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 Rave Reviews
Here are some of our rave reviews from our members ... .

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"Donna Gunter is THE expert for online marketing. Her OnlineBizU website has so many meaty resources for the online entrepreneur that there's no way you won't find what you need there. Her blog posts are filled with useful information that I don't have the time to ferret out for myself, and her classes and products are clear and useful. I'm glad that Donna dedicates herself to serving her customers so well, and


Sue Painter, Marketing Coach and Consultant
ConfidentMarketer.com

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"I recently joined Donna Gunter - OnlineBizU.com membership and from day one have found simply loads of useful and valuable information to support my online business. What a generous lady to share so many 'trade secrets.' Thank you so much and keep the great information coming."


Caroline Nelson, Business Coach for Salons
NelsonBeautyBusinessManagement.com

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"Look at the spring facelift your site got! I am loving the new, softer, rounder look and the colors do POP! Your care about keeping content fresh and your attention for detail is indicative of how you run your business."


Kathy Dannel Vitcak, Entrepreneur
KathyDV.com

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"Thanks for hosting such a great OnlineBizU.com member call on Internet traffic for local business. One of the questions asked was whether this would be a business model for a consultant. You said it was, and I'm here to say it is, too! The list of directories you gave that provide listings for local business was invaluable. I didn't know about most of them! I never would have thought of Craigslist.com as a place to advertise. Also, the tip you gave about setting up a 'throw away' email address was pure gold. Not only will that prevent spam in my 'real' business mailbox, but I can set up email addresses for either different types of inquiries or from different sources. Not only can I help my clients with laser-targeted advertising, this is another way I can track the sources of my own traffic!"


Georgann McCrosson, Marketing Consultant
CatchPhraseMarketing.com

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"I just finished listening to the members-only teleclass, Repurposing Profit Machine.  I soooo appreciate the value, content and clarity you put into everything you do!  The content was well worth paying for and you gave it away to OnlineBizU.com members for FREEEEEE!!!!  Your class was just as clear and to the point as your many articles and your handout was PHENOMENAL -- not one of those weak 1-page fill-in the blank sheets that some hosts use for their teleclasses -- yours is CHOCK FULL of the totally valuable content you shared within the call.  The whole topic of REPURPOSING work so we don't have to re-create the wheel is just so useful in and of itself and you broke it down into over 15 ways we can do it!!  HOORAY!!!  Thanks, as always, for being such an awesome resource!  You totally deserve your title as Queen of Online Biz Resources!  : ) 

 Stephanie Bell, Spirit Coach, Speaker, Author
GrowYourDivineSpirit.com

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"Just wanted to thank you for a great teleclass. I dialed in because I needed help to structure my own teleclasses and your method of turning a previously written article into a teleseminar was especially appealing. You led us through some easy-to-follow steps - and I'm looking forward to trying them out for myself!  My membership at OnlineBizU is proving invaluable as I build my own business online - you're very generous with all the articles and resources you share - thank you!"  

Louise Barnes-Johnston, Business Accelerator & Coach
Frontline-Results.com

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"Just wanted to let you know that you are brilliant! I'm fairly new here and have found so much helpful information already! I became a member of OBU and within a few days cancelled my memberships I was already a part of on other site(s). OBU offers SO much information and helpful products! You are so quick to answer any questions I post on the forums and you always give up to date information and guidance. I am so happy to be a part of OBU and am looking forward to seeing where my business goes from here! Thanks a million!!!" 

Camilynn Bradford
HomeBizCoach.com

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"Thank you for developing and offering Online Biz University - it is one of my top go-to resources. I get so much value from my membership. I enjoy learning new programs and tools (and Donna offers several fantastic resources for continual learning to occur). As my knowledge increases, I am able to demonstrate this new expertise to my clients and offer additional services in my practice, which has allowed me to grow my business." 

Kelly Johnson, Virtual Assistant
Cornerstone Virtual Assistance

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"Donna's OnlineBizU.com website is THE source for Internet marketing ideas and expertise. I found a wealth of information and resources that helped me strategize and find new ways to "get noticed" in cyberspace -- presented simply and intelligently. As always, Donna gives you a huge return on your investment. This is the real deal -- check it out!"

Robin Stephens, Professional Organizer
YourLifeinOrder.com

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"Donna definitely knows her stuff and seems to have an endless supply of ideas for marketing on the Internet that apply whether you are selling products or services. I found her information very helpful at a moment when I needed recharging." 

Stephanie Buehler, MPW, PsyD, CST,
TheBuehlerInstitute.com

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"The uniqueness of what Donna offers is what is most impressive. She'll either have an idea or lead you to a source that no one else who might have a similar product is talking about. I LOVE having that kind of unrivaled information. I rate it as one of the top return's on investments for people who want to get more clients online." 

Pat Weber, America's #1 Coach for Introverts, Shy and Reluctant Who Sell,
ProStrategies.com

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Donna knows her stuff and will go the extra ten miles. I highly recommend that anyone starting an online business check out her excellent consulting and coaching services. You can't go wrong!" 

Ana Young

home | Sample Articles | 5 Tips to Starting a Successful Memb . . .
 





5 Tips to Starting a Successful Membership Website
Donna Gunter
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In the last few years, I have seen membership subscription websites take the Internet by storm. Most subscription sites offer their subscriptions for a fee; however, a handful offer their information for free to anyone who will provide an email address and name.

The focus of this article will be on the fee-based membership subscription websites. Back in the Internet dark ages in 1997 or so, everyone expected everything online to be free of charge. For a few years, as more and more people purchased computers and chose to be online, that philosophy worked quite well. Around the year 2000, however, that philosophy began to change. The dot-com bust was beginning, and many companies realized that continuing to provide their services or content free of charge wasn't going to work in the new Internet marketplace. The fee-for-content phase was beginning, and many were skeptical, saying the people would never pay for something that was once free.

Now, paying for information online has become the rule, rather than the exception. Newspapers charge to access their article archives; membership associations charge to access their membership lists; and membership subscription websites charge to access the "insider" information that a particular industry or niche finds vital for success.

I am amazed at the number of membership websites out there that cater to all interests. Here are some examples:

There are a number of companies providing membership subscription software and services in the marketplace, and the prices are all over the board. Two that come highly recommended are MemberGate, http://www.membergate.com, which is a membership website development company that will host and help you develop your website, and aMember Professional, http://www.amember.com,  which is software that you purchase and install to help you manage your membership site.

Integrating a membership website as a key part of your marketing funnel will be a time-consuming endeavor, but I think you'll find it worthwhile. Here are some tips to keep in mind, as you think about launching your own membership subscription website:

1.  Pick a niche market with which you have some experience and credibility. Your audience is paying for your expertise and insight, so trying to fake it won't work.

2.  Talk to members of your target market and evaluate their enthusiasm for providing content they want online. You may find out that they'd prefer the delivery of the content via a different medium.

3.  Determine the size of your market. Are there already some products and services available for this market? How does your pricing compare? How will they find you? What will be their incentive for joining? What sets you apart and makes you different from others offering a similar product or service?

4.  Is the information you're providing readily available offline?  If it is, people may not be willing to pay a monthly or yearly membership fee to access the information.

5.  Don't think of a membership subscription website as a "get rich quick" effort. It will take 8-12 months for you to develop the content for and then launch the website, and at least another year to build your membership and begin showing a profit.

A membership subscription website can be a phenomenal way to leverage your expertise and can grow to become a lucrative multiple profit center for your business. Create your business plan for your site and do the research up front to determine if this strategy will be a viable profit center for your business and how you will integrate it into your current offerings.

Comments or questions? If so, please post them to the discussion forum.




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·  Leverage Your Expertise: Create a Fixed Term Membership Program