How to Find the Optimal Pricing for Your Membership Site

Are you struggling to find the right pricing model for your membership site? In this episode, we provide you with a detailed framework to make it an easy decision.

Finding this optimal pricing for a membership website can be very difficult. While there are many tactics to improve your pricing strategies, there are not many general frameworks that you can use from the start.

But if you listen to this episode, you will learn a simple and proven technique for finding the optimal pricing for your site — helping you increase your revenue while generating a substantial profit.

And best of all, this episode includes a companion SlideShare deck that walks you through all the concepts we discuss.

In this episode, Sean Jackson and Jessica Frick provide a comprehensive pricing framework, including:

• The #1 Rule when it comes to pricing
• Why your costs matter and how they are different from your expenses
• The target financial goals you should set for your revenue, profit margins, and subscriber base
• And how to package that pricing model to make it a compelling premium offer

Listen to this Episode Now

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The Efficient Approach to Marketing Your Business with Content

A note: My first book comes out later this month! Here’s an excerpt from one of the chapters. To get early access to the whole book, look for the link to The Book Factory at the end of this post.

If you could see me as I type this, you’d see that I’m gleefully rubbing my hands in anticipation. Because I’m going to talk about how to build out the content on your website, and I’m about to share the system you can use to make this work efficient, effective, and — dare I say it? — fun.

Content marketing works when you create useful, interesting, and engaging information consistently over time. It’s all about showing up reliably and being helpful every single time.

Sounds daunting, doesn’t it? Are you wondering what in the world you’ve signed up for?

Well, don’t worry. From here on out, everything I’ve written will teach you an efficient approach to your ongoing content creation process. Because if you’re going to use content to market your business, you’re going to need to be in it for the long haul. We’re going to make your journey as pleasant and productive as possible.

How to set yourself up for efficient content creation

It’s just us here, so let’s be perfectly honest. Efficient content creation is appealing to you, isn’t it? So let’s explore how you can become the most efficient content creator out there.

It all starts with setting up an environment where content creation can flourish.

Creating content on a regular basis is less painful when you don’t have to force yourself to do it. Think about everything you do on a daily and weekly basis to make your life function efficiently:

• You bathe
• You eat meals
• You brush your teeth
• You shop for food
• You wash your clothing

Now that you’re an adult, you don’t have to plan any of these things or figure out how to do them. You probably do them the same way every time. They’re a natural part of your day or your week.

You don’t resist them or procrastinate about doing them for the most part. (I’ll confess that I procrastinate about grocery shopping until I’ve run out of things to make for dinner. That’s when I know it’s time to restock the shelves.)

Why do you do them so effortlessly?

Because whether you recognize it or not, you’ve already got systems in place for getting them done. When it’s time to brush your teeth, your toothbrush and toothpaste are in the same spot they’ve always been. All you have to do is grab them and begin.

There’s no resistance to the task because it’s frictionless: simple, easy, and efficient.

How to make content creation frictionless (and fun)

It may be difficult to believe, but content creation can be just as frictionless as all of the tasks above.

This article will help you identify how to set up a physical and mental environment that will make the process easy and natural for you. Content creation is both a physical and mental task, so it’s important to plan for both aspects.

Once your physical environment is prepped and ready, you’ll be able to create content the same way you brush your teeth: you’ll have what you need right at hand so you can grab it and get started.

And once we’ve worked on your mindset, you’ll find your mental environment will be prepped and ready for you to dive into your content creation process, too.

Your ideal physical writing environment

It’s funny to me that I’ve never heard anyone address the physical aspect of content creation. Let’s face it: we can’t just think our content into existence, can we?

We have to sit or stand and place our fingers on a keyboard or pen to paper and begin physically writing the words that will make up our content. This happens in a space and in a moment in time. Let’s talk about both.

Your ideal physical writing environment:

Is a place where you’re physically comfortable. Your chair supports you, and you can easily reach your keyboard or your notepad without scrunching up your shoulders or craning your neck. If you stand, you have a supportive surface below your feet and good shoes, so your legs and back don’t suffer.

Is a spot with the best light for you. You recreate the lighting that works for you. Some people focus best in a dark “cave,” with shades drawn and a single light illuminating their work surface. Others feel more productive with bright natural light. Identify what lighting setup helps you do your best work. When it’s time to create your content, make lighting part of the setup.

Is convenient and nearby. You’ll resist your content creation tasks less if you don’t have to travel to get to the place where you’ll create content. Find a spot that’s already close by, and designate it as your content creation station.

Has everything you need within arm’s reach. My content creation station is a red reclining chair in the corner of my office with a small blanket I can throw over me if I get chilly. On the small table next to this chair, I have a place to set my coffee cup, a pencil and pad for notes, a tissue box, and some lip balm. I write on a computer and have a thesaurus and dictionary just a few clicks away. Your setup will look different than mine. Content creation is a job like any other job; put your tools together, so they’re within easy reach.

Features sound — or the sound of silence. Some people prefer a little background noise (or music), and others need complete silence. What works best for you? Pay attention, and make what you hear part of your setup.

Is distraction-free. When it’s time to create content, you’ll get more done if you shut down distracting websites and social media sites, and silence your phone.

Your ideal time of day for creating content

Content creation also happens at a moment in time. For most of us, our mental energy runs in a predictable daily cycle. We’re most efficient around the same times every day.

Sometimes we have no choice — it’s a matter of working around our other responsibilities. If you have young children, for example, your efficiency may increase dramatically the moment they lie down to go to sleep at night!

If you haven’t identified your peak creative times of day yet, I’d like you to pay attention to this over the next few weeks. At what time of day does creative work seem to come easily to you? And when does your brain consistently feel like mush — like you couldn’t get an original thought out of it even if you squeezed it?

There’s no right or wrong answer here. I want you to find your time, not anyone else’s. Once you pinpoint your peak creative time, plan to use at least part of it for content creation. When you do this, you’ll find putting together your content will be easier, faster, and more efficient.

Does everything have to be “perfect” to create your content?

Do you have to be in that ideal physical environment and in the middle of your peak creative time in order to create content?

Absolutely not.

I’ve done enough writing at hotel desks and in plane seats to attest to the fact that great content can come out of a variety of environments and times of day.

What we’re talking about here is how to set up a frictionless environment and timeframe for most of your daily or weekly content creation work. You’ll find that once you’ve set yourself up in a supportive environment and found a time slot that works for you, content creation will become more of a habit than a to-do item.

Habits done in one place can easily be transferred elsewhere.

If you’re staying in a hotel, you can still brush your teeth, right? And it’s still automatic because you’ve trained your body to grab what you need and get the job done.

Do the same for your content creation process, and you’ll find it’s easier to make it happen no matter where you are.

Why does creating content become more fun over time?

Content marketing offers those of us who don’t feel as if we’ve been blessed with the mythical writing gene an opportunity to improve our skills one piece of content at a time.

Think about it: if you want to learn to cook, you start with the basics. How to boil water. How to make toast.

As you master these basic skills, you enjoy the fruits of your labors: you eat the broth you boiled or chew the toast you made.

It’s the same thing with content. Even your earliest attempts at published content will work for your business. As long as it’s carefully crafted, search engines will begin to find it and lend authority to your site. It doesn’t have to be a masterpiece to benefit your business.

But as you write more, something will occur naturally.

Just like practicing cooking over time will allow you to make more complex and delicious dishes you can then eat and enjoy, consistently creating content will help you build your mastery. You’ll find you can go from idea to finished product faster and more smoothly. You’ll know you can count on your content creation skills to create ever more sophisticated content marketing for your business.

It may come as no surprise, then, that content creation tends to become more fun over time. That’s the effect mastery has! When you’ve built your skills and they’ve become a resource you can easily draw on, you enjoy the process — you even look forward to it.

That’s why I’d like you to look at your content as if it’s a body of work you’re going to create.

Don’t think too much. Just write.

The best ideas come from a place in your mind that’s not standing in judgment or full of worry. It’s not distracted or stressed. It’s relaxed and looking forward to just doing the work, in happy anticipation of the process more than the final product.

When you get yourself to this place — and I promise if you put in a few weeks of consistent practice you’ll get there — you’ll look forward to this creative time.

Creating content will be a joyful job you’ll want to do often.

Want the whole chapter? How about the whole book? Click and register to become a free member of The Book Factory.

Wise owl art by the amazing Sparky Firepants.

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7 ways I’ve increased conversion rates (and even retention) with thank you pages

Here’s How to Find the Right Mix and Fine-Tune Your Offer

Have you ever wondered if your strange collection of skills and interests could be woven together to build a profitable business?

If you have, you’ll love today’s Hero’s Journey article.

Lauren Pawell is a rare breed: she has a background in development and marketing. That’s a combination you don’t see every day!

Some people might have encouraged Lauren to choose one field or the other. But she persisted and has built a business that artfully combines her many passions.

Lauren’s story is this month’s Hero’s Journey feature. We’re tapping the collective wisdom of our community members to bring you reports from the front lines of the content marketing world. See all the Hero’s Journey posts here.

Read on as Lauren shares what she’s learned over the years and how you can use her hard-earned wisdom in your own business.

Building a one-stop revenue-building shop

Lauren Pawell: What sets Bixa Media apart is my background in both development and marketing. This allows me to sit at the intersection of business, technology and design.

We help entrepreneurs turn their WordPress and Shopify websites into revenue-generating powerhouses. We do that through a mixture of website design and development, content marketing, search engine optimization, paid advertising, and online reputation management.

Not only can we write killer copy, but we can also evaluate your technology options, decide which is best for your needs, and build everything for you, while keeping your business objectives at the forefront of the process.

I find our clients really value having a partner who can help them from A to Z.

Perhaps more importantly, we’re able to tell our clients where not to waste their dollars and effort, and where to focus their resources.

Even if this doesn’t always match what a client had in mind, our honest feedback resonates with business owners.

We offer two types of services:

• 1:1 online marketing services: For medium-sized businesses who are looking to outsource their online marketing, we offer a variety of services designed to amplify their online exposure and generate more customers.
• DIY programs: For small businesses or solopreneurs who don’t yet have the resources to outsource their marketing, we offer educational marketing programs through Websites That Generate.

My business is primarily online, although I do plenty of networking offline — I find they go hand-in-hand. The offline contact tends to tip the scale in our favor, especially when it comes to securing large contracts.

Putting the brakes on spinning wheels

Lauren Pawell: I started my business for two reasons.

First and foremost, after working in marketing overseas for a few years, I saw so many small-to-medium-sized businesses with a wealth of online opportunity at their fingertips. But they just didn’t have the right guidance.

As a result, they were spinning their wheels in so many different directions with little-to-no impact.

I wanted to help them pick that low-hanging digital fruit, so that they could continue to grow their businesses and entrepreneurial dreams.

So, in 2011, I moved back to the United States, booked my first client at a friend’s birthday party (notice that offline touchpoint!), and haven’t looked back since.

The best part of that story? Our first client still works with us today and has gone from a one-man business to a 20+ person company. Now that is why I started Bixa!

I don’t share the second reason with many people, but I feel it will resonate with the Copyblogger audience.

In 2011, I had been through one-too-many bad bosses and was tired of not being in charge of my own destiny, from both a personal and career standpoint. That freedom I craved drove me to start my own company.

My driving motivation is to help other entrepreneurial spirits achieve the same freedom I have.

Conversion experiments that paid off

Lauren Pawell: Converting cold traffic into qualified leads is a finicky beast, especially when it comes to selling online education.

It’s not hard to understand why — cold traffic doesn’t immediately pull out their wallets. It took quite a bit of trial and error to dial in our lead-nurturing process, but we did it.

A few highlights:

We use Facebook ads as our hook

A new email subscriber generated from a Facebook ad was not likely to immediately jump up and buy our program. However, when we started to establish trust and demonstrate our authority through a few different mediums, we were far more successful.

Here’s what we do:

First, we run the new subscriber through a long welcome series over email. We send them 7 emails over 20 days, all of which include a lot of copy. It helps us weed out unqualified leads.

While in many approaches we did not want a lot of unsubscribes, in this case, we welcome them. It allows us to filter out anyone who doesn’t immediately love us.

After this, we direct the subscriber to our private Facebook community

There we share weekly educational content over video and give 1:1 feedback, similar to what they would experience in our course. This also helps establish us as a trusted and authoritative figure.

Then, we deliver free educational webinars on specific topics

This helps the subscriber better understand their problem and the solution they need to transform their situation.

Finally, we open our doors periodically

Last, but not least, we sell our program through email during specific times of the year, and are available on live chat to answer any questions the prospects have. (This, again, is similar to our course experience).

Some may say we give away too much for free, but I find this really helps us find great students. Plus, it allows our Facebook ad spend to generate far more ROI.

When we didn’t follow this solution and jumped straight from Facebook ads to a webinar to a sales email, our conversion rates weren’t great. Now, they are stellar.

So, if you feel like you are wasting dollars on Facebook ad spend, consider the rest of your funnel. Now that we know what works, it’s far easier to justify scaling up our marketing spend.

Venturing into online education (one validated step at a time)

Lauren Pawell: In Q2 of this year, I decided to test the idea of online education programs.

I wanted to be less reliant on 1:1 client work, which can be unpredictable. And I wanted to help all the entrepreneurs we were turning away due to a full calendar on our end, and limited resources on their end.

To validate the idea, we began being incredibly transparent about our marketing tactics.

We educated our audience through a number of mediums, notably: email, online webinars, and a private Facebook community.

I believed that through great educational content, we could:

• Empower solopreneurs, allowing them to achieve quick wins in their businesses
• Determine whether there was a demand for our DIY programs

This effort has been quite successful. We recently presold an educational course (before it was created) that our audience was begging for.

By validating an idea through free content first, we were then able to dedicate the resources to creating paid educational programs. A course takes a lot of front-loaded work, especially content creation. The last thing I wanted to do was create a program no one wanted.

As an added benefit of this education-first approach, when 1:1 prospects come through the door, they are already sold on working with us. Because they already understand the “why” behind our recommendations, the selling is 90 percent done by the time we write a proposal.

The Rainmaker Digital products Lauren uses

Lauren Pawell: We use quite a few Rainmaker Digital products, including:

• Rainmaker Platform to power our online courses and membership programs at Websites That Generate
• Genesis Framework + StudioPress themes to power clients’ websites
• Copyblogger Authority and Digital Commerce Institute to continue learning and engaging with the community

I also happen to be a new Copyblogger Certified Content Marketer. And I’m attending the upcoming Digital Commerce Summit in Denver.

So, needless to say, I’m a Rainmaker Digital diehard!

Refining and scaling up for the future

Lauren Pawell: In the final quarter of 2016, we’ll focus on refining our sales funnels and scaling up our DIY programs.

Our educational courses at Websites That Generate haven’t been marketed on our website, or really even promoted outside of email. That’s because I wanted to run a few groups of people through our programs to ensure we really dialed them in.

Now that we’ve gotten the process down, we’re ready to scale up. The first step in that process requires some adjustments to our sales funnel. Then, we can scale up our lead generation through Facebook ads.

An unsolicited piece of advice

Lauren Pawell: If, like me, you’re considering creating an educational program to complement your 1:1 services, I highly recommend the Rainmaker Platform.

All of the technology was so easy to set up, allowing us to focus most of our effort on the course creation and marketing.

When it comes to selling a course and serving your students, the less you have to worry about the technology, the better.

Find Lauren Pawell online …

• Bixa Media
• Websites That Generate

Thanks to Lauren for appearing in our Hero’s Journey series.

Do you have questions for her? Ask them in the comments.

We’ll be back next month with another story to teach, inspire, and encourage you along your journey.

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Marketing Your Book All the Way to the Bestseller Lists, with Jay Baer

In this podcast episode, Chris Ducker sits down with Jay Baer to learn exactly how to become a New York Times bestselling author! Get your notebooks ready!

Book marketing is a topic that has come up a lot for me lately. As many of you know, I’ve just wrapped a book that has been traditionally published a while back.

Earlier this year, I interviewed Farnoosh Brock about her book on juicing, and her grassroots approach to marketing it — which worked very well for her. This time you will hear a different approach — a mix of old and new techniques, with some long-term brand building as the backbone.

In this interview, I talk with Jay Baer about his well-planned book marketing campaign, and we delve deep into how to become a New York Times bestselling author.

This is some very useful stuff, so get your notepads ready!

In this 50-minute episode, Jay and I discuss:

• Why using unorthodox book marketing techniques can work in your favor
• How you can build awareness long before your book is released
• The criteria for hitting the NYT bestseller list
• How to utilize your community to make your book go viral
• Why hiring a publicist is still a good idea in the new business economy
• How to use re-targeting to your advantage

Listen to this Episode Now

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Give Your Book the Best Chance with a Well-Executed Launch

The timing of your book’s launch is important. But how important is it? Here’s what really matters when you’re ready to launch your book.

In the words of Jeff Goins, “It’s really hard to launch too late and it’s really easy to launch too early.”

A good launch can make a book, while a bad launch can damage your credibility as an author, as well as have a negative effect on sales.

Pamela Wilson and Jeff Goins discuss best practices for a successful launch — and Jeff shares insight and experiences he learned the hard way from his past book launches.

In this episode Jeff Goins and Pamela Wilson discuss:

• The ideal day of the week to launch your book
• How the way you’re publishing should influence your launch date
• Best launch practices for the self-published author
• Pamela’s super-cool bonus for people who purchase her book

Listen to this Episode Now

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SEO that Grows Your Business with John Jantsch

Of all the components of a holistic online marketing strategy, search engine optimization (“SEO”) seems to mystify many the most. And it’s true that years back, the key to ranking well in Google was a form of dark art.

That’s changed in recent years. Google’s algorithm has gotten smarter, and is more distinctly tuned in to what the audience thinks is relevant and valuable for a given search term, rather than what we as marketers would prefer to rank well.

As my friend Rae Hoffman says, “Google doesn’t want to make websites popular, they want to rank popular websites.” In other words, get traffic rich by creating content that people want and value first, and Google will make you even richer.

Another friend of mine, John Jantsch of Duct Tape Marketing, has just co-authored a book called SEO for Growth, and it’s a completely up-to-date examination of what it takes to do well in search engines. I was honored that John asked me to contribute the foreword, and long-time readers of Copyblogger will see the natural evolution of tactics and strategies we’ve talked about for a decade.

Tune in for valuable tips on the modern practice of SEO. More importantly, discover how to execute on an SEO strategy that grows your business, not just your search traffic.

Listen to this Episode Now

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