---
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.

---

## 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.**

---

## 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.**

---

## 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) |
```

---

## 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"
```

---

## 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.

---

## 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.
