Five Steps to mastering the art of community design |
If you're thinking about creating your own online group, you're at the right spot. You've probably heard about the many benefits of a group of people for a shared interest - not to mention for making a steady stream of income for the Host.
Yup Communities are awesome!
However, you may also be wondering how to get started. If you've had a group that's bit stagnant, how can you breathe new life into your community?
What can you do to take your brand, course, ideas, or goals and turn these into an flourishing group - one which is constantly creative, productive as well as evolving. It also brings every kind of delight and surprise to both the members you have?
The solution: Community Design(tm).
In this post we'll show you how to use Community Design(tm) and show you how it works to build the kind of community your users will enjoy, as well as how it will set you up to be successful as a host!
If you'd like to receive more assistance to build your community online Come join OUR Mighty Community for free and meet other new and well-established community owners! We'd love to have you join us. Register at no cost!
In this piece...
1. What is Community Design(tm)?
2. Why you need Community Design(tm)
3. How to use the Community Design(tm) process
3.1. Step 1: Your Purpose and your personal story. the ideal member
4. Step 2: The Year in the Life
4.1. Step 3: Create your Community Design(tm) plan
4.2. Step 4. Structure and pricing your community
4.3. 5. Step 5: Starting and growing
What is Community Design(tm)?
Community Design(tm) provides a tried and true, planning process that helps your organization go from nothing to creating a vibrant Mighty Network. Instead of just throwing your community up and seeing the results the Community Design(tm) creates the foundation to identify the ideal members by defining your mission and goals for Big-Purpose, as well as creating the best activities to assist your members in achieving transformation!
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Why you need Community Design(tm)
Great communities need design. That's the case in towns or city, where haphazard or unplanned growth can create chaos. It's the same for an online community too as poor planning results in anxiety for hosts as well as confusion for the members as well as - in some extreme scenarios - communities that fail.
However, combining the easy - sure, it's not difficult! procedure of a great design ensures that you possess the necessary pieces in place to help you make your Mighty Network thrive!
Imagine that you are a part of a group who are on the same page and aiming for the same transformation. Imagine meeting others who are like them. Imagine that they go to the product and leave to make friends.
Imagine your community becomes such an important part of the lives of someone that they wouldn't ever want to leave it.
It's exactly the way Community Design(tm) does!
How to use the Community Design(tm) procedure
We teach the full procedure of Community Design(tm) in our Community Design Accelerator, where we will teach you how to put all the pieces together. This covers:
- The ONLY THING that you must have in order to charge to members.
- The quickest, most simple way to create and charge for an online course.
- One of the most effective methods to price and structure your Mighty Network.
- The easiest way to launch and grow Your Mighty Network.
But in the rest of this piece we'll introduce you to a few ideas that come from Community Design(tm) that you can implement today, whether you've created your community already or not.
Step 1: Your Big Purpose, your story and the ideal Member
Community Design(tm) begins with you and your member in determining the features you already have and what you want to offer. Here are the aspects to be considered during this phase of the process:
Your Story
You've got something great to offer your customers! It doesn't matter who you are. No matter where you've come from. Whatever you're thinking about for your neighborhood.
It starts with the word "you".
The story you tell has truth to it. It's transformational.
There's so much to offer. Consider the lessons you've learned. Think about your unique perspective. The success of your community is grounded, at the very least in part, in your story... each time.
If you want additional proof, read one of the case studies in the Stories of Awesome , and you'll notice the effect the story has!
Below are a few things to think about while you work on getting your story prepared:
- What lessons have you gained which you can share with someone who's a bit behind you in their journey?
- What does your particular position, background, or identity offer you perspectives that aren't present?
- What journey of transformation can you inspire others to follow.
Discovering your own tale is the most effective starting point.
Ideal Member
When you begin to imagine your own story, you could begin to think about what the Ideal Member in your community would have.
They are who they are. What are their challenges?
The more specific and precise you can be about who your Ideal Member is, the better it can be for your group.
Continue to delve into this.
If you start with "my ideal Members are entrepreneurs," ...," what can you do to make this more clear? What are the best ways to bring your Ideal Member in a better light?
It could be refined to say something like, "My Ideal Members are new entrepreneurs launching creative companies."
A good thing about choosing the Ideal Members is that you don't have to do it in a bubble. You don't have to sit in your room and dream about what they're like.
It's much better to go out and find some potential members, and interview them! What are they struggling with? What are they concerned about?
Interview 15 to 20 possible members, and record notes.
Big Purpose
Once you have done these steps, it is now possible to convert your study into what is known as the Big Purpose declaration.
Your Big Purpose statement appears like:
Step 2. A Year in the Life of
Now you're aware of who you're a part of your community. Next step is to determine what you're planning to do with them.
A year from now, where will your members be if they join in your group?
This is referred to as"the "Year in the Life."
List the benefits that your members will enjoy one year from now.
- They'll be in control of their finances.
- They'll have their business in the field of art up and running.
- They'll have a career that brings them joy.
- They'll be better parents.
- They'll be able to play the guitar.
There are a million different things members might get from a year within an organization. So define yours carefully.
Then, you can break it down into monthly themes. In the case of the person who's getting their art business established Here's how we can break this journey down month by month:
A Year-long Goal to have my artwork business running
Monthly Themes
Month 1: Identify your perfect customer
Month 2: Create your inventory
Month 3: How a painting business earns money
Monat 4: What do you establish your company
Month 5: Identifying your online storefront, or even in person
Month 6-7: Laying the firm foundation
...and and so on.
Split the year in an action plan to actually get your participants to achieve their goals.
3. Create your Community Design(tm) strategy
It's been a while since we thought of years and months, now it's time to get back to weeks and days.
Although you don't have to have every single week of your first year planned out (that is probably a bit much right now) You can begin thinking about what your weeks and days are going to appear as.
Start by selecting the weekly activities that align with the themes of your month. From there, start with the daily routines within your local community.
There is no need to be something every each day. It would take a lot of work on your part and an enormous amount for your staff members to take in.
Begin by implementing regular routines. It is possible to think of organizing weekly and regular co-working sessions, for example. Perhaps theme days such as "Motivation Monday" or "New Member Friday." ."
Here are some concepts for what to include:
- Give & Ask Day
- Skill/Lesson of the Week
- Weekly Challenge
- Question Of The Week
- Office Hours/Weekly Video Call
- A book or podcast Conversation Day
- Community Roundups
- New Member Introductions and highlights
- Stories from Member Profiles
When there isn't a scheduled meeting or live stream planned, you can ask a question in a discussion to keep your members interested.
In case you're searching for the best discussion topics for your community, here's an opportunity to win! There's a no-cost Guide to 1000 Community Questions could be used to help you get started. The guide is available on OUR free community, which you are also welcome to become a member of!
Step 4: Structure and pricing of your community
Then, let's talk about some of the technical aspects of your local community.
From the beginning, the cost.
Pricing a community can cause numerous new hosts to feel anxious. What if nobody comes due to my price? Are people unhappy about the service they receive? Do I have to charge too much?
It's completely normal to be worried about the price, especially when this is the first time you've attempted entrepreneurship.
So let's start with this. You should probably charge something. Communities that have paying members get more engaged. Why? because people are discerning about what they pay for! Thus, by providing a membership cost is actually making the likelihood that your members to succeed through their journey.
As we looked at our authors last year we discovered the following:
- 77% the people with paid plans were selling plans with a fee.
- The average membership fee amounts to $39.55/mo.
When you're thinking about how much to charge for membership, it's a good idea to consider how a membership fee can be integrated into the other aspects of the offerings. Perhaps, for instance, are you also selling a course? You could think about how these two will interact as well as what the cost if your members bundle the two.
There are generally 4 methods to create a Mighty Network for payments:
- Free Community
- Community Paid
- Paid Community + Course Bundle
- Free Community + Paid Course
Choose the one that feels right for you right now. Don't fret that you'll be able to adjust at any time if you'd like to.
Step 5: Launching and expanding
When all the pieces are set You're now ready to go live!
It's common at this point to feel a bit nervous. It's even normal to face some imposter's condition.
There is a chance that you will be able to see your brain generating various objections to HTML0:
- What if I'm bothering other people?
- What happens if they do not show up?
- What if I appear to be an unprofessional salesperson?
- Who am I to help people?
Don't worry. You've done the work above and know that future members will need and desire what you've created!
While these anxieties are completely normal, you'll become more confident as you progress.
But don't wait until the fear is gone before you start. You must start!
After you've launched do not stop expanding and evolving! Be sure to pay focus on what's working and doesn't work and don't be afraid to adjust. You don't have to figure it all out by Launch Day.
Conclusion
If you've completed these steps, you're well on your journey to creating a vibrant online community! The great news, if you're new to this you'll find that your abilities as a Host will evolve and develop over time. And even better every time a new person joining your network, it gets more valuable and more active; we call this the network effect.
And you don't need to create your community on your own. Come join OUR community! It's free, and full of hosts who have been exactly where you are. If you're looking to get the complete authentic Community Design(tm) instruction You can find it here!
Do you want to build the community of your dreams?
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