Membership Geeks Podcast with Mike Morrison

433 – Building a Hybrid Membership Model: Lessons from Freelancer Magazine

Jul 22, 2025

Sophie Cross, the editor and publisher of Freelancer Magazine, shares her journey of blending print with a vibrant online community designed for freelancers. She discusses the evolution from a print-only publication to a hybrid model, highlighting the success of virtual co-working sessions and how they boost member engagement. Sophie also delves into targeting a UK audience while managing global connections, and explores innovative marketing strategies to maintain the sensory appeal of print media. Her insights provide valuable lessons for anyone in membership or publishing.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Transcript

Episode notes

ANECDOTE

Evolution of Freelancer Magazine

Freelancer Magazine evolved from print-only to include virtual coworking sessions and a member directory based on demand.
Virtual coworking became self-sustaining with volunteer hosts and is a main reason some join, beyond the magazine itself.

INSIGHT

Magazine as Hero Product

The magazine remains the hero product but exists alongside other community connection methods.
intentionally avoiding typical Facebook or Circle groups allows focus on unique community connections.

INSIGHT

Retention Driven by Member Life Changes

The main reason for membership cancellations is members stopping freelancing, not product dissatisfaction.
Virtual coworking provides a valuable sense of community that boosts member motivation and productivity.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

In this episode, I dive into the fascinating story of Freelancer Magazine’s innovative hybrid membership model with founder and editor Sophie Cross.

We explore how an independently published print magazine not only survives but thrives by blending traditional publishing with a thriving online membership and community for creative freelancers.

From virtual coworking sessions to exclusive member directories and content, I uncover the secrets behind building a sustainable, community-driven membership alongside a premium print product.

Whether you’re a membership owner, a publisher, or just love creative business ideas, there’s a lot to learn from Sophie’s journey.

In this episode:

What does the membership offering at Freelancer Magazine include beyond the print and digital publication, and how are these elements structured for members?
How did the transition from a print-only magazine to a hybrid membership model come about, and what evolved along the way?
In what ways has the online community and member features impacted retention, member engagement, and the direction of the magazine?
How are marketing strategies for Freelancer Magazine adapted to suit both the traditional print side and the dynamic online membership community?

Key Quotes & Takeaways:

"Virtual just seemed to make more sense. It's really accessible to people. We started doing some virtual co-working and it just took off - it's really popular. We probably get between 15 and 30 people every morning, and when volunteer hosts started running the sessions, it began running itself. Some people join the membership just for that community, while the magazine becomes a nice add-on."

"We actually don't have a Facebook group or a circle group - and that's intentional because other communities do that well. The magazine has become the hero product, but it's all about getting the community connected in different ways"

"Because we're relatively small, with about a thousand paid subscribers and 5,000 in the newsletter community, I can personally reach out and offer solutions - like a complimentary digital copy if someone's struggling financially. That kind of one-to-one feedback is really, really nice, and chasing specific churn percentages isn't of interest to me right now."

Thank You For Listening

We really appreciate you choosing to listen to us and for supporting the podcast.

We would be eternally grateful if you would consider taking a minute or two to leave an honest review and rating for the show. They're extremely helpful when it comes to reaching our audience and we read each and every one personally!

Finally, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast to make sure that you never miss an episode.