Every community is unique in its structure, its programming, and the way members move through it. WriteCME Pro is no different. It’s a community founded by Alexandra Howson PhD, CHCP, FACEhp to support ambitious writers who want to build a sustainable niche in CME writing with professional development and a sense of belonging.

Meaningful community experience requires thoughtful communication at every step: from welcoming new members, to guiding them toward the right next step in their journey, to sending renewal reminders before the system charges them so they have the chance to update payment details or make an informed choice.

Circle, the platform where WriteCME Pro is hosted, does a strong job of covering the essentials. It provides building blocks like direct messaging and email tools that any community can use. But, as with most SaaS platforms, these features are one-size-fits-all. They don’t quite rise to the nuance of a community like WriteCME Pro.

Different onboarding emails for each program. Beyond the membership, WriteCME Pro hosts standalone courses and quarterly themed sprints, each requiring its own introduction.

Automated renewal and offboarding communications. Members needed a reminder 7 days before renewal and thoughtful offboarding emails when cancelling, to avoid burning bridges.

A monthly community newsletter. Members wanted a single, consistent recap of all happenings in the community to stay informed and engaged.

Alex had already been using Kit to send newsletters, but we elevated it to create a truly thoughtful community experience tailored to WriteCME Pro members. By leveraging Kit’s advanced features, we made sure each communication feels relevant, personal, and timely.

The onboarding experience for WriteCME Pro’s membership is carefully structured to guide new members through the community and its resources at the right pace. Immediately after joining, members receive a welcome message, followed by an introduction to the community’s values, commitments, and goals—delivered entirely through Kit’s automations over two weeks.

Each digital product beyond the membership also has its own onboarding sequence. Using Kit’s tags and advanced segmenting, members are guided correctly, ensuring information and links don’t overlap between programs. This also allows us to track what products are purchased, leading to better upsell opportunities while keeping each member’s journey organized and seamless.

We integrated Kit with Circle via Zapier, polling invoices from Stripe and sending that data into Kit. Members receive a personalized renewal reminder 7 days before their membership is charged.

If payment is successful, they get a thank-you email automatically.

If not, a series of “failed payment” reminders gives time for manual intervention before the cancellation sequence activates, so members are treated thoughtfully instead of instantly terminating their access.

By integrating Circle directly with Kit, every new member intro, event, and community update can be pulled directly into the newsletter. This keeps members informed and engaged, providing a warm, cohesive recap of the community happenings.

Between Q2 2024 and Q3 2025, WriteCME Pro has seen ARR more than double and membership grow by 3x. By implementing thoughtful onboarding, personalized renewal workflows, and product-specific communications, the community now delivers a seamless, supportive experience that strengthens member trust, encourages active participation, and makes growth predictable.

— Alexandra Howson PhD, CHCP, FACEhp Seasoned Writer, Researcher, & Founder of WriteCME Pro