community-launch

name	community-launch
description	Plans online community launches (Discord, Circle, Skool) with structure, rules, engagement tactics, and onboarding. Use when launching a paid or free community around your brand.
allowed-tools	Read Write Glob
metadata	{"author":"matthewhitcham","version":"1.0"}

Community Launch

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when you need to:

• Plan the launch of an online community (Discord, Circle, Skool, Slack, Facebook Group)
• Design the community structure, channels, and rules
• Create an onboarding flow that activates new members
• Build an engagement strategy for the first 90 days

DO NOT use this skill for social media strategy, content creation, or course launches. This is for community-specific planning.

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Core Principle

A COMMUNITY DIES WHEN THE FOUNDER IS THE ONLY ONE TALKING — THE GOAL IS TO BUILD A SPACE WHERE MEMBERS CREATE VALUE FOR EACH OTHER.

---

Phase 1: Brief

Required Inputs

Input	What to Ask	Default
Community purpose	"Why does this community exist? What value do members get?"	No default — must be provided
Platform	"Which platform? Discord, Circle, Skool, Slack, Facebook Group?"	Skool
Free or paid	"Is this free, paid, or freemium?"	Free
Target members	"Who is the ideal member?"	No default — must be provided
Launch audience	"How many people can you invite on day one?"	50-100 from existing audience
Time commitment	"How much time per week can you spend managing the community?"	3-5 hours

GATE: Confirm brief before designing.

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Phase 2: Outline

Launch Plan Sections

1. Community Identity — name, tagline, value proposition
2. Structure — channels/spaces, categories, navigation
3. Rules & Guidelines — community standards and moderation
4. Onboarding Flow — how new members get activated
5. Content & Engagement Plan — what keeps people coming back
6. Launch Sequence — pre-launch, launch day, first 30 days
7. Growth Strategy — how to attract new members after launch

GATE: Approve outline before building full plan.

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Phase 3: Write

1. Community Identity

## Community Identity

**Name:** [Community name]
**Tagline:** [One sentence — why someone should join]
**Value proposition:** "Join [Name] to [specific benefit] with [type of people]."
**Positioning:** [How this is different from free alternatives]

2. Community Structure

## Channels / Spaces

| Channel | Purpose | Who Posts |
|---------|---------|----------|
| #welcome | New member introductions | Members |
| #announcements | Official updates from the founder | Admin only |
| #general | Open discussion on the community topic | Everyone |
| #wins | Members share victories and milestones | Members |
| #questions | Ask and answer questions | Everyone |
| #resources | Shared tools, templates, and links | Everyone |
| #introductions | New members introduce themselves | New members |

Rules:

• Start with 5-7 channels max. Too many channels = dead channels.
• Every channel has a clear purpose stated in the description.
• Add channels based on demand, not prediction.

3. Rules & Guidelines

## Community Rules

1. **Lead with value** — share knowledge, answer questions, help others
2. **No self-promotion without context** — share your work when relevant, not as spam
3. **Be respectful** — disagree with ideas, not people
4. **Stay on topic** — use the right channel for the right discussion
5. **No poaching** — do not DM members with unsolicited sales pitches

**Enforcement:**
- First violation: friendly reminder via DM
- Second violation: warning with reference to rules
- Third violation: removal from the community

4. Onboarding Flow

## New Member Onboarding

**Step 1: Welcome message** (automated)
"Welcome to [Community]! Here's how to get the most out of this space:"
- Introduce yourself in #introductions (template provided)
- Check out #resources for the starter kit
- Ask your first question in #questions

**Step 2: Introduction prompt**
"Tell us: 1) What you do 2) What you're working on 3) What you need help with"

**Step 3: First-week engagement**
- Tag new members in relevant discussions
- Founder personally welcomes each new member for the first 100 members
- Point them to the most active thread

**Step 4: Activation milestone**
A member is "activated" when they have made 3+ posts in their first week.

5. Engagement Plan

## Weekly Engagement Rhythm

| Day | Activity | Who Runs It |
|-----|----------|-------------|
| Monday | Weekly question / discussion prompt | Founder |
| Wednesday | Resource share or mini-lesson | Founder |
| Friday | Wins thread — "What went well this week?" | Members |

## Monthly Events
- Monthly live Q&A or workshop
- Member spotlight (feature one active member)
- Challenge or accountability sprint

6. Launch Sequence

## Launch Timeline

**Pre-Launch (2 weeks before)**
- Announce the community on all channels (email, social, blog)
- Create a waitlist or early access sign-up
- Seed the community with 5-10 founding members
- Pre-populate 3-5 discussion threads so it is not empty on day one

**Launch Day**
- Open doors to full audience
- Send a launch email with clear CTA to join
- Post a welcome thread from the founder
- Be highly active — respond to every post and comment

**First 30 Days**
- Post daily discussion prompts for the first 2 weeks
- Personally welcome every new member
- Host the first live event in week 2
- Identify and empower 2-3 active members as community champions

---

Phase 4: Polish

1. Launch Checklist

## Community Launch Checklist

- [ ] Community name and tagline defined
- [ ] Platform selected and set up
- [ ] 5-7 channels created with clear descriptions
- [ ] Community rules written and pinned
- [ ] Onboarding flow designed (welcome message, intro prompt, activation)
- [ ] 5-10 founding members invited to seed activity
- [ ] 3-5 discussion threads pre-populated
- [ ] Launch email drafted with clear CTA
- [ ] Weekly engagement rhythm planned
- [ ] First live event scheduled within 2 weeks of launch
- [ ] Moderation plan in place

2. 90-Day Milestone Targets

| Milestone | Target |
|-----------|--------|
| Members (30 days) | [Realistic number] |
| Members (90 days) | [Realistic number] |
| Weekly active members | [X]% of total |
| Posts per week | [X] (not counting founder) |

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Example: Launching a Freelancer Community on Skool

Name: The Freelance Engine
Tagline: "Where freelancers help each other land clients and grow revenue."
Platform: Skool (free tier)
Launch audience: 200 email subscribers

Channels: Welcome, General, Client Getting, Pricing & Proposals, Wins, Resources
Launch: 50 founding members from email list, open to public after 2 weeks
Engagement: Monday question prompt, Wednesday resource, Friday wins thread
First event: Live Q&A in week 2 — "Ask Me Anything About Freelance Pricing"

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Anti-Patterns

• Launching to nobody — opening a community with zero members creates a ghost town. Seed with founding members first.
• Too many channels — 15 channels on day one means 12 dead channels. Start with 5-7 and expand based on demand.
• No onboarding — members who join and do not post in the first week rarely come back. Guide them to their first action.
• Founder does everything — if you are the only one posting, it is a blog, not a community. Cultivate member contributions early.
• No rules — communities without clear guidelines attract spam and toxic behavior. Set expectations from day one.
• Launching without a plan for week 2 — the excitement fades. Have an engagement rhythm ready before launch.

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Recovery

• Low engagement after launch: Post more discussion prompts, tag specific members by name, ask direct questions.
• Spam or off-topic posts: Enforce rules immediately. Early moderation sets the culture.
• Members not introducing themselves: Simplify the intro template. Make it 3 questions max.
• Community feels dead: Host a live event to reignite activity. If still dead after 60 days with consistent effort, re-evaluate the community's value proposition.
• Cannot commit time to manage: Identify 2-3 community champions and give them moderation responsibilities.