Member lifecycle in 3 steps!

For the last two months, I've been looking into communities and how they do things. I looked at the onboarding, rewards, and member distribution. I also added some data analysis, to come up with a member life-cycle! It breaks down into three levels:

Newcomer
Regular
Veteran

Each level in your community will have different needs. And with those needs come expectations.

Newcomers:

For a newcomer, onboarding is the top priority to ensure the best possible experience. This is someone who recently joined the community. They are full of excitement about the features and the people they will meet! The key is to engage them as soon as possible—both with your content and the community. The time between someone joining and their first post or comment is a good metric to track. If someone does not activate early, they are likely to churn when they see the recurring payment!

How to reward and keep newcomers?

Give them easy wins at the beginning to get them hooked
Offer clear instructions on how to play your game and win
Create a welcome sequence to make them feel at home immediately

How to know your newcomers are doing well?

Low time to activation
Low number of members at levels 1-3

Regulars:

A regular is someone who wants to engage in the community and get rewards for it. These members are the backbone of the community and make up most of your members. They want to feel rewarded for their engagement. Reward them with course unlocks, extra calls, and a sense of progression.

If they contribute without recognition, they will stop doing it! Like in a video game: imagine receiving a cardboard piece instead of a shiny new armor. Wouldn't that be demotivating?

How to reward regulars?

Provide level unlocks from levels 4-7, including courses, calls, and merch! You name it!

How to know regulars are doing well?

Strong engagement
Low churn rate

Veterans: A veteran is a true fan who believes in your mission and is eager to help. These members are often at the highest levels. Sometimes, even higher than the community owner! It is important to recognize and keep them, as they can make your community buzz with energy.

How to reward veterans?