Video Summary
After celebrating nearly five years of Convology+, I’ve had plenty of wins—but I’ve also had some regrets. These are the lessons I wish I had implemented sooner, and they could save you time, energy, and money if you’re building your own community.
One of my biggest regrets was around pricing. I raised prices too infrequently and in large jumps instead of using smaller, more frequent increases that create natural scarcity and urgency. I also wish I had experimented with paid events earlier, using workshops as low-barrier entry points for new members while keeping them free for current members.
Another regret was focusing too much on big courses. Engagement has consistently been higher with workshops, micro-trainings, and live events. Workshops are easier to update, more interactive, and keep content relevant when tools inevitably change.
I also regret not introducing automation sooner. Circle’s workflows make it easy to onboard new members, re-engage inactive ones, and scale personal touchpoints without burning out—but I didn’t take advantage of them until years in.
Finally, I regret relying on discounts instead of incentives. Discounts devalue the community, while incentives—like offering bonus 1:1 calls or special onboarding—add value without slashing prices.
There’s also a “bonus” reflection: while I’ve always had an all-in-one membership, I sometimes wonder if I should have built tiered options earlier. Whether or not I make that shift, it’s a reminder that structure and pricing strategy should evolve as your community does.
Key Takeaways
- Pricing Regret: Raise prices more often in smaller increments to build urgency and reward early adopters.
- Paid Events: Introduce quarterly paid workshops for non-members (free for members) to attract new signups.
- Courses vs. Workshops: Engagement is higher with smaller workshops and micro-content than with large, static courses.
- Automation: Use tools like Circle’s workflows for onboarding, follow-ups, and engagement earlier in the journey.
- Discounts vs. Incentives: Avoid discounts that devalue the community; offer bonuses or incentives instead.
- Bonus Reflection: Consider tiered memberships for added revenue and flexibility instead of an all-access-only model.