#124 4 Retention Strategies That Don’t Require More Content
I joined Chenell's Growth In Reverse Pro LinkedIn Challenge which started Monday.
I’ve gained more followers this week on LinkedIn than I did *total* last month. I’m not doing anything differently… I’m just not doing it alone.
That's the beauty of community, right?
Speaking of Chenell's challenge... I haven't been active in her community for months + months (sorry, Chenell ILY), but I'm totally re-engaged now because I've joined this challenge.
And that's one of my favorite retention strategies.
So today I thought we'd dig into the best retention strategies without having to drop more content.
Let’s get into it –
A lot of our clients at Affinity come to us because they want to improve program engagement or member retention. They’re frustrated that members drop off, disengage, or don’t renew ... and their first instinct is usually to create more content. "Do I need to offer more resources?"
But content is rarely the solution.
Your members aren’t leaving because there aren’t enough videos or worksheets. They’re leaving because they don’t feel connected, celebrated, or supported in a way that makes them want to stick around.
Over the years, these have become my four favorite ways to improve retention. And the good news is that none of them require you to create another course module.
(1) Facilitate peer connection (not just leader-to-member)
Most people leave because they feel disconnected, not because they’ve “finished” the content. Design ways for members to meet and support each other. Relationships build stickiness more than any extra lesson ever will.
Our client Cepee from The Refresher’s Lounge runs an accountability buddy system that matches members on a regular basis. People often renew not because of the curriculum, but because of the friendships they form.
As part of our client Beyond Connections program, we offer masterminds of ~10 participants throughout the program. This gives members an opportunity to connect and encourage each other to keep going and show up week after week. Their relationships keep them engaged in the community long after the program ends.
You can stop reading now if you want – this one is the most important 😂 (but the others are important too... so I really want you to keep reading)
(2) Build Intentional Milestones And Celebrations
Members don’t stick around just for information. They stay when they see and feel progress. Create checkpoints, rituals, or small wins to mark their journey, and celebrate those moments.
One of our clients has a 3-year curriculum that supports their client's businesses scale to multiple 7-figures. Once they reach that milestone they're invited to be part of the "Insiders" which grants them access to special events. Along the way to their Insider status, there are other milestones that unlock special experiences and badges in the community forum.
If you're running a cohort style program – graduation calls with celebration of members accomplishments, and prizes can go super far! At Beyond Connections we go even further and offer an in-person graduation weekend where all students are invited to LA for a graduation dinner + peer-organized events.
(3) Make feedback loops visible and responsive
Members want to feel heard. Gathering input is step one, but the real magic happens when you act on it. Using feedback to continuously learn what’s working (and what’s not) is core to our philosophy at Affinity – and it’s one of the best ways to build trust.
At bossbabe we ran a 3-question poll at the end of each workshop to figure out what members loved and what could be better. This helped us continuously improve our events, and plan programming our members wanted.
Jay Clouse does an annual member survey that he heavily promotes, then he shares out the responses in a town hall event so that members can discuss the results with him and share ideas. He also celebrates members at this event (see point 2).
I like to refer to this as a co-creation strategy – you should always strive to co-create your offers with your community. They are people products, after all!
(4) Create re-engagement triggers and rhythms
Instead of adding more resources, build smart rhythms that pull members back in. This could look like seasonal themes, automated nudges, or challenges that create energy and renewal.
I love a quarterly challenge for this! Not only does it pull people back in that haven't been engaged lately, but it's a great way to bring new people in. Because everyone is involved in the challenge, it's also perfect for connecting old members with new members. This month in Chenell's Growth In Reverse Pro community she is running a LinkedIn challenge.
In several memberships I've worked on the team offers a seasonal reset call. Every quarter, you host a guided planning or reflection session. Members return to the program not for more content but to reset their goals alongside peers. Build in a connection component, like breakout rooms to share goals, so that we're cycling back to point 1 😉
Your Next Step
If you want to reduce churn without adding another piece of content, try one of these this month:
Create one new milestone and celebrate your members that have reached it publicly.
Add a peer-to-peer connection element (buddy system, masterminds, social event, or small groups).
Gather feedback at your next event or workshop, and show members how you're acting on it.
Plan your next re-engagement strategy – whether that’s a quarterly challenge, a monthly prompt, or something else.
Small shifts like these can keep your members engaged, supported, and renewing, without burning yourself out on content creation.
Interested in upgrading your community or program experience?
We offer a 6-month accelerator to help you improve + scale your community experience. Book a discovery call here. We have a couple of spots available in Q4!
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