311 - Switching Membership Enrolment Models: Closed to Open

Are you considering a switch from a closed to open-door membership? Maybe you’ve heard about all the benefits of open membership models and want to try it out for yourself.

Great! Open memberships can be a fantastic business model. It’s the very same model we use for our own Membership Academy.

But don’t just jump headfirst into the switch! If you’re changing to an open membership model, it’s not as easy as changing your mind and keeping the doors open all year.

There are lots of things to consider and adjustments to make if you make such a big move. You’ll need to think about all sorts of things like marketing, sales figures, how it will affect the community, and much more!

In this episode, I share some things to know about and the best ways to prepare your membership for an enrolment change.

Essential Learning Points:

• Why you need a solid reason for switching membership models
• How your approach to marketing will need to change
• Why you need to change your sales expectations
• The importance of member onboarding with an open-door membership
• How the membership community will change once you switch

Important Links & Mentions:

• The Membership Guys
• Membership Academy
• 5 Reasons Why I Dislike the Closed Door Membership Launch Strategy

Key Quotes:

“An always open membership relies heavily on evergreen marketing, having that marketing machine that works year-round. And the big piece of that is going to be your core sales funnel.”

“Don't start panicking when you have a day where you don't get any sales because it's all about the long term.”

“You can't get away with sloppy onboarding as much in an open membership as you can in a closed membership.”