Question for those experienced with membership sites

Hi Guys!

I am trying to put together my first membership site - intended for sale in the future.

I have written all my content already and WAS going to make it a Joomla site for the members to take their 'stuff" once they join, plus I was going to have a BB. Unfortunately I am about to spin my laptop on it's side and turn it into a UFO if I continue to try and navigate the damn Joomla system.

I just don't get [all of] it and don't have anymore time to watch videos and read pdf's about how it works. Can't make things go where I need them! :headache:

So, I was thinking I could just load all the stuff onto the phpbbs board that I already have going and understand. Alot of the membership sites I use have only that format for use members and we just peruse the download sections when we want.

QUESTION is this.
Can I successfully sell my site in a few months using only the BB as my format? and NOT having a regular site instead? (I of course will have a regular site for my sales page and thank you page, etc but the meat would be the bb)

This site should sell for about $10,000 or more in Feb/March just not sure if the value would be perceived "less" by not having a traditional website for the members to download their goodies from.

Anyone experienced with this? I COULD do it all HTML.. but then my buyer will have to know html & FTP. I am assuming the buyer to be unexperienced and not wanting to do much but add content and collect the dough.. so not wanting it to be difficult. ( and Joomla seems to be that too)

Ok, I'm done writing.. sorry so long!

Appreciate your opinions though.

Thank you!

G.

Why don't you make your life easier and purchase aMember Pro? It's the BEST solution for membership-based websites and it's worth every penny. I used to run a membership website and I also wanted to kill myself but then I said fsck it and spit out 150$ and I was the happiest person in the world at that moment.

Thanks for replying!

Hmm. I have Amember but thought that I had to make the site FIRST and then wrap the amember around it to protect it. - [Obviously I haven't read up on it just got it for "later use"]

So, are you meaning to tell me that I can load all my stuff through amember somehow and not worry about my delivery format???

That would be awesome.

G

You don't need a website. Make a simple HTML page with download links and put it in a folder and protect it. Then you just give out direct registration links which will take people to registration form.

Anyone else have an opinion on this? I am currently putting everything on the bb. and then hopefully can transfer it all or dupe it to a seperate format, should I need to.

Anyone here sell sites?

Thanks

I'm currently running almost 20 membership sites solely through Autoresponder. It's easy as hell. Look around for J*mmy D. Br*wn's "M*mbernaire" course for a full explanation. Pretty sure I've seen it posted here.

You know, Funny you should mention that. I have really pondered if that method was a good one for flipping.. Like, would it demand the same sales price since there is no actual website for the members. I think I learned it from the Rh0de Bro's. People don't mind getting everything via email and no place to "go"? I LOVE the concept but haven't done it cause I worry it's not "enough" (No offense at all). I DO have a years worth of autoresponders for this site as well, plus the content for the inside. it's kind of a "You don't have to do anything for your bizz but sign up here and pay every month" kind of deal. - i provide them with everything they need for every day of the week.

I'd be interested in any more feedback you may have. You can pm it if you don't want to post.

Thanks!

As far as flipping is concerned, I wouldnt think that it would make much of a difference as long as the revenue good. But I don't have 1st-hand experience with that since I create products and sites that I want to keep long-term.

I like the autoresponder method because it's easy to set up and start promoting right away. I've got a wordpress install that I FTP up to my new site, grab any necessary updates for plugins, throw in the sales copy and that's pretty much it. Then I set up all the recurring content in the autoresponders and I'm done. I can move on to promotion without the need to worry about who's flaming who on some member forum or whether someone bought membership, stole all the content, and then requested a refund.

The biggest thing is to make sure that your content is up-to-snuff the entire time. I typically send my content out weekly and sometimes bi-weekly. I also limit the time of the membership as well. Usually between 3 and 6 months. If you're selling on Clickbank you HAVE to keep it above 6 weeks with their refund policy. One reason that I don't like to make them too long is because lots of my products/memberships link together. So I can promote another product to my customers when they're reaching the end of one. Another reason is because I've been releasing V.2 of my products about a year after the first one came out.

Hope this helps.

gonzomcribbinz,

Yes, that helps, Thanks! I think I get too "perfectionistic" about stuff. I keep thinking bigger and bigger. The only reason I want to flip is for the chunk of cash I can get all at once. - I do actually want several sites for my self eventually.. But, my Camaro (with the corvette engine it it!) is coming out in spring! and well, that's gunna cost a FEW chunks!

Anyways. You have helped me focus a bit better and I appreciate it.

Have a great day!

G.