# Community Launch > 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. - Skill: `reaperinvest/community-launch` (Agent Skill) - Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add reaperinvest/community-launch` - Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/reaperinvest/community-launch/raw - Safety review: pending - Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex - Category: Coding & Dev Tools - Author: reaperinvest (https://skillmd.com/u/reaperinvest) - Updated: 2026-09-22 - Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/reaperinvest/community-launch --- # 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.