I noticed something about communities and stores; they both have an engagement ladder. 1. At first, people just look. 2. Then they start commenting or liking. 3. Eventually, they buy / contribute. The secret is moving them up step by step, not forcing them. Question: How do you move members up your ladder?

Stores have them too. People who visit the page, look around but don't "join" (buy). In both worlds, the key is: 1. Make them feel safe 2. Give them a reason to act 3. Show them others are active Question: What's one trick you use to turn lurkers into contributors? I'll go first in the comments.

If people don't trust you, there won't be engagement or conversions. I found trust comes from: 1. Consistency 2. Stories 3. Results Question: How do you personally build trust in your community?

That flop taught me a golden lesson for communities: 1. Don't build what YOU want, build what THEY want. Now, I always listen first, create second. Question: Have you ever launched something in your community that totally flopped?

We tested something small; instead of just selling, we asked our customers for feedback on what they wanted next. It shifted everything. People stopped seeing it as "just a store" and started seeing it as "their brand." That's when I realized: The more you make people feel like they belong, the stronger the community gets. Question: How do you make your community members feel like they own a piece of it?