Membership is about connection and access over privacy and ownership—and not everyone values these the same way.

The Membership Economy relies on trust. It’s about the consumer saying, “I’m going to stick with you, but I expect you to continue to deliver.” It’s the mutuality of the relationship that makes the model so beautiful.

Superusers … 1. Check in frequently and consistently—not just once a year for an intense engagement. 2. Create content that others can access. 3. “Police” the community and ensure that cultural norms that strengthen the group are enforced. 4. Have a two-way relationship with the organization itself—providing feedback and suggestions. 5. Demonstrate

Members who participate heavily in the first few months of the membership are much more likely to renew than those who merely lurk.

Marketing is more than campaigns—it’s about focusing on the market. This is always true, but especially in the Membership Economy, where retention matters more than acquisition.

Membership is not a fixture to be taken for granted. You can’t just say, “There it is.” You need to be willing to tinker.

The Membership Economy is all about putting the customer at the center of the business model rather than the product or the transaction. Every organization should be focused on the customer. The business model and organization need to support this customer-centric model. The

organizations that think about membership tend to focus more on providing long-term value, which ultimately leads to better customer lifetime value. Any CEO who is not thinking about membership is missing a huge opportunity to point his or her organization toward long-term, sustainable profitability.

you shouldn’t have a customer satisfaction department; you shouldn’t have a customer support department; you should have a customer success department.