Community Commerce & the Four-Part Formula

What is Community Commerce?

Community commerce is a shift from transactional marketing to relationship-driven growth. Instead of seeing customers only as buyers, brands treat them as participants in an ecosystem.

  • Traditional model: “We sell, you buy.”

  • Community commerce model: “We co-create, connect, and grow together.”

This creates:

  • Higher frequency of purchases (because rituals and connections keep the brand top-of-mind).

  • Greater loyalty & LTV (customers feel emotionally invested).

  • Organic acquisition (members bring in friends through word of mouth, events, and digital sharing).

Haney’s TYB platform is essentially the infrastructure to help brands track, reward, and operationalize this new model.

1. Mission / Purpose (The Why)

  • This is the brand’s soul. Without a clear purpose, a community can’t cohere.

  • Purpose sets the tone for who joins, how they interact, and what they believe they’re a part of.

Examples:

  • Outdoor Voices → “Get the world moving.”

  • Patagonia → “We’re in business to save our home planet.”

  • CrossFit → “To build physical strength and resilience through shared discipline.”

Why it matters:

  • People crave meaning. A purpose-driven community has built-in gravity that pulls in those who share the same values.

n8n Workflows

Goal: Make the mission visible, measurable, and participatory across touchpoints.

Core data objects

  • member_profile { member_id, handle, email, location, interests, level }

  • mission_signal { timestamp, source, content_id, theme_tag }

  • brand_manifesto { version, statements[], proof_points[] }

Workflow A — Mission Pulse Ingest & Theme Map

Trigger: Schedule (hourly)

  1. HTTP Request → pull latest posts from {{channels: Twitter/X, IG, TikTok, Reddit, YouTube}}

  2. OpenAI / LLM → classify each post into theme_tag (e.g., “movement,” “sustainability”)

  3. If (confidence ≥ {{min_confidence}}) → keep; else drop

  4. Set → normalize fields → mission_signal

  5. Upsert (Airtable/Supabase/Notion) → table: mission_signals

  6. Webhook (optional) → push a “Weekly Mission Themes” digest to Slack #brand-leadership

Output: Live heatmap of how the mission shows up in the wild.

Workflow B — Manifesto to Content Briefs

Trigger: Cron (weekly, Mon 9:00)

  1. Read DB → latest brand_manifesto.version

  2. OpenAI / LLM → generate 10 content briefs aligned to mission; include CTA + UGC prompt

  3. Create Rows (Airtable/Notion) → table: content_briefs

  4. Slack → send briefs to #content-community

  5. Webhook → return created brief IDs for tracking

Output: Mission-aligned briefs that seed rituals and UGC.

Workflow C — Mission Proof Tracker (Case Study Collector)

Trigger: Webhook (form submit from Typeform/Tally)

  1. Validate inputs & attach files (S3/Cloudinary)

  2. OpenAI / LLM → summarise into “proof point”

  3. Upsert (DB) → table: proof_points

  4. If (impact_score ≥ {{threshold}}) → Discord announcement in #wins

  5. HTTP Request → create CMS draft page (Framer/Webflow/Headless)

Output: Rolling proof that the mission creates value IRL.

KPIs: theme coverage %, content briefs shipped/week, proof points/month, leadership engagement on digests.

2. Rituals for Activation (The How)

  • Rituals are repeatable, participatory actions that bring the mission to life.

  • They can be in-person (events, meetups, clubs) or digital (hashtags, challenges, livestreams).

Examples:

  • Outdoor Voices → “Dog walks,” “joggers clubs,” yoga sessions.

  • Peloton → Daily classes, leaderboards, milestones.

  • Red Bull → Extreme sports events, cultural festivals.

Why it matters:

  • Rituals create momentum and habit.

  • They give members an excuse to show up again and again.

n8n workflow

Goal: Turn the mission into repeatable gatherings (IRL + digital) that members can join with one tap.

Core data objects

  • ritual { ritual_id, title, format, cadence, geo, host_id }

  • attendance { ritual_id, member_id, timestamp, role }

  • ugc { ritual_id, member_id, asset_url, rights }

Workflow D — Ritual Planner & Geo-Targeted Invites

Trigger: Schedule (weekly) OR Manual

  1. Read DB → upcoming rituals (next 14 days)

  2. Geo Match (Function) → match member_profile.location within {{radius_km}} of ritual

  3. Email (Klaviyo/SendGrid) → localized invite w/ “Add to Calendar” link

  4. SMS (Twilio) → day-before reminder

  5. Calendar (Google) → create host calendar entry; add host + staff

Output: Automated attendance lift via local targeting.

Workflow E — Check-In + UGC Capture Onsite

Trigger: Webhook (QR scan at event)

  1. Lookup member by member_id or email

  2. Upsert attendance (status=checked_in)

  3. Generate Unique Upload Link (S3/Cloudinary signed URL)

  4. SMS reply → “Drop pics/vids here to earn {{points}}”

  5. When Upload Completes (Webhook) → Moderation (Vision/LLM) → approve/reject

  6. Upsert ugc + Points Engine (see Incentives)

Output: High UGC yield + clean rights pipeline.

Workflow F — Ritual Recap → Multichannel

Trigger: Schedule (T+24h after ritual end)

  1. Query ugc by ritual_id → pick top 5

  2. OpenAI / LLM → auto-write recap (short + long)

  3. CMS API → publish recap page

  4. Social Publisher (HTTP) → IG/TT/YT shorts + Twitter/X

  5. Email (Klaviyo) → segmented recap to attendees vs. non-attendees

  6. Discord/Slack → post highlights; tag ambassadors

Output: Habit loop reinforcement; FOMO for the next ritual.

KPIs: RSVPs → show rate, UGC per attendee, repeat attendance, geo penetration.

3. Connection (The Flywheel)

  • A true community isn’t just brand-to-customer but customer-to-customer.

  • The brand provides the infrastructure (forums, Discords, Slack groups, events, apps), but the magic comes when members interact directly.

Examples:

  • Lululemon → Ambassadors + studio classes.

  • CrossFit → Local boxes where members become lifelong friends.

  • Glossier → Forums and social media spaces where customers swap beauty tips.

Why it matters:

  • Peer-to-peer connection is what creates stickiness.

  • People don’t just stay for the brand — they stay because they’ve built friendships, networks, and identity around it.

n8n AUTOMATIONS

Goal: Enable members to discover, talk, collaborate, and form identity inside the ecosystem.

Core data objects

  • interest_graph { member_id, tags[], affinity_scores }

  • thread { channel, thread_id, topic_tags, engagement }

  • match { member_id_a, member_id_b, score, reason }

Workflow G — Interest Graph Sync (Discord/Slack ↔ DB)

Trigger: Schedule (daily)

  1. Discord/Slack API → pull member roles, reactions, recent messages

  2. Function → update interest_graph (TF-IDF or LLM embedding affinity)

  3. Upsert into member_profile (add top 3 tags)

  4. If new high-affinity tag → Auto-invite to relevant channel

Output: Living interest graph drives smarter recommendations.

Workflow H — Peer Matchmaking (“Coffee & Collabs”)

Trigger: Schedule (weekly, opt-in)

  1. Read DB → list of opt-in members

  2. Function → pair by complementary goals (e.g., mentor/mentee, runner pace, creator collab)

  3. Email/SMS → intro both with shared calendar link

  4. Create Calendar Event (Google) with Zoom link

  5. Writeback match record + NPS follow-up after call

Output: Lightweight but sticky peer bonds.

Workflow I — Thread Health & Host Alerts

Trigger: Schedule (hourly)

  1. Discord/Slack API → pull threads from last 24h

  2. Function → compute thread_health (participants, replies, time-to-first-reply)

  3. If health < {{threshold}} → Slack DM to host: “Nudge with a prompt?”

  4. OpenAI / LLM → propose 3 context-aware prompts

  5. Slack Buttons (Block Kit) → 1-click post into thread

Output: Prevents dead rooms; keeps flywheel spinning.

KPIs: DAU/WAU in community spaces, % members w/ ≥3 connections, reply latency, match NPS.

4. Incentives & Rewards (The Why Stay & Grow)

  • Recognition and rewards fuel engagement and advocacy.

  • Rewards don’t have to be discounts — they can be status, exclusive access, or creative ownership.

Types of Rewards:

  • Financial: Points, discounts, referral credits, exclusive product drops.

  • Social: Badges, leaderboards, recognition in community content.

  • Experiential: Early access, invite-only events, co-creation opportunities.

Examples:

  • Nike → Early access to sneakers for loyal community members.

  • Sephora Beauty Insider → Tiered loyalty system with prestige as well as perks.

  • TYB → Tools for brands to measure and reward participation (content creation, referrals, event attendance).

Why it matters:

  • Rewards close the loop and turn community participation into a growth engine.

  • When done right, incentives make customers feel like stakeholders — not just buyers.

n8n workflows

Goal: Reward the behaviors that grow the community and revenue, without breaking brand equity.

Core data objects

  • action { member_id, action_type, object_id, value, timestamp }

  • points_ledger { member_id, delta, reason, balance }

  • tier { member_id, tier_name, effective_date }

  • reward { reward_id, type, cost, inventory, expires_at }

Points Engine (reusable sub-workflow)

Trigger: Webhook (any action event)

  1. Validate action payload

  2. Switch on action_type

    • check_in_ritual → +{{points_checkin}}

    • ugc_approved → +{{points_ugc}}

    • referral_purchase → +{{points_referral}}

    • review_published → +{{points_review}}

  3. Upsert to points_ledger

  4. Function → recompute tier by balance (Bronze/Silver/Gold)

  5. If tier change → Email/SMS congrats + benefits

Output: Centralized, transparent scoring.

Workflow J — Reward Redemption & Inventory

Trigger: Webhook (member clicks “Redeem”)

  1. Read points_ledger.balance

  2. If balance >= reward.cost → proceed

  3. Decrement reward.inventory

  4. Create coupon in Shopify/Klaviyo OR generate access token (early drop, RSVP, 1:1 session)

  5. Writeback redemption record; deduct points

  6. Email delivery + expiry reminder job

Output: Frictionless redemption across financial/social/experiential rewards.

Workflow K — Referral → Revenue Bridge

Trigger: Webhook (share link click / purchase)

  1. Parse ref_code and attribute to member_id

  2. If first purchase → Points Engine (+referral)

  3. Upsert LTV stats on referrer & referee

  4. Slack → “Shoutout” in #hall-of-fame if ≥{{milestone}}

  5. Email → referrer “You just funded {{reward_suggestion}} with that referral”

Output: Clear line from connection → commerce.

Workflow L — Creator/UGC Bounties

Trigger: Schedule (weekly brief publish) + Webhook (submission)

  1. Publish bounty briefs from content_briefs to Discord/Email

  2. On Submission → Moderation (Vision/LLM) → approve

  3. If Approved → Points Engine (+bounty) and Payout (Stripe Connect/Airtable Payroll)

  4. CMS → auto-credit creator on content page

  5. Leaderboard → update & post to community

Output: Incentivized creation loop with proper attribution.

KPIs: redemptions/week, cost per action vs. LTV, referral-to-purchase rate, tier distribution.

How It All Fits Together (The Flywheel)

  • Mission gives people a reason to gather.

  • Rituals keep them showing up.

  • Connection makes them stay and engage more deeply.

  • Incentives amplify loyalty and advocacy.

  • Which in turn fuels the brand’s growth (more purchases, higher LTV, stronger word of mouth).

It’s not linear — it’s circular:
Purpose → Rituals → Connection → Incentives → back to Purpose (strengthened).

Why This Matters for Brands Right Now

  • Paid ads are getting more expensive (CAC rising).

  • Consumer trust in traditional marketing is falling.

  • Gen Z and Millennials want participation, not just consumption.

  • Brands with strong communities weather downturns better (because loyalty ≠ price-sensitive).

👉 So community commerce isn’t just a nice-to-have brand story — it’s becoming the new growth playbook.

CommunityFrancesca Tabor