Yay! It’s time to make your Limited Time Tier a smashing success!

Below is a collection of resources to help you succeed with Limited Time Tiers on Ream. And if you haven’t yet, you can fill out the Limited Time Tier form here.

And here’s a blog post all about making the most of Limited Time Tiers!

Transforming Your Subscription with Limited Time Tiers

There’s one time sales.

And there’s subscriptions — the forever sale.

What about something in the middle?

If we want to maximize our revenue as authors — we need to be able to layer in as many revenue streams as possible.

Now it’s possible to have Limited Time Tiers on Ream!

Here, we delve into what limited time tiers are, how to create them, and the diverse ways they can be utilized and promoted to maximize your revenue.

What is a Limited Time Tier?

At its core, a limited time tier is a subscription model where readers or subscribers opt into a higher, more premium tier for a set duration—such as three or six months—before automatically being downgraded to a lower subscription tier.

This model challenges the traditional perception of subscriptions as long-term or perpetual commitments.

Instead, it introduces flexibility and novelty, catering to the evolving preferences of readers.

Limited time tiers can serve various purposes, from offering exclusive content and merchandise to aligning with special promotions or events like book launches and Kickstarter campaigns.

The essence of this model lies in its transient nature, providing a unique selling proposition that traditional subscriptions don’t.

How to Create a Limited Time Tier

Creating a limited time tier takes just two minutes by filling out this form. The Ream Team does the work on the back end to move your subscribers, and you create your tier as you normally would inside Ream! Here’s the form.

And here’s what to think about when creating a limited time tier:

1. Define the Offering: Identify what exclusive content, products, or experiences you can offer in the limited time tier. Whether it’s book boxes, signed editions, or access to special content, ensure it’s compelling enough to warrant the temporary upgrade.
2. Set the Duration: Decide on the length of the limited time tier. A three to six-month period is often optimal, balancing the exclusivity and urgency without overextending the commitment from your subscribers.
3. Price Accordingly: Establish a price point that reflects the value of the limited time offer while also considering the cost of goods, shipping (for physical products), and a margin that compensates for the risk and effort involved. We have a FREE pricing calculator that you can use here!
4. Marketing Window: Determine the campaign’s duration for promoting the limited time tier. Shorter windows can create a sense of urgency, while longer ones might provide more flexibility for engagement.

Different Ways to Use and Market Limited Time Tiers

We always recommend authors promote their limited time tier campaigns at least 3 times on each marketing channel (email, social media, etc,) that they use. And ideally, authors are promoting their limited time tier 5 times.

A Sample Limited Time Tier Marketing Campaign:

• 1st Promotion goes out 24 hours to a few days before your launch letting your readers know about limited time tier and its benefits.
• 2nd Promotion goes out on launch day. You will typically see around 20% of your total sales on launch day.
• 3rd Promotion: goes out at the mid-point of your campaign. This typically drives 10% of your total sales with an additional 10% each trickling in before and after. If you have been doing the math… this means that about half your sales still haven’t come in yet…
• 4th Promotion: 24 to 72 hours before it closes send out this promotion. This will drive an initial surge of readers… but it’s not the last promotion!
• 5th Promotion: send a final campaign out in the last hours your limited time tier is open for sign-ups. You will see one last surge here with your 4th and 5th promotions often accounting for half of your sales. It’s super important you don’t forget this!

Here are several ways we have seen authors utilize limited time tiers:

• Kickstarter and Promotions: Link limited time tiers with Kickstarter campaigns or other promotional activities to provide additional value to backers or to offer installment plans for higher-priced offerings.
• Exclusive Content Launches: Use limited time tiers to release exclusive content, such as special edition books or early access to new releases, incentivizing readers to subscribe at a higher tier temporarily.
• Merchandise and Physical Goods: Offer merchandise, book boxes, or other physical goods as part of the limited time tier, capitalizing on the exclusivity and the tangible value of these items.
• Marketing and Promotion Strategies: Employ a multi-channel marketing approach, leveraging email campaigns, social media, cross-promotions with other authors, and dedicated landing pages. Emphasize the limited availability and unique benefits of the tier to create urgency and drive subscriptions.

Whether it’s through exclusive content, merchandise, or special promotions, the key to success lies in how well you can communicate the value of the limited time tier and execute a seamless experience for your subscribers.

With platforms like Ream, we make creating and promoting Limited Time tiers easier than ever before.

We can’t wait to see what you all come up with during the public beta of this new feature! And as always don’t forget…

Storytellers Rule the World.