Ep 65: Gamification: The Missing Piece of Your Business

May 16

You hear people talking about it all the time, gamification. How do you gamify your online program to motivate people to take action? I was in a client meeting recently and they brought up the topic of gamification. They're like, Shana, “we really want to start gamifying this membership in order to get members to participate more.” Well, how do we develop a gamification plan? I started to break it down for them and realized, well, I should probably break this down for you all as well. So that's what we're going to do today.

There's really two parts. First, I want you to understand what you're looking for when it comes to triggers. The purpose of gamification is to give people rewards that motivate them to take action. Well, that means that there needs to be some sort of trigger for getting that reward. So we're going to talk about those two things- triggers and rewards.

Gamification Triggers

First, let's talk about triggers. There are four different kinds of triggers that you can be mapping out for your program. My recommendation is that you do this as a team.

You have everyone on your team listen to this episode on the Community Creators Podcast. Then brainstorm as many of these triggers as possible, and start narrowing them down.

Narrowing down the triggers can be made easier by focusing on what you are capable of tracking. Some programs may be limited by the lack of data, or may find it difficult to track certain metrics, such as the frequency of comments in a Facebook group. However, these limitations can actually help to narrow down the triggers to just a few categories. Here are the four different categories that I want you to be brainstorming around.

Time-Based Triggers: This type of trigger is based on how long a member has been in your program. It can be used to recognize and reward loyalty and encourage members to continue their membership. For example, a membership program may award different status levels based on how long a member has been a part of the community, such as Silver, Gold, or Diamond membership. With each level, members may receive additional perks, such as exclusive content, coaching calls, or discounts on future courses or events.
Action-Based Triggers: This type of trigger is based on specific actions that members take within your program. By tracking these actions, you can reward members for completing tasks or achieving certain milestones. For example, actions can be when someone watched 10 hours of training inside of our content hub or visited the content hub so many times in a row. Think about Peloton or Duolingo, where you can learn a language. A lot of those apps have streak awards. I think about my son who has taught himself how to play piano through this piano app. And he gets awards for all of the streaks that he gets, one week streak, one month streak.
Milestone-Based Triggers: This type of trigger is based on significant accomplishments or milestones that members achieve within your program. These milestones can be big or small and can vary depending on the program. For example, a quilting membership may award recognition for finishing a first quilt or selling a quilt for the first time. A business coaching program may award recognition for hitting revenue milestones or receiving your first email subscriber.
Behavior-Based Triggers: This type of trigger is based on the cultural behaviors and values that you want to promote within your community. By rewarding positive behaviors, you can encourage members to act in ways that benefit the community as a whole. For example, a community may award recognition for sharing tips and strategies, supporting other members, or persisting through setbacks. These triggers can be especially powerful for building a sense of community and encouraging members to stay engaged over the long term.

Gamification Rewards

Now what do we do? What are the rewards that we're going to provide people when they reach these different milestones or do these certain actions when the trigger happens? When I think about rewards, I often start thinking about the Five Love Languages. If you're not familiar with that, I talk in detail about the Five Love Languages in Episode 18. So you can go back to that episode to learn more, but essentially it's how humans receive love and it is well studied. So we're going to talk about just a few of those as it applies to rewards.

Time Rewards: The type of reward is time based. People love to feel special, and giving them your time is a great way to do that. You could offer one-on-one coaching calls or in-person meetups for members who reach certain milestones. You could also host a group coaching call or a Q&A session for long-time members. Offering time rewards shows members that you value their commitment to your program.
Gift Rewards: This can be either monetary or non-monetary. For example, you could give members a free month of membership or offer swag from your store. You could also personalize gifts by sending members a note in the mail or a special badge for reaching a milestone. Gift rewards show members that you appreciate their support and encourage them to continue their involvement in your program.
Affirmation Rewards: These rewards are often underestimated but can be the most motivating of all. Offering words of affirmation, either in public or private, can have a significant impact on members' confidence and trust in your program. You could acknowledge members' accomplishments in the comments or feature their success stories in your newsletter. Remember, the absence of affirmation can have a negative effect, so don't underestimate the power of recognition.
Fame Rewards: These rewards are all about giving members the spotlight. You could feature members in your Q&A or newsletter or even invite them to be interviewed on your podcast. You could also give members a special designation or award that highlights their achievements. Fame rewards show members that their hard work is recognized and appreciated.
Contribution Rewards: The final type of reward is contribution. This reward is reserved for a select group of members who have made significant contributions to your program. For example, you could offer members the opportunity to become a mentor or a featured expert in your community. This reward appeals to members' desire to give back and contribute to the greater

How to Gamify your Program

It takes a lot less to create gamification than we think it does, which is why I believe so many program owners don't have gamification. They overcomplicate it and try to create the Peloton or Duolingo version from day one. Your platform probably isn't built for that, I'm just gonna be honest with you. But that doesn't mean that you can't take advantage of the many, many benefits of gamifying your program. So I want you to start small and use this to brainstorm big, and know that you can always layer in more as you're able to track more.

I'm super curious if you are going to be adding gamification or maybe upleveling your existing gamification inside of your program. If you do, please send me a message on Instagram @shanaspeaks. I cannot wait to hear about your gamification strategy!