A recent, growing trend on
Internet is private minisite -- it's a small, password-protected website that offers "insider information" on a topic that might be of interest to a specific audience. Similar to an ebook, it primarily offers information that's geared for a specific group, niche or vertical industry.A private "minisite" is like a small, niche-oriented community, where access is restricted and granted for a fee. Of course, web communities are all rage, right now, for various reasons -- one is certainly fact that these places help to humanize digital experience as well as offer "insider information" that's current and more palpable, particularly for that group of people.
However, success of a private site, whether large or small, is largely predicated on idea that it is dynamic and offers many extras that plain, static information products (like ebooks, for example) don't or can't. One of its greatest benefits is fact that it is constantly updated with latest information.
As an example, private sites offer many resources, which help to make site vibrant, vital and valuable: checklists, surveys, applications, downloads, resources, chatrooms, scripts, services, links, file sharing, "hot" topics-of-the-day, discussion forums, event calendars, instant messaging, reviews, consultations, etc.
Membership-based minisites, however, are not large or bulky. And they don't necessarily need all of above bells and whistles. They are called "mini" because, typically, private section of site consists of content and public site consists of just one long copy sales letter. (Being a web copywriter, bulk of my work consist of sales letters for private sites, these days.)
The driving force behind private minisites is idea that their members feel part of an elite group who have access to exclusive knowledge, and fact that they are constantly being updated on subject matter. It's an important part of their membership.
If you're an expert on a specific topic, or if you know how to do something better (or different) than anybody else, then you have a basis for a private minisite. But unlike ebooks or information products, your income will not be based on one-time sales but on recurring, billed memberships, including renewals and upsales of non-competing products or affiliate programs to your members.
An additional yet enormously compelling benefit of private sites is idea that owner offers personalized consulting on topic area. Members receive not only information but also one-on- one, individualized support. (A good way to accomplish this is by erecting a members' discussion board. It also reduces redundancy, since questions need to be answered only once in many cases.)
The more niche-oriented or unique product is, greater chances of success for private site will be. Simply offering content that's exclusive to private members is a start, for feeling of exclusivity is catalyst behind any private site.
As a long copy, web sales letter copywriter, there are several things that help make private minisites compelling to aspiring members. Let me give you a few examples to give you a headstart.
1) Drive customer actions by telling them, specifically, what you want them to do. Use expressions like "click here," "subscribe today," "visit this," "join now," "go there," "discover how" and "learn these" are commands in which you compel people to take action. Take them "by hand," in other words.
Private sites (or any sales-oriented, single-product site, for that matter) must have least amount of links on or around sales letter. The more links there are (to other resources or pages, for example), more you distract users and take their focus away from your letter (and away from purpose of your public site, which is to sell private memberships).
I know I'm going against grain, here. But offering extra pages, like FAQs, links, testimonials and so on, are great for information-based sites (or those selling multiple products). They help to make site "sticky" and drive search engine rankings. But for private minisites, they're dead weight.
If you're selling a single product, keep visitors focused and steer them in only one direction. Too many messages, choices or "things to do" only confuse people. If you offer an opt-in email newsletter, for example, turn subscription form into a pop-up or add it to body of your sales letter. In short, if you offer people too many choices, they will not make one.
(You're unknown, so a newsletter, opt-in mailing list or even a multipart course delivered via autoresponder is an important tactic, since you build trust and develop a relationship with your prospects who might not be inclined to join right now.)
Look at how I incorporated opt-in form within copy I wrote for Kirt Christensen at http://successdoctor.com/kirt/. There are only three links: order page, affiliate signup page and login page. But form is added on sales letter and in a pop-up window. Bottom-line, sales letter won't drive people away and keeps them focused, interested and excited.
2) Jim Rohn said that, "Without a sense of urgency, desire loses its value." People fear making bad decisions. With scams and snake oils rampant on web, fear is even greater when shopping online. So, most of them tend to procrastinate, even when they're interested in your offer. Therefore, communicate a certain sense of urgency that compels visitors to act now.
Use "takeaway selling" to stop people from procrastinating. In other words, shape your offer -- and not just your product -- so that it is limited, time-sensitive or quantity-bound. Make your offer scarce. As an example, put a deadline on your offer or some kind of limit on number of people you accept.
