Hello Fellow Profit Masters… Randy here…
We’re running a series on our Profit Masters Blog about Membership Sites. If you haven’t had the opportunity, please go to the beginning and start reading from there. Now on Profit Masters we’ve started talking about membership sites, niches, themes, and so forth. The next big question is how do I implement one? By implement I mean just how do I get the software, get it installed, and test it properly. There are alternatives.
For starters, you’ll need web space. You’ll have to have a web hosting account and, in most cases Linux server hosting is preferable. A large number of Web Hosts are using Apache web servers to handle their web service needs. Fortunately, most membership site scripts need or like to work on the Apache web server anyway.
Most of the scripts out there use Perl or other CGI scripting languages to build the membership site. If you don’t know what “Perl” or “CGI” is, no worries. You don’t really have to. You will have to know which version of “Perl” your software requires, if the membership software is written in Perl.
If you are using some other software package you’ll need to know the particulars regarding the scripting language it uses. You should also know what version of MySQL your Web Host is running. After all, you have to put all that information you collect somewhere. Check with the software provider. Some membership site scripts use text databases instead of MySQL.
I know this sounds daunting to a newbie Internet entrepreneur. But believe me you’ll muddle your way through it. Just remember the rewards from running a good membership site are worth a little bit of a learning curve. Most of the information you need is already at your fingertips. You pay your Web Host for providing you web space. They should, most do, provide every bit of info you need to install and implement your membership site. There is probably a FAQ page or HELP page with all this spelled out for you. You just have to farm a little bit of knowledge from them. If it isn’t in plain sight, then utilize their help desk. You’re their customer remember?
You can spend a bundle on membership software. It’s not uncommon to find packages that run over $2000! There are less expensive solutions. It depends on your needs. There is a free membership site package called Locked Area Lite. Many folks use it and it comes well documented. It’s a free download covered by the GNU General Public License. I’ve installed it on my Web Host’s server and it went pretty well. It’s written in Perl. Remember my mentioning Perl previously?
Perl is often referred to as the “duct tape of the Internet”.
from Locked-Area.com website
They also have a solution called Open Crypt, which has tons of features, BUT it’ll cost you a little money. The ticket price on this puppy is $1119 plus or minus a few cents. But that’s the full meal deal. You can get it for less by picking only the plugins you need. The base price is about $236 without any plugins.
Another alternative is a good CMS package. CMS stands for Content Management Site. There are a number of them out there. One package is Joomla. Another package is CMS Made Simple. There are many others out there. These two are free downloads and relatively easy to use. Here again installation is pretty straightforward. I’ve installed both at one time or another. The installation was script oriented and all I needed to do was to plug in the information required and I was set.
Most CMS packages are PHP based, so you’ll need to know which version of PHP your Web Host is running and which version of MySQL they provide. Also you’ll need to set up a MySQL database to hold the data used by the CMS program. This doesn’t take any MySQL skills. You just set up the database in your Web Hosts Cpanel. Some hosts don’t use Cpanel. Mine doesn’t. They provide another option, but it usually isn’t a chore to get the database cranked up. If you have questions then go visit their help system for answers.
Your CMS site will come with templates for presentation purposes. Again these can be found for free. Many times the home site for the software will point you to free template sites. You don’t HAVE to download any templates, though. The CMS program will have some bundled in the download. Most can be customized to your specific need. You don’t have to have any HTML or PHP skills to use the software, but it never hurts to learn a little to tweak your templates.
There are other CMS downloads on the Internet. There are also sites that would love to sell you their CMS and customize it for you. These places will cost you for the services and software. Remember; start out with the least expensive software (FREE) as possible. You can always go with a more complex solution later if you have a need that calls for it.
Any way you look at it you need to do your homework. That’s what the Internet’s good for, isn’t it? Who knows, you might just find the little software gem that fills your bill without spending an arm and a leg. Also remember this, there’s nothing written in stone that says you’re stuck with any particular software package. Just keep good backups and you’ll be able to migrate or upgrade your membership site as the need arises.
If you still feel daunted by the thought of trying a membership site install or you’ve tried and something just doesn’t seem to work the way you think it should, you can always find a nerd or two who’ll do it for a fee. Most of the home sites for these packages have an install service available. But please, give it a try first. It most always works right the first time. And it you do have a problem; use their help desk or forum. Most all of these software providers, free or not, have an active forum. Join up and learn something.
