Extreme Member Review: This Membership Site Software ROCKS! Here’s Why

I started an in-house marketers membership site a few months ago called DIYMarketers.  I’m a marketing wiz – not a technical wiz.  So when it came time to look for membership site software I had some criterial I had already established:

• Reasonable Price.  You don’t launch a membership site overnight.  In fact, you will need to have access to your site to fill it with content, so it was important that the software I choose had a decent trial period (at least 30 days) and a reasonable monthly fee.  Anything in the $100 range – give or take, was acceptable.   Paying huge amounts of cash upfront was not an option because the risk was just too great; I didn’t like the software, it didn’t do what I wanted, it was too techy…There were a million reasons — oh yes – and I didn’t have several thousand laying around to put at rist.  If I wanted to do that, I’d invest it in the stock market.
• HOSTED WordPress Platform.   I’ve just moved all my web content to WordPress and so, wouldn’t it be nice to have my membership site run on WordPress too?  This way, I’m only learning WordPress.  WordPress is a blogging platform and I also liked that my audience could comment and interact with the information.  I also wanted THEM to host the site.  This way – the techy guys would be responsible for making sure that everything was working and updated and not my sorry tech self.
• One-Stop Membership Features.  Since I’m not a techy person, it was CRITICAL that my site had all the elements critical to a membership site already.  That means – customizable memberships, trial periods, affiliate programs, payment features and shopping carts, list management, and many more things I haven’t even thought of yet — BECAUSE I’M A MARKETING PERSON – not a memberhsip site software techy.  Oh – and I’m not hiring one either.
• Friendly, Helpful, Customer Service.  You might think that’s a given – but it’s not.  Many software companies are two guys and a girl in a basement — and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that – IF THEY ANSWER THEIR E-MAIL.  I don’t care who you are or where you are – but PLEASE, if you’re going to take my money on a monthly basis – acknowledge my existance.
• Customer Community.  This might be just me – but this new trend of being authentic and putting a face behind your company appeals to me.  I love working with companies who have a community of customers and who treat their customers like partners in their success.  This makes me feel like my fee is more than a fee for service – it’s a membership fee where I get VALUE that goes beyond the item purchased.

That was my criteria.  Now for the choices I’d tried and heard about:

• MemberGate.  I understand this is the grand-daddy of sites.  I’m participating in a membership site program that is sponsored by them and the quality of information is excellent.  The software seems to have a lot of features.  I just didn’t connect with it on several levels: 1) they wanted $5,000 upfront – I didn’t have that. There was also a monthly fee of several hundred dollars.  All of these fees were for EACH site.  2) Couldn’t get them on the phone to ask questions.  If you’re not there to sell me – I doubt you’d be there to help me.  3) I didn’t like the design options.  Even the clean designs were too cluttered to me – load them up with content and it just looked overwhelming.   I’m also not sure about the technical difficulty involved in the site.
• AMember.  I know even less about this one.  I know that the A-series of products is very popular and respected.  I’ve had experience with AWeber e-mail lists – and they come highly recommended because the price is good.  AMember is also priced reasonably at just under $180.  But I also understand it’s very script heavy and you will need to purchase all the components to run it.

I Chose Extreme Member: Here’s What Happened

I ran into Extreme Member just searching on the web.  Their trial offer was $2.95 for the first month to start and then $99 each month thereafter.  I HAD to look at that.

It was a WordPress Platform.  That was another positive for me.  So I signed on.  That was easy.

I started playing with it and had some questions.  I sent an e-mail and the next morning had a response from Shane Goldberg (the CEO of Extreme Member) – WOW.  So, he might be a guy in a basement in Australia – but he responded with answers.

I decided to invest in one of their “pre-customized” themes from One-Theme.  Again, I clicked on the wrong thing.  Shane was there AGAIN to help.  He uploaded my pictures, chatted with me via e-mail and got me started.

I’ve been blogging content and am just about to launch my first program.  I’m still THRILLED with this system.

Since I’ve signed on, Extreme Member has upgraded to WordPress 2.7.  They are continuously making improvements that I NEVER would have dreamed of.  They really know their stuff when it comes to inderstanding what you’re going to want from your membership site.

I told Shane I would write a review for this – but I wanted to wait until I had more experience with the product and service.  I’m still a beginner in the process, but I’m still THRILLED with my Extreme Member choice!

If you’re doing a membership site, tell me about your experiences!