#144 8 Programming Formats To Test In Your Membership
I'm noticing a pattern that is quietly killing membership engagement.
Community builders set their programming calendar once, put it on the sales page, and then quietly run the exact same structure for the next twelve months.
You know the calendar... two coaching calls, one Q&A, one guest expert, repeat.
Ritual is powerful. It builds trust and predictability, but when ritual becomes too rigid, your membership stops feeling alive.
This week I recorded a podcast breaking down 8 different ways to experiment with your event calendar... and it's definitely the kind of podcast you'll need a notebook and a pen for.
I handled that for you so today's "essay" is more like your cheat sheet to bookmark when you're working on your calendar.
Let's get into it –
This is your cheat sheet notes! Listen to the podcast for examples of these calls used in practice.
01 Topic-Specific Q&A
The classic open Q&A sounds good in theory, but in practice it often becomes a grab bag of unrelated questions. If someone does not personally have a question that day, or if the questions being asked are not relevant to their current focus, they tune out.
Use this when:
Attendance is inconsistent
Questions feel scattered
You're struggling to collect questions
Members say calls are “hit or miss”
How to run it:
Pick one focused topic
Announce it in advance
Encourage people to join if it’s relevant to their current season
02 Structured Coaching Calls
Most coaching calls are random hot seats. That works sometimes but it can fall flat for reasons similar to Q&A calls.
Use this when:
Members are at a similar stage
You want tighter alignment to your curriculum
You keep answering the same question repeatedly
How to run it:
Opening with a 10–15 minute mini training
Aligning it to your roadmap or methodology
Workshopping that specific concept live
03 Social Calls (Unrecorded)
A social call, especially one that is not recorded, gives people permission to show up as humans instead of students. The key is to facilitate it well.
Use this when:
Members say they want more connection
Energy feels low
You’re onboarding a new wave of people
How to run it:
Give the call a theme
Provide specific prompts
Use breakout rooms intentionally
04 Co-Working Sessions
If you notice that members are consuming but not implementing, try opening a room and simply working together.
Use this when:
People say they “don’t have time”
Assignments aren’t getting done
Momentum feels stalled
How to run it:
5 minutes sharing focus
45–50 minutes working
5 minutes sharing progress
05 Implementation Workshops
This is a more structured version of co-working that is a lot like a real classroom. Here's a few examples:
“Today we’re building your onboarding flow.”
“Bring your draft sales page.”
“Map your member journey live.”
Use this when:
You’re running a program with a curriculum
You want tangible outcomes from a session
Members need hands-on support
Your members aren't "doing the work"
How to run it:
Provide a resource like a worksheet or a template
Work through it together on a call
Allow your members to simply co-work, but answer questions and support people that are stuck
06 Guest Expert Trainings
Bring in expertise when the community’s questions stretch beyond your zone of genius.
Use this when:
The same advanced topic keeps surfacing
Market shifts require new knowledge
You want to inject fresh perspective
How to run it:
Invite your guest and set clear expectations with them
Have them teach for ~40 minutes
Reserve 20 minutes for questions with your members
07 Roundtables / Mastermind-Style Sessions
One of the biggest missed opportunities in communities is underutilizing the wisdom in the room.
Use this when:
You want your members to connect to one another
Certain members have strong experience in a niche area
You’re building leadership culture inside the community
How to run it:
Pick one focused topic
Invite members to share what’s working (or not working)
Facilitate instead of teach
08 Welcome Calls
If you have rolling enrollment and aren’t hosting welcome calls, you’re likely missing an easy retention win.
Use this when:
Refund rates are higher than you’d like
New members lurk quietly
You want faster integration into the culture
How to run it:
Restate the value of what they bought
Walk through how to use the product
Facilitate introductions with strong prompts
Bonus: Challenges
Sometimes the issue is not knowledge, it's momentum. A well-designed challenge can create shared movement inside the community. I love to add these to a programming calendar ~quarterly.
Think: 7-day or 30-day challenges to work toward a shared goal.
Use this when:
Energy & engagement is low
Momentum has stalled
How to run it:
Set clear deliverables
Create public accountability with light gamification
Create a shared space for progress
Celebrate your winners
How To Use This Cheat Sheet
You do not need all 8 of these events – this is just to give you some ideas. Pick one or two to test this quarter & collect feedback. Ask:
What was most valuable / what did you love about this?
What would make this better?
Then iterate! Programming should feel like a living system, not a static template you locked in two years ago.
If you want help mapping out a programming strategy that balances ritual and variation, book a call with my team. I love pressure-testing this stuff.
Let’s make your membership feel alive again.