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As time passes, creating an open and free online community has the ability to bring in every top-of-the-line leads that you'll ever require. Does it sound too good to be real? Maybe. It's a difficult question since you do not want to provide so much value through the community for free that paying members aren't enticed to sign up for your paid-membership community.
In the event that there's an active and free-of-cost community in your industry Do you have your own unique selling point to attract people from the place they're already comfortable with - and where they've met people and built an established reputation to join yours?
If yes, good for ya. If not, think about ways to join the existing community that is flourishing and be a valuable member. We'll discuss that soon. Two platforms that are commonly used to build communities for free are Facebook Groups and discussion forums. If you choose to use Facebook it is recommended to create an exclusive Facebook Group where non participants are able to see the group is there, but can't participate without being approved by the leader of the group. If you have a completely open group, the conversations are usually centered on the lowest common factor and can quickly degenerate. You want to create a welcoming, friendly environment that people are able to take part, just like within the paid-for subscription. Facebook is also a place where you can find completely unnoticed "secret", invite only groups. However, you do not want this as you're using it as an upper-end source that must be found.
The biggest pitfall that comes with Facebook is that you're playing in the sandbox of someone else. If they make changes to their rules, which they've previously done the community could disappear within a short time. Having more control and assuming lower risk are important given the amount of time and energy that is required to establish such a community. Discussion forums that are free to join forum is also a viable community choice. Find out if the software you're using within your membership permits you to set up an off-site community that is in front of the cost of the paywall.
In any case, be sure to clearly state community rules and be prepared to moderate discussion as needed. If there are moderators in your paid community, expand their responsibilities to include guarding the community that is free as well.
Again, I highly suggest establishing a formalized free vs. paid-for content strategy. Once you have one, you can seed the discussion within your free community using your free content and, in turn, increase the value of your membership without being pushy.
Whatever the location you choose to host a free community, you're going to need to invest a significant amount of effort into it at the very beginning. It is essential to make yourself the head of your group as well as an industry professional. Offer a great deal of value at the beginning and answer questions thoroughly and promptly. But as time passes forward, and you're sure to have a critical mass of participants and you are able to do so, then pull your participation in the group that is free. In particular, you should inform your members know that you'll be there on Wednesdays and Fridays, to respond to questions and take part. If they'd prefer to talk to you sooner, you're available every day within your community of paid members forum.
Also, you should leave more specific answers to your questions as time goes on. Give answers by any means, but do not offer the complete answer as you would to a paying member. Give a taste and then point the free community member towards your paid membership, where they will find the complete solution to this question as well as many more. It's also helpful when you are able to point them to content within your membership that can answer specific questions that are asked by the group you are in. Like any other acquisition channel it is essential to have a method to collect leads and bring prospects into your marketing funnel, aka download your lead magnet. Once you have it, they will begin receiving your email nurture sequence. Make sure you do this.
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 it. Instead, you should include links to all of your free content (which of course have lead magnet opt-ins scattered across the content) Podcasts, episodes of podcasts, announcements of additions to your paid membership, as well as specific promotions that will help increase sales.
Only create a free community after very careful consideration by you. It's a long term play similar to hosting your own podcast, however, if you're able to gain the momentum going, then you're off to the race for the paid membership!
Be a role model in your existing communities.
If you are a member of one or more free communities online that focus on your field of expertise, you could join there and frequently contribute to, assist others, and provide value, rather than creating a new community by launching your own competing community.
The idea of this could be thought of as an extension of your social strategy and participation should form an aspect of your routine. In other words you must keep a list of the your social media activities you want to achieve throughout the week. Include participation in these community sites one of the primary points on your checklist. Get it on your calendar and commit to it as if your involvement is spotty, you're in the wrong place as you'll not be noticed or stand out in a meaningful way.
Over time if you're consistent to this method, you'll establish yourself as an expert who individuals will be interested in and seek out within these communities that are free. Do not believe me when I say you shouldn't bombard someone else's community with salesy, snarky emails. That will get you a one-way ticket to the departure of the group's organizer. Follow their rules, only advertise your membership in the manner that is permitted in your natural influencer plan The first goal is to be a helpful person who provides a lot of value to your community.
Reddit and Quora
Reddit as well as Quora are often overlooked treasures that function as a catch-all for anyone searching for something online. I'd be shocked by the results of a search on these two websites and didn't find anything relevant to your topic.
The ability to answer questions on Quora and Reddit relevant to your membership space creates the opportunity to keep giving. If you're a useful source on these sites, people will find your responses over and over again.
It is possible to add participation on these sites in your social media strategies and checklist. Even if you visit these sites once per monthly or every quarter, make sure you have some sort of engagement if your business topic is discussed on either website. You should spend an hour looking through these sites to find questions that you could solve or threads that you could contribute something valuable to. If you are able to write more than a dozen responses within that hour, you've planted little seeds that eventually will bear fruits as these threads and questions are referenced time and time again later on.
When you're on these sites be sure to remember one of my golden principles of marketing: First, be helpful, then be even more useful, and then you'll be so unbelievably helpful by providing so much value that you have no choice but that your intended audience be willing to pay for even more sweet, sweet value.