Download Membership Site Strategy
I sell digital download files - graphics for photographers and designers. I'm trying to decide if I should do a membership site as an option to my regular online store.
I've found that overall, selling collections works well. A lot of people like the simplicity of ordering a collection and I find my profit went up when I stopped selling individual graphics.
However, it takes me quite a bit of time to come out with a collection of graphics (Textures for example) so I usually have many products in process that are in the wings waiting for enough to be done for a collection. I also often make many more variations that I don't end up putting in the collection.
So, I've been thinking of ALSO having a membership site where loyal followers could opt to get everything I make AS I make it. They will get a steady stream of new materials and versions that aren't available anywhere else.
I think this idea is viable, but I have some questions on HOW to structure this.
How do I price / structure this so that people can't sign up, download everything in 2 months and then quit? I do see that some of the membership software/sites have drip options, but I'm not sure how it works in reality.
I thought of maybe instead having a weekly delivery that they download, but will I then have a nightmare of emails from people saying "I missed week xxx, can you please send me the links again?"
If I just have a site where people have access to download everything I have and everything I come out with - again how to prevent new-comers from downloading $600 worth of graphics at a monthly membership and then quitting the next month? Perhaps I have a special level where previous materials are available for a certain amount on top of the weekly downloads? This too could have headaches for clients joining who have some of my collections already. I may need to pro-rate every client.
What do you think of the option to either buy collections on my regular store OR to be in the membership site? Is it better to stick with collections and use the production time to ramp up with a product launch? There have been times when I did a great collection launch when I made close to $20,000 in a month - and I still have a really small list!
Thank you for your thoughts.
I've found that overall, selling collections works well. A lot of people like the simplicity of ordering a collection and I find my profit went up when I stopped selling individual graphics.
However, it takes me quite a bit of time to come out with a collection of graphics (Textures for example) so I usually have many products in process that are in the wings waiting for enough to be done for a collection. I also often make many more variations that I don't end up putting in the collection.
So, I've been thinking of ALSO having a membership site where loyal followers could opt to get everything I make AS I make it. They will get a steady stream of new materials and versions that aren't available anywhere else.
I think this idea is viable, but I have some questions on HOW to structure this.
How do I price / structure this so that people can't sign up, download everything in 2 months and then quit? I do see that some of the membership software/sites have drip options, but I'm not sure how it works in reality.
I thought of maybe instead having a weekly delivery that they download, but will I then have a nightmare of emails from people saying "I missed week xxx, can you please send me the links again?"
If I just have a site where people have access to download everything I have and everything I come out with - again how to prevent new-comers from downloading $600 worth of graphics at a monthly membership and then quitting the next month? Perhaps I have a special level where previous materials are available for a certain amount on top of the weekly downloads? This too could have headaches for clients joining who have some of my collections already. I may need to pro-rate every client.
What do you think of the option to either buy collections on my regular store OR to be in the membership site? Is it better to stick with collections and use the production time to ramp up with a product launch? There have been times when I did a great collection launch when I made close to $20,000 in a month - and I still have a really small list!
Thank you for your thoughts.