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The secret to successful subscription businesses
From the neighborhood car wash and nail salon, to the hottest venture-backed tech companies, to F100 market leaders, to thought leaders, authors and subject matter experts, everyone seems to be using subscription pricing to build long-term, disruption-proof relationships with customers.
People have been able to subscribe to everything from newspapers (NYT, WSJ) to software (Salesforce, Microsoft) to content (Spotify, Netflix) for years. But these days, subscriptions pricing is available with virtually every kind of business. You can subscribe to cars (Volvo, Porsche), your fitness equipment (Peloton) or your oven (Brava) and can get regular shipments of clothing (Le Tote), makeup (Birchbox) or dogfood (Chewy).
Why manufacturing is about to be disrupted by the Membership Economy
My first job after business school was as a product manager at an enterprise software company. I picked it because it was one of the first companies experimenting with what today we call Software-as-a-Service, and I could see that was going to be the future. It just...
The future of loyalty programs is more premium, less freemium: Costco & Amazon Prime are leading the way
A while ago, I wrote an article called "Today's Loyalty Programs are More Starbucks, Less United." In it, I explained how United is really about a value exchange, not about creating a relationship. If I fly more frequently and spend more money, they give me discounts...
A big untapped opportunity for SaaS companies
I recently presented my work to a group of CEOs of software companies. Most were selling to businesses (B2B) and using subscription pricing ( software-as-a-service, or SaaS). When I finished, one hand shot up before the rest. "Robbie, I really liked THE MEMBERSHIP...
Can we talk about subscription fatigue?
Can we talk about subscription fatigue? You can subscribe to just about anything these days, from music to clothing to enterprise software to heavy machinery. It's no surprise that some people are getting tired of subscriptions. There are three key reasons that...
What to do if it’s “Out of Scope”
We’ve all gotten that email from a great client when they ask for something that’s out of scope.
It can be really stressful to determine what to do, especially when the pricing is project based.
But going beyond scope is usually a sign of engagement by the client and an opportunity for a great discussion.
Start by asking the client to elaborate on what they need and why. It’s important that you fully understand where the client is coming from, so you can respond to the actual issue on the table. If indeed, your client is asking for something that wasn’t initially discussed, here’s an easy rule of thumb.
In general, it’s fine to say something is out of scope but always in the context of what’s best for client. It’s going to be one of these three things…
Get the 7 critical growth strategies for subscription-based businesses
Trying to build a more predictable and lasting relationship with the people you serve? This is a guide to a better business model.
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