Selling & Business Models
How do I get the first members before I have a large community?
The short answer
Recruit the first members personally around a shared problem. You do not need to pretend there is already a bustling crowd. You need a small, well-matched founding group and a reason for them to participate now.
Invite people, don’t “announce at” them
Make a list of 20 to 30 people who have asked about the problem, attended a workshop, replied to your emails, or worked with you before. Send individual invitations explaining why you thought of them. Do not add them to a membership list without permission.
Try this structure:
“I’m opening a small founding group for [specific person] who wants to [recurring result]. We’ll meet [rhythm], and I’ll provide [core support]. I’m inviting a small first group so I can be hands-on. Would you like the details?”
That is warmer and more honest than claiming seats are “almost gone” when nobody has joined.
Give founding membership a real purpose
Offer a fair founding price in exchange for participation and candid feedback, not vague “exposure.” State what is already built, what will be shaped together, how long the founding terms last, and what happens if the format changes.
On the first call, help everyone introduce herself through the problem the group shares. Give one useful task and create a reason to return within seven days. A community begins with interaction, not a logo and twelve empty discussion categories.
SBA’s market-research guidance recommends direct methods such as surveys and interviews to understand specific customers (SBA market-research guide). Use those early conversations to refine the membership, but remember that compliments are not the same as paid commitment.
Grow from member outcomes
After the first month, ask members what changed, with permission to use specific stories. Invite them to bring one suitable friend to an open session. Keep enrollment small enough that new people still receive a welcome and clear first step.
Your first goal is not scale. It is evidence that a group of real people returns, uses the help, and would miss it if it disappeared.
Sources and further reading
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Related Questions
- How do I decide between selling an online course and running a membership?
- How much new content does a membership actually need to keep members satisfied?
- How do I reduce membership churn and keep members from canceling?
- What should happen when a membership payment fails, including retries and access removal?
Related WAHMN resource
If you are building recurring access, a course library, or a membership, this system helps you design the larger customer and delivery experience. See Membership Site Business.