Maybe your idea for a membership site is to get people to come and partake of your exclusive products. They can be privy to content that gives them more than the content they can find on other sites for free. The content is also well-written and informative. You can also offer them eBooks or special reports on various topics that they can use for personal growth.

If your membership site is in the business of showing people how to go into business for themselves, you have another unique opportunity. Let’s say that with their membership, they receive access to content and other resources that teach them the basics of starting their own business. You can leverage that content and create a variety of other informational resources that you can offer to those who would dare to purchase a higher membership.

Those products could be for the intermediate online businessperson. This person already has a business but wants to know how to increase their profits. To do that, they would need to view some of the free videos you have available for an upgrade in membership.

Better still, is the highest membership level that includes other perks. Each level of your membership needs to be more enticing and deliver greater products than the level before. The information at each level will be enough to get them started and make them want more. Even include previews of what they can gain access to with a higher level membership.

This is just one example of a multilevel membership. Depending on your topic you can offer a variety of different perks that increase as membership does. But, you have to be prepared to give what you promise. If you want to appeal to everyone from the novice to the expert, you have to have that level of expertise within yourself.

Don’t forget your affiliate program. Performing well here can earn them an upgrade in membership for a certain amount of sales completed. For you, your traffic and membership increases. For the member, they earn a commission as an affiliate and get a better membership without paying a dime out of their pocket to do it.

Give your members something to strive for with a multilevel membership program. If you don’t have one now, you can always implement such a program to keep your members motivated to stay with you.

Try these steps to begin your promotion. Some of the same marketing strategies that you used for your online business will work but they may need to be tweaked a bit. You’ll see what we mean in a second.

1.Target the correct market. This usually goes without saying, but your market may have changed a bit with the membership site. If your target market was those interested in fitness, the group that would pay for a fitness membership site may be a more focused group of fitness buffs who are serious about staying in shape or who want to be fitness trainers. You’ll have to modify your sales pitch just a bit.

2.Use unique content. Your visitors already get the run-of-the-mill stuff everywhere else. Present them with something that is innovative or has a new twist on an old problem. Use snippets of your articles on the home page so that they get a taste of what they will see if they sign up to become members. And, don’t forget about SEO marketing. High search engine rankings, as you know, draw more traffic to your membership site.

3.Network like crazy. Use all of the avenues open to you. Guest blog for some of your business associates. In your bio, promote the membership site. Find your way onto guest spots on online radio shows and business podcasts. Use social networking venues like YouTube to start a viral marketing campaign using video media. It can be a simple video using an animated PowerPoint presentation set to music or with audio.

4.What about an affiliate program? This will be promoted from within the membership. Introduce the affiliate program to your members as a way to make a profit from the membership with your site. Also offer incentives at various levels as their sales increase like a second tier affiliate program that gives residuals for referrals.

5. Offer a free trial membership. For three or four days (a week if you want), offer those who will sign up for emails and newsletters limited access to the membership area. Entice them by giving them access to a few articles, but when they click on links for eBooks, special reports or video for more in-depth information, they are redirected to a page that says those items are only accessible with a paid membership.

To drive traffic and increase your membership, you will have to promote a lot. But, if any of your current customers are interested in taking their knowledge to the next level, invite them become members and bring their friends.