Community Launch Checklist: Preparation and Initial Design for a Successful Start

Pre-Launch Preparation Determines 80% of Success

A community's success depends not just on the effort invested once operations begin, but largely on the design and preparation done beforehand. Per CMX Hub's "Community Industry Report" (2024), communities that defined a clear purpose and created a 90-day plan before launch were 2.3x more likely to survive their first year.

This article provides a phase-by-phase checklist and a 90-day launch plan. Work through each section in order, and nothing important will slip through the cracks.

90-Day Launch Plan

Month 1 (Preparation): Design and Environment Setup

Week	Tasks	Completion Criteria	Owner
Week 1	Define purpose, create persona, set KPIs	Purpose describable in one sentence	Planning lead
Week 2	Draft rules, select and configure platform	Page live, 3-5 channels created	Planning + Tech
Week 3	Build initial member candidate list, prepare invitation messages	List of 30 candidates complete	Planning + Sales
Week 4	Design onboarding flow, prepare 3-5 initial content pieces	Welcome message + guide ready	Content lead

BASE lets you create a community page in 60 seconds and choose from channel structure templates, significantly accelerating Week 2. Code of Conduct templates are also provided with automated member agreement flows at registration.

Month 2 (Launch): Initial Member Acquisition and Activation

Week	Tasks	Completion Criteria	Key Metric
Week 1	Begin personal invitations to initial members	15+ members joined	Invitation acceptance rate
Week 2	Complete all self-introductions, start first discussion	10+ posts	First-post rate
Week 3	Hold first online event	50%+ attendance rate	Event participation rate
Week 4	Start weekly themed posts, encourage UGC	3+ member-authored posts	UGC rate

Month 3 (Stabilization): Review and Expansion Decision

Week	Tasks	Completion Criteria	Key Metric
Weeks 1-2	Measure KPIs, run member survey	Report completed	MAU rate, NPS
Week 3	Execute improvement initiatives (onboarding adjustments, etc.)	1+ initiative implemented	30-day retention
Week 4	Expansion decision: open to general public or continue invite-only	Decision made	Membership trend

Founding Member Invitation Template

Personal Invitation Message (Email or DM)

Hi [Name],

I hope this finds you well. This is [Your Name].

I'm launching a community focused on [purpose in one sentence],
and I'd like to invite you as a founding member.

[Personalized reason: e.g., "Your insights at last month's seminar
on XX were incredibly valuable, and I think you'd bring a lot to
this group."]

Here's a quick overview:
- Theme: [Theme]
- Members: [Target participant profile]
- Activities: [Specific activities]
- Cadence: [Posting frequency, event frequency]

As a founding member, I'd ask for:
- One post per week and reactions to others' posts during the first month
- Honest feedback on what's working and what isn't

If you're interested, you can join here: [URL]
Feel free to reach out with any questions.

[Your Name]

Key point: Personal messages convert at 30-40%, versus 5-10% for mass emails. Always personalize the reason for the invitation.

Phase-by-Phase Checklist

Phase 1: Purpose and Direction

• Can you describe the community's purpose in a single sentence?
• Have you defined a specific target participant persona?
• Have you identified the value participants expect?
• Have you decided how to measure success (KPIs)?
• Have you shared purpose and expectations with internal stakeholders?

x Common mistake: Making "revenue contribution" the direct purpose. Revenue is an outcome, not a goal.

o Correct approach: "A place for marketing professionals in the XX industry to share the latest tools and methods." Design value for members first; revenue follows.

Phase 2: Rules and Guidelines

• Code of Conduct created?
• Prohibited behaviors (solicitation, harassment, unauthorized sharing) clearly defined?
• Violation escalation process (warning, suspension, removal) documented?
• Posting guidelines prepared?
• Privacy policy in place?

Phase 3: Platform and Environment

• Platform selected to match purpose and expected scale?
• Account creation and initial setup complete?
• Homepage and welcome message configured?
• Channel/category structure decided (start with 3-5 channels)?
• Registration form live?
• Email notification settings and copy reviewed?

Phase 4: Onboarding Design

• Automated welcome message configured?
• Self-introduction posting template available?
• First-action guided path created (3 steps max)?
• First-week automated follow-up email sequence in place?
• FAQ document prepared?

BASE's onboarding automation feature lets you pre-configure the entire sequence from welcome message through Day 7 event invitation for automated delivery.

Phase 5: Initial Content Preparation

• Operations team self-introductions posted?
• 3-5 initial discussion topics prepared?
• Community user guide created?
• At least one month of events published?

BASE's AI suggests discussion topic candidates, reducing the time spent on theme selection.

Launch KPI Dashboard (90-Day Progression)

KPI	Measurement Frequency	Month 1 Target	Month 2 Target	Month 3 Target
Membership	Weekly	20-30	40-70	60-100
MAU rate	Monthly	50-70%	40-60%	35-50%
Post volume	Weekly	5+ per week	10+ per week	15+ per week
Event attendance rate	Per event	50%+	40%+	35%+
30-day retention	Monthly	--	50%+	45%+

Month 1 MAU rates appear high because membership is invite-only. As general recruitment begins, rates naturally decline. Focus on trends rather than absolute values.

BASE's analytics dashboard displays these metrics in real time, with cohort analysis to compare retention trajectories by join month.

Pivot Decision Framework

At the 3-month mark, evaluate these signals to decide whether to adjust your strategy.

Signal	Threshold	Decision	Response
MAU rate declining continuously	3 consecutive months of decline	Review content or target audience	Run member survey to identify causes
Initial members not posting	UGC rate below 10%	Review onboarding or discussion themes	Improve posting templates, introduce buddy system
Low event attendance	3 consecutive events below 30%	Review event format or scheduling	Survey members for preferred topics and times
"Not what I expected" in exit reasons	30%+ of departures cite this	Redefine community purpose	Hold retrospective session with founding members

Pivoting is not failure. It is a data-driven improvement process.

Summary

• Follow a 90-day launch plan with weekly milestones across preparation, launch, and stabilization phases
• Prioritize quality over quantity for initial members -- recruit 30 people through personal outreach
• The first week of onboarding has an outsized impact on long-term retention
• Track KPI trends on the 90-day dashboard rather than fixating on absolute values
• At the 3-month mark, use data to make a pivot-or-proceed decision and adjust strategy accordingly

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• Community Building Fundamentals - How to Create a Thriving Community
• Community Platform Comparison: How to Choose Between Peatix, Commune, OSIRO, and BASE
• Five Techniques to Improve Community Member Retention
• Community KPI Design - Choosing the Right Metrics to Measure Success