wanted to use the same graphics on my sites so it actually annoyed me if I felt that I was paying for the graphics as well.

      I like getting autoreponder courses (as long as they're not just lame copies of the articles - I can do that myself!) but what I valued more than anything else was if the site provided research on the BEST (not just any) related affiliate programs.

      Obviously, by the best I mean - residual, two-tier as well as preferring obscure hard to find ones because a) less competition b) it's easy to find the obvious ones

      Hope this helps.
      Signature


      Roger Davis

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[95713].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author Steven Wagenheim
        Originally Posted by ExRat View Post

        Hi Tiff,

        I disagree with Steven (sorry mate ) but I might not be your typical customer? I have been a member of many PLR sites and currently am in one, and I have hardly ever valued the graphics anyway.

        As well as changing the wording I never wanted to use the same graphics on my sites so it actually annoyed me if I felt that I was paying for the graphics as well.

        I like getting autoreponder courses (as long as they're not just lame copies of the articles - I can do that myself!) but what I valued more than anything else was if the site provided research on the BEST (not just any) affiliate programs.

        Obviously, by the best I mean - residual, two-tier as well as preferring obscure hard to find ones because a) less competition b) it's easy to find the obvious ones

        Hope this helps.

        Roger, I may very well be wrong. I can only speak from my personal
        experience and from what I see everybody else offering. Even my own
        "business in a box" products come with graphics. They're not anything off
        the charts but they're functional and enough to satisfy my customers.

        But again, I'm speaking from experience. Since this isn't a main business
        model of mine, there may be others out there who are heavily into this
        model who can give a more definitive answer.

        And no need to apologize. What do I know? I'm just a cab driver.

        (In my best Christopher Lloyd impersonation)
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[95714].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author SuzanneH
    Yikes! As one of your clients who stays within *one* broad niche, I'm hoping I can still buy packs from you; a membership site wouldn't help me at all. :-)

    But you've got to do what's right for you, of course!

    Maybe you can talk to Alice Seba or Mila Sidman from Private Label Articles (All Private Label Content(dot)com). They have a monthly PLR membership site, and, if I recall correctly they don't provide graphics (I could be wrong or things could have changed).

    Suzanne
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[95728].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author George Wright
    Hi Tiffany,

    A decent work around for this would be to pick up a set of photo shop actions that create ebook covers yourself, and also offer a bunch of premade templates.

    Some of the minisite template packages avaliable with MRR are amazing.

    You can take the photoshop actions and make a nice ecover to match the minisite. There is a learning curve but I know you can do it.

    George Wright
    Signature
    "The first chapter sells the book; the last chapter sells the next book." Mickey Spillane
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[95736].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author TiffanyLambert
    Steven, that’s what another Warrior told me. Problem is, I keep getting asked to create one, so I’m wondering if it might be worth it. I dunno either. Lol

    Karl, thanks for the insight. I PM’d you.

    Roger, I agree with you – I’m the same way. Give me solid content and research and I can find graphics, but I just wanted to know if we’re in the majority or minority?

    Suzanne, I’m not doing away with the PLR Mini Mart – it’ll still provide content on a regular basis with no membership required. I love that business model! Lol But I also want to answer the request for a membership site if it’ll benefit both myself and my customers. So you’ll still have what you need

    George, I’m sticking my head in the sand – learning curve with Photoshop stuff? ACK!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[95904].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author George Wright
    LOL Tiffany,

    OK forget about the Photoshop actions. But the minisite templates that come with MRR are still very nice. And just designing ebook covers is no problem for a lot of warriors here. I bet you could get good ebook covers alone for $10 to $20 each providing the designer was allowed to use the actions rather than 100% original designs.

    George Wright
    Signature
    "The first chapter sells the book; the last chapter sells the next book." Mickey Spillane
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[95966].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author rmholla
    Tiff,

    You could always outsource the graphics, shouldn't cost that much.


    Rhonda
    Signature
    Digital Delivery HQ - great products, instant delivery.

    Domains For Sale (make offer): EasyAuctionDeals.com & InstantNicheRiches.com

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[100391].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author DavidParton
    Tiffany,
    I am a fan of your products. I also have been a member of many PLR/MRR memberships.
    The one thing I value above all else is quality. I know you can deliver that, but salespages and editable graphics do seem to be a huge selling point for most marketers. From an IM consumer's point of view - the less work for me the better.

    David
    Signature

    Nothing to see here. Move along

    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[100427].message }}

Trending Topics