Topic:

I'd like to set up a membership with a free (or reduced cost) promotion period at the beginning of their membership. How do I set that up?

Solution:

To set up a free or reduced cost promotional period at the beginning of their membership:

1. Edit your membership and click on Registration Form Pages tab
2. Click on the Checkout page.
3. Scroll down to the Renewal Properties section
4. In the Promotional Period Options box, enter the length of your promotional period where it says Promotional Period Length
5. Save your changes.

How it works:

When you set up a Promotional Period, you are basically delaying the start of the renewal process and recurring payments.  Non-recurring payments are not delayed.

• Example: Promotional period longer than (or same as) the renewal period

Let's say your Membership has a monthly renewal period, a 90 day Promotional Period and a $100 recurring fee.  When a member registers, she will not have to pay the recurring fee.  She will get 90 days of membership without the recurring fee or having to renew.  When the 90 days are up she will have to renew and pay her $100 recurring fees for the first time.

If you would like the 90 day promotional period to be free, make sure there are no non-recurring fees.  If you would like the 90 day promotional period to have a discount price like $30, set up a $30 non-recurring fee (Initial Membership Fee) on the Membership Fees page.

• Example: Promotional period shorter than the renewal period

Let's say your Membership has an annual renewal period, a 90 day Promotional Period and a $100 recurring fee.  When a member registers, she will not have to pay the recurring fee.  When the 90 days are up she will have to pay her $100 recurring fees.

Note that with this scheme, the member is not getting any kind of discount or price break.  All she is getting is a delay on the first payment, so if she cancels in the first 90 days she doesn't get a refund (because she hasn't paid yet).

• Example: Promotional period shorter than the renewal period (with payments)

Let's say your Membership has an annual renewal period, a 90 day Promotional Period and a $100 recurring fee split into monthly payments of $8.33.  When a member registers, she will not have to pay the first payment of the recurring fee.  During the 90 days, she will not have to make any payments.  When the 90 days are up the payment schedule will resume, but she will only have to pay the remaining nine payments for a total of $75.

Additional Information:

Note: If you have a Promotional Period in your Membership, recurring fees will not be charged until the Promotional Period is done.  Non-recurring (One-time) fees and any Merchandise fee items will be charged immediately on registration

You can also set up a discount code for an individual Membership Fee item that can be applied to a recurring fee once or every renewal period.

• See related links below for more information about discount codes.

Related Links:

• How do I set up membership fees on my membership form?
• How do I apply a discount code to a recurring membership fee?
• How do I create a discount code?

Keywords:  members, membership, free, cheap, reduced, promotion, promotional