Thread by @DruRly

1/ 💬 Trends #0045 — Paid Communities

A thread:

• 🏁 24 Players

• 🔮 3 Predictions

• ☁️ 7 Opportunities

• 🔑 4 Key Lessons

• 😠 5 Haters

2/ 🔍 Problem

Free communities tend to be noisy without a barrier to entry.

3/ 💡 Solution

Paid communities use strategic friction to build high-signal environments.

4/ 🏁 Paid Communities

• Trends Pro @DruRly
• Femstreet @femstreet
• Founder Summit @FounderSummit
• MicroConf Connect @MicroConf
• Consulting Club @consultingclub_
• Launch MBA @LaunchMBA

5/ 🏁 Paid Communities

• PandoLabs @PandoLabs
• MicroAcquire @microacquire
• Launch House @launch_house
• Lenny’s Newsletter @lennysan
• Everything Marketplaces @Yoroomie

6/ 🏁 Tools

• Laylo @laylodotcom
• Icebreaker @IcebreakerVideo
• Hopin @HopinOfficial
• Gumroad @gumroad
• Commsor @Commsor
• Slack @SlackHQ

7/ 🏁 Platforms

• Disciple @DiscipleMedia
• Facebook @Facebook
• Circle @CircleApp
• Mighty Networks @MightyNetworks
• Patreon @Patreon
• PeerBoard @peerboard

8/ 🔮 Prediction

Fractionally-owned assets will be the basis of “paid” communities. @Nike MAG shareholders have more in common than those of utility companies.

withotis.com/drop/nike-mag

9/ 🔮 Prediction

Community-as-a-Service will become a common XaaS category. Late Checkout helps brands build communities.

trends.vc/trends-0017-xa…

10/ 🔮 Prediction

Funds will leverage paid communities for deal flow. See MicroConf Connect (@tinyseedfund) and Founder Summit Remote (@earnestcapital).

trends.vc/trends-0019-bo…

11/ ☁️ Opportunities

Build an audience first. Start with a newsletter, podcast or YouTube channel.

Audience-to-community solves the chicken and egg problem.

Trends.vc reached 20,000+ subscribers before Trends Tribe meetups were launched.

trends.vc/trends-0030-au…

12/ ☁️ Opportunities

Craft a mission statement. See @CompoundWriting's Manifesto.

Why do you gather?
What’s your mission?
What are your core values?
What problems do you solve together?

13/ ☁️ Opportunities

Use challenges to gamify success. @LaunchMBA members produce 12 products in 12 months.

trends.vc/trends-0021-ga…

14/ ☁️ Opportunities

Create rituals.

Host standups, meetups, co-building sessions and retreats to form bonds and productive habits.

Trends Pro Members build compounding relationships in daily standups.

https://twitter.com/naval/status/1002103908947263488

15/ ☁️ Opportunities

Leverage user-generated content.

Hundreds of people Tweet using #100DaysOfNoCode. Bringing attention to the community.

16/ ☁️ Opportunities

Nurture one-on-one connections to build a stronger community.

Trends Pro Members have weekly one-on-ones.

17/ ☁️ Opportunities

Build growth tools to draw members into your paid community.

See the No-Code Marketplace directory, toolkit and book from @marketplaceshq

trends.vc/trends-0016-gr…

18/ 🔑 Key Lessons

Price is multi-dimensional.

@CompoundWriting requires you to submit your best writing to apply.

This is non-monetary friction.

19/ 🔑 Key Lessons

Paid community members have skin in the game.

Investment limits noise and boosts engagement.

20/ 🔑 Key Lessons

You’re the average of the 5 people you surround yourself with.

Paid communities raise the average.

21/ 🔑 Key Lessons

Beware of reverse network effects.

Scale changes everything. Especially groups.

Engagement drops as communities grow.

22/ 😠 Haters

“You already covered this.”

Yes and I’ve covered No-Code, Bootstrap Funds and Micro Private Equity more than once.

There’s always more to learn.

trends.vc/trends-0038-mi…

23/ 😠 Haters

“Most of these communities are online.”

Google jiu-jitsu, country club or university if you’re looking for offline paid communities.

24/ 😠 Haters

“Some online paid communities are built without an audience.”

Cold outreach, personal networks and borrowed credibility can work.

25/ 😠 Haters

“Paid communities are exclusionary.”

Yes. So are “free” communities. You can’t pay to become a Navy SEAL but the price can be your life.

Price is more than money.

26/ 😠 Haters

“What about community fatigue?”

Fatigue is a forcing function for quality. The same goes for newsletters.

trends.vc/trends-0036-pa…

27/ 📈 Get the full report

trends.vc/trends-0045-pa…