Gathering Essential Details About the Audience
Prompt Template:
“I am building a community for [describe your target audience]. Help me create a comprehensive profile of my audience, including their challenges, goals, and what would motivate them to join and engage. Ask me questions to ensure the profile is detailed and actionable.”
Questions to Expect:
- What specific problem are they trying to solve?
- What are their pain points?
- What would success look like for them after joining the community?
- What demographics or psychographics define them (e.g., age, experience, interests)?
- How do they prefer to interact—forums, live events, group chats, or something else?
Expected Output:
A detailed member persona, including their needs, motivators, and preferred interaction styles.
Clarifying Purpose, Goals, and Guidelines for the Community
Prompt Template:
*“I need to define the purpose, goals, and guidelines for my community [membership site/learning campus]. Create a framework to outline the following:
- The primary purpose or mission of the community.
- Tangible goals for members and for the community as a whole.
- Clear and simple community guidelines to encourage engagement and maintain a positive atmosphere.
Ask me any questions to clarify my niche, audience, or goals to ensure the output fits my needs.”*
Expected Output:
- Purpose: A single statement summarizing the community’s focus (e.g., “To help over-40 first-time online course creators build their confidence and skills.”)
- Goals: SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound) goals for community growth and member success.
- Guidelines: Examples such as “Be respectful of others’ opinions,” “No self-promotion without approval,” “Participate actively at least once a week,” etc.
Organizing Communities When Starting Out
Prompt Template:
“Help me organize the types of communities I should create when starting my [membership site/learning campus/community site]. Focus on identifying the key groups, interests, and goals my audience might have. Include suggestions for social groups, interest-based communities, and goal-oriented groups. If you need more information about my audience or purpose, ask follow-up questions.”
Expected Output:
A categorized list of community types, such as:
- Social Groups (e.g., networking, introductions, general discussions)
- Interest-Based Groups (e.g., hobby or topic-specific groups)
- Goal-Oriented Groups (e.g., accountability groups, progress tracking)
- Resource & Support Groups (e.g., sharing tools, answering questions)
Step-by-Step Checklist for a New Community Owner
Prompt Template:
“I am starting a membership community for [target audience, e.g., new online course creators]. Provide a step-by-step checklist or plan I can follow to set up my community successfully. Include details for planning, setting up, launching, and managing the community. If additional details about my audience or goals are needed, ask clarifying questions.”
Expected Output:
1. Pre-Setup:
- Identify your niche and audience.
- Clarify the mission and vision for the community.
- Research competitors or similar communities.
- Define initial offerings or activities (e.g., discussions, events).
2. Setup:
- Choose a platform (e.g., Circle, Heartbeat, BuddyBoss).
- Create a welcoming landing page or introductory space.
- Set up categories or groups for topics or interests.
- Write and post community guidelines.
3. Content Preparation:
- Draft 5-10 initial discussion topics or resources.
- Plan a welcome post or video introducing yourself and the community.
- Set up an onboarding email sequence or guide for new members.
4. Launch:
- Announce the community to your audience with a clear call to action.
- Host a launch event or webinar to gather initial members.
- Actively engage with every new member to build momentum.
5. Management:
- Schedule regular content (e.g., weekly posts, live Q&As).
- Monitor and moderate discussions to maintain a positive tone.
- Gather feedback to improve and expand the community.
6. Growth:
- Encourage members to invite others.
- Add exclusive content or features for engagement.
- Monitor metrics such as member retention, participation rates, and feedback.