What's the ROI of Community?
Understanding the Real Impact of Community Membership
Talking about the impact of communities can be a bit tricky. Figuring out the exact influence of being a member can often feel warm and fuzzy, but intangible at the same time.
If you're considering joining a professional community like Badassery and wondering if it's worth it, there are some practical things to think about that can help you decide. It's all about checking out the benefits to see if it's worth the ride.
Despite every person’s experience being largely what they make of it, there are a few things that the community-curious should look at when considering where to apply.
Opportunities
Above all else, an abundance of opportunities is the greatest and most positive indicator of a community’s output. Whether professional or social, opportunities facilitated by a community are going to be the most valuable in terms of returns on investment. Simply because opportunities mean action!
Not sure what opportunities are included in a community? The best places to look for current or recent opportunities are on the social media pages of current members! Check out who’s tagging X community on LinkedIn or Facebook, for example. LinkedIn, in particular, can be a great way to observe if a community is actually offering what they claim to be because members are sharing content in real-time, and bonus tip: you can snoop at current members’ LinkedIn pages (that is, if they’re public). Don’t be shy. We know it helps to see who else is involved before you get involved, too.🤭
When we talk about opportunities within Badassery, we’re referring to members-only, exclusive opportunity accessibility that would otherwise be costly, both in terms of money and time. Deciding to invest in yourself is hard enough without struggling to look for the best use of every dollar and minute spent… 💸
Consultations with Subject Matter Experts
Time and time again, Badassery members have shared the incredible outcomes of their 1:1 experiences with other Badassery members both online and in-person. From advice sharing on the challenges of running a successful business to how to get ✨inspo✨ for posting quality thought leadership content on LinkedIn or Substack, our members are givers! And they know what they’re talking about…
To know the Badassery community is to know it’s no ordinary crew. In-house experts include TEDx speakers, published authors, LinkedIn Top Voices, podcasters, Fortune 500 leaders, Forbes 30u30, White House staff, and beyond. The best part? Badasses partner for 1:1 knowledge sharing and mentorship (est. value of $150-$500/per session).
In addition, regular group feedback sessions like Blunt Badass are hosted by an individual member of the month. In these sessions, an expert of their own craft educates the audience about a topic of their choosing, curating their services to fit the wider group and offering valuable feedback on everything from website rebranding to LinkedIn bios to effective public speaking skills, and more. Past topics include: “Brand Strategy, Positioning and Messaging,” a session hosted by the founder of a creative agency, and “Tweak Your Elevator Pitch (or Cold Outreach Email),” a session hosted by an established VP of Sales.
How does this feedback impact ROI? Personalized services such as these–especially those catered to personal branding or small businesses–can be costly one-on-one. Attendees of Blunt Badass sessions are guaranteed 1:1 attention via a video recording from the expert to the member with their advice on the topic of the session conducted (est. value of $500-$2k/per session).
Networking
In terms of community benefits, it’s often the personal benefit that members can derive from the community which is less frequently shared. For Badassery members, this looks like fostering friendships and business opportunities through Personal Advisory Boards (PABs).
PAB experiences are an awesome and hands-on way to get matched to a small group of badasses who hold each other accountable and exchange tips and tricks about personal or professional challenges. It’s a non-judgmental space to move an idea you have forward, kickstart a project, navigate confusion, connect with other Badassery members on a deeper level...really whatever is a priority (est. value of $750-$3k/per session). 🚀
In addition, Badassery facilitates the making of said networking opportunities simply through detailed and active community management, building a network of trustworthy and supportive individuals who are engaged often and through multiple channels. In practice, Badassery runs on Circle, an all-in-one community platform. Through this medium, badasses are empowered with the tools and digital ecosystem to come together and communicate effectively.
Want to know what our most popular Circle channels are? Coming in hot and first is ❤️🔥Real Talk, a channel that feels more like a big ol’ group chat… 🫶
Other connection opportunities include “Share Your Wins,” a channel dedicated to badasses hyping up the wins of other badasses, and “Asks,” where our thought leaders can get more granular and to the point, asking each other for commentary or engagement on new posts, blogs, podcast episodes, or whatever needs a bit of a network boost. 📈
Thought Leadership at the Forefront
Sometimes the loneliest place is at the top, and thought leaders can feel that, too! For our thought leader friends, the most badass benefit is probably the exposure that comes from knowing others in-industry. Our speakers have collaborated on a range of gigs, podcasts, and written work to bring their talents together for mutual benefit.
BTW, There’s (+Extra) Visibility for Speakers, Too 😉
For our thought leaders-turned-public-speakers, there’s the opportunity to get involved in public speaking opportunities, organized and promoted exclusively to Badassery members. In the world of paid speaking gigs, there is no shortage of who knows who and getting through to event-bookers can seem like navigating a black box.
Fortunately, Badassery HQ is well versed in this department with years of experience in the paid speaking space and pre-existing relationships with many of the world’s top stages. We've helped our members make over >$275,000 in speaking gigs since our inception, and we’re doubling down on our resources for speakers in 2024. 🎤
New Members Welcome: Feb 2nd Application Deadline
Ready to explore? Apply to join Badassery’s February cohort of members.
Don't miss this chance to forge connections, boost your thought leadership, and dive into a world of vibrant support. Join the Badassery community and let’s make 2024 a year of growth and collaboration together!
Applying to be a Badassery member is a quick, easy application for us to get a chance to get to know you, followed by a 1:1 conversation with one of our HQ Team committee members. Apply by our deadline of February 2, 2024 in order to be considered for our February cohort.
