494 - Ask Mike: How Do I Pivot Without Alienating Existing Members?

A year is a long time in a membership. Long enough for members to forget their renewal date, let their card expire, or get hit with a charge a few days before payday. In this episode from the vault, I walk through exactly how I handle annual renewals in Membership Academy so members are never caught off guard. I share the email sequence that kicks in 11 months after someone joins, why I tell members how to cancel, and why keeping renewing members on their original price is one of the strongest retention levers you have. I also share how one membership switched to manual renewals, offered a renewal-only lifetime deal, and saw its renewal rate go up. If you offer annual or six-monthly plans and want fewer failed payments and more members choosing to stay, this episode is for you. In this episode: Understand why longer billing cycles lead to failed payments, disputes and surprised members See the final-month email sequence I use in the Academy, starting 11 months after someone joins Learn why pointing members to the cancel button actually protects your business Discover how recapping past value and signposting future value creates a “pain of disconnect” Find out how a renewal-only lifetime offer increased renewals and lifetime value for one membership

As fantastic as your membership may be, not everyone sees joining as a no-brainer. Some people sit on the fence for weeks, almost ready to sign up but held back by something they never quite tell you. In this episode, I'm heading back into the Membership Geeks vault to break down the five most common objections people have to joining your membership, and what you can do to overcome each one. I also share the one question you should be asking your audience right now to find out which objection is really costing you sales. In this episode: Why dropping your price is the wrong response to "it's too expensive," and what to do instead How to reassure people who are wary of recurring subscriptions The social proof and risk reversal tactics that prove your membership delivers Simple ways to make people feel safe entering their card details How a "who this is for (and who it isn't for)" section helps people decide whether the timing and fit are right

At some point in every membership's journey, you'll have to decide whether to raise your price. That's a good thing! It means your membership has grown more valuable since you launched. But there's a right way and a wrong way to do it, and this week I'm on my soapbox about the very, very wrong way. My video host took my annual renewal from about $900 to $4,500, with less than one months notice and a single email that was easy to miss... If it isn't obvious to spot, I break down exactly what they got wrong, why I only raise prices for new members, and what you can take from it for your own membership. If you're thinking about a price increase, please make sure you never handle it like this. In this episode: Why considering raising your price is a healthy sign for your member How an upcoming price increase becomes one of the most profitable promotions you can run Why legacy pricing is a silent retention tool that gives members more reasons to stay What Vimeo got wrong, and the communication, clarity, and fairness lessons you can apply Where the line sits between a smart save offer at cancellation and rubbing it in

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