Playing with the "Super User Program" 7▎Detailed explanation of the recruitment process: public disclosure, motivation survey, onboarding and training

In today's highly competitive market, the interaction between brands and communities has become particularly important. As an emerging community management strategy, the Super User Program aims to promote brand development and innovation by discovering and cultivating a group of influential users.

In every community and brand, a group of leaders and opinion leaders emerge. They are not only more visible and have more say than other users, but also more active and effective in the community.

An effective super user program can help you leverage the wisdom, passion, and skills of these top performers to benefit your community or brand.

This series has twelve articles in total. The previous content: 1) Definition 2) Value 3) Crowd 4) Steps 5) Motivation 6) Recruitment. Today we will show Part 7: Recruitment Process.

Once you have determined the criteria and methods for recruiting super users, you can start the recruitment process, which includes four key steps: publicizing the recruitment process and exit mechanism, filling out the application form (motivation survey), onboarding, and training.

1. Plan, clarify and publicize the recruitment process to ensure fairness and transparency.

2. Super user recruitment period and exit mechanism.

3. The key to the super user application form: understand the "motivation".

4. Tips for “onboarding” and welcoming new members 5. Training of new members.

1. Plan, clarify and publicize the recruitment process to ensure fairness and transparency throughout the process

When recruiting, be careful not to rush for quick results. Rushing into a recruitment effort without adequate preparation and forethought often results in a failure to find the most suitable candidates. This not only limits the potential of the program, but can also waste valuable resources and even lead to a loss of trust in the project from superiors and partners.

Take Google's "Top Contributor" program as an example. Early members are usually invited to join after they have made long-term contributions. However, in a project adjustment, Google realized that by promoting the project in the community earlier (for example, through email, bulletin boards, etc.), it can significantly expand the selection range of potential active members.

This shows that timely communication and external publicity are crucial in the recruitment process.

By communicating information to community members in advance, you can not only attract more potential candidates, but also provide them with opportunities to participate. This practice not only expands the recruitment scope, but also builds trust and attracts more valuable talents to join the project.

To achieve this, just follow three simple steps:

Step 1: Determine the “Standard List” for Super Members

Create a specific “list of criteria” for each role (or group) you need to recruit for. Knowing these criteria at the outset will help you find a better fit.

Case 1: Salesforce does an excellent job of identifying potential MVPs.

Salesforce MVPs are outstanding individuals in the Salesforce community who are recognized for their leadership, knowledge, and sustained contributions to the community. These individuals represent the spirit of the community and what it means to be a part of it.

• The qualities an MVP should possess include product expertise, outstanding leadership skills, and good affinity.
• Members will be rewarded for creating and sharing valuable content through blogs, serving as Salesforce brand ambassadors, running active developer groups and user groups, responding to posts on #askforce, and answering questions in the achiever and developer communities.
• To qualify, you must have been active in the community for the past 12 months (at least).

Step 2: Establish application and contract signing process

Once you have determined the criteria for the people you need, you can start the recruiting and contracting process. Let’s look at how some successful programs have implemented this process:

• Members are nominated by the community (TalkTalk Community Stars)
• Members can nominate or apply for membership (Dell EMC Elect)
• Select members based on the metrics and invite them to join (Magento Masters)
• Members rise through the community through gamification (Spotify Rockstars)
• Members invited by the organization (Scoop Company Captains)
• A hybrid process combining metrics and relationships (Lithium Stars)

The selection of recruitment methods should be determined by program goals, the primary platform for member activity, the behaviors that need to be developed, and the available program management resources.

Step 3: Formalize the plan through a “public document”

Once you’ve determined your recruitment method, the next step is to formalize your plan through a public document.

While you may not want to make all the details public to prevent someone from abusing the system, potential members need to have a clear understanding of how to apply and where to apply.

In addition to brand communities, you can also look for super users on a wider scale based on the goals you set.

For example, for Magento, they will consider exploring potential program members through StackExchange and other relevant communities. Channels explored include:

• Rival Community
• A community of practice in your field
• Product Fan Site
• TwitterX
• Facebook
• Instagram and other social media
• StackExchange
• Quora
• Other Q&A Sites

Through these diverse channels, we will be able to attract outstanding candidates more effectively and promote the successful implementation of the plan.

II. Clarify the term of office and exit mechanism of members

A successful program requires not only clear guidelines and incentives, but also fixed membership terms, meaning that members have the opportunity to opt out if their interests or commitments change.

From a brand perspective, limited-term roles can encourage members who are underperforming or not a good fit for the team to automatically exit. At the same time, limiting the term of ambassadors or super users creates valuable opportunities for new members to join, thus ensuring the continued effectiveness of the program.

• Many programs choose to have annual terms and allow members to reapply or be eligible for further terms after their terms expire. This practice not only helps keep the project fresh, but also encourages members to continuously improve their contributions.
• If your program attracts a large number of applicants quickly after launch, consider limiting the application period to a shorter recruitment period. Not only will this help control enrollment numbers, it will also generally mean higher quality candidates.
• For larger projects, there are usually two recruitment periods, depending on the number of new applications that need to be processed during each recruitment period, while for ordinary projects, applications can be accepted at any time.

Based on your available resources, decide which recruitment cycle will work best for your program to ensure it operates efficiently.

3. Super User Application Form and Key Element “Motivation”

In the application form filled out when registering with the community, it is recommended to collect the minimum information to reduce the difficulty of conversion. However, in the "Super User Program", as much information as possible should be collected during the first contact, especially about their "motivation".

Gaining insight into this information at the outset of your program will provide you with critical information as you refine and expand your program over time.

1. Understanding the motivations of super users is crucial

At this stage, you can ask applicants questions such as:

• How do they want to participate in the program?
• How much time can they devote?
• What is their reason for applying?
• Why do they love your brand?

This information will help you gain insight into their motivations and, in turn, discover how to motivate them and better utilize their skills.

Of course, it is crucial to identify their motivations for participating:

• Is it to have a great resume?
• Would you like to find a job opportunity in your company?
• Do you want to improve your social status?
• Want to learn more about the company's latest developments or early products?
• Are you hoping to earn income from participating in the program?
• Looking to receive exclusive gifts, benefits or invitations to special events?

By understanding their motivations, you can better understand their goals and expectations for participating in the program. This will enable you to provide corresponding rewards and incentives for different motivations, thereby meeting their needs and increasing their enthusiasm and commitment.

Whether they’re seeking self-development, enhanced career opportunities, or access to unique benefits, a more engaging and meaningful superuser program can be crafted based on their motivations.

2. Only by asking questions skillfully can you get real answers!

Before you ask, think about this: Are people willing to share honestly what they really think? Will they admit that they are seeking social status or influence in your organization?

Rather than casually asking people what they want, craft more specific questions that elicit more genuine responses and thus provide a deeper understanding of their expectations and motivations.

This way, you can tailor the program to their real needs, ensuring they feel satisfied and fulfilled during their participation.

Here are some questions to consider:

• Are you interested in a future role within our organization?
• If you had the opportunity to name this project, what would it be?
• What kind of resume do you think will leave a lasting impression on you?
• Are you willing to participate in business trips or related activities?

The key to a successful plan is that everyone succeeds together. To achieve this, you need to deeply understand people's real needs and wishes, not just what they say.

3. Create application form content based on brand needs

Let’s take a look at how some of the best brands design their application forms to help you collect information more effectively.

• In Spotify’s expression of interest form, it asks applicants which area of ​​the community they are most interested in, what types of activities they are interested in, and asks them to give examples of times they have helped other members in the past.
• In the self-recommendation form, Autodesk asks applicants to describe their proficiency in products, what types of activities they are interested in participating in, what certifications they have, and how they hope to contribute to the program.
• The Docker Community Group is primarily based on demographics and psychographics, so their registration form asks about location, job description, developer experience, and areas of interest.
• Google's top contributors expression of interest form asks members to provide examples of how they have helped others, what products they know about, and why they want to join.
• Prezi has a specialist application form that asks applicants to describe the types of services they provide and requests examples of work, references and why the potential member thinks they would be a good fit for the program.
• The Socrates Student Ambassador application asks students to select the three qualities that best describe themselves and asks them what types of subjects they enjoy, why they want to become a member and what activities they would like to participate in.
• The Allrecipes Allstars survey asks things like marital status, annual income, why they want to join the program, why they should be accepted, and what kind of food they would choose to be the creator of if they had to choose!
• The Scoop Company Captain application form asks members if they can make a one-hour work commitment per week.

According to the needs of the brand, you can refer to the practices of these excellent brands and design the application form content that suits your own brand characteristics.

4. User "joining" and welcoming tips

Excellent “onboarding” orientation lays a solid foundation for good communication in the future, allowing new members to feel a sense of belonging and understand their responsibilities.

To ensure they can get information quickly when they get stuck, here are some practical tips:

• Send a "welcome pack" to new members. This includes all the necessary documents they need to start working.
• Provide product training materials to ensure new members have a comprehensive understanding of the company's products and services.
• Provide management guidance to help new members understand the company's management structure and decision-making process.
• Provide style or language guidelines to ensure new members use a consistent style and language when communicating with clients or team members.
• Provide content templates to help new members follow a unified format and standards when creating content.
• Provide role or task descriptions to ensure new members are clear about their responsibilities and expectations.
• Provide an upgrade process so new members understand their career path in the organization.
• Provide contact information so new members know they can communicate with the appropriate person if needed.
• Clearly define responsibilities and expectations so that new members can understand their goals and priorities and have a stronger sense of direction.
• Provide a rewards schedule to let new members know the rewards and recognition they can expect as they progress in the program.
• How to exit the plan smoothly.

To ensure that the program is scalable, it is recommended to establish an onboarding ceremony and functional platform to promote mutual introductions, warm welcomes, peer support or mentoring among new members. In this way, new members will be more easily integrated into the team and establish good relationships with other members, thereby strengthening the team's cooperation and communication capabilities.

Here are three more tips for joining:

1. Immediately connect and communicate with new members in person.

• If you can, try to personally call or video call new members. Building strong relationships is key to the success of your program. When people feel you care and support them, they’ll be more willing to fully support you and focus on the team’s goals.
• If personal calls aren’t feasible, use instant messaging to encourage early engagement. Create a concise agenda to ensure everyone has time to interact. Give new members some “homework” before the call to prepare them and improve the quality of the conversation.

In the process, you not only build a personal connection, but also gain insight into the goals and motivations of your new members.

2. Introduce other departments in the organization during the joining process.

• Make sure new members know who to contact if they have questions or need to escalate a situation.
• At the same time, they also need to understand how to obtain product information or provide effective feedback in a timely manner.
• Connect new members to direct support channels whenever possible so they feel supported by the team and have access to resources.

3. Include a small thank-you gift in the “welcome package” in advance.

• Small gifts not only boost the enthusiasm of new members, but also enhance brand recognition. These gifts don't have to be fancy or expensive. A handwritten note, some stickers, or other small gifts can convey your care and attention.
• For smaller projects, this may not be as practical, but early recognition can be demonstrated by responding positively to feedback or showing full support for members, making new members feel important and valued.

5. New Member Training

Some projects do not require training and can be implemented simply through some relevant documents; most projects require one-on-one communication or some simple disguised training methods. For example:

• One-off webinars/workshops: Operational staff and outstanding members share key points, success stories and valuable experience to help new members get started quickly.
• Create a community-specific page to showcase the best member cases and tips: regularly invite outstanding members to share their tips in the form of pictures, texts or videos to help other members learn and grow.
• Exclusive Information Sharing: Share early access to your research, reports or industry insights, which they can use to increase their own credibility and influence.

At the same time, for some projects that require in-depth and continuous training, a more systematic approach can be adopted - training camp.

Mou Jiahe, founder of Zhijia DTC, gave the following practical points in serving the "Wuling KOC Training Camp":

Because your good friend's creative ability is insufficient and no one reads the content he posts, what should you do to help him grow faster? Start a KOC training camp!
——Founder of Moujiahezhijia DTC:

• Training camp duration: as short as 7 days and as long as 28 days. Avoid camps that are too long because once the time is delayed, it will be difficult to maintain concentration.
• Design gamified tasks from easy to difficult: set initial tasks with low thresholds, such as simple forwarding or liking; then gradually increase the challenges, requiring members to create graphic content, such as taking a photo and adding a short text; finally, challenge them to shoot short videos.
• The process of advancement from elementary, intermediate and advanced levels: ① Cultivate product power, such as training car owners to understand and express the selling points or experience of the car; ② Train short video shooting and editing skills, and guide car owners to create videos. ③ Challenge hot products. Assist car owners to plan and create creative works.
• Core goal: Support users to create content better, empower users and make them true KOCs.
• Please note that the training camp welcomes repeated participation. "There is no threshold, as long as you are willing, we will take you to fly for free."

▲ Image from: Speech by Zhijia DTC founder Mou Jiahe

6. Summary of the review

1. Plan, clarify and publicize the recruitment process

• Take the time to carefully plan and execute the recruiting process.
• Develop clear, verifiable processes so potential members can clearly understand the recruitment process.
• Keep in mind that valuable members may be recruited from outside the community.

2. Super user recruitment period and exit mechanism

• Fixed-term memberships can easily lose members who don’t meet their goals.
• Use shorter hiring windows to improve application quality.

3. The key to the super user application form: understanding motivation

• Collect as much information as possible in the application form.
• Ask people why they want to join your program to gain a deeper understanding of their motivations.

4. Tips for Super User "Joining" and Welcome

• Immediately connect and communicate personally with new members.
• Include various program documents in the welcome packet for all new members.
• Make the plan scalable by having existing members onboard new members.

5. New member training

• Determine the training method based on the project: such as relevant documents, one-on-one communication, one-time webinars/workshops, etc.
• In-depth and continuous training programs can take a systematic approach - training camps.