Over the years, we’ve developed a large number of template responses for community teams to adapt to their situations. The idea is to get people to consider how they can participate in a community with empathy.
I’ll share a few that have worked well here (all names/details have been tweaked):
Example of A Direct Welcome Message From A Community Manager
This post is used in smaller communities where the community manager welcomes each new person. The purpose is to build instant rapport, provide useful information, build connections between existing members, and solicit a follow-up.
“Hi @Raphael,
Welcome to the community. It’s great to have someone with a remote-first background here. Have you recently moved to California as well?
Your question is probably going to be of interest to a lot of our newcomers. I’d highlight two resources we have at the moment available here and here. Both give you a great overview of places to get started.
I’d also suspect some of our veterans like @nikita77, @benj, and @crystalCK can jump in and help here too.
Let me know if this helps at all!”
Example Of Responding To A Product Problem Post
This post is used where the original poster is asking for help to resolve a product problem but failed to provide enough information to get a good response. The goal is to keep the mood light, solicit more information, make the member feel seen, and bring in others who might be able to help.
“Hey @Clare6
Nooo, don’t break out the hammer just yet! I’m 100% sure we can get this fixed.
The first step is to get a little more information from you first. Can you share what operating system you’re using and what you’ve tried so far? Feel free to share any screenshots too!
Also what is the ideal outcome you want? I think that would help our members give good responses here too.
I know @Vix-ed had this problem before so might also be able to help.”
Example Of Launching A New Initiative
This post is used to launch a new initiative within the community. The goal is to get members excited, ensure the post gets responses, deliver the information quickly, and ensure members quickly grasp the concept. Notice the use of @mentions to bring in others to respond to get things started.
“Hello community, I have some awesome news!
It’s a new month and we’ve been working with some of our top members (@AK22, @SusanS, and @KDOVE) to launch a new challenge.
In this one, we want you to share your favourite masks. You can post as frequently (or infrequently) as you like. If you have unique designs, custom masks, or have simply seen something you love, this is the place to share it!
Ready, set, go!”
Example Of Clamping Down On Bad Behavior
This post is another real-life situation in which bad behavior began to infect the community and had to be addressed (without antagonising members). The goal here was to be kind, but clear. Understanding, but firm.
“Hi @community,
Over the past couple of weeks, we’ve seen a rise in posts with messages like “remove this if this is against the rules” – typically followed by something against the rules(!).
We’ve taken a lenient approach so far – typically just removing the post and sending a polite note to the creator that the post was indeed against the rules. Alas, this leniency is resulting in a growing influx of self-promotional posts.
So, here’s a warning (we send with kindness), please check the updated rules before you post. None of us want to whip out the banhammer, but we also want to make sure the community isn’t filled with self-promotion.”
Example Of Attracting Collaborators
This post was to attract some early members to participate in our upcoming resources. We wanted to make this feel like a rare opportunity for members to get more involved in supporting the community. Notice here we’re not providing a detailed outline of what we want to do. Instead, we’re provoking interest and then making members make the first commitment.
“Hello everyone!
In the coming year we’re going to create 4 universal resources.
These are detailed guides tackling specific areas of our topic and challenges people want to overcome.
We’re looking for a couple of you to step up and help us create these guides. We want your help to source the best ideas, solicit your expertise and knowledge, and develop the project.
If you’re interested, simply reply here. Myself and our @communityMVP team are eager to hear from you.”
Example Of Responding To A Highly Emotive Situation
This was the most challenging post. In this community, members shared some of their most harrowing personal situations and looked for emotional support. The temptation here is to try to inform/educate this group. Unless the member asks for help, they simply want you to be there for them. This post is simply to acknowledge and be there for the member.
“Hi @adamS,
Thanks for this honest and detailed post. The entire community team and I were touched by it and we can’t begin to imagine the pain you’re in and what you’re going through.
Believe me when I say, you’re not alone.
I’m with you. Our entire community team is with you. And our entire community is with you too.
Anytime you need someone to speak to, looking for support, or just want to invest. You only have to reach out. If other members want to lend their support, share their experiences, please do reply in the comments. “
Feel free to adapt or use these however suits you. Hopefully, they provide some help as you develop your skills and train your community teams.
