How to launch a membership without an audience: step-by-step guide

Yes, you can launch a membership without an audience. You don't need thousands of followers: you need a specific problem, a few people who have it and a simple offer you can explain to them in a conversation. What changes is the order: first you look for your first members, and then you create the content.

In this guide you'll see how to do it in seven steps, which mistakes to avoid and what to do if nobody signs up at first.

Can you launch a membership without an audience?

Yes, with one condition: don't approach it as a big launch. If nobody follows you yet, there's nobody to announce it to. That's why the first goal is much smaller: getting 10 to 20 founding members, one by one.

The numbers are more achievable than they seem. With 20 members at 29 € per month you bring in 580 € per month, before taxes and whatever the payment gateway charges. It's not enough to live on, but it proves there are people willing to pay. And it gives you what's hardest to get when you're starting out: real conversations, testimonials and referrals.

Step 1: Choose a specific problem and who it's for

The smaller your audience, the more specific your offer needs to be. “A marketing community” forces you to compete with everyone. “I help self-employed physical therapists fill their schedule without paying for ads” is understood at first glance, and that person knows it's for them.

Use this sentence as a test: I help [who] get [result] without [what annoys them most]. If you can't fill it in, you don't have an offer yet. Here's more detail on how to find a niche for your community.

Step 2: Look for those people where they already are

Not having your own audience doesn't mean those people don't exist: they're in other people's audiences. Make a list of 50 specific people by looking in these places:

• Your contacts. Former clients, professional colleagues and people in your industry.
• Groups and forums. LinkedIn, Facebook, Telegram, Discord or specialized forums.
• Professional associations and chambers. They often bring together exactly the audience you're looking for.
• Creators with a similar audience. Newsletters, podcasts and accounts that already talk to your ideal customer.

Before posting in a group, read its rules and contribute something useful. A stray sales link usually ends up deleted.

Step 3: Talk to 10 people before creating anything

Ask them for 15 minutes, and don't sell to them yet. Ask what they've already tried, what frustrates them, how much time or money the problem costs them and what they've paid for in the past to solve it.

You'll hear the exact words you'll later use in your offer, and you'll soon know whether the problem is annoying enough for people to pay to solve it. If you want a more detailed method, see how to validate your membership idea in 7 days y how to design surveys to get to know your audience.

Step 4: Prepare an offer for founding members

A founders' offer gives people a reason to join when there's still almost nothing built. It usually includes the following:

• A reduced price that they keep for as long as they stay in.
• Genuinely limited spots. For example, 20, because that's how many you can serve well. Don't invent scarcity.
• Direct access to you. A live session, or a review of their cases.
• A voice in what gets created. Founders choose the upcoming topics.

Reduced doesn't mean given away: someone who pays very little won't tell you whether it's worth more, either. Here you can see how to define the tiers and prices of your membership.

Step 5: Sell before creating the content

Go back to the people you talked to and present the offer to each of them, one by one. Set a start date and a minimum number of members to get going. If you don't reach that minimum, you refund the money and you won't have lost months recording something nobody wanted.

An “I love the idea” doesn't count. The only thing that validates a membership is someone paying.

Step 6: Start with the bare minimum

Your first version doesn't need a 40-hour library. Three things are enough:

• A live session every week or every two weeks.
• A forum where people can ask questions and help each other.
• A short first module with the essentials to get the first result.

Record the live sessions and turn them into content. That way the library grows with what members actually ask.

You don't need to build a website either. With Membersfy you can start on the free plan, which includes one course, a forum and unlimited members, and you can already get paid from that plan with no per-sale commission. When you need more courses, white label or your own custom domain, you can move up to a paid plan. See everything it includes y compare the plans.

Step 7: Get the next members

• Ask for testimonials. Better with specific results than with general praise.
• Ask for referrals. Ask your founders who else would benefit.
• Collaborate with other creators. Offer a free session for their community.
• Publish what people ask you. Your members' questions are the best topics for your content.
• Take care of the ones you already have. A membership grows when more people join than leave. Here are some ways to improve member retention.

Common mistakes when launching without an audience

• Waiting until you have thousands of followers. You could spend years creating content without knowing whether anyone would pay.
• Creating everything before selling. It's the most expensive way to find out nobody wants it.
• Aiming at everyone. Without an audience of your own, a generic offer doesn't stand out.
• Setting the price too low. It forces you to get many more members to reach the same result.
• Depending on a single channel. If everything comes from one group and you get kicked out, you're left with nothing.

FAQ

How many members do I need to get started?

With 10 or 20 you can already get going. At the beginning, what matters is not the number, but that they pay, participate and tell you what to improve.

How long does it take to get the first members?

It depends on the niche and how many conversations you have. You can't control when they'll say yes, but you can control how many people you talk to each week.

What do I do if nobody signs up?

Ask the people who said no what held them back. It's usually the problem you chose, the audience or the offer that's failing. Change one of those and try again: you'll have lost weeks, not months.

Do I need my own website?

No. You can start with a membership platform, which already includes the community page, payments and member access.

What if I already have a course?

Even better: you can use it as a foundation. Here we explain how to go from a course to a membership.

If you want to keep learning, at Membersfy Academy you'll find courses, webinars and guides to create and grow your community.