A great membership program can boost retention, increase customer lifetime value, and build a true community around your brand - but only if people know it exists.
Even the most well-designed program will underperform without a smart, consistent membership program marketing plan behind it. That’s why we’re going to walk you through how to market a membership program in this guide to set you up for success.
From leveraging your owned channels and social proof to creating urgency with limited-time offers, we’ll cover the strategies that actually move the needle. You’ll also see how to tailor your approach for both new prospects and existing members.
Rivo makes it simple to launch, manage, and market ecommerce membership programs that work. With built-in marketing tools and seamless Shopify Plus integration, we help brands like yours turn memberships into a powerful growth engine.
Learn more about our Shopify plus membership program today!
Your Membership Program Won’t Thrive Without Marketing!
People can’t join something they don’t know exists, even if your benefits are generous and your pricing is spot-on. Even once you have members, the job is not finished. They won’t stay excited about something they forget they’re part of.
Membership program marketing bridges that gap.
Think of brands that consistently highlight their programs: Amazon keeps Prime front-and-center with targeted ads, while smaller ecommerce brands drive signups by weaving membership perks into every email, product page, and post-purchase message. It’s impossible to miss. That’s not by accident.
Interest fades and your program blends into the background without that constant visibility. Consistent, strategic promotion keeps your program top-of-mind, turning casual customers into members and reminding existing members why they continue to stick around!
Marketing to New Members vs Existing Members
A lot of people think learning how to market a membership program is just about attracting new members. That’s not the case at all. Of course, that’s part of it, but retention is just as important as acquisition.
The focus for new members is on showing immediate value: highlight the benefits they’ll enjoy from day one, and remove any hesitation to join.
The goal shifts to engagement for existing members. You’re not just trying to keep them from canceling, rather, you’re giving them reasons to deepen their involvement. That could mean exclusive product drops, sneak peeks at upcoming launches, or personalized offers based on purchase history.
The best programs strike a balance: keep attracting new members without neglecting the ones you’ve already won over. So, let’s get into how to market a membership program below.
How to Market a Membership Program: Proven Strategies That Move the Needle for Membership Programs
From simple methods to keep your membership program visible across your website to collaborating with key industry partners, here are some of the best pieces of advice on membership program marketing we have to offer.
Leverage Your Owned Marketing Channels
Your owned channels (email, SMS, your website, and your packaging) are the easiest, most cost-effective places to promote your membership program.
Every order confirmation email can include a subtle reminder of the perks members get. Your homepage can feature a dedicated section showing how joining saves money, gives access to exclusives, or unlocks free shipping.
Even your unboxing experience can double as a marketing touchpoint. Add an insert explaining how members get first access to product drops or special pricing. Consistency matters here: if your program isn’t showing up across your own channels, it’s easy for customers to overlook it.
Tap Into Social Proof and Testimonials
People are far more likely to join when they see real members talking about the benefits. Showcase quotes, video reviews, or user-generated content from happy members on your product pages, social media, and in your marketing emails.
Encourage members to post about their perks online, be it early access to a restock or a discount that saved them a bundle. This not only builds trust but shows potential members what your program looks like in action.
Use Limited-Time Offers and Urgency Tactics
There’s no denying the power of urgency in getting people to take action, so lean into that for your membership program marketing strategy.
Time-bound offers, such as “Join this week to get your first month free” or “Sign up by Sunday for early access to our next collection,” create a reason to join now rather than wait longer.
You can also add urgency by tying membership to limited-edition product drops, flash sales, or seasonal bundles that only members can access. The key is to keep these promotions authentic. Customers will notice if you always run “last chance” offers, and they’ll stop working.
Collaborate with Partners and Influencers
Partnerships can extend your reach beyond your existing customer base. This is one of the best pieces of advice we have to offer on how to market a membership program to new members specifically.
Work with influencers who align with your brand values to showcase the real benefits of joining. You can also partner with complementary brands to create co-branded perks like a coffee brand offering free beans for members of a mug subscription program.
Just make sure you’re vetting any partners you collaborate with because these types of partnerships can backfire if there’s a mismatch in terms of audience alignment.
Integrate Membership Promotion into Sales and Customer Service
Your sales and support teams are often the last human touchpoints before a purchase decision. It’s imperative that they’re ready to talk about membership benefits.
Train them to spot opportunities, like upselling a one-time shopper into a member by showing how much they’d save over a few orders. A resolution call /chat fielded by your customer service team can turn into a moment to offer membership as a way to “get more out of your next order.”
These conversations happen in real time, so they can feel more personal and persuasive than automated campaigns.
Retarget Visitors Who Didn’t Convert
You’re not going to get every user to join your membership program straight away. The customer acquisition journey can be lengthy, so be sure to set up retargeting campaigns.
This allows you to reach people who visited your membership page or engaged with related content but didn’t sign up. Use ads, email sequences, or SMS reminders that highlight what they’re missing out on.
Personalization really pays off here, especially when it comes to existing customers you’re trying to get to join your program. You can use loyalty status segmentation to show them exactly what they want to see. The more relevant the reminder, the more likely they’ll come back and join.
How Can You Track Membership Marketing Success?
There you have it, how to market a membership program! But how do you know for sure if your efforts are paying off or not? You’re simply guessing without tracking anything. Key metrics to monitor include:
- Conversion Rate: How many people who see your membership offer actually join.
- Acquisition Source: Which channels are driving the most signups (email, social, ads, partnerships).
- Retention Rate: How many members stay beyond their first payment cycle.
- Member Engagement: How often members redeem benefits, log into their account, or make purchases.
- Customer Lifetime Value (CLV): Compare members vs. non-members to measure long-term ROI.
Having these numbers on hand makes it easy to double down on what’s working and refine the rest. For example, if retention is low, focus on engagement campaigns. If conversions are slow, adjust your messaging or offer.
But, the best thing you can do is start engaging in membership marketing and optimize from there. Don’t get stuck in analysis paralysis trying to find the perfect messaging or creative. Just start marketing!
Closing Thoughts on How to Market a Membership Program
That concludes our guide on how to market a membership program. Hopefully you feel confident in your next steps. Remember, a well-run membership program can be one of the most powerful growth engines for your brand - but customers have to:
- Know it exists
- See the value in it
Success comes from showing up consistently across your channels, leaning into social proof, creating urgency, and keeping members engaged long after they join. The brands that win are the ones that treat marketing as an ongoing conversation instead of a one-time push.
Rivo makes a lot of this seamless and cohesive from one touchpoint to the next, with more than 50 features out of the box and a dedicated team to help you get started. Turn your membership program into a revenue driver with Rivo’s all-in-one platform today!
