How we created a membership community for Frontier
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Rishad Patel
Splice
The transformation of media in Asia requires the entry of diverse media startups. ��Our mission is to drive radical change by supporting bold, forward-looking media startups in Asia.
We believe in the importance of an ecosystem-based approach.
Splice founders
Alan Soon
Alan is obsessed about newsroom operations, digital transformation, and building the new business of media. Alan was Yahoo’s Managing Editor for India and Southeast Asia. He’s also been a producer and reporter at CNBC, Bloomberg and Kyodo News.
Rishad Patel
Rishad has designed for clients like MIT, The Straits Times, Mid Day, ETH, Dentsu, Ogilvy, and NTU, on projects for the web, mobile, radio, advertising, newsrooms, newspapers, magazines, podcasting, and branding.
Why did Frontier need a membership program?
Ask why.
The political climate under the civilian government since 2016 affects how media covers topics central to the democratic transition.
Social background
Unable to rely on advertising revenue or high circulations, organisations like Frontier are struggling. This affects their ability to resist pressure from the government, commercial partners and readers, while maintaining editorial independence.
Media background
Frontier is a rare source of quality, responsible journalism in a highly polarised market. As its revenue sources are squeezed, its core readers including diplomats, journalists, NGOs, academics, and businesses risk losing a vital source of reliable information. This would threaten their work and, more broadly, Myanmar’s transition to democracy.
Frontier’s background
Ask how.
The problem to be solved
We needed to diversify the business away from an ad-driven model to safeguard our editorial independence.
“We have a community. Now let’s build a membership program.”
In November 2018, Splice co-wrote an application to Google News Initiative to raise funding for this project. Frontier was granted $100,000 to execute the plan, with Splice as consultants.
“We got funding!”
Define and test your assumptions.
Objectives
Define and test assumptions
Define first prototypes
Run focus groups
Evaluate CRM options
Test a rebranding strategy
The plan Put the audience first through an approach based on solving problems specific to them. Build engagement through events. Frontier could rely less on state-linked advertisers, and on Facebook as a driver of discovery and consumption.
“How do we build this? Let’s ask the community.”
Ask your community.
So we asked Frontier’s loyal community of readers what they wanted.
Focus groups
Our target users are diplomats, journalists, NGOs, academics, and businesses.
User personas
Who is Frontier 2.0 for?�
Five use-cases to serve
The diplomat “I need access and information that will help me accurately represent social and political issues in Myanmar to my government.”
The journalist “I need access to people so I can report facts and opinions accurately in a rapidly changing socio-political environment.”
The NGO professional “I want to make sure that my organisation’s development, aid, and relief efforts in Myanmar are well-researched and have measurable impact.”
The academic “I need my research and documentation to be accurately represented.”
The business person “I need access, information, and relationships with the right people for my business to be successful.”
Membership is an investment in your mission. Clarify your mission.
“We are building a community around responsible journalism in Myanmar. Join us.”
How to ask your audience what they expect of you
“We are building a community around responsible journalism in Myanmar. Join us.”
MISSION
How would you describe Frontier?
How close is your impression of Frontier to the mission we have?
What do you need from a media org like Frontier that would help you with your work?
Questions
Testing our assumptions
PROBLEMS TO SOLVE
Are we accurately identifying the problem you need solved?
How would you describe our ability to solve that problem?
Are our products addressing those problems?
Is the format right for you?
Questions
Testing our assumptions
VALUE CREATION
What are the most valuable components of our membership plan for you and your colleagues?
What other products could be valuable for you?
Does our branding accurately reflect the value we're creating for our customers?
Would you pay $100 a year?
Products for members
CURRENT
Web
Podcast
Products for members
SUGGESTED
CURRENT
Slack
Podcasts
Comments
Web
Podcast
Calls
Products for members
UPCOMING
CURRENT
Events
Data
Reports
Web
Podcast
Questions
Testing our assumptions
OTHERS
Would you recommend such a service to your industry peers and colleagues?
Are you currently a member of—or do you subscribe to—any other media org or product?
What is your preferred way to pay? Monthly? Annually? �Credit card? Bank transfer?
Membership plans
Pricing
INDIVIDUAL�Single user�$10/month or $100/year�Daily Briefing�Parliamentary proceedings�Datasets�Research�Election pop-up�Print magazine��INSTITUTIONAL�Up to 30 users�$1,500/year�+Myanmar Monitor�+Black Knight discounts
Online products we’re creating for members
Weekly briefing email covering specific policy insights interpreted by Frontier, with our points of view in a commentary format with links to our reporting — a cheat-sheet on policy change in Myanmar.
Monthly briefing conference call covering insights, policy updates. May be organized in collaboration with institutions, NGOs, other members
Occasional guest newsletters explaining timely, specific issues, and questions from members
Event products we’re creating for members
Talks, discussions and workshops on policy issues in collaboration with financial, legal institutions, business chambers, NGOs (Paid, sponsored, free for members)
Closed-door meetings with newsmakers
Quarterly networking opportunities to connect members
Discounts or free tickets to Frontier or partner events
Membership platform for convening and programming
Data products we’re creating for members
Datasets and reports providing quantitative insights into the economy, eg. changes in the transportation or construction industries
Newswire service covering parliamentary proceedings, roundups, agendas
Our new techstack
SurveyMonkey
Feedback
Mailchimp
Notion
Collaboration
WordPress
CMS
Pico
CRM
Then test your branding.
Ultimately, if this pivot is successful, memberships will enable Frontier to keep its reporting accessible and free.
This is vital at this important stage of media development in Myanmar.
Objectives — and results
We also plan to extend the lessons from this project to other news orgs trying to carve a new path forward. We will create case studies and toolkits that will provide a sustainable model.
Case studies and community
Current membership status
16
Small institutions �93 logins
590
Individual memberships
3
Large institutions �60 logins
916
Total membership headcount
3,548
Total community as of 4th July, 2020
🎉 😎 🥰 🥳 🎉
In Q1 2020, Frontier’s membership platform was running with its first products. Revenue generated so far from memberships has already surpassed that of advertising — a timely pivot just weeks ahead of Covid-19.
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