Last year in November I decided to team up with a good friend of mine in the digital space to run a monthly Online Marketing focused event in Sydney. The event is called “Online Marketing Sydney” which can be found here: http://www.meetup.com/Online-Marketing-Sydney/
Currently we have run 3 different events see below:
I have decided to put together some tips and advice for people who are looking to potentially set up their own meetup:
Benefits and Tips of running a meetup:
1. Networking with like minded online marketing professionals: Their is nothing better then having discussions with people who work in the same field as you.
2. Setting a monthly event where you can meet up with old work mates: running a meetup is a good chance to re connect with old work mates who have moved on to new jobs. You can set a monthly date to invite them all down for a few drinks and have a chat about how their new job is progressing.
3. Helping others with Online Marketing questions and giving back to the community: I have done a whole bunch of presentations at other Meet ups over the last four years so its a great chance to give back to the community.
4. Meeting people with different skill sets so potentially learning something yourself.
5. Try to run it on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday: I have found from experience that people do not want to be at work related events on Friday and on Weekends as that is more a time for relaxing and catching up with friends outside of work.
7. Get a co-organizer: If you are sick or away on business the meetup can still run with the other organizer of the event taking control.
8. Build social properties connected to your meet up: It is a good idea to build properties on social networks like Google+, Twitter and Facebook to drive people to your meetup.
9. Promote your meetup in the weeks before it runs: It is a good idea to run some promotion on sites like linkedin and on industry specific sites before your meetup is run.
10. Send out an email blast in the days leading up to the meetup: and also one the day before to remind people the meetup is on tomorrow.
11. Get to the meetup early: if your meetup starts at 6 pm always try to arrive 10 minutes early as people will always turn up to events early.
Out next meetup for Online Marketing Sydney is on Thursday 21st of March, I hope you can make it =)
