Free course

The Modern Membership Course

A free, practical course on running a thriving membership organization — acquisition, retention, engagement, and the systems that hold it together.

8 lessons · about 65 min · free, no signup required.

1. 1The Membership Flywheel: What Modern Orgs Get WrongMembership isn't a funnel that ends at signup—it's a flywheel where retention, engagement, and acquisition feed each other.7 min read
2. 2Acquisition: Turning Interest Into MembersA frictionless join flow, honest tiers, and pricing that scales with value—not headcount—turn interested people into paying members.9 min read
3. 3The First 90 Days: Where Retention Is Won or LostA new member decides whether to renew long before renewal—design a deliberate first 90 days so they use a benefit and feel they belong.8 min read
4. 4The Renewal Machine: Lapse Prevention, Reminders, and DunningRenewal is a year-round system of timely reminders, recovered failed payments, and lapse outreach—not an annual scramble.9 min read
5. 5Engagement: Events, Communications, and Community That CompoundEngagement is the flywheel's accelerator—consistent events, useful communications, and real community turn members into renewers and recruiters.8 min read
6. 6Doing More With a Volunteer Board: Automation and AISmall teams and volunteer boards win by automating the predictable work and using AI for the work that used to need a full-time staffer.8 min read
7. 7Measure What Matters: The Few Metrics That Predict Growth and ChurnIgnore vanity totals—track retention, net change, engagement rate, and renewal pipeline to actually see your org's health.8 min read
8. 8Switching Platforms Without Fear: Migration Done RightA platform migration is a project, not a leap of faith—plan the data, sequence the cutover, communicate to members, and verify everything.8 min read