447 - Love Your Lurkers: Why Quiet Members Are Often The Most Valuable

In this episode, I dive into the often-overlooked group within membership communities: the "lurkers"—those quiet members who rarely participate publicly but remain subscribed and engaged in their own ways.

I break down why silence doesn't mean disengagement, how these silent members may actually be some of your most valuable, and what you as a membership owner can do to serve and retain them.

I also share practical tips for balancing your community to support both vocal and quieter members, ensuring your membership thrives for everyone.

If you're ready to rethink how you look at engagement and create a space where all types of members feel valued, this episode is for you.

In this episode:

• Who are the "lurkers" in membership communities, and why do they matter?
• Does silence from members really mean they're disengaged or not finding value in your membership?
• What mistakes do membership owners make when trying to increase engagement, and how can these backfire?
• How can you better serve and retain your quieter members without alienating them or making them uncomfortable?

Key Quotes & Takeaways:

"Some of your longest standing, most loyal members may be the ones that you've never heard from. They don't need to be active in your community to get what they came for. They don't need to turn up to live calls to actually see value. They might be quietly in the background, binging your courses, downloading and utilizing templates, or simply taking comfort from knowing that your resources, your content, your support is there when they need it. They might not be visible, but they're still quietly succeeding because of what you provide."

"Your courses, your downloads, your templates, your toolkits, whatever content you're creating, they should still deliver value, even if someone never once sets foot in the community. That way lurkers will still feel like being part of your membership is worthwhile and is valued."

"Lurking is a perfectly valid form of participation, and the silent majority in your membership are often just as valuable, if not more valuable, than the vocal minority."

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