Low-Risk Path to Non-Dues Revenue: Launch Your First Educational Product

For nearly every association, the mandate is clear: find ways to create new revenue streams. According to a 2023 report, a significant portion of associations are actively seeking to diversify their revenue beyond membership dues.^[1] Educational programs are the most logical and valuable way to achieve this, but the perceived risks can be paralyzing. What if you spend months and a significant budget developing a course that nobody buys?

This fear often keeps associations stuck, preventing them from tapping into a vital revenue stream. But what if you could launch your first educational product with minimal financial risk?

The secret is to start small, prove the concept, and choose a partner who is invested in your success. With the right LMS for associations, you can begin to monetize association content without significant upfront expenditure.

Here is a simple, low-risk path to get started:

Step 1: Start with a Live Webinar

Instead of building a complex, multi-module course, start with a single live webinar on a topic you know is highly relevant to your members.

• Why it's low-risk: The upfront time and cost commitment is minimal. You're leveraging the expertise you already have in-house or within your community.
• Test the waters: Promoting a single event is a great way to gauge member interest in a topic before you invest more heavily in it.
  
  

Step 2: Choose a Partner with a "No-Risk" Offer

Look for an LMS partner who is willing to share the risk with you. Intuto offers a low-risk free trial and will convert your first webinar for free. We help you take your presentation and turn it into a professional, on-demand learning module. This allows you to build your first digital asset with zero upfront cost. Another option is the Intuto Association Academy, which operates on a revenue-share model with no money down.

Step 3: Repackage and Sell the Recording

Once the live event is over, the real value emerges. That webinar recording is now an asset. With your newly created on-demand module, you can:

• Sell it on your website as a standalone product for members who couldn't attend live.
• Bundle it with other resources to create a "starter pack" for new members.
• Use it as the foundation for a more comprehensive certification program down the line.

This approach flips the traditional model on its head. Instead of "build it and hope they come," you "sell it, then build it out." You validate the demand first and reduce training costs by starting small, all backed by a guarantee of no long-term contracts.

Ready to take the first, low-risk step toward growing your non-dues revenue? Request a demo and ask about our free first webinar conversion.

References:
1. Marketing General Incorporated. (2023). Membership Marketing Benchmarking Report. https://www.marketinggeneral.com/knowledge-bank/2023-membership-marketing-benchmarking-report/