A community is a place of inclusion; a place where people bond over a common interest, passion, or purpose. Your community is a place for your members to build relationships that have values.
A person only becomes a community member when these four things happen;
- The community aligns with their identity.
- They trust that the community will bring them value.
- They know how to participate.
- There is a reward for their participation.
What is your ideal community member identity?
A student interested in Tech uses it and is willing to build a career in the Tech space. Find potential members who fit the community identity you envision. Your first set of Team members is very important, they set the tone for your entire community. They will set the standard of quality and tone for everyone else.
Earn their Trust
You have to build trust. Your community members should be able to trust you and your team members. This can easily be done by bringing them value. Ask questions, what would your community members want to learn. Ask for feedback and use those feedbacks to fuel your idea, so they feel invested. They will care about making the community succeed alongside.
Fuel Participation
Start conversations in your groups. Bring them together in your events, online or offline. If you can’t do it in-person, do it live online. Make your team members talk to the new members, make them feel welcomed.
One way to do this is to create a habit; a unique thing that your community is always looking forward to. Examples; Daily challenges, newsletter, Freelancing gigs, etc.
Reward your Members
This time, you want to validate that your members got values from participation. Always request feedback at the end of your events. It helps to know if you have done well or not. If some things don’t go as anticipated, that’s fine. You have learned what didn’t work and can try something else.
Repeat these processes
Ask your current members to invite new members. Grow your community!