The First 90 Days: How to Launch Your Community Without Overwhelm

Many communities fail to gain traction in the first 90 days because of scattered focus or lack of strategy. This guide gives you a clear roadmap to build a strong foundation and start seeing engagement from week one. Launching a community can feel daunting, but with the right approach, you can set yourself up for success.

Pre-Launch (Days 0–30) – Laying the Foundation

Goal: Set up the right structure and prepare for early members.

Key Steps:

1. Define your community’s purpose clearly

   • Why does it exist? What problem does it solve?

   • Draft a 1–2 sentence mission statement.

2. Identify your target members

   • Who will benefit most? Create a small “ideal member” profile.

3. Choose the right platform

   • Slack, Discord, Mighty Networks, or a forum? Consider engagement style and long-term goals.

4. Prepare content and resources

   • Seed initial discussion topics, welcome posts, and a few valuable resources.

5. Invite a small pilot group

   • Start with 10–20 highly engaged members or colleagues to test and seed activity.

Tip: Focus on quality over quantity in the first month.

Launch (Days 31–60) – Sparking Engagement

Goal: Encourage participation and establish your community culture.

Key Steps:

1. Welcome and onboard members

   • Clear instructions, community guidelines, and icebreaker prompts.

2. Host your first live or interactive event

   • AMA, workshop, or discussion thread. Even 5–10 participants make a huge difference.

3. Start engagement loops

   • Ask questions, run polls, spotlight members’ contributions.

4. Identify early champions

   • Encourage top contributors to help with moderation or content creation.

5. Collect early feedback

   • Short surveys or casual check-ins to learn what members enjoy.

Tip: Focus on consistency—regular posts, updates, or events beat sporadic activity.

Growth & Optimization (Days 61–90) – Building Momentum

Goal: Scale activity and refine your approach based on real data.

Key Steps:

1. Analyze engagement metrics

   • Track posts, replies, event attendance, and active members.

2. Iterate on content and events

   • Double down on what works, drop what doesn’t.

3. Encourage member-driven content

   • Spotlight member posts, discussions, or contributions.

4. Celebrate milestones

   • Recognize 1-month, 50-member, or first successful event wins.

5. Plan next 90 days

   • Map out content themes, events, and growth strategies.

Tip: The first 90 days set the tone—building a culture of engagement and value is more important than rapid growth.

Conclusion

Launching a community doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Follow this roadmap:

Plan → Engage → Iterate → Celebrate

Start small, focus on the first 90 days, and momentum will follow.