Continuity programs have been a viable business strategy for a very long time. Here are a couple of the more well known … and what they can teach you about developing a good continuity program.

Utilities Companies

You pay these bills every month and would find yourself hard-pressed to do without these services. I’m talking about services like electricity, gas, water and garbage.

These companies provide basic necessities. In today’s world you can’t get by without electricity. Without it, how would you power your computer? Light your office? Heat the water for your morning shower? And, speaking of water … since the human body is made up of 50-70% water, you can’t last too long without it. And again, you would get rather ripe without that daily shower.

So, what can you learn from the electric company? Offer a product or service that your target market “can’t live without.” Make your continuity program so compelling, that your target market feels, believes or otherwise thinks they can’t live a day without it. Companies like Aweber, Constant Contact and iContact use this idea, offering a service that any Internet marketing can’t live without.

Book of the Month Club

Avid readers love to belong to book of the month clubs. In fact, I was a member of the science fiction book club for many, many years. There are other clubs that offer a similar service, such as cookie, flower or even wine of the month memberships.

So, what can you learn from the Book of the Month Club? Offer a product or service that supports a passionate interest, hobby or “safe addiction.” Clubs like this fuel habits … such as reading, support a hobby … such as wine collecting, or create a feeling of prestige … such as having fresh flowers to display every month.

Another thing you can learn from the Book of the Month Club and other clubs like it is offer a discount for membership and some sore of exclusivity. Why did I stay a member of the Science Fiction Book club for so many years? Because I could keep my finger on the pulse of new books coming out, and I could get them at a discount.

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Famous Continuity Programs … And What They Can Teach You is a post from Marketing Turbo-Charge

There are lots of ways you can nurture a lead from “suspect” to member of your continuity program. Here is the outline of just one. Feel free to get creative with it!

Top of the Funnel: Entice them into the funnel with a free report on your topic. This report should be a taste of the kind of information they could get if they become a member of the program.

For example, if you offer a membership site for stamp collectors, give them a report that touches on the main points covered in your site, giving them enough information to feel the got value from you, while leaving them hungry for more.

Follow this bonus up with an auto responder sequence that helps them consume that report and begin salivating for more.

The Next Step: Get them used to spending money with you. Offer them low- to mid-range products and services that are related to your continuity program.

You can get really creative here, offering special reports; short-term, limited accessibility memberships; audio programs and more.

For example, if you offer a membership for dog trainers, you can offer them training guides, guides to finding and securing clients and more.

Continue to keep in touch with these individuals through your monthly (or more often) newsletter.

Enroll them in Membership: By this time, you’ve been talking up your continuity program, sharing testimonials from happy members, giving glimpses of the benefits that await membership. Give them a one-time only incentive to join and enroll new members!

Would you like to learn how to use FREE tools to create a recurring income stream for your business? Dan Ivancic’s step-by-step video training program will show you how to build a money making membership Website. And best of all, the resources you’ll use to build it are FREE! Click here to learn more and grab your copy now!

A Simple Marketing Funnel Leading to a Continuity Program is a post from Marketing Turbo-Charge

There are two basic business models when it comes to continuity programs: ongoing and micro. What you deliver within either of these types is up to you, and I covered some options last week. (http://www.marketingturbocharge.com/blog/types-of-continuity-programs)

But this week, I’d like to go into a little more detail about these two basic business models for continuity programs.

Ongoing Continuity Programs
This type of program is continuous … a subscriber continues to gain the benefits of membership as long as they pay their monthly or annual bill. Examples of this type of continuity program include telephone services, cable services, professional memberships and “product of the month” programs.

Micro Continuity Programs
This type of program has a beginning and an end. Membership lasts for a specified period of time. The most common example of this business model is an educational program where the person pays a monthly fee for a set number of months to receive a set number of modules. Encyclopedias once followed this model, as well.

Which model fits best in your business depends on your content development plans and capabilities.

Continuity Program Business Models is a post from Marketing Turbo-Charge

There are many types of continuity programs you can use in your business. Know what they are and how they an contribute to your bottom line can help you make the right choices when deciding on which one or ones you will use.

Length of Program

There are continuity programs that are ongoing, only ending when someone cancels their membership. Then there are others that are set up to be of a fixed length of time.

Ongoing memberships are used by coaches and retailers alike. There are “product of the month clubs” … I once belonged to one that shipped different bottles of wine to my door step very month. Coaching clubs often provide live telephone calls and CDs delivered every month.

Fixed-term memberships work well in educational settings, when the information has a beginning, middle and end.

Product/Information Delivery Method

Although many continuity programs deliver something of value on a monthly basis, this is not the only model available.

There are membership programs that just give you access to certain benefits … such as a professional benefit. For example, I’ve been a member of the National Association of Science Writers since 1995. I keep up my membership so I can have access to a variety of ongoing benefits … nothing is delivered to me on more than an annual basis outside of a newsletter I rarely read.

There are continuity programs that give you access to information, such as a media database.

And, of course, there are membership programs that do delivers something, whether it is virtual or physical, consumable or informative, each and every month of your membership.

So, the big question is, what can you offer … what kind of benefit, whether it be continuously delivered or updated … that someone would be willing to pay you a monthly or annual fee to gain access to?

Would you like to learn how to use FREE tools to create a recurring income stream for your business? Dan Ivancic’s step-by-step video training program will show you how to build a money making membership Website. And best of all, the resources you’ll use to build it are FREE! Click here to learn more and grab your copy now!

Types of Continuity Programs is a post from Marketing Turbo-Charge

If you have one or more continuity programs that bring in a steady, regular income, your business will be buffered against down times and can even thrive during a down economy. This is the main reason you should have a continuity program as part of your business, here are some more:

Reach More People … And Have Them Pay You for the Honor

If you have a low priced continuity program, you can attract more people into your marketing funnel. So, in a sense, you are having people pay you to build a relationship with you. How cool is that?

Make It Easier to Sell to Paying Customers

Did you know that it is easier to sell to a customer than a prospect? Well, when someone is already a member of one of your continuity programs, they are more likely to purchase another of your products.

Increase the Incidence of Referrals

When you have an engaged audience in your continuity program, they are more likely to talk about you in a positive manner. This leads to a higher referral rate. Remember … because you are communicating with them regularly to deliver their monthly content, you become top of mind.

Would you like to learn how to use FREE tools to create a recurring income stream for your business? Dan Ivancic’s step-by-step video training program will show you how to build a money making membership Website. And best of all, the resources you’ll use to build it are FREE! Click here to learn more and grab your copy now!

Why a Continuity Program Should Be a Part of Your Business is a post from Marketing Turbo-Charge