User growth strategy

As Ben and I sat down to edit the group request form yesterday we inevitably came up against some tough questions about how we're catering to different kinds of groups and what's our strategy for bringing on new users at a sustainable pace. Here's an update on my thinking for one option; it would be great to get some feedback on this.

While we're still in 'closed beta', i.e. learning phase:

Group Request Form

1. All groups approach us through the group request form.
2. They tell us a bit about what kind of group they are, including whether or not they have a formal budget.
3. We explain that we are in a learning phase and are doing research to develop an equitable contribution model that provides us with a sustainable revenue but does not bar access to groups without money.
4. We ask whether or not they would like to contribute. If they say yes, we could ask for more information e.g. subscription or one-off payment? pay now or later? how much?

Approval process

1. Category A: If the group is vaguely aligned with our values, and says they can't contribute, we approve their request. This sends them to the New Group Wizard. They have free access to the tool.
2. Category B: If the group says they can contribute, but we judge them to be not particularly strategic, or unlikely to be contributing a significant sum, we approve their request. This sends them to the New Group Wizard, which will point out the Contribute page so they know how to make a voluntary contribution. They have free access to the tool.
3. Category C: If the group says they can contribute and they are strategic (e.g. a city council), they are assigned an account manager who works closely with them to get them set up on Loomio, agree a fair price, and send an invoice (i.e. the way we're currently operating).

Note, the groups with free access will have their maximum size limited. If they would like to increase their membership, or add a new group, they will get back in touch with us. At this point we can reconsider whether or not they are in the right category.

Note also, as Ben has suggested, we'll know we're ready to transition into the next phase when the engagement rates for the 'low-touch' groups (Category A & B) approach that of the 'high-touch' groups (Category C).

The information we gather in this phase will help us to move towards the next phase:

Sign-up Gateway

In the next phase, the 'request group form' will be replaced by a sign-up gateway. The gateway could offer three plans that match the three categories:

1. Category A wants access to the tool but can't afford to pay for it: they would apply for a scholarship to use Loomio for free.
2. Category B wants access to the tool like any other SaaS tool. They would sign up for a simple subscription, at a rate determined by the group size, possibly with the option to review the price i.e. pay what you like.
3. Category C wants access to the tool along with additional facilitation and engagement services. They would want to talk to a local Loomio representative about what services we can offer.

Each Category would end up using the same tool, but their contribution to us would be determined by their needs and means.

Obviously a certain percentage of groups will take advantage of our generosity and obtain a scholarship when they could happily pay. We could go a long way to mitigating that problem by simply adding a visual indicator (i.e. a badge) next to the group name indicating which plan they are on, which would encourage a sort of crowd-sourced policing :)