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As time passes, creating a free yet robust online community has the ability to bring in all of the top of funnel leads that you'll ever require. Does it sound too good to be true? This could be true. It's a difficult question because you want to avoid putting to provide so much value through the unpaid community that paying members aren't enticed to sign up for your paid-membership community.
In the event that there's an active, non-profit community within your field, do you have your own unique selling point to draw people away from the place they're already comfortable participating in - where they know people and have a reputation - to be part of your community?
If you are, then good luck to you. If not, consider how you can come alongside this vibrant community to make yourself a respected participant. This will be discussed in a moment. Two common platforms for creating communities for free include Facebook Groups and discussion forums. If you decide to go with Facebook We recommend having a closed Facebook Group where non participants can see that the group exists and can join in until they have been approved by group's organizer. If you've got an public group, discussions are usually centered about the least common denominator , and can quickly degenerate. The goal is to make a welcoming, friendly environment so people actually participate, similar to your membership. Facebook also offers completely hidden "secret", invite only groups, but you don't need this since you're using it as a top of funnel source and absolutely need to be discoverable.
The most significant drawback for users of Facebook is that you're playing with the sandbox of someone else. If they alter their rules, which they've previously done, your community can vanish in a matter of minutes. Being more in control and taking lesser risk is crucial, considering the time and effort required to create such a community. A free to join discussion forum can also be a good community choice. Find out if the software you're using within your membership permits you to set up a spin-off community in front of the paywall.
Either way, clearly post community rules and be prepared to moderate discussions when needed. If you have moderators within your community that are paid, extend their territory to include patrolling your free community, too.
Again, I highly suggest establishing a formalized free vs. paid-for content strategy. If you've created one in place, you are able to start the discussion within your free community with your free content and thus promote your paid membership without being pushy.
Whatever the location you choose to run a community for free there is a need to devote a considerable amount of effort into it, especially in the beginning. It is essential to establish yourself as the leader of your group as well as the industry expert. Give a lot of value at the beginning and respond to questions in depth and quickly. As time goes on, assuming you have an adequate number of members and you are able to do so, then pull your participation in the group for free. In particular, you should inform your members know that you'll be around on Fridays and Tuesdays to respond to questions and take part. If they want to talk with you earlier, you're always available on your membership paid community forum.
It is also important to provide less detailed answers to questions as time goes on. Give answers by every means, but you shouldn't divulge the entire solution as you would a paying member. Give a taste and then direct the community member toward your paid membership where they will find the complete answer to that question and many more. It's also beneficial when you are able to point them to content within your membership that answers specific questions posed in your group for free. As with any acquisition channel it is essential to have a method to capture leads and get prospects into your marketing funnel. Download your lead magnet. Once you have it, they will begin getting your email nurture sequence. Do not skip this step.
Additionally, make sure you're constantly marketing your paid membership to your community that is free. Do not be intrusive, rude, or in-your-face about the matter, but do include hyperlinks to all your free material (which obviously include lead magnets for opt-ins throughout the piece) Podcast episodes and announcements about the addition of your paid membership, as well as promotional offers to encourage conversions.
Only create a free community following careful consideration on your part. It's a long-term investment as is running your own show, but if you can get momentum, it's off to race to get your paid membership!
Participate as a leader within the existing communities.
If there are any or more communities online that focus on your area of expertise You can join them and frequently contribute to, assist others, and provide value, rather than making a fresh start by creating your own competing community.
It could be viewed as an extension of your social strategy and participation should form an aspect of your routine. That is it is important to keep a list of the Facebook and Twitter interactions that you wish to engage in over the course of a week. Include participation in these community sites one of the primary things on the list. Make it a priority to add it to your schedule and stick with it, since if you're participation is sporadic, you're just wasting your time as you won't get recognized or be noticed with a significant impact.
In time, if you're consistent in this manner, you'll establish yourself as an authority that people will pay attention to and look out for in the communities for free. Don't hear me say that you shouldn't overtake a community of another with spammy, salesy junk. That will get you only one way to exit courtesy of the organization's leader. Respect their rules and advertise your membership in the manner that is permitted in the organic approach to influencers, goal #1 is to become a helpful individual who adds lots of value to your community.
Reddit and Quora
Reddit along with Quora are two of the most often ignored gems that serve as an all-in-one resource for those looking for anything on the internet. I'd be shocked if you searched those two sites and found nothing relevant to your topic.
The ability to answer questions on Quora and Reddit that pertain to your area of membership creates an opportunity that continues providing. If you're a useful resource on those sites users will see your responses over and over again.
You can add participation on these sites in your social media strategies checklist as well. Even if you visit these websites once per monthly or every quarter, establish some amount of presence if your industry topic is discussed on either site. Take an hour to search these sites to find questions that you could respond to or threads where you can provide something useful to. If you're able to compose a dozen replies in that time, you've planted seeds which will soon bear fruit as those questions and threads get referenced often in the future.
If you're visiting these websites, remember that one of the most important rules of marketing: First, be helpful, then be even more useful, and then you'll be so unbelievably helpful by giving so much value there's only one option left for your target audience to give you money to get additional sweetness and worth.