Kelsi ClymerYou worked hard to get new members. They joined… and then disappeared.
What happened?
The truth is, most communities lose members in the first 30 days—not because the content or experience isn’t valuable, but because the onboarding process wasn’t strong enough.
Without a clear path, new members feel lost, overwhelmed, or disengaged. And once they check out, it’s hard to get them back.
A great onboarding process ensures new members feel welcomed, connected, and excited to participate. Here’s how to make sure your members don’t ghost you.
Why New Members Ghost After Joining
Imagine this: A new member joins your community. They’re excited, curious, and ready to dive in. But the moment they log in, they feel overwhelmed. There are multiple spaces, endless posts, and no clear direction.
So, they do what most people do when they feel lost. They close the tab and never come back.
Many communities make the mistake of assuming members will figure things out on their own. But when people don’t know where to start, they freeze. If they aren’t given a clear next step, they hesitate. And that hesitation leads to disengagement.
Other times, it’s not confusion—it’s disconnection. They join, but no one acknowledges them. No welcome, no personal message, no sign that anyone even noticed they arrived. Without that early engagement, they feel invisible. And when people don’t feel like they belong, they leave.
Then there’s the issue of information overload. Some communities try so hard to be helpful that they throw too much at new members all at once. Long welcome emails, dozens of resources, multiple action steps. It’s overwhelming, and instead of feeling supported, new members feel exhausted before they even get started.
And finally, there’s the value gap. If someone joins your community and doesn’t see an immediate reason to stay, they won’t. People need to experience a quick win—something valuable that justifies their decision to join. If they don’t, they’ll move on.
The good news? You can fix all of this with a strong onboarding process.
How to Fix Your Onboarding Process (And Keep Members Engaged)
1. Give Them a Clear, Simple Starting Point
When someone joins, they shouldn’t have to figure out where to go first. They should be told exactly what to do—and it should feel easy.
Inside Circle, the best way to do this is by creating a Welcome Space with a pinned Start Here post. This post should include:
- A short welcome message (I love video for this!).
- Step 1: Introduce yourself in the community.
- Step 2: Engage with a featured post or discussion.
- Step 3: Check out one key resource.
The goal? Make it brain-dead simple for new members to take their first action.
2. Personally Welcome Every Member (Without It Eating Up Your Time)
A quick personal welcome goes a long way. But let’s be real—if you’re running a business, you don’t have time to welcome every single person manually.
Here’s the workaround: Batch your welcomes.
Instead of messaging people one by one, set aside 10 minutes each day to welcome every new member who joined the day before. You can do this in three ways:
- DM them directly inside Circle with a friendly message.
- Create a weekly “Welcome Wednesday” post and tag all new members at once.
- Have a community manager handle this for you. (If you’re interested in hiring one, reach out to me—I can help.)
A personal touch doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does need to happen.
3. Make Engagement Easy from Day One
Most new members don’t post because they don’t know what to say. So, make it effortless.
Start with a super simple icebreaker—something anyone can answer. For example:
- “What’s one thing you’re hoping to learn here?”
- “Where are you joining from?”
- “What’s your favorite [industry-related topic]?”
And if you need more ideas, here’s a list of 25 icebreakers to use in your community.
Once they answer, they’re officially engaged—and engaged members are far less likely to disappear.
4. Deliver Quick Wins (Make the Value Obvious)
The best way to keep a new member engaged? Give them something valuable immediately.
This could be a free resource, a mini training, or something that solves a small but meaningful problem.
Here are some ideas:
- Business Coaches: “Steal My 5-Minute Morning Routine for Productivity”
- Health & Fitness Experts: “Quick 10-Minute Workouts You Can Do at Home”
- Marketing Consultants: “3 Email Templates That Get Clients to Say Yes”
When members experience value early, they’re more likely to stick around.
5. Set Up an Onboarding Challenge or Orientation Event
🔥 Run an Onboarding Challenge (With Gamification!)
Inside Circle, you can gamify the onboarding experience by creating a simple challenge:
✅ Post an intro
✅ Comment on someone else’s post
✅ Watch a featured resource
Each step earns points, badges, or shout-outs—making onboarding feel rewarding instead of like another task.
🎥 Host a “New Member Kickoff” Video Call
Instead of a boring “orientation,” host a fun, interactive video call where new members can:
✅ Meet others who just joined
✅ Ask questions
✅ Get a personal welcome from you
This is not a 1:1 call—it’s a group onboarding call that makes new members feel part of something bigger. You can run it once a month and welcome multiple people at the same time.
Choose the Right Community Platform for a Seamless Onboarding Experience
Not all community platforms are created equal. If you want your onboarding process to be smooth, engaging, and easy to manage, you need to choose a platform that fits your needs.
I personally love Circle because of its clean, intuitive layout—it’s easy to use, but it also has powerful customization features so you can create the exact experience you want for your members.
Since I’m a Circle Partner, I’ve helped business owners set up thriving communities using Circle’s built-in tools, like:
✅ Pinned Welcome Spaces for easy onboarding
✅ Private DM capabilities for personalized welcomes
✅ Automated workflows to guide members seamlessly
If you’re looking for a platform that makes onboarding simple while still giving you full control, I highly recommend trying Circle.
🚀 Use my exclusive link to get a free 14-day trial of Circle!
Better Onboarding = Higher Retention (and More Revenue)
A great onboarding process keeps members engaged, builds long-term relationships, and increases retention (which means higher revenue for your business).
If you want help building a seamless onboarding experience that keeps members engaged and paying, let’s talk.