Copyright 2012 Shannon L. Buck: How to Live the Freelance Life

January 30, 2012

Membership Sites: A Sense of Community

What is a membership site?

A membership site is generally based around a theme or idea. For instance, a homemaker may create a site to aid others in homemaking, requiring them to sign up to join the site. She will offer advice on the many aspects of homemaking in the form of recipes, quick tips and articles.

Paid or Free?

She may also ask a fee from each potential member, in hopes of earning a living from her information. The site may have a free membership which offers the basics, as well as paid area where these special members receive ebooks, special reports and other offerings for their paid subscription.

Why create a membership site?

A membership site provides you and readers a place to gather online, giving everyone a needed sense of community. You are able to create bonds and friendships this way, which is not always possible when using other online venues. Forums and chat rooms aid in creating this community, as does a blog.

Challenge

Brainstorm a few ideas for membership sites. Spend some time thinking about each idea, and create a list of ideas for each. Is one of these ideas motivating you to create your own site? Now may be the time to start one.

Quick Writing Tip

Create a few freebies for your site members, such as a special report, and ecourse and an ebook. Keep them all on topic.

5 Writing Prompts

Article Idea: What is a membership site?

Article Idea: Building a sense of community.

Ecourse Idea: How to create an ecourse.

Article Idea: How to write and ebook.

Special Report Idea: Ideas for membership sites.

Quote

The community which has neither poverty nor riches will always have the noblest principles.  ~ Plato

Special Report

Your Teen Can Help Your Freelance Career

In this Special Report, you will see how it is possible for your teenager to help you out while you are building your freelance career and how much, if anything, you should pay him or her for that help. Teens can be a big help with things like:

* Their younger siblings.
* Keeping up the house.
* Business tasks.

Special Report

A Freelancer’s Helper

In this special report, A Freelancer’s Helper, I will show you the value of having people to help you with every day tasks while you work. Each person will have different needs, and this report will help you to decide what help would be best for your circumstances.