All month we’ve been discussing the role that membership groups play in each of our lives. (Spoiler alert…it’s a big one.)
If you haven’t been following along, you can get caught up here:
- Community Matters: Why Everyone Wants to Belong
- Membership Groups Aren’t A New Thing
- Are YOU A Member?
I encourage you to read the full posts, but to give you a quick summary…
We all have an inherent need to belong to a group of people, to have membership in something bigger than ourselves. This need spans all of human history, and membership groups have existed pretty much as long as people have been around to gather communally.
In last week’s blog post, we unpacked the many different kinds of groups you may BE a member of…but what if you LEAD a membership group?
That’s right, this one is for all of you coaches, teachers, CEO’s, or service providers who have the privilege of leading a group of people.
Maybe you run a course or coaching program in which you teach others a particular skill. Perhaps you provide a subscription based service or serve as a moderator for group discussion in a support group.
Regardless of the unique type of membership group you facilitate, I want to share one invaluable piece of advice that will help you as you lead your group. Here it is:
Always remember… your membership group is (and always will be) a work in progress!
I know, I know…you’ve spent countless hours putting your program together. You’ve planned, assessed, and planned some more to create the perfect group that would serve your audience well!
Great job!
I’m sure you’ve put together something amazing…BUT, your membership group is STILL a work in progress (or at least, it should be.)
Here’s what I mean:
The goal of any membership group or community is to offer some sort of value to the people it serves. You want to help them achieve their goals. To make progress. The longer you work with your group members, the more clarity you will have regarding their needs and how your program is meeting (or not meeting) those needs.
The clarity gained through their insights, trial, and time “doing the work” helps you to make adjustments, additions, and changes. Incrementally, that makes your membership group more impactful, effective, and desirable!
In addition to responding to feedback you receive from members, you’ll also need to make an effort to adjust to changing times.
There isn’t a single industry that remains totally stagnant from one year to the next. If you don’t make an effort to stay on top of changing trends, technology, or environmental factors, your program will eventually feel “out of touch” and “irrelevant.”
Even corporate superpowers with mega-membership programs are constantly evolving in response to changing times and demands.
Take Netflix for example…
There was a time (not too long ago in the grand scheme of things) that a Netflix subscription promised fun DVDs delivered to your door via snail mail. This subscription-based company could’ve held fast to their original plan…but they would have ended up like poor Blockbuster.
Instead, Netflix adapted. They allowed themselves to be a “work in progress” and became the leading digital streaming service worldwide.
Being flexible and open to change is the key to running a successful membership program.
We all need to take time to re-evaluate and, at times, redesign our programs and memberships, myself included!
In fact, I’ve got my own “work in progress” that I’d love to show you! I’m in the process of revamping my coaching membership program.
Would you like to see it? Better yet, want to help design it?
I’m trying something new. I’m going to host a 1-hour “sandbox” session on Zoom where we can co-create and have some fun together. Want in?
Click HERE to sign up to play in the “sandbox” with me and help co-design my work in progress!
Article was contributed by: Maria Lees, Team Writer with Sarah Boxx
