Ep 198: Why Thinking in Silos Leads to Failed Membership Design

Dec 2

Why Thinking in Silos Leads to Failed Membership Design

Retention isn’t sexy, but profit is.

If you're designing your membership in silos—content here, community there, coaching off to the side—you're setting yourself up for churn.

The 3 Pillars of Membership (And Why They're Not Enough)

Most membership sites are built around three core elements:

Content: Your trainings, resources, and deliverables
Coaching: Live calls, support, or Q&A sessions
Community: Spaces for members to connect

Each one is important. But when designed in isolation, they don't create a cohesive experience. It’s like serving salmon, eggplant, and watermelon as a meal. Each on its own? Great. Together? Not so much.

Instead, your content, coaching, and community should work together toward a shared outcome.

Design for Experience, Not Just Delivery

The goal isn't just to provide more stuff. It's to create a member experience that guides someone from where they are to where they want to be.

That means thinking holistically:

How do your resources support your calls?
How does your community reinforce what they're learning?
How do all three move them forward?

This is where most memberships break down.

Map the Member Journey

It’s not just what you give them. It’s when and how you give it.

We use a tool called the Member Journey Map, which outlines every key moment from the day they join until the day they cancel (and even beyond).

Here’s what it includes:

Onboarding: What happens on day 1? Day 10?
Activation: What actions signal success early on?
Engagement: How are they nudged to participate?
Upgrades: When and how are they offered?
Cancellation: What do you do when they disengage?
Reactivation: How do you invite them back?

Use Triggers to Drive Connection

This is where retention becomes proactive.

We layer time-based triggers and action-based triggers over the pillars:

Time-Based Triggers

Day 10: Follow-up after onboarding
Day 28: Prep them for their second payment
Day 90: Offer an upgrade or reward for loyalty

Action-Based Triggers

Completed their first training? Celebrate it.
Joined the community? Welcome them in.
Haven’t logged in for 30 days? Reach out.

When you use these triggers intentionally, you stop reacting and start engineering a better experience.

Want Better Retention? Change How You Think

Stop designing your membership in pieces.

Start thinking like a strategist:

Integrate your content, coaching, and community.
Map your member journey.
Layer on intentional triggers.

Retention is your growth strategy.

Get the Support You Need

Want support building a high-retention membership experience?

Apply now at joinretain.com

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Shana Lynn