I was recently chatting community with Nola Simon about community and she pointed me to her words on what she wanted from community.
I present the words here as something to reflect on in the hope it helps us all think creatively about how to build community.
There are no rights or wrongs, nor any deep analysis from me.
I generally agree with most things that are said, though the practicality of “being able to do it all”, “making it happen” and “having the tech” is another story.
Community is sort of like Goldilocks and the Three Bears. It’s hard to find the fit that’s JUUUST right
by Nola Simon
For me, it’s important to like the host and believe that they are forming a community to share something valuable. I need to believe that you are interested in the community and that it’s not just part of a business plan.
I want the host to be engaged. I’m totally ok with you hiring extra help to manage the community but I want to see you there regularly and interacting with your staff. Hiring help doesn’t mean you get to phone it in. I realize life changes and you have to make choices about the time you spend in the community but if you cut your commitment, don’t expect that it won’t impact my decisions.
I don’t love monthly subscriptions - I tend to buy annual subscriptions for communities I really love. If I choose monthly, I have to make the decision each month if it’s worth it. Chances are, I’m going to cancel. Annual subscriptions mean that I can enjoy and participate in the community without the regular reminder that you are monetizing my engagement. A lifetime membership is even better (the community lifetime, not yours).
As much as I like to engage, I also like to feel like you appreciate me. Tag me in things you think I’d be interested in reading. Check on me.
I’m not super interested in huge communities because I think the personal connection gets lost the bigger the group.
I’m interested in connecting outside of the community. One day you might close your community & I don’t want to lose the relationships. It’s the start of long term networking.
Don’t prioritize in person over remote. Someone will always feel left out. If you have a global audience & choose to host an in person event, have an option for remote participation. I don’t mean just distributing recordings. Do the work to make remote attendees feel valued & included. Yes, it’s harder but it’s worth it. FOMO isn’t as motivating as you think it is.
I want to feel like you respect my opinions & insights. It’s really cool when you take an idea someone in the group shares and amplify it. Always give credit. You may be the expert but community gives you access to diverse perspectives you may not have considered. Honour that.
Yes, your time is valuable but so is mine. Private conversations make me feel you value me. Do you just offer a free one time consultation the first year of community? That great but what’s the value for signing up again?
The exit process is just as important as onboarding. It’s the final impression of the community. Will you miss me or just my money? What’s the legacy of my involvement with your community? Why should I refer or recommend you?
I want to feel like my engagement matters. If I leave and come back, do you notice? Does the platform remember me or does it feel like I never existed? Disengagement is as easy as an automated message that says “hi, nice to meet you” like I didn’t devote a year of my life to your community already.
