Hi friends - I’m excited to introduce my little nugget, Luca Robert Poindexter. He joined us on July 12th and I have been deeply enjoying my little baby bubble ever since.

Don’t worry - I’ll be back in a few months! Refreshed and with new perspectives. This is the most ‘rest’ I’ve given my brain in…forever? And it’s really wonderful.

This is the last of our four part series on all things #community. Next month, Jared Gibson will be joining us to breakdown some key tips and advice on #thoughtleadership.

In case you’re new here, Elles already covered -

• Trust is a growth strategy

• How to set a community up for relationship-driven success

• What happens when you build community just for leads

So let’s say you’re now convinced a community driven go-to-market strategy makes sense for your business - you might be wondering…what format and platform should I use?

Elles offers some food for thought - let’s go!

Choosing the right format and platform for your community

There’s no one right way to host a community.

The key is choosing a format that supports the relationships you want to foster, and that fits the time, energy, and tech comfort of your people.

Before picking a tool or platform, ask: What do you want people to talk about? 

• Is this space for real-time updates, personal wins, and venting?

• Is it a place to collaborate on a shared topic?

• Is it a place to exchange referrals and build a professional network?

• Is it for peers to learn from each other through facilitated sessions?

What people need from each other, and how you anticipate they will interact, should drive your format.

❌ Don’t default to Slack if what you really need is a 45-minute Zoom each month.

❌ Don’t run a recurring call if your people want to drop in and out as their schedules allow.

Let’s break down a few options:

1. Slack (or other real-time chat platform): Good for Ongoing Async Conversation

• Is there something to talk about or check in on regularly? If so, Slack is great for real-time chats, lightweight feedback loops, and daily touchpoints.

• If the focus is on deeper, structured gatherings Slack may not be the only solution for deep focus or structured learning.

• Pros: Easy to set up, searchable, flexible.

• Watchouts: Can get noisy (or too quiet) fast. Needs constant moderation and structure.

✅ Best for: People who already spend time in Slack and are looking for professional go-to connections or community-of-peers style engagement.

2. Recurring Zoom or Google Meet Calls: Good for Depth and Trust

• Do you want to get to know each other and create a safe space for two-way conversation? If so, these calls are great for establishing depth, vulnerability, shared reflection and live collaboration (if facilitated correctly).

• If you just want to talk at people or share information then these are not ideal for high-volume groups or 1 to many info-sharing.

• Pros: Builds a safe space quickly. Easy to schedule. No new tools.

• Watchouts: Requires facilitation and engagement. Can be hard to scale.

✅ Best for: Early customers, product feedback, peer groups, anyone where "showing up" matters more than constant updates.

3. Email Newsletters or Group Threads: Good for Simplicity

• Do you want to keep your audience updated on your product, or collect feedback via surveys for quick sound bites? If so, this format is good for broadcasts, light updates, low-lift community touchpoints.

• Any more interaction than that then this may not be the best route for interactive conversation or building culture.

• Pros: Everyone already has email. No new platform needed.

• Watchouts: Easy to ignore. Doesn’t build much two-way interaction.

✅ Best for: Maintaining light relationships, sharing resources, or nurturing early interest.

4. In-Person Meetups: Good for Energy and Belonging

• Want to build some deeper, trust based relationships more quickly? Then this is a great avenue for trust-building, real-time connection and shared experiences.

• If you want to continue those conversations and/or build a higher volume audience, then these are difficult to keep consistent and at scale without a virtual or async avenue added on.

• Pros: Nothing replaces IRL (in real life) relationship building.

• Watchouts: Logistics-heavy. Can be expensive or location-biased.

✅ Best for: When you already have a community and want to deepen the bond. Or to kick off something new.

5. Combo Models: Start Simple, then Layer in More!

You might begin with a small group monthly Zoom series and evolve into a Slack space. Or use a newsletter to curate your best conversations and invite people to join more active spaces. You don’t have to do everything all at once, and your audience should determine where it goes.

Ask Yourself:

• Where do my people already spend time?

• How do they like to communicate?

• What do they want to talk about, and with whom?

• What’s the least I can do to start building relationships with them?

Choose a format that matches your people, your purpose, and your capacity. It doesn’t have to be fancy or over-structured, it just has to be intentional and authentic. 

And make sure to remember that we’re all learning every day, so don’t over think it… find some early members, get their feedback, and try something!

Thanks for tuning in! That was fun. 👋 

Still not sure what format fits your community vision? I’m happy to help. Let’s chat!

See ya around!

Elles Skony

Want to learn more about how I help startups increase their revenue by 150-590%? 👀 

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With love and gratitude,