In this conversation, Jay Clouse, founder of Creator Science, discusses the art of building online communities. He dives into his membership model, 'The Lab,' sharing insights on nurturing member engagement and effective onboarding. Jay emphasizes the importance of crafting unique experiences to stand out, while also tackling common pitfalls in community building. He advises on pricing strategies, sales pages, and delivering consistent value to retain members. Clouse's expertise shines as he illustrates how strong initial interactions can foster lasting connections.
The productivity lab caters to ambitious professionals seeking transformation and connection.
Balancing a high membership fee with tiered access for a broader audience is considered.
Launching with a private group emphasizes relationships and successful onboarding processes.
Utilizing a barbell pricing approach offers free and premium options to cater to different audience segments.
Deep dives
Understanding the Community's Value Proposition
The productivity lab is positioned to help ambitious entrepreneurs, creators, and professionals, aiming to improve productivity. These individuals seek transformation, connection, and a sense of identity. By targeting a broader audience beyond just entrepreneurs, the lab aligns with a vision of serving a diverse group of individuals seeking enhanced productivity.
Pricing Strategy and Audience Considerations
There is a contemplation between offering a $300 or $1,000 yearly membership fee. The decision leans towards a higher price point to provide a more stress-free and fulfilling experience for a smaller number of customers. However, considerations also include serving a broader audience at more affordable rates through a tiered access platform to balance accessibility and revenue goals.
Private Opening Approach and Community Scale
The plan involves a phased approach, starting with a private opening where fewer individuals are introduced to the community to emphasize relationships and connections. The success of the launch is tied to a well-planned onboarding process to ensure new members feel welcomed and guided through their initial interactions.
Balancing Free and Paid Offerings for a Wider Reach
The discussion includes the idea of a barbell pricing approach, where offerings are either free or at a premium level. To maintain a balance between high ticket prices and broader market accessibility, free events, resources, and lower-tier memberships are considered to complement the high-end offerings, providing value across various audience segments.
Creating a Magical First Experience for New Community Members
Ensuring that the initial experience for new community members is exceptional can have a lasting impact on their engagement and belief in the community's value. By offering personal one-on-one onboarding calls, guiding members through web page experiences, and providing clear next steps, a sense of excitement and belonging is fostered. This hands-on approach, coupled with timely emails, direct messages, and onboarding courses, aims to address the 'now what' questions that new members often have, creating a seamless and welcoming entry into the community.
Navigating the Challenges of Community Introductions and Participation
Member introductions play a crucial role in community engagement, yet the lack of response or welcoming atmosphere can dampen the experience. Setting clear expectations for successful participation, encouraging member interactions, and prioritizing timely and personalized responses can enhance the introduction process. Furthermore, streamlining event organization, focusing on recurring value over content quantity, and carefully balancing event frequency to maintain exclusivity and excitement can cultivate a more engaged and cohesive community.
Consolidating Multiple Communities into One Big Circle Space
Considering the consolidation of separate communities into a single overarching space offers convenience and potential integration benefits for members. However, attention must be given to maintaining privacy, managing permission levels, and navigating platform limitations to ensure a seamless user experience. Addressing factors like content organization, permissioned access, and real-time interactions are vital in optimizing the community's functionality and fostering sustainable growth and engagement.
Starting a Community with a Small Audience
Commencing a community initiative with a small audience of five to ten individuals can be an effective strategy to build strong initial connections and cultivate an engaged core group. Leveraging real-time interactions and personalized experiences can enhance member relationships and drive early growth. Emphasizing quality interactions, live events, and fostering a sense of closeness among members can lay a solid foundation for community expansion and long-term retention.
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If you’re active in the creator space you’ll probably be familiar with the name Jay Clouse. Jay is the founder of Creator Science, a media company specialising in helping creators build businesses around their brands. In this episode, we delve into his membership community "The Lab," discussing everything from its inception to its revenue generation. Jay also shares some tips to make Productivity Lab a success! Enjoy the conversation.
(00:00) Intro (01:01) How Jay started (07:15) The history of “The Lab” (09:55) Community vs content (15:35) About Productivity Lab (25:45) The challenges (33:40) Jay’s approach to sales pages (36:30) Price: to cap or not to cap (46:30) Higher ticket, lower volume? (52:40) How many people to bring into the community (1:02:40) Spaces within the community (1:07:05) Mistakes we can learn from (1:10:00) Giving recurring value (1:21:00) The importance of a good first experience
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