DOTC: Meetup 101

I've mentioned Meetup before, when talking about Leads Referral Marketing Groups, but I'd like to discuss it a little more in-depth.  Meetup is a social network, like Facebook, but aimed helping people of similar interests find each other and meet in real life.

I have no clever caption for this image.
CURSES, FOILED!

First thing you should know: to join as a user, Meetup is completely free.  However, if you want to start your own group, you must pay organizer dues.  Some meetups will thus charge a fee to cover these dues, or may impose other fees upon attendance, so make sure you understand all of that before you show up!

By the way, I use Meetup for my personal hobbies and interests as well - and I do not mix the two on one profile, much as I have a business Twitter account and a personal Twitter account.

Next, once you join, do not neglect to make your profile professional, including a good picture.  I consider my Meetup profile no different than my LinkedIn profile, so I gave a lot of thought to my bio.  It's a distilled version of my generic "elevator speech" or "30 second pitch".

Depending on how you want to target groups, the next thing you will do is choose a few interests.  For leads referral groups, try "referral marketing" "referrals" "business networking" and similar topics.  If you are industry specific or highly targeted, try including keywords associated to those industries.

You can choose to add Facebook to your account, but I only did that with my personal account, not my business account.

Okay, once your profile is all set up, then start searching for groups, using some of the keywords I suggested above.  Once you find one you like, you probably will have to join it to see meeting details.  Most groups ask a few questions before you are allowed to join, and be sure to fill them out completely and well - think of this as marketing like any other, like you are pitching to a brand-new potential customer you just met.

You may be approved instantly, or it may take a bit for the meeting organizer to approve you.  Either way, eventually, they should add you to the group.

I advise starting with one or two groups at most, then expanding from there, as your  marketing plan, time and budget allows.  Be sure to RSVP to a Meetup's meeting (with Yes/No/Maybe and any guests you're bringing with you, if applicable).  That will help the group out a lot, as most people on Meetup attend meetups where lots of others are going vs. ones that seem like few are going.

Meetup can add group meetings to your calendar if you wish (I find that feature extremely valuable!).  Learn how here.

So get out there and start meeting up on Meetup - it's a great way to get in front of lots of people who may need your product or service, and meet people you can refer to your clientele!

Got a great tip about Meetup? Let me know!

Doing Things On The Cheap (DOTC): Leads (Referral) Marketing (aka "networking")

Leads (or referral) marketing activities can be one of the best, most effective tools in your arsenal as a small business.

These groups work by bringing together people in a variety of industries for the express purpose of creating relationships so you can confidently refer people to each other.

It is very common for these kinds of groups to be industry exclusive - once a member from a specific industry "locks in" membership (and how to do that varies from group to group) no other person in that industry is allowed to participate in the group.

It's a great way to meet other business people who are there for the purpose of meeting you and learning more about you.  They’re also great if you need to practice speaking in public (as you will usually do at least a 30 second “pitch” about you and your business).

So wait, which color of wine goes with my business card, again?

There usually are several groups in your area – some completely free, some cheap, some pricey.  I’m going to focus on finding the first two rather than the latter (if you are interested in the latter, check out groups like BNI or NetWorkz.  Also, many local Chambers of Commerce have these sorts of groups going for their members - if you are a Chamber member, use this service!) 

Go to Meetup and set up an account for yourself (do it as your business, not you, personally).  Make sure you use a good - and accurate - picture of yourself and fill out your profile completely.

Search for meetups within your target geography (typically not too far from your house or center of business) using the following interest keywords:

Referrals, small business owners, network marketing, business referral exchange, referral marketing, small business marketing, marketing strategy, business entrepreneurs.

You should also add any special terms related to your ideal customer base (as some groups may be industry specific).  Over time, additional terms will be suggested to you by Meetup in order to find more groups.

Several meetups should appear, unless you live in a very small place.  If none do anywhere near you, and you're the organized and outgoing type, you could try starting one yourself (I'll write about that another time).

Join a few on Meetup, go to the meeting, do one-on-one meetings with the people you meet there, develop relationships, and above all, learn as much as you can about the group members and do your very best to refer leads to them as much as you can.

They will pay you in kind, at least, a good group will (I talk about "bad" groups in "Five Reasons Your Leads Referral Group Sucks" Part One and Part Two).

Be aware it can take a while to get traction in a group, so don't expect a ton of leads on your first visit.  This marketing tactic requires patience and time to develop trust, and you must do your best to contribute to the group by bringing in new members as much as possible.

Many, if most, of the groups you find on Meetup either are free (they are at a restaurant and the expectation is that you buy something to eat - you can keep your cash expense down by ordering just ice water or a soda or something) or have a very small fee of some sort.  So, essentially, the major investment here is your time, especially as you also need to have stand-alone one-on-one meetings outside of group meetings to get to know the members better.

Of course, you will need to evaluate the investment in time and money versus the return (generally measured in leads) like any other tactic.  Be objective, but also don't discount the "vibe" of the group in your decision making process.

You may need more than one group, but don't do too many, as the "pool" of people you can refer business to will be too large to be meaningful.  The key here is building relationships and being known as someone who actively seeks leads for the rest of the group.

So sign up for Meetup and get going - let me know how it's working for you!