7 Tricks for Organising A Successful Meetup

7 Tricks for Organising A Successful Meetup

Everyone who has ever tried to develop their network of friends, business associates, and/or like-minded people will tell you that there aren’t many more effective methods than meetups. It is a fantastic way to relocate your virtual network to a tangible territory, but you need to know how to organize such an event. The rationale behind a meetup is to gather like-minded people and provide them with an opportunity to chat with each other and listen to a guest speaker. In order for the event to be successful, you really need to invest significant effort into organizing it. If you know how tricky it can be to throw a simple dinner party, you’ll understand the complexity of organizing a successful meetup. To help you with your endeavour, we’ve prepared the following list of things you need to bear in mind and address. 7 tricks for organising a successful meetup.

1. How is your meetup different?

If you’re planning to organize a meetup that wouldn’t bring anything new to your industry, chances are it won’t live up to your expectation. People need to be intrigued by the event and it has to offer something that they haven’t been able to see or hear before. That’s why you need to investigate the local scene and find out what kind of events have already been organized and identify a niche that your event will deal with. Then you need to create a clear lead statement, explaining what your meetup is all about. Phrase it in a way that people understand what type of conversations you hope to develop.

2. Create a group

You need to create your group, choose the location, the group’s name, headline and your lead statement, describing what the group is all about. You should also select a theme for your group’s page, which is an easy task since there are many templates you can use if you’re out of ideas. The next step is vital. Choose up to 10 topics that describe what your group is targeting and find the right keywords, which will attract the right members to your group.

3. Building membership

It’s a good idea to wait for your membership to grow before you organize your first event. Only then should you announce the event and promote it so that people can RSVP.

4. Format

There is no universal formula you need to follow when it comes to the format of your event. Most include networking over cocktails and often feature a panel discussion or guest speak and Q and A session from the audience. If you’re new to this, try something more informal first. The format you choose will influence other important decisions, such as providing the right equipment. For example, if you need an AV/broadcast solution, you should turn to reliable Media Powerhouse sales and install services.

5. Venue

When you’ve decided on the format, it’s time to tell people where they’ll meet. Finding a venue may be quite tricky, depending on where you live. Choosing a place in a low traffic area is always a good idea, such as a bar on a Monday or Tuesday. They should be happy to let you organize the event for free when they hear you’re planning to have 40 people for a couple of hours. Selecting the right venue can also help you boost brand visibility.

6. Day of the meetup

There is a lot to do on the day of the event. Call the venue to confirm, check if all the equipment is in place and if you’re in charge of supplies, let the venue know that ahead of time and confirm you’ll be there early enough to set up. Make sure you have enough pens, name tags and the RSVP list. Have someone besides yourself man the door, so you can take care of last-minute needs. If there is no cap on your admission number, you need to have a sign-in sheet, so that you can get everyone’s contact information.

7. Stay connected

Your work is not done when the guests leave. You need to stay connected with them via your group’s Meetup page and/or other social media platforms. Follow your members on social networks and keep your community buzzing. If there was a controversial question that generated a lot of discussions, make sure there is an appropriate follow-up.

If you’ve given these things due consideration and prepared your event well, you’ll probably be able to reap the benefits relatively soon. That should also give you the motivation to roll up your sleeves and organize another meetup in the future and take things to another level.