How To Build An Online Community - Jay Clouse

Key Takeaways:

1. Purpose of Community:

   • This initiative aims to create a platform that helps individuals, particularly those interested in productivity, to actually do the work they intend to do.
   • The model is envisioned similar to Peloton but for productivity purposes, providing structured sessions that members can join.

2. Onboarding and Early Experience:

   • The importance of a robust onboarding process, introducing new members gradually to the community, and ensuring they feel welcomed and guided right from the start.
   • First experiences and early interactions are crucial. This involves clear communication, a welcoming environment, and step-by-step guidance on how to get started and engage effectively.

3. Recurring Value:

   • The community must continuously provide value to justify recurring payments. This includes regular scheduled activities such as co-working sessions, reviews, and other productivity-enhancing events.
   • Content such as courses can add value but should be structured to offer ongoing benefits rather than one-time value.

4. Launch Strategy:

   • The approach should start with a private opening, engaging a trusted audience who already has faith in the brand. This helps iterate the product based on real user feedback before a public launch.
   • This phase helps in refining the product offering based on early feedback.

5. Membership and Pricing:

   • The discussion on whether to go for a higher ticket, lower volume model versus a lower ticket, higher volume model. The inclination is towards a higher ticket model for ease of management and less operational stress.
   • Consideration of a tiered membership structure to cater to broader audiences without diluting the experience for more advanced users.

6. Community Design and Management:

   • Keeping the number of spaces within the community to a minimum initially to avoid overwhelming new members.
   • Possibly expanding based on member feedback and engagement over time.
   • Stress on timeliness and responsiveness within community interactions to ensure members feel seen and valued.

7. Marketing and Sales Page:

   • Focus on the promise and success stories on the sales page rather than a detailed breakdown of all features initially.
   • Keep delivery mechanisms vague to allow flexibility and adaptation over time.

8. Gamification and Member Engagement:

   • Carefully considering gamification elements, ensuring they align with actual value and productivity rather than creating unnecessary busywork.

9. Support and Responsiveness:

   • The community's success heavily relies on timely support and frequent interactions that add value continuously, making members feel engaged and supported.

10. Consolidation of Existing Communities:

    • Challenges with integrating different types of community members (e.g., YouTube-focused and productivity-focused) into a single platform due to different needs and ensuring safe and effective communication.

Conclusion: The discussion highlighted the need for careful planning and consideration when setting up a community centered on improving productivity. Emphasis should be on providing recurring value, setting up a robust onboarding process, being flexible with delivery mechanisms, and maintaining high responsiveness to foster a supportive and effective community environment.