Why You Should Have a Membership Site for Your Resume Writing Business

Are you looking for ways to serve your resume writing clients more effectively -- or create another stream of income? Try a membership site. It is not easy, but it can pay off in many ways for your business.

Why do people seek out your resume writing business? They want a job ... even if they are just buying a resume. They really want more help -- and it may be more help than they are willing to pay for ... at least up front. The advantage of a membership site is that you can provide "group" services (with corresponding "group" pricing).

A membership site can increase not only your profits but also your expert status and visibility in your niche market. Be aware, however -- while there are many advantages to a membership site, the first requirement is that you are ready to handle the increased workload. You can decide what you are going to offer in your membership site -- some of them, like a fixed-term membership site, can be "set it and forget it." Others, like a membership site that includes a weekly Q&A call, won't require much preparation, but will test your expertise as you might get some unexpected questions. You can also create a membership program where customers pay a monthly fee to get priority access for resume updates and resume retargets. You can provide them with a monthly e-newsletter with career tips as their "tangible" membership benefit.

Research all that you need to do to get and keep it up and running. Make sure you don't overextend yourself -- pick a program you can manage without too much extra time and effort. If you can fulfill all the promises of your program, then you are golden.

So, back to the reasons why you need a membership site. Here are a few.

• Dedicated customers. Once you convince someone to buy a membership, they will automatically renew each month as long as you provide the promised tools/services. The idea of a membership site is to satisfy a need, but at a higher level. Even if the members one day opt out of the membership, they will more than likely still use your services in some other capacity. (And the monthly payment is a reminder of you each month.)
• Monthly income. Like I said, you are creating a new income stream. As long as your customers are satisfied, you can count on that money coming in each month.
• Increase your brand. Through offering exclusive services to your members, you are strengthening your brand. This means having the resources to provide consistent quality to your members each and every month. When that happens, these members will promote your membership site with their network which can net you more membership site members -- but also more prospective resume clients as well.
• You can expand this portion of your business. Your membership site may start out with one level until you get the hang of managing it and/or you pick up more customers. Adding a multiple tier of services increases monthly profits and opportunities to attract more customers. It also helps solidify your position in your niche market. (If you have a membership program with weekly Q&A calls, you may add a second tier that includes you answering up to 3 email questions from the member each week.)

Membership sites can be a pitfall if you are not careful. Being prepared can avoid this problem. Have your resources in place to continually provide tools and benefits for clients each and every month. Also, donít forget to create a communication system where a client can reach you when they need you and get a timely response.

Membership sites can be a big boon to your resume writing business if you are prepared to take the challenge.

Free Teleseminar on Wednesday, April 11 - "Using Content to Capture New Career Clients"

Free Teleseminar: "Using Content to Capture New Career Clients" --

How You Can Use Article Writing, Blogging, Special Reports, and Other Types of Content to Establish Yourself as an Expert, Build Your Mailing List, and Convert Prospects Into Clients for Your Resume Writing and Career Services

Wednesday, April 11, 2012 • 3:30 p.m. Eastern time

with Bridget (Weide) Brooks, editor of Resume Writers' Digest and founder of BeAResumeWriter.com.

Creating content -- shared through articles, blog posts, information products, teleseminars, webinars, and/or live speaking opportunities -- is a great way to establish yourself as a career services expert. It can also be vital to increasing your online presence (content ranks very highly in online search results), which drives traffic to your website. Content can also be used as a revenue stream, providing passive income (through special reports, ebooks, membership programs, or hardcopy books). It can also help you grow your mailing list, allowing you to increase your prospect conversion rates and generate referrals.

This teleseminar is designed to help you in several ways:

• How can you come up with content? You're busy. What content do you already have? What content can you access for free or a very low cost?
• How can you repurpose content so you don't have to constantly create new content? How can you leverage content across multiple platforms to get the maximum impact? 
• Some topics are widely covered in the careers industry. How can you make your content unique to you? How can you enhance your brand profile through content?

About Bridget:
Bridget (Weide) Brooks has published the Resume Writers' Digest trade newsletter for resume writers for more than 10 years, and founded BeAResumeWriter.com in 2011 to provide careers industry professionals with information and tools to help them be more successful in their work with clients and in their business. She has been a featured speaker for numerous professional associations, including the National Resume Writers' Association, CertifiedResumeWriters.com, and Career Directors International.

To register, or for more information:
Using Content to Capture New Career Clients Teleseminar

The Hands-Off Manager

Leadership comes from partnering, NOT criticizing.

Managers have a choice: be hands-on or hands-off. This choice presents itself over and over again each and every day. Every interaction with an employee is a version of this choice. But, what is the right choice? The Hands-Off Manager: How to Mentor People and Allow Them to Be Successful helps to answer that very question.

In The Hands-Off Manager, authors Steve Chandler and Duane Black offer a new vision for all managers. With stories, examples, and vibrant activities for the reader to practice, this book shows any manager—new or seasoned—how to coach and mentor employees, rather than hover over their shoulders and goad them into action. In this system, each employee’s strengths are honored and honed in a climate of partnership and mutual goal-setting.

The information presented in The Hands-Off Manager will help create an organization that fosters harmony and functions in the best possible way. The lessons presented can be applied to any form of leadership, at home or on the job, in the community or in the workplace. These concepts can be used to create success beyond anything readers have ever imagined possible.

The Hands-Off Manager: How to Mentor People and Allow Them to Be Successful (EAN 978-1-60163-223-4, pages: 224, price: $14.99) was published by Career Press.

Steve Chandler is one of America’s best-selling authors whose dozens of books—including the best-sellers 100 Ways to Motivate Others, 100 Ways to Motivate Yourself, and Reinventing Yourself—have been translated into more than 20 languages. Chandler is also a world-famous public speaker who has been a guest on hundreds of radio and TV shows. Chandler has been a guest lecturer at the University of Santa Monica, where he teaches in the graduate program of soul-centered leadership. Chandler has been a trainer and consultant to more than 30 Fortune 500 companies worldwide.

Duane Black is now retired. Black was the executive vice president and chief operating officer of SunCor Developments, where he oversaw 150 employees and more than 150,000 acres of housing developments.

How to Stay Motivated as a Resume Writer

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Earlier this month, I wrote a post about "Finding It Hard to Stay Motivated?"

Being a resume writer can be a very profitable way to make a living -- however, because you only get paid when you work with clients, self-motivation is a necessity. There's no one else to motivate you. You're on your own.

While the threat of no money may seem like motivation enough, sometimes you need a little more motivation. Here are some ideas to get you motivated.

1. Set a Daily Income Goal
Take a look at how much you made last year and create an annual goal for this year's income. Then divide it by 365 days. That's how much you want to earn daily. Print this number out in a large font and hang it over your desk. (My husband uses a weekly goal, because he understands that things can change from day to day.)

2. Track the Money
Hang a dry erase board on your office wall. After you complete a resume project, write down the amount of money you've earned on the board. Track it for the month and keep a running tally. If you're money motivated, watching that number grow will help you stay busy.

3. Take a Day Off
This may sound contradictory; however, one habit that many self-employed resume writers have is to work seven days a week. This leads to burnout and work apathy. Take a full day off each week to recharge yourself. Don't think about work. Don't check email. Just enjoy the day.

4. Build Your Resume Business
If you're doing the same thing day in and day out, it's easy to lose joy and motivation. Spend time each month planning how to grow your business. What is working for you? What isn't working? How can you attract more of your ideal customers? What new service can you provide that offers value to your customers and excitement or interest to you? (LinkedIn profile development? Social media coaching?)

5. Create New Habits
One of the reasons motivation can falter is if you're in a rut. For example, you get up every morning, drink your cup of coffee and check your email. You then get right to work. Why not change your morning habit? Before you check your email and get to work, do something creative or physically active. Changing your habits and routine can add life back into your day. Self-employed resume writers are creative people and a rut can drown your creativity and motivation.

You're in control of your life and your income. If what you're doing isn't working for you and you're feeling unmotivated, you have the power and the wherewithal to make a change. Find your motivation!