Membership Site Plan

When to Use This Skill

• User wants to launch a membership site or subscription community
• User needs to design pricing tiers and what each tier includes
• User wants to plan a content library and drip schedule
• User is converting one-time products (courses, templates) into recurring revenue
• User needs a retention strategy to reduce membership churn

Core Principle

A MEMBERSHIP LIVES OR DIES ON MONTH-TWO RETENTION — THE CONTENT DRIP AND COMMUNITY MUST DELIVER ENOUGH VALUE IN THE FIRST 30 DAYS THAT CANCELING FEELS LIKE A LOSS.

Workflow

Phase 1: Define the Membership

1. Confirm the user's expertise area and target member
2. Identify the core value proposition — what ongoing problem does this solve that justifies monthly payment?
3. Determine the content format mix:
   • Video lessons / tutorials
   • Templates and swipe files
   • Live calls (Q&A, coaching, workshops)
   • Community access (forum, Slack, Circle)
   • Written guides or newsletters
   • Tools or software access
4. Choose a platform: Skool, Circle, Kajabi, Teachable, Mighty Networks, WordPress + MemberPress, or custom
5. Default recommendation: Skool for simplicity or Circle + Stripe for flexibility

Phase 2: Design Tier Structure

6. Create 2-3 tiers (never more than 3 — decision fatigue kills signups):

7. The middle tier should be the primary offer — price it where most members will land
8. Annual pricing option: offer 2 months free (e.g., $97/mo or $970/year) to improve retention and cash flow

Phase 3: Plan the Content Library

9. Design the foundational content library (available on day one):

   • 5-8 core modules covering the essential knowledge
   • Each module: 3-5 lessons, 10-20 minutes each
   • One quick-win resource per module (template, checklist, swipe file)

10. Design the drip schedule for ongoing content:

Month 1 (Onboarding — CRITICAL):

• Day 1: Welcome video + "Start Here" guide + community intro prompt
• Day 3: First quick-win template or tool
• Day 7: First live call (or replay)
• Day 14: Module 1 unlocks (if using drip, not open library)
• Day 21: Second live call or workshop
• Day 28: "Month 1 check-in" email asking for feedback + wins

Month 2+:

• Week 1: New lesson or tutorial (15-20 min)
• Week 2: Live Q&A or coaching call
• Week 3: New template, swipe file, or resource
• Week 4: Community challenge or engagement prompt

11. Plan at minimum 3 months of content ahead before launch

Phase 4: Build Retention Systems

12. Implement these retention mechanisms:

Onboarding sequence (first 7 days):

• Automated welcome email with "3 things to do first"
• Personal DM or video from the founder (even if recorded)
• Community introduction prompt ("Tell us about your business")
• First quick-win assignment with a deadline

Ongoing retention:

• Monthly "wins" thread — members share results
• Quarterly content refresh — update outdated materials
• Annual member survey — ask what to build next
• Cancellation flow: offer pause (1 month) before cancel
• Win-back email at 30, 60, 90 days post-cancellation

Churn warning signs to monitor:

• No login in 14+ days
• No community posts in 30+ days
• Skipped 2+ live calls in a row
• Downloaded nothing in the last month

Phase 5: Deliver the Complete Plan

13. Output the full membership plan:
    • Tier structure with pricing
    • Content library outline
    • 3-month drip schedule
    • Retention system
    • Launch checklist

Example 1: Social Media Manager Membership

Context: A social media consultant with 3,000 Instagram followers and an email list of 1,200 wants to launch a membership for small business owners who manage their own social media.

Membership: The Social Playbook

Tier Structure:

Content Library (Day One):

MODULE 1: Social Media Foundations (5 lessons)
  1.1 Choosing your 2 platforms (15 min)
  1.2 Profile optimization checklist (12 min)
  1.3 Content pillars framework (18 min)
  1.4 The 3-2-1 posting rhythm (10 min)
  1.5 Quick win: Optimize your Instagram bio in 10 minutes
  Resource: Bio formula template + 20 bio examples

MODULE 2: Content Creation System (4 lessons)
  2.1 Batch creating a month of content in 4 hours (20 min)
  2.2 Repurposing: 1 video into 12 pieces of content (15 min)
  2.3 Canva templates walkthrough (18 min)
  2.4 Quick win: Create 5 posts using the provided templates
  Resource: 30 customizable Canva templates

MODULE 3: Caption Writing (4 lessons)
  3.1 The hook-story-CTA framework (12 min)
  3.2 Writing captions that drive comments (15 min)
  3.3 Hashtag strategy for small accounts (10 min)
  3.4 Quick win: Write 7 captions using the swipe file
  Resource: 50 caption templates by industry

MODULE 4: Instagram Reels & Short-Form Video (4 lessons)
  4.1 Reels that work for non-video people (15 min)
  4.2 Trending audio: how to find and use it (12 min)
  4.3 Recording setup with just your phone (10 min)
  4.4 Quick win: Record and post your first Reel using the script template
  Resource: 10 Reel script templates

MODULE 5: Analytics & Growth (3 lessons)
  5.1 The only 4 metrics that matter (12 min)
  5.2 Monthly analytics review walkthrough (15 min)
  5.3 Quick win: Run your first analytics audit using the tracker
  Resource: Monthly analytics tracker spreadsheet

3-Month Drip Schedule:

MONTH 1 — ONBOARDING
Day 1:  Welcome video + Start Here guide + community intro
Day 3:  5 Instagram post templates (Canva) delivered
Day 7:  LIVE: "Ask Me Anything" Q&A call
Day 10: Bonus lesson: "Instagram algorithm in 2026 — what actually works"
Day 14: Module unlock: Instagram Reels deep-dive bonus
Day 21: LIVE: Content creation workshop (batch 2 weeks of posts together)
Day 28: Check-in email: "Share your wins from Month 1"

MONTH 2 — BUILDING MOMENTUM
Week 1: New lesson: "Story selling — how to sell in Stories without being salesy"
Week 2: LIVE: Q&A call + hot seat (2 members get live account reviews)
Week 3: 15 new post templates + trending audio list for the month
Week 4: Community challenge: "Post every day for 5 days using the templates"

MONTH 3 — EXPANDING
Week 1: New lesson: "Email list building from Instagram — the link-in-bio funnel"
Week 2: LIVE: Workshop — building a simple lead magnet
Week 3: New resource: Lead magnet template pack (3 templates)
Week 4: Community challenge: "Launch your first lead magnet this week"

Example 2: Fitness Coach Membership

Context: A certified personal trainer with a YouTube channel (12K subscribers) wants to launch a membership for busy professionals who want home workout programs.

Membership: FitFoundry

Tier Structure:

Content Library (Day One):

PROGRAM 1: 30-Day Starter (Bodyweight only, no equipment)
  - 20 workouts, 25-35 minutes each
  - 3 days/week schedule
  - Video demos for every exercise
  - Printable workout tracker

PROGRAM 2: Dumbbell Strength (Requires 2 sets of dumbbells)
  - 24 workouts across 6 weeks
  - 4 days/week schedule
  - Progressive overload built in
  - Form check video library (30 exercises)

PROGRAM 3: 15-Minute Express (For days when time is tight)
  - 12 workouts, 15 minutes each
  - Mix of HIIT, strength, and mobility
  - No equipment needed

RESOURCE LIBRARY:
  - Macro calculation guide + spreadsheet
  - Grocery list templates (budget-friendly)
  - Warm-up and cool-down routines (5 videos)
  - Equipment buying guide (home gym under $200)

Retention System:

ONBOARDING (First 7 Days):
Day 1: Welcome video + fitness assessment questionnaire
Day 1: Auto-assign to "30-Day Starter" or "Dumbbell Strength"
       based on assessment answers
Day 2: Personal DM: "Hey [Name], saw you joined — which program
       did you pick? Let me know if you need help choosing."
Day 3: Community prompt: "Introduce yourself — what's your
       #1 fitness goal this month?"
Day 5: Email: "Your first workout is waiting — here's exactly
       where to start" (direct link to Day 1 workout)
Day 7: First live workout — encourage attendance via email
       reminder 2 hours before

MONTHLY RETENTION:
- "Workout streak" tracker — gamified consistency tracking
- Monthly challenge (e.g., "100 pushups in a week")
- "Transformation Tuesday" community thread
- New program drop on the 1st of each month

CHURN PREVENTION:
- No login in 7 days → automated email: "We miss you — here's a
  15-minute express workout to get back on track"
- Cancellation flow: "Would you like to pause for a month instead?"
  (pause option retains 30-40% of would-be cancellations)
- Win-back at 30 days: "Come back and try our new [program name]
  — first month back at 50% off"

Launch Checklist:

PRE-LAUNCH (4 weeks before):
[ ] Platform set up (Skool or Circle)
[ ] 3 foundational programs recorded and uploaded
[ ] Tier pricing configured with annual option
[ ] Welcome email sequence written (5 emails)
[ ] Community space created with guidelines
[ ] Payment processing connected (Stripe)

LAUNCH WEEK:
[ ] Email list announcement (3 emails over 5 days)
[ ] YouTube video announcing the membership
[ ] Instagram countdown Stories (5 days)
[ ] Founding member discount (first 50 members get 30% off for life)
[ ] First live workout scheduled for Day 3 post-launch

POST-LAUNCH (first 30 days):
[ ] Personal welcome DM to every new member
[ ] Weekly live sessions running on schedule
[ ] Community engagement — founder posts daily for first month
[ ] Day 28 check-in email to all members
[ ] Collect testimonials from early wins

Recovery and Fallback

• If the user has no audience yet, recommend building an email list of at least 500 subscribers before launching — use a free lead magnet to attract the target member
• If the user is overwhelmed by content creation, start with a single tier and 3 foundational modules — expand after launch based on member feedback
• If churn exceeds 10% monthly, audit the onboarding experience first — most churn happens in the first 30 days due to poor onboarding, not poor content
• If the user cannot commit to live calls, pre-record monthly workshops and release them on a schedule — live is better for retention but recorded still works
• If pricing feels too high for the audience, start lower and increase for new members as the library grows — never lower pricing for existing members

Constraints

• Maximum 3 tiers — more than 3 creates decision paralysis and reduces signups
• The middle tier must be the recommended/default option — design pricing to steer members there
• Plan at minimum 3 months of content before launch — running out of content in month 2 destroys credibility
• Do not recommend "unlimited" anything — scope all deliverables (number of templates, call frequency, response times)
• Annual pricing should offer exactly 2 months free — more than that undervalues the membership
• Do not recommend launching with a free tier — free members rarely convert and dilute community quality
• Content drip must deliver a quick win within the first 72 hours — this is the highest-leverage retention moment
• Founding member discounts should be lifetime-locked but capped (first 50 or first 100)