The Problem With One-Time Sales
I need to be honest with you.
Selling courses one at a time is a grind.
Every month, you're starting from zero. You need new leads, new sales, new customers—constantly. If you stop marketing, revenue stops.
There's a better model.
What if the same students paid you every month? What if your revenue was predictable and growing?
That's the power of community membership.
What Is a Membership Model?
A membership is a subscription-based offer where members pay monthly or annually for ongoing access.
What members get:
- Continued access to your content
- Community interaction
- Ongoing support and updates
- New content or live events
- Accountability and connection
What you get:
- Predictable recurring revenue
- Deeper relationships with students
- Ongoing feedback for improvement
- A more sustainable business
Should You Add a Membership?
Not every course creator should have a membership. Consider:
Good Signs a Membership Makes Sense
- Your students want ongoing support after the course
- Your topic requires continuous learning or practice
- You enjoy community interaction
- You can commit to ongoing content or engagement
- You have a strong enough audience to sustain it
Signs to Wait
- You haven't proven your course sells yet
- You don't have bandwidth for ongoing engagement
- Your topic doesn't naturally extend beyond the course
- You're already overwhelmed
If you're unsure, start with a course. Add membership later once you have students who want more.
Membership Models for Course Creators
There are several ways to structure this:
Model 1: Course + Community Add-On
Your course is a one-time purchase. The community is an optional monthly subscription.
Example:
- Course: $297 (one-time)
- Community: $29/month (optional)
Students can take the course without community. But many upgrade for ongoing support.
Model 2: All-Access Membership
One monthly price includes everything—courses, community, live calls, etc.
Example:
- Membership: $47/month or $397/year
All your content lives inside the membership. No separate course purchases.
Model 3: Tiered Membership
Multiple levels with different access.
Example:
- Basic ($19/month): Community access only
- Pro ($49/month): Community + course library
- VIP ($149/month): Community + courses + live coaching
Different price points for different needs.
Model 4: Course Upgrade Path
Course is the entry point. Membership is the next step.
Example:
- Course: $497 (one-time)
- After completion: Offer membership at $39/month for ongoing access
This maximizes initial revenue while creating recurring income.
What to Include in Your Membership
Members need ongoing value to keep paying. Here's what works:
Community Forum
A place for members to connect, ask questions, and support each other.
Platforms: Circle, Discord, Slack, Mighty Networks, or built-in course platform features.
The community often becomes MORE valuable than the content.
Live Calls or Q&As
Regular live sessions where members can ask questions directly.
Frequency: Weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly depending on your capacity.
Even 2 live calls per month creates significant value.
New Content
Regular additions keep things fresh.
Options:
- Monthly bonus lessons
- Guest expert interviews
- Updated templates and resources
- Behind-the-scenes content
You don't need to create a new course every month. Small, consistent additions work.
Accountability Structures
Help members stay on track.
Options:
- Weekly check-ins
- Accountability pods or partners
- Monthly challenges
- Progress tracking
Accountability is often what members value most.
Direct Access to You
Even limited access feels valuable.
Options:
- Monthly office hours
- Community Q&A threads
- Member-only email
- Private podcast
How much access depends on your pricing and capacity.
Pricing Your Membership
Pricing depends on your model and value provided.
Low Tier ($9–$29/month)
- Community access
- Basic content library
- Limited live interaction
Works for large communities with lower touch.
Mid Tier ($29–$79/month)
- Community + course access
- Regular live calls
- Ongoing new content
- Some direct support
The sweet spot for most course creator memberships.
High Tier ($99–$299/month)
- Everything above
- More intensive coaching
- Smaller group size
- Premium perks
Works for transformational, high-value offers.
Annual Pricing
Offer a discount for annual payment:
- $29/month = $348/year
- Annual option: $297/year (saves $51)
Annual payments improve retention and cash flow.
Launching Your Membership
Option 1: Launch to Existing Students
Your course buyers already know and trust you. They're the best candidates.
Email them: "You completed [Course Name]—congrats! I've created a community for graduates who want ongoing support. Here's what's inside..."
Option 2: Launch Alongside a New Course
Sell the course with membership as an upsell or bundle.
"Get the course for $297, or add 6 months of community access for $397."
Option 3: Replace Your Course With Membership
Discontinue selling the course separately. Everything is inside the membership.
Good for ongoing learning topics where continuous engagement makes sense.
Founding Member Pricing
For your first members, offer a discounted "founding member" rate.
"Join as a founding member for $29/month—this rate locks in for life."
This rewards early adopters and builds momentum.
Retaining Members Long-Term
Getting members is one thing. Keeping them is another.
The Retention Challenge
Average membership churn is 5–10% per month. That means you need to constantly add new members just to stay flat.
The solution: focus on retention as much as acquisition.
What Keeps Members
1. Community connections
When members form relationships with OTHER members, they stay. Foster connection.
2. Consistent value delivery
Don't go silent. Show up regularly.
3. Visible progress
Help members see their own growth. Celebrate wins.
4. Direct engagement
Personal attention matters. Know your members' names.
5. Fresh content
Not a ton, but something new regularly.
What Causes Churn
1. Not using the community
If they never log in, they'll eventually cancel. Encourage engagement.
2. Overwhelm
Too much content can be as bad as too little. Curate, don't dump.
3. No visible progress
If they don't feel they're growing, they'll question the value.
4. Life changes
Sometimes people leave for reasons outside your control. That's okay.
5. Price sensitivity
If budgets tighten, subscriptions get cut. Provide enough value to survive the cut.
Community Building Best Practices
Set the Culture Early
Define community guidelines. Model the behavior you want.
What's okay? What's not? How should members treat each other?
Be Present (But Set Boundaries)
You don't need to be online 24/7. But regular presence matters.
Batch your community time. Show up consistently.
Empower Members
The best communities don't center on the creator.
Elevate member voices. Celebrate their contributions. Let them help each other.
Create Rituals
Weekly threads, monthly challenges, quarterly reviews—rituals create rhythm.
"Win Wednesday" or "Monday Motivation" become things members look forward to.
Handle Conflict Gracefully
Disagreements will happen. Address them fairly and quickly.
Your response to conflict shapes the community culture.
Tools for Community Membership
All-in-One Platforms
- Mighty Networks – Community + courses in one
- Circle – Modern community platform, integrates with many tools
- Skool – Simple community + course combo
Separate Tools
- Discord – Free, great for active chat-based communities
- Slack – Professional, but not designed for memberships
- Facebook Groups – Free, but you don't own the platform
Course Platforms with Community
- MineCourse – Built-in community features
- Teachable – Has community add-on
- Kajabi – Community included
The Transition Plan
Here's how to add a membership to your existing course business:
Phase 1: Validate Demand
Before building, confirm students want this.
Survey your course buyers:
- "Would you be interested in ongoing community support?"
- "What would you want included?"
- "What would you pay monthly?"
Phase 2: Define Your MVP Membership
Start simple. You don't need everything on day one.
Minimum viable membership:
- Community forum
- Monthly live call
- Access to course content
You can add more later.
Phase 3: Launch to Existing Students
Email your course buyers. Make them a founding member offer.
This gives you initial members and validates the model.
Phase 4: Iterate Based on Feedback
Ask members what they want. Add features over time.
Let the community shape itself.
Phase 5: Open to New Members
Once you've refined the experience, market to new audiences.
Now you have proof it works.
The Recurring Revenue Mindset
Here's what I want you to understand.
Recurring revenue changes everything.
Instead of wondering where your next sale will come from, you wake up knowing what you'll earn this month.
100 members at $39/month = $3,900/month predictable revenue.
500 members at $39/month = $19,500/month.
It compounds. And it frees you to focus on serving instead of constantly selling.
Your One Small Win Today
Survey your existing students or audience.
Ask one question: "If I created a community membership with ongoing support, live calls, and new content, would you be interested? What would you want included?"
Their answers will tell you if this is right for you—and what to build.
Congratulations
You've made it through the entire series.
From finding your Ikigai to building a community, you now have the roadmap to create, launch, and scale a successful online course business.
The only thing left is to start.
Pick one action from any of these articles. Do it today.
Your future students are waiting.