I get this question a lot: “Would my membership work for a front-end offer?”

Short answer: No…keep reading to find out why.

First, by front-end offer, I mean a low-ticket item that brings new customers into your world and onto your email list. This would be the big end of your marketing funnel.

The logic behind using a membership as a front-end offer is that it could qualify as a low-ticket item at $27 to $47 a month. While that technically qualifies for “front-end” it has a fatal flaw.

Put yourself in your customer’s place. When they think about joining a monthly membership, they think about the long-term commitment. They think about having one more expense on a monthly basis. They might also feel overwhelmed by the sheer amount of content in your membership, and wonder if it will be one more thing they never use.

If they already know, like, and trust you, these are buying objections that can be overcome. But on the front-end, we’re talking about cold traffic — strangers to you and your brand.

So, they have no idea who you are and all of a sudden, you’re pitching a monthly membership. Even if it’s a low price point, say $47 a month, it’s still a monthly commitment. And they’re doing the math in their head and thinking, “That’s more than $500 a year. I don’t know if I’m ready to make that kind of commitment. I don’t even know you yet.”

It’s kind of like meeting someone on the internet and instead of asking them on a first date you offer up a long-term relationship. It’s a no.

The same goes with your front-end offer, your potential customers aren’t ready for the commitment yet. They want to get to know you. They want to dive into your first digital product, before they commit to a longer-term relationship, like your membership.

I’m not against memberships at all. Memberships are a great way to continue nurturing customers in a different container.

I have a membership, called the Rich Life Lab, and I absolutely love it. But I will also tell you the majority of the people that joined had been on my email list for a while. And every single one of them had purchased my front-end offer, my signature Tiny Offer®.

However, when I’ve tested, adding my membership onto the back-end of my low-ticket funnel, it doesn’t convert as well. It’s because of that fear of commitment. The timing isn’t quite right.

So, what’s the better option for a front-end offer?

When you can shift to a one-time commitment, a micro-commitment, with a small digital product, not a recurring membership, not a subscription that they’re signing up for, you’ll face fewer objections to purchasing your offer.

If you present a Tiny Offer®, a high-value, low-priced digital product suite, that’s in the range of $20 to $50, it becomes an impulse purchase.

Your offer should feel like an easy button for their business, a quick win, a quick result. This builds trust so much faster and brings paying customers to your email list, where they’re being nurtured for the next offer.

They’re now paying attention. They’ve logged in. They’re watching your videos. They’re getting used to hearing you talk and seeing your face. They’re getting a taste of your expertise. And you’ll be much more memorable, and better positioned to sell high-end offers, than if you had sent them a freebie.

Want to learn even more? Listen to the companion podcast episode.

Want to create a Tiny Offer® of your own? Check out my free masterclass.