(And what to do about it, without burning yourself out.)

It’s one of the biggest fears I hear from business owners: “What if I open my membership, and nobody joins?”

You’ve been thinking about it for weeks (maybe months). You’ve pictured the people inside. You’ve imagined the results they’ll get, the recurring income rolling in, and the difference it’ll make to your business.

You launch it, maybe with a few posts and a couple of emails, and then… nothing. Nobody joins. Nobody even seems interested. It’s heartbreaking. You feel deflated, disappointed, and probably wondering whether this whole idea was a mistake.

I promise you, it wasn’t. This doesn’t mean you’ve failed.

It just means you’re not quite there yet.

Let’s break it down, gently but honestly, because I want you to win with this, and you can.

1. You might be solving the wrong problem, or the right one in the wrong way

The best memberships are crystal clear.

They're for a specific type of person with a specific problem, and you offer the specific solution.

But sometimes, we get so excited about our idea that we forget to make sure it’s truly what our people need right now. Maybe:

• The problem isn’t pressing, urgent or important enough for them to pay to solve

• You’re trying to help everyone, and in the process, it isn’t resonating with anyone

• The name or description is vague or confusing

• The transformation isn’t obvious or compelling enough
  

Light-Touch™ Fix

Talk to real people in your audience. Clients, ex-clients, followers, whoever your offer is meant to help.

Ask what they’re struggling with, what keeps repeating, and what would really change things for them.

Better yet, create your membership for one real person you know.

I always do this, whether I’m creating a product, course, or membership. I have a specific human in mind. Someone in my audience who needs this now. Someone I know I can help. When you create for someone, you write your marketing for them, which naturally make it clearer, more relevant and more powerful.

2. You might be trying to do too much

As the proverb goes, chase two rabbits and catch neither. This is such a common trap. You’re posting everywhere, juggling all the content, half-launching three different offers, trying to “be consistent” on five platforms… and none of it is really working.

When you try to sell everything, you sell nothing. Your energy and attention are diluted. Your message is scattered. And your audience is confused.

Light-Touch™ Fix

Where you put your attention is where the magic happens. All roads need to lead to your membership (for now.) It doesn’t mean you never sell other things. It just means if this is what you want to grow, it needs your focus. One offer. One destination. One clear message repeated often, everywhere.

3. You might not be marketing enough (sorry, but it’s true)

A few posts and emails won’t cut it, no matter how good they are. People’s lives are busy. Their feeds are full. Their attention is elsewhere. You have to cut through the noise and stand out. If you’re not intentionally visible, you’re invisible.

Light-Touch™ Fix

Market way more than you think is necessary. Not louder, but smarter.

• Repeat your message across all your socials, stories, and email

• Use storytelling - stories stick. It’s how people connect and remember

• Share your message in places your ideal people already are (groups, reels, Pinterest, podcasts)

• Automate and repurpose, this is what makes it Light-Touch™

Don’t be afraid to say the same thing over and over. Repetition isn’t boring, it’s branding. It’s how your membership becomes known.

4. You might need more eyes on it

Even if everything is spot-on - your messaging, your offer, your visuals - it won’t matter, if not enough people are seeing it.

Light-Touch™ Fix

Focus on visibility in a sustainable way. Choose one new place to show up and expand your reach, maybe Pinterest, a blog, a podcast appearance, a short-form video. Think of it as planting seeds that will keep working for you, even when you’re offline.

So… what if nobody joined?

If nobody joins your membership today, you didn’t fail. You learned. You learned what didn’t work, what needs clarifying, what needs amplifying.

You’re not starting over. You’re building stronger.

Every successful membership starts somewhere, and often, it starts with a bit of a flop. What matters is what you do next.

So regroup. Realign. Re-message. And come back with clarity and confidence.

If nobody joins your membership today, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed.

It means you’ve started. You’ve taken action. You’ve learned what landed—and what needs tweaking.

You’re not back at square one. You’re just one step closer to getting it right.

Because here’s the truth: The right people are out there. They need what you offer. Let’s make sure they actually see it… and understand why it’s for them. You can do that.