The Foundation: Why Growth Matters
Building a successful paid community isn't just about getting members in the door—it's about creating sustainable growth that compounds over time. Here's why strategic growth is essential:
The Compound Effect
Month 1: 10 members × $50/month = $500 MRR Month 6: 100 members × $50/month = $5,000 MRR
Month 12: 300 members × $50/month = $15,000 MRR Month 24: 750 members × $50/month = $37,500 MRR
Each new member not only contributes recurring revenue but can also become an advocate who refers others—creating exponential growth potential.
Business Stability
A growing community provides:
Predictable recurring revenue that compounds monthly
Higher lifetime value as engaged members stay longer
Lower customer acquisition cost through word-of-mouth referrals
Stronger bargaining power with partners and sponsors
Exit optionality if you decide to sell your business
Personal Fulfillment
Beyond financials, a thriving community:
Validates your expertise and value proposition
Creates meaningful connections and relationships
Enables you to make a bigger impact
Builds your personal brand and authority
Opens doors to new opportunities
Phase 1: Launch Strategy (Days 1-30)
The first 30 days set the tone for your community's success. Here's how to launch strategically:
Pre-Launch: Build Anticipation
2-4 Weeks Before Launch:
1. Create a Waitlist
Use tools like ConvertKit, Beehiiv, or even a simple Google Form
Offer early-bird pricing to waitlist members (20-30% discount)
Share exclusive pre-launch content to build excitement
Set a specific launch date and time
2. Prepare Your Content Calendar
Plan first month of content, events, or deliverables
Create welcome sequence for new members
Schedule 3-5 high-value posts or sessions for launch week
Prepare onboarding materials (getting started guide, FAQ)
3. Recruit Founding Members
Personally invite 10-20 people you know will love it
Offer exclusive "founding member" benefits (lifetime discounts, special role/badge)
Ask for feedback and testimonials
Empower them to be community ambassadors
4. Line Up Launch Content
Write announcement posts for all your channels
Create graphics and promotional materials
Record a launch video explaining the value
Prepare social media content calendar for launch week
Launch Day: Make It an Event
Your Launch Checklist:
✓ Share your LaunchPass offer page link everywhere
✓ Post announcement in your email list
✓ Publish across all social media platforms
✓ Go live on your platform (IG/YouTube/TikTok) to announce
✓ Personally message your warmest leads
✓ Post in relevant communities (with permission)
✓ Create urgency with limited-time launch pricing
✓ Be actively present to answer questions immediately
Launch Day Activities:
Hour 1: Email blast to full list
Hour 2-3: Social media blitz across all platforms
Hour 4-6: Engage with all comments and DMs personally
Hour 8-10: Go live to share more details and answer questions
Hour 12: Share early results and testimonials
Hour 24: Final push with urgency reminder
First Week: Activate Your Members
Critical first-week actions:
1. Welcome Every Single Member Personally
Send personalized DM to each new member
Thank them for joining
Ask what they're most excited about
Offer to answer any questions
2. Host a Live Welcome Event
Schedule within 48 hours of launch
Introduce yourself and share your vision
Give community tour and explain structure
Q&A session for new members
Recording available for those who miss it
3. Encourage Introductions
Create dedicated introduction channel/thread
Make it fun with specific prompts: "Share your name, where you're from, and your favorite [relevant topic]"
Respond to every single introduction
Facilitate connections between members with similar interests
4. Deliver Immediate Value
Don't wait—provide high-value content immediately
Quick wins build momentum and confidence
Over-deliver in the first week to exceed expectations
Create "aha moments" that validate their purchase
5. Gather Early Feedback
Send survey asking about their experience so far
What do they love? What's confusing?
What content/features do they want most?
Use feedback to iterate quickly
Phase 2: Sharing Your Invite Page
Your LaunchPass offer page is your primary conversion tool. Here's how to maximize its reach:
Your Offer Page URL
After publishing your offer, LaunchPass generates a unique URL: launchpass.com/your-community-name/offer-name
This is your golden ticket—share it everywhere!
Where to Share Your Link
1. Email Signature
Add to your personal email signature
Include a one-liner: "Join my exclusive [community type]: [link]"
Update team members' signatures too
2. Social Media Profiles
Instagram/TikTok bio link
Twitter/X pinned tweet
LinkedIn "Featured" section
YouTube channel description and video descriptions
Facebook About section
3. Content You Create
Blog posts (sidebar, inline CTAs, end-of-post)
YouTube video descriptions and pinned comments
Podcast show notes
Newsletter footer
Webinar follow-ups
4. Everywhere You Have an Audience
Course platforms (if you teach courses)
Existing free communities
Speaking engagement slides
Online profiles (Medium, Substack, etc.)
Embeddable Widget: Keep Members on Your Site
If you have your own website, use LaunchPass's embeddable widget to accept subscriptions without redirecting users away.
Benefits of embedding:
Higher conversion rates (fewer clicks to subscribe)
Better user experience (stays on your branded site)
Full control over surrounding content and messaging
Professional appearance
How to embed:
Access the embed code:
Go to your LaunchPass dashboard
Find your published offer page
Click the "</Embed>" button
You'll see two code snippets
Copy first code snippet:
This creates the subscribe button
Paste anywhere on your page where you want the button
Copy second code snippet:
This loads the payment widget functionality
Paste at the bottom of your page, just before
</body>
Customize button text (optional):
Edit the button text in the first snippet
Style it to match your site's design
Works with:
WordPress
Squarespace
Webflow
Wix
Custom HTML sites
And most website builders
Full instructions: How to Embed the LaunchPass Payment Widget
Phase 3: Engagement Strategies
Engagement is the lifeblood of community growth. Engaged members stay longer, refer others, and generate valuable word-of-mouth.
Welcome Automation
Why automated welcomes matter:
Ensures every member gets personal attention
Sets expectations from day one
Reduces initial friction and confusion
Increases activation rate by 40-60%
Recommended Welcome Sequence:
Welcome Message #1 (Immediate - via platform):
Welcome to [Community Name]! 🎉 We're thrilled to have you here. Here's how to get started: 1. Introduce yourself in #introductions 2. Check out #getting-started for your onboarding guide 3. Join us for [next upcoming event] 4. Explore these channels: #[channel-1], #[channel-2] Questions? DM me anytime or post in #help Looking forward to seeing you around! - [Your Name]
Welcome Email #1 (24 hours after joining):
Thank them for joining
Reinforce key benefits they'll receive
Link to important resources
Highlight this week's activities
Include FAQ for common questions
Welcome Email #2 (7 days after joining):
Check in on their experience
Share success stories from other members
Invite them to upcoming events
Ask for feedback or questions
Offer personal support
Platform-Specific Engagement Tools
For Discord:
1. Welcome Channels:
Create #welcome channel for rules and getting started
#introductions for member introductions
#announcements for important updates (read-only except you)
2. Onboarding Roles:
Assign "New Member" role automatically
After introduction, upgrade to "Member" role with full access
Consider gamification with level-up roles
3. Voice Channels:
Host regular voice chats or "office hours"
Create topic-specific voice rooms
Use Stage Channels for presentations/events
4. Bots for Engagement:
MEE6: Auto-moderation, leveling system, custom commands
Dyno: Welcome messages, auto-roles, moderation
Carl-bot: Reaction roles, logging, auto-moderation
For Slack:
1. Channel Structure:
#welcome: Onboarding information
#general: Main discussion
#wins: Member success sharing
#resources: Curated content library
Topic-specific channels based on member interests
2. Slack Apps for Engagement:
Donut - The Ultimate Icebreaker
Automatically pairs members for 1-on-1 connections
Facilitates water cooler conversations
Builds relationships beyond main channels
Highly effective for community bonding
Geekbot - Async Standups & Polls
Run daily/weekly check-ins
Async surveys and feedback collection
Keeps members engaged without meetings
Polly - Polls & Surveys
Quick polls for decisions
Temperature checks on content
Fun engagement through voting
Notion - Knowledge Base
Share guides, courses, documentation
Collaborative content creation
Premium resource library
Twitter Integration - Content Seeding
Auto-post relevant tweets to channels
Spark discussions from trending topics
Keep members informed
Google Hangouts / Zoom - Video Calls
One-click video calls from Slack
Regular community hangouts
Office hours and coaching sessions
3. Zapier Automations:
Most Popular Welcome Bot Setups:
Triggers when someone joins
Sends personalized welcome DM
Includes getting started instructions
Highly effective for onboarding
Publicly welcomes new members
Encourages existing members to say hi
Creates sense of community
Consider customizing with member's intro
Other Useful Zapier Integrations:
Auto-post new members to spreadsheet for tracking
Send Slack notification when payment fails (from Stripe)
Post weekly digest of important links/content
Notify you of new member signups in real-time
For Telegram:
1. Channel vs Group Strategy:
Channels: One-way broadcasts (you post, they read)
Groups: Two-way conversations (everyone participates)
Consider both: Channel for announcements, Group for discussion
2. Bots for Telegram:
@Missrose_bot: Advanced moderation and management
@LivegramBot: Analytics and statistics
@PollBot: Create polls and surveys
@File Converter Bot: Convert media formats for sharing
3. Pinned Messages:
Pin your welcome message at top
Pin important announcements
Pin rules and guidelines
Pin upcoming event info
Phase 4: Content Strategy for Growth
Consistent, valuable content keeps members engaged and attracts new subscribers.
Content Calendar Framework
Weekly Content Structure:
Monday: Week Preview
What's happening this week
Events, sessions, or releases
Goals or themes
Tuesday-Thursday: Core Value Content
Educational posts/videos
Case studies or examples
Resources and tools
Member spotlights
Friday: Wins & Celebration
Share member successes
Celebrate milestones
Weekend preview or challenge
Saturday-Sunday: Community Building
Light, fun content
Behind-the-scenes
Polls or questions
Optional: Lighter activity days
Content Types That Drive Engagement
1. Live Events (Highest Engagement)
Weekly Q&A or office hours
Monthly masterclasses or workshops
Guest expert sessions
Community hangouts
2. Exclusive Content (High Value)
Premium guides or tutorials
Templates and frameworks
Case studies and teardowns
Industry insights not available elsewhere
3. Interactive Content (High Participation)
Polls and surveys
Challenges or competitions
Hot-seat coaching
Crowdsourced discussions
4. Member-Generated Content (Builds Community)
Success story features
Member expertise sharing
Collaborative projects
Peer-to-peer teaching
5. Curated Content (Saves Time)
Weekly roundup of best articles/resources
Trending topic discussions
Industry news commentary
Tool and resource recommendations
Content Repurposing Strategy
Maximize value from every piece of content:
One Live Workshop →
Recording posted in community
Key points as text post
Highlights reel for social media
Pull quotes for graphics
FAQ from questions asked
Follow-up challenge or homework
One Long-Form Guide →
Break into 5-7 short posts/emails
Create infographic of key points
Record video walkthrough
Host Q&A about the guide
Create worksheet or template
Phase 5: Growth Channels & Marketing
Beyond just sharing your link, here are proven channels for sustainable growth:
1. Content Marketing (Long-Term Compounding)
Blog/SEO Strategy:
Write about topics your ideal members search for
Target long-tail keywords with low competition
Include CTAs to your paid community in every post
Update old posts with community links
Example topics:
"How to [achieve result]" tutorials
"Best [tools/resources] for [audience]"
"Ultimate guide to [relevant topic]"
Case studies and examples
YouTube Strategy:
Create valuable tutorials in your niche
End every video with community CTA
Pin comment with community link
Include in video description
Mention exclusive content available to members
2. Social Media (Direct Engagement)
Platform Selection:
Focus on 1-2 platforms where your audience hangs out
Go deep rather than spreading thin
Consistency > perfection
Twitter/X Strategy:
Share insights, tips, and valuable content daily
Engage with others in your niche
Use threads to tell stories and teach
Bio link to community
Instagram/TikTok Strategy:
Educational content in your niche
Behind-the-scenes of your community
Member testimonials and success stories
Stories and Reels for reach
LinkedIn Strategy (B2B communities):
Thought leadership posts
Industry insights and commentary
Share professional wins and case studies
Network actively with ideal members
3. Email Marketing (Highest ROI)
Building Your List:
Lead magnet (free guide, template, or resource)
Pop-ups and opt-in forms on website
Social media call-to-actions to join list
Free webinar or training
Email Sequence Strategy:
Welcome Sequence:
Email 1: Deliver lead magnet + introduce yourself
Email 2: Share story + authority building
Email 3: Provide value + soft CTA to community
Email 4: Overcome objections + testimonials
Email 5: Urgency/scarcity + strong CTA
Weekly Newsletter:
Valuable content delivered consistently
Build relationship and trust
Regular CTAs to join paid community
Share member success stories
Conversion Tip: 3-5% email-to-community conversion rate is solid. 10%+ is excellent.
4. Affiliate & Referral Programs
Why Affiliate Marketing Works:
Leverages other people's audiences
Performance-based (pay for results)
Scalable growth channel
Turns members into advocates
LaunchPass + Rewardful Integration:
LaunchPass integrates seamlessly with Rewardful, making it easy to launch an affiliate program in minutes.
Setup Process:
Sign up for Rewardful at rewardful.com
Connect your Stripe account (one-click)
Get your Rewardful API key from company settings
Add to LaunchPass:
Go to Settings → 3rd Party Integrations
Enter your Rewardful API key
Save
Click "Setup Complete" in Rewardful
You're live!
Commission Structure Options:
Recurring: 20-30% of monthly payment for lifetime
One-time: 50-100% of first month payment
Tiered: Increasing % based on referral volume
Rewardful Features:
Automatic tracking of referrals
Custom affiliate links for each partner
Built-in affiliate dashboard
Automated commission calculations
Multiple payout options (PayPal, Wise, Stripe)
Full guide: Rewardful Integration | Launch Affiliate Program Guide
Recruiting Affiliates:
Your Current Members (Start Here!):
Announce affiliate program in community
Share affiliate links with top members
Incentivize with higher commissions for members
Make it easy with ready-made promotional assets
Influencers & Content Creators:
Research influencers in your niche
Reach out with personalized pitch
Offer free access to try before promoting
Provide promotional materials (graphics, copy, videos)
Strategic Partners:
Businesses serving same audience
Complementary service providers
Other community owners (non-competing)
Industry associations or groups
LaunchPass Partner Program: LaunchPass also offers its own partner program where you earn 50% of monthly subscription payments for lifetime when you refer new LaunchPass users.
5. Paid Advertising (Fast, Scalable Growth)
When to Start Paid Ads:
After first 50-100 organic members
When you've validated product-market fit
When retention rate is 70%+ after 3 months
When you have budget for testing ($500-1000/month minimum)
Facebook/Instagram Ads:
Target interests related to your niche
Use video testimonials from members
Retarget website visitors
Lookalike audiences of current members
Google Ads:
Target high-intent keywords
"Best [solution] for [problem]"
"[Problem] + community/group"
Retargeting for previous visitors
YouTube Ads:
In-stream ads before relevant videos
Target channels your audience watches
Use video testimonials or results
Platform-Specific Ads:
Twitter/X: Promoted tweets to target audience
LinkedIn: Sponsored content for B2B communities
TikTok: In-feed ads for younger demographics
Reddit: Promoted posts in relevant subreddits
Ad Success Metrics:
CPA (Cost Per Acquisition): Should be < 3x monthly price
Example: $50/month community, CPA should be < $150
Factor in LTV: If members stay 12+ months, higher CPA is acceptable
6. Strategic Partnerships
Types of Partnerships:
Content Collaborations:
Guest posts on each other's blogs
Joint webinars or workshops
Podcast interviews
YouTube collabs
Cross-Promotion:
Mention each other's communities
Exclusive discounts for each other's audiences
Joint bundles or packages
Affiliate arrangements
Integration Partnerships:
Tool/software you integrate with
Complementary service providers
Case study partners
Technology partners
7. Community-Led Growth
Leverage Your Members:
Turn Members into Advocates:
Ask for testimonials regularly
Feature member success stories
Create referral incentives
Encourage social sharing
Member Referral Program:
Offer 1 month free for every referral
Discount for both referrer and referee
Leaderboard for top referrers
Special perks for advocates
User-Generated Content:
Encourage members to share their wins
Repost member content (with permission)
Create branded hashtag
Feature members on your platforms
Phase 6: Retention & Churn Prevention
Growth isn't just about new members—keeping existing ones is equally critical.
Understanding Churn
Churn Rate Formula:
Churn Rate = (Members Lost / Total Members at Start) × 100
Healthy churn rates by community type:
Educational/Course-based: 5-10% monthly
Ongoing value/network: 3-7% monthly
High-touch/coaching: 2-5% monthly
Why members leave:
Not getting expected value (47%)
Too expensive for perceived value (22%)
Life circumstances changed (15%)
Found alternative solution (10%)
Other reasons (6%)
Retention Strategies
1. Continuous Value Delivery
Never stop providing value
Regularly ask: "What would make this 10x better?"
Evolve content based on feedback
Over-deliver consistently
2. Engagement Tracking
Monitor who's active vs. inactive
Reach out to members going quiet
"We miss you" campaigns for inactive members
Exit surveys for those who cancel
3. Member Success Programs
Onboarding buddy system
Regular check-ins with members
Celebrate member wins publicly
Create paths to success
4. Community Culture
Foster belonging and connection
Zero tolerance for toxicity
Recognize and reward participation
Build traditions and rituals
5. Pricing Psychology
Annual plans (lower churn)
Grandfather pricing for early members
Loyalty perks for long-term members
Transparent about value provided
Reactivation Campaigns
For recently cancelled members:
Email 1 (Immediately):
"Sorry to see you go"
Ask for feedback on why they left
Offer to address concerns
Leave door open to return
Email 2 (14 days later):
Share new features or improvements
Highlight what they're missing
Special "come back" offer
Limited-time discount to rejoin
Email 3 (30 days later):
Major update or announcement
Member success stories
One final offer to return
No pressure, just staying in touch
Phase 7: Scaling to $10K+ MRR
Once you've hit initial traction, here's how to scale systematically:
The Scaling Framework
From 0-50 Members: Hustle & Personal Touch
Do things that don't scale
Personally recruit every member
Manually onboard and engage
Gather feedback constantly
From 50-200 Members: Systems & Automation
Implement automation tools
Create repeatable processes
Hire first community manager or VA
Systematize content creation
From 200-500 Members: Team & Delegation
Build small team
Delegate community management
Focus on strategy and growth
Invest in paid acquisition
From 500-1000 Members: Optimization & Expansion
Optimize all funnels
Scale what works
Consider tier expansion
Explore corporate partnerships
From 1000+ Members: Enterprise & Innovation
Multiple community tiers
Corporate or group offerings
Platform/ecosystem thinking
Consider acquisition offers
Key Metrics to Track
Growth Metrics:
New member signups per week/month
Traffic to offer page
Conversion rate (visitors → members)
Referral rate (members referring others)
Engagement Metrics:
Daily/weekly active users
Messages per member
Event attendance rate
Content consumption
Financial Metrics:
MRR (Monthly Recurring Revenue)
MRR growth rate
ARPU (Average Revenue Per User)
CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost)
LTV (Lifetime Value)
LTV:CAC ratio (should be 3:1 or higher)
Retention Metrics:
Churn rate
Retention rate by cohort
Time to churn
NPS (Net Promoter Score)
Tools for Growth & Analytics
LaunchPass Built-In:
Activity feed dashboard
Member management
Signup tracking
Payment monitoring
Google Analytics 4:
LaunchPass integrates with GA4
Track offer page performance
Conversion funnel analysis
Traffic sources
Affiliate program management
Referral tracking
Commission automation
Other Recommended Tools:
Metricool/Buffer: Social media scheduling
ConvertKit/Beehiiv: Email marketing
Calendly: Event/call scheduling
Loom: Video messages and tutorials
Notion: Internal knowledge base
Airtable: Member tracking and CRM
Common Growth Mistakes to Avoid
1. Launching Without Audience
Mistake: Building in isolation, then launching to crickets Solution: Build audience first (email list, social following) before launching paid community
2. Inconsistent Content/Presence
Mistake: Posting sporadically, disappearing for weeks Solution: Create sustainable content calendar, batch content in advance, show up consistently
3. Neglecting Engagement
Mistake: Only posting content, never facilitating discussion Solution: Ask questions, respond to every comment, create discussion prompts, foster connections
4. Overcomplicating Structure
Mistake: Too many channels, roles, or tiers from day one Solution: Start simple, add complexity based on actual member needs
5. Not Asking for Referrals
Mistake: Assuming members will naturally refer others Solution: Explicitly ask satisfied members to invite friends, create referral program
6. Ignoring Analytics
Mistake: Growing blindly without tracking what works Solution: Monitor key metrics weekly, double down on what works, cut what doesn't
7. Underpricing
Mistake: Charging too little to attract members Solution: Price based on value delivered, not competitor pricing. Members respect premium pricing when value matches.
8. Feature Overload
Mistake: Adding every requested feature immediately Solution: Validate requests with multiple members, focus on core value proposition
Your 90-Day Growth Roadmap
Days 1-30: Foundation
✓ Launch to waitlist and warm audience
✓ Get first 20-50 members
✓ Implement welcome automation
✓ Establish content rhythm
✓ Gather initial feedback
Goal: Product-market fit validation
Days 31-60: Systematization
✓ Set up affiliate/referral program
✓ Create content calendar for next 60 days
✓ Implement engagement tools and bots
✓ Start consistent social media promotion
✓ Begin email marketing campaigns
Goal: 100-150 members, systems in place
Days 61-90: Scaling
✓ Optimize conversion funnel
✓ Launch paid advertising tests
✓ Recruit affiliates actively
✓ Host major event or launch
✓ Add team member or VA if needed
Goal: 200-300 members, $10K+ MRR
Get Expert Help
Customer Success Team: Premium and Ultra plan members get access to dedicated customer success and growth teams who can provide:
Personalized growth strategies
Platform configuration assistance
Best practices from top communities
Optimization recommendations
Email Support: [email protected]
Conclusion: Your Community Growth Journey
Growing a paid community is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires:
Consistency: Show up every day for your members
Value: Continuously deliver more than they pay for
Engagement: Foster genuine connections and conversations
Patience: Trust the compound effect of small daily actions
Adaptation: Listen to feedback and evolve accordingly
Remember:
Your first 10 members are the hardest
Months 3-6 test your commitment
Months 6-12 are where momentum builds
Year 2+ is where exponential growth happens
You've already completed the hardest part by setting up your community infrastructure with LaunchPass. Now it's time to focus on what you do best: creating value and connecting with your people.
Start today:
Share your LaunchPass offer page link everywhere
Implement one welcome automation
Schedule your first live event
Reach