Seeking SaaS Insights: Starting an Online Community Call Request

Sanne van Opstal-Brakel · 2024-08-14T13:22:20.134Z

Hi all! I have a #question. I work for a SaaS company and we have the desire and need to start an online community…. We are already doing smaller community type events like digital round tables (yes they are finally happening thanks for everything you learned me on it) but the request tof our customer is an online form. Our management team is almost on board but would love to hear from another saas company on their experience with having a community, the why, how, what, successes, failures, lessons learned etc . Is there some one there that is willing to jump on a call with us on this?

Seeking SaaS Insights: Starting an Online Community Call Request | CMAweekly Customer Marketing and Advocacy Slack

5 comments

· Sorted by Oldest

Morgan Wright
·
Looking forward to hearing any insights you learn…im in a similar boat
Joel (Salesforce)
·
A few things to start the process:
Go on a listening tour of your internal and external stakeholders to learn what they expect, hope, & dream of for the Community program at your company
Set clear business outcomes (engagement or other fluffy metrics are not business outcomes)
Learn how potential members what to engage and learn from their peers through the program
Let the information you learn from your listening tour info your platform evaluation process
Remember to continuously build with your members not for them
Create a Code of Conduct (ideally in partnership with your early, active members) asap and treat it like a living document, as it’ll evolve as your community does too
Identify your internal stakeholders early and inform them of updates of the program often since Community is a long game ➡️ Identify leading and lagging indicators of success for each program/benefit offered to members
Sharing this incredible Community Launch Plan document (view-only) from Brian Oblinger: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qEsTpoLZZoygWK66db3o1y9NUcSmgx3_WQUG8fPfHu0/edit
Make a copy of it to adjust it to fit the need of your specific rollout plan for your program.
Also, tagging in Max Pete and Nicole Saunders, as I know they’ll have great insights to share with you too 😊
❤️1
Max Pete
·
Joel pretty much nailed it! I'd definitely recommend checking out that resource. I'd also recommend not being afraid of experimentation. Be okay with testing before committing to big initiatives, etc. Same goes for your platforming too. Don't feel like you need to spend $$$ on a platform and then realizing that members don't want to be active there.
❤️2
Joel (Salesforce)
·
YES! As Max Pete mentioned, lean into “Pilot Programs” early and regularly as you build out your Community program. I’m running Part 2 of a Pilot Program for a client now. The community has been active for over 3 years.
❤️1
Sanne van Opstal-Brakel
·
Thanks all for your responses! Well definitely not in the place to go for a $$$ platform. Currently our customer set up something themselves in WhatsApp but they are not that happy and asked if we can have a platform available. Most of my stakeholder are onboard so yes. Only 2 final meetings this and next week. It’s more that our management team wants to learn and hear experiences from other software vendors on having a community in general. Sort of like a referral call but more generic. So if somebody is still hear so share their experience and wants to jump on a call that is much appreciated
❤️1

Morgan Wright
·
Looking forward to hearing any insights you learn…im in a similar boat
Joel (Salesforce)
·
A few things to start the process:
Go on a listening tour of your internal and external stakeholders to learn what they expect, hope, & dream of for the Community program at your company
Set clear business outcomes (engagement or other fluffy metrics are not business outcomes)
Learn how potential members what to engage and learn from their peers through the program
Let the information you learn from your listening tour info your platform evaluation process
Remember to continuously build with your members not for them
Create a Code of Conduct (ideally in partnership with your early, active members) asap and treat it like a living document, as it’ll evolve as your community does too
Identify your internal stakeholders early and inform them of updates of the program often since Community is a long game ➡️ Identify leading and lagging indicators of success for each program/benefit offered to members
Sharing this incredible Community Launch Plan document (view-only) from Brian Oblinger: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qEsTpoLZZoygWK66db3o1y9NUcSmgx3_WQUG8fPfHu0/edit
Make a copy of it to adjust it to fit the need of your specific rollout plan for your program.
Also, tagging in Max Pete and Nicole Saunders, as I know they’ll have great insights to share with you too 😊
❤️1
Max Pete
·
Joel pretty much nailed it! I'd definitely recommend checking out that resource. I'd also recommend not being afraid of experimentation. Be okay with testing before committing to big initiatives, etc. Same goes for your platforming too. Don't feel like you need to spend $$$ on a platform and then realizing that members don't want to be active there.
❤️2
Joel (Salesforce)
·
YES! As Max Pete mentioned, lean into “Pilot Programs” early and regularly as you build out your Community program. I’m running Part 2 of a Pilot Program for a client now. The community has been active for over 3 years.
❤️1
Sanne van Opstal-Brakel
·
Thanks all for your responses! Well definitely not in the place to go for a $$$ platform. Currently our customer set up something themselves in WhatsApp but they are not that happy and asked if we can have a platform available. Most of my stakeholder are onboard so yes. Only 2 final meetings this and next week. It’s more that our management team wants to learn and hear experiences from other software vendors on having a community in general. Sort of like a referral call but more generic. So if somebody is still hear so share their experience and wants to jump on a call that is much appreciated
❤️1