The Power of community: enhancing Your Membership with a community component

Communities have become an integral part of a lot of successful memberships. Now more than ever, people crave connection and community. Building that into your membership can have great results for your members…and for you.  In this Membership Community Platform series, we’ll explore the role of community in memberships and look at great community platform options. First up is Circle. In this article, we’ll look at how the platform Circle can elevate your member experience. 

1. Building Connections:

At the heart of many successful membership is a strong sense of community. Having a community component gives members a place to connect, engage, and feel seen, heard, &  understood. A strong community not only helps members show up and take action, it keeps them staying month after month and even year after year. It has a big impact on member retention rates.
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By fostering engagement and connection, you can create a place where members with shared interests can come together to support, inspire, and learn from each other. It gives them a reason to keep showing up. They are not only connecting, they are building relationships and quite possibly friendships. 

Some ideas to get you started: introduce yourself posts, share a win, ask a question. Encourage engagement and connection. The possibilities are endless!

How does that fit with Circle?

With Circle's community component, members can connect, build relationships, engage in discussions, ask questions, share insights, and get support. This enhances the membership experience and at the same time fosters a sense of belonging and camaraderie among your members. 

2. Collaboration and Networking Opportunities:

Networking and collaboration opportunities can be a great addition to your memberships. While it may be more common in the business niche, it can definitely fit a ton of other niches too. Think out of the box. A knitting membership? Break out into groups based on ability level. A bookkeeping membership? Host co-working sessions. 

Some ideas to get you started: Create pods for members to connect with a smaller group, have breakout rooms to have more intimate conversations, host networking events (monthly or quarterly). Listen to your members. What are they asking for?

How does that fit with Circle?

Members can form smaller groups or pods based on specific topics or interests. This can foster deeper connections, allow members to exchange ideas and even collaborate on projects. Often these can lead to long-lasting relationships and partnerships.

3. Knowledge Sharing and Learning:

Another great advantage of a community-driven membership is the opportunity to tap into a collective knowledge base. While you may an expert in your niche, and in your membership, creating a space that encourages others to share insight can not only build a stronger community, it can alleviate some stress for you.

​Create a culture where members are encouraged to share their expertise and experiences. It can be the place where members ask questions, offer insight, and help each other. It can be the go-to hub for members when they need feedback and support. 

Members can seek advice, share resources, and learn from each other's successes and failures. This knowledge sharing aspect strengthens the overall value of a membership. Members gain access to a wealth of insights and perspectives from other members.

How does that fit with Circle?

Circle allows you to structure your membership so members have a place to share their insights and experiences with one another. It's clear to members where to find resources, how to connect, and where to get their questions answered.

4. Accountability and Motivation:

Accountability plays a vital role in achieving goals, both personally and professionally. It's one of the pieces that is often lacking in stand alone courses. You know the ones that sit on the proverbial bookshelf unfinished and collecting "dust".

There is power in community, in not going it alone. Support and encouragement from other members can make a big difference for motivation and progress. Whether it's celebrating wins, offering insight or constructive feedback, or encouraging a member, the community component in a membership empowers members to stay on track and push through obstacles. And most importantly, they know they're not alone.

How does that fit with Circle?

​Members can share their progress, set milestones, and hold each other accountable. By committing to their goals in the membership, members are more likely to stay motivated and reach their goals. 

5. Enhanced Engagement and Retention:

Members may join a membership for one reason (content, access to a coach, etc...) and stay for a different reason. That reason is often community. A strong, connected community has a big impact on member retention. Members are more likely to stay month after month in the membership, and actively engage and connect with the community when they feel connected, valued, and supported. 

The sense of community and belonging encourages members to actively participate and stay invested in the membership experience. It's often what keeps them showing up and taking action. 

How does Circle fit in?

Circle has tools and features to facilitate ongoing engagement, ensuring members continue to get great value from their membership. 

Conclusion:

Connection is more important than ever - in person and in the online space. Creating a community component in your membership adds a powerful layer of interaction, collaboration, and support to your membership experience. It's often what people are really craving.

​There are a lot of options for people in the online space. Course after course, group after group, and membership after membership. So how do you create a membership that stands out above the rest?

Include a community component and create a culture of connection. 

A membership with a community component that fosters meaningful connections, facilitates knowledge sharing, promotes collaboration, and enhances engagement will be set your membership apart. Members will not only be staying, they'll be spearing the word about your membership.

There are a lot of membership platforms out there. Circle fits the bill for creating a strong, engaged community.  It's clean structure and focus on connection makes it a place that you and your members will love. 

Circle is currently offering a free 14 day trial. It's a great way to dig into in and see if it's a good fit for you and your members. Sign up here to check it out.