In this episode, I share a strange little tactic for your next membership promo - one that goes against pretty much everything you've been told about sales offers.
Instead of giving people the lowest possible barrier to entry with a free trial or a discounted first month, I make the case for going in the complete opposite direction: incentivising new members to commit to a longer initial period of 90 days.
I explain why this counterintuitive approach attracts better-fit members, protects you against the riskiest retention window, and makes it far easier to frame your offer around a real outcome people can actually picture.
If your usual trials, discounts and bonuses have stopped hitting the mark, this episode is for you.
In this episode:
- Why does asking new members for a longer initial commitment so often outperform free trials and discounted first months?
- What makes the 90-day window the "Goldilocks zone" - long enough to demand real commitment, short enough that people believe they can achieve something?
- How does locking members in past the risky first 30 days improve both your retention and the quality of the people you attract?
- How can you build an onboarding and engagement plan around a single 90-day outcome so the offer genuinely delivers?
- How could you turn this into a series of 90-day sprints that carry members through every stage of your wider roadmap?
Want help turning this tactic into an offer you can actually run? Grab the free 90-Day Offer Planner at membershipgeeks.com/480 - a fill-in-the-blank workbook that takes you from outcome to pricing to the full 90-day pathway.
And if you'd like a wider view of where the gaps in your membership business actually are, our free Membership Healthcheck is built for exactly that.
Key Quotes & Takeaways:
"The biggest retention risk window in most memberships is the first 30 days."
"90 days, I think, hits the sweet spot between requiring people to actually make a commitment to do it properly, but also to realistically believe that they can make meaningful change."
"The people who will say yes to a 90-day commitment are the ones who are more likely to be taking things seriously."
"Most meaningful change in a membership doesn't happen in month one, it doesn't happen in 30 days."
You might also find useful:
Thank You For Listening
We really appreciate you choosing to listen to us and for supporting the podcast.
We would be eternally grateful if you would consider taking a minute or two to leave an honest review and rating for the show.
They're extremely helpful when it comes to reaching our audience and we read each and every one personally!
Finally, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast to make sure that you never miss an episode.
