You may know Meetup is a way to socially connect with people face-to-face (an increasingly novel idea in our virtual world!). You might think of Meetup as just a “fun” outlet and not even associate it with the business world at all. But it’s time to think twice if you carry this misconception, because many small business owners are looking to Meetup for offline gatherings that can help strengthen their brand and boost their bottom line.
It was then-Vermont Governor Howard Dean that put Meetup in the spotlight in 2004, two years after the company was founded, when after each speech he asked people to “join your local Howard Dean Meetup.” President Obama also used Meetup during his Senate run, and the company became more visible. It had some hiccups for the next year: the brand wasn’t seen in the best light (some Meetups were deemed low quality), plus they weren’t profitable (mainly because it was free to the majority of organizers).
In 2005, Meetup lost 95% of the site activity when it began to charge members a flat monthly fee. Luckily, things turned around and today Meetup boasts over 22.64 million users who participate in over 209,000 Meetup Groups in over 180 different countries. In April of 2013, Meetup.com surpassed 100 million RSVPs, and the company is now profitable.
If your company signs up with Meetup, what will you receive? You’ll be able to schedule events (with options for public and private calendars), add event fees, set up a waiting list, send reminders to attendees, and accept payments – something that can be pricy to build in-house. Beyond that, the benefits can be immense to SBOs looking to gather their target customers and other like-minded contacts into one place. In more tangible terms, you can launch products, hold trainings, and hold other events designed to increase your sales leads and boost brand awareness.
Whether you are looking to use Meetup for event management, sales, training, talent recruitment, enhanced communication, or market research, you’ll be able to bring people together in a more powerful and effective way than an online forum, especially if you want some geographic targeting. Small businesses also rely on the Meetup platform for insight into niche markets that can oftentimes prove tricky. On the flipside of the coin, large corporations can tap into locally based industry gatherings in various cities to reach a huge number of targeted consumers within a short amount of time.
Above all, remember that Meetups happen offline. It seems self-explanatory, but you have to bring your in-person A-game to the table, and make this event soar through informative content, humor, and an engaging atmosphere. These events are not formal conventions or trade shows, but should speak for your brand without going over the top. Mix up your Meetups with exciting and unique speakers who are well versed in presenting a strong representation of the brand. Make sure you give attendees time to RSVP, publicize your event, and be sure to gather plenty of feedback post-event and thank people for their valuable participation! Additionally, have a contingency “Plan B” if you need to cancel.
Don’t forget the online elements, too. Post pictures into your profile, make sure your group topics are clearly defined and highlighted, include speaker bios, and use your social media channels (Facebook, Twitter) to guarantee ample foot traffic to your event. Speaking of social media, follow your attendees and talk to them well after the event to nurture these important relationships.
Not thrilled by an online webinar right now? Is a fancy conference out of the budget? Meetup may be the perfect middle ground that your business should explore for improving your organization, putting a real face on your business, and creating loyal connections with your most important people.
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References:
http://www.entrepreneurial-insights.com/using-meetup-business-purposes