I created my own AI avatar

Welcome to the Community Coach newsletter, a value packed read
for community builders who feel like we are finally getting somewhere with platforms like Turf displaying community metrics that have business impact!

In this newsletter…

📚 Community 101: How to gather feedback from your community

🎱 Heygen AI avatars: it’s getting pretty real now…

🔥 Taylin Symmonds is building a community for microcreators

👋 Answering your questions: “How do I convince my manager we need to build a community (and take it seriously)?”

Community 101: Gathering feedback

As a community builder, I've learned that good feedback can make or break a community. Here's how I approach it:

Timing is key. Ask for feedback right after someone joins, then every few months. Also check in after big changes or events.

For collecting feedback, I use a mix of:

• Surveys (quick ones and deeper dives)

• Polls in community spaces

• Open discussions

• One-on-one chats with active members

• Starting to use AI tools like Speak to collect feedback throughout and create insights

Once you have feedback, group similar comments together (or get AI tools to do this for you!). Figure out what's most important and doable. Tell your community what you learned and what you're planning to do about it.

Make changes bit by bit, and keep evaluating and communicating how it's going. This shows members you're listening and helps them feel more connected to the community.

It's not just about collecting feedback - it's about using the feedback to make your community better for everyone.

HeyGen Instant Avatars

Well it’s getting easier to generate avatars using AI!

I used HeyGen to create an avatar of myself. The process itself was very straightforward (all done in the browser, you need a high quality camera to film) but you can also use your webcam for testing purposes. You can also just upload a 2 minute video of yourself speaking,

What I really appreciated was they require you to confirm it is really you that is submitting the request to create an avatar for yourself. It would be unethical to create avatars of other people (and dangerous as we know) as the technology is getting so good it’s tough to distinguish what is real or not.

My one gripe? It turned my Australian accent into a completely different accent! Not sure why that happened, but if I use the paid version I can actually change my accent to anything and even speak in different languages. Pretty crazy.

Want to see me in action? Here’s my virtual avatar. Reply and let me know what you think!

If you’re interested in trying this out for yourself:

Inspiring community builder
Community for Microcreators

The Microcreator community by Taylin Simmonds demonstrates several effective strategies for community building. Here’s what I like:

1. Actionable Resources and Courses: Offers a free email course titled "Microcreator 101," which serves as an introductory guide to digital writing and marketing. This not only attracts potential members by providing immediate value but also establishes a foundation for ongoing engagement. By focusing on actionable advice, this encourage members to implement what they learn, developing a sense of achievement and community involvement.

2. Emphasis on Practice and Execution: The community promotes a hands-on approach to learning, emphasizing the importance of practice and execution in building a successful microbusiness. This focus on applying knowledge rather than just consuming it helps members develop essential skills and habits, which can lead to higher retention rates and a more engaged community.

3. Exclusive Access and Networking Opportunities: The website features a "Hidden House Elite Mastermind" program that connects members with leaders in the creator economy. This exclusivity not only adds value to the membership but also encourages networking among fellow creators.

Here’s what I could see more of:

• Highlight Community Member Achievements: Regularly showcasing the successes and milestones of community members can create a sense of pride and belonging. Put your members on the stage. I love how the Dreamers & Doers community does this (mentioned in my previous newsletter)

• Preview what the Community looks like: it always helps new members to understand what they’re signing up for. Show more screenshots or photos of events you’ve hosted, community discussions (that are safe to share), member testimonials etc. There is a balance here: you want to give potential new members a taste of what is to come, but you don’t want to show too much (keep some things a surprise!).

Answering your questions

“How do I convince my manager we need to build a community (and take it seriously)?” 

Building a community for your company or brand is more than just a trend—it's a strategic move that can significantly enhance customer engagement and drive business growth.

If you're looking to persuade your manager to take community building seriously (I’ve been there along with many other seasoned community pros), consider the following points:

You must find benefits of building a community that align with business goals: Figure out what the business needs most, and then work backwards to understand how building a community can actually help

Emphasize Metrics and Goals: Establish clear metrics to measure the success and impact of the community. For more insights check out How to Measure Success for Your Community.

Find other companies that have done this already: chances are you can find another business that has built a community that meets similar business goals. If they are a competitor, you should really be highlighting this to your manager (because a strong community can be the ultimate competitive advantage and could be taking business away from yours).

Propose a Phased Approach: If you’re really struggling to get things off the ground, suggest starting with a pilot program that requires minimal resources but can showcase early successes. You can build a community for “free” - there are many free platforms out there. Start small, determine a MVP for your community and focus on small wins for the business. You can then build a pitch deck using these initial results. Put forward a compelling case for a full-scale community initiative, demonstrating the potential ROI of investing in community building.

Got a question for me? DM me on Twitter and ask away. Your question may be answered in a future newsletter (and I’ll reply to everyone who asks).

Until next time,

Carmen
Community Coach

Connect with me on Twitter, Youtube, LinkedIn.