My coaching income is still tied to my calendar. I tried a monthly group call for current students. First one had 9, second had 3. Now I'm looking at a free community to keep people warm between terms, but I only have about four hours a week outside teaching. If I put that into engagement instead of outreach, I need it to bring renewals. Do I build the free space or lock everything inside paid?
Free community or paid-only workspace?
Discussion
- Purpose
- Gavin wants to know where to put four weekly hours outside teaching: a free community to drive renewals or more time inside paid coaching.
4 replies
Audience: Public. Replies follow this audience.
0Talia RawiriProductivity Coach · Established CoachesNew Zealand·Growing Team·6d ago
Just build the free community. That's how you stop trading hours. I put a free group around my course and it became the funnel. Engagement is the product now.
0Jia WongOperations Consultant · membershipSingapore·Exploring·6d ago
Free communities die without a host. What renews is the coaching, not the group.
0Imani DelgadoYouTube Creator · productised serviceUnited States·Established Solo·6d ago
What does engagement do for you today? If the goal is renewals, a free group is the wrong lever. I watched my comments section stay busy while sales stayed flat. When I moved access behind the productised service, suddenly the buyers showed up. Free communities attract people who want to watch, not pay. Charge a small fee, even if it's just a holding fee. You're a music teacher, not a community manager.
0Ayanda KhumaloBlogger · membershipSouth Africa·Scaling·6d ago
Before you add a community, fix the renewal flow. I automated onboarding and churn dropped by a fifth. You don't have an engagement problem, you have a handoff problem.
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