When it comes to hosting an event, your setting is everything. The right space can mean the difference between an event where guests are eager to keep the conversation going and one where attendees are counting down the minutes until they leave. In this Meetup Live recording, we are talking all about finding and securing optimal venues.
Watch this recording of Colin-Pierre Larnerd, Customer Support & Operations Manager; Alex Marden, Customer Support Content Lead; along with Meetup organizers Paul Rock and Michelle Perchuk at Meetup 101 for trusted tips on choosing the right setting for your next event, whether it’s online or in person. Go through all the relevant considerations for finding a venue that will set the right tone for your gathering and make your attendees want to come back.
Timestamps:
- Intro (1:23)
- Setting Your Events Location (4:07)
- Hosting Online Events (7:51)
- P.L.A.N.-ing In-Person Events (18:15)
- Communicating The Details (38:24)
- Product Updates (42:45)
- Q&A (44:24)
- Contact Support (53:57)
Top Q&A Questions and Resources:
- Are there any searchable catalogs of suitable venues in large cities that can help narrow down options?
- Paul: I have used Peerspace, it’s a platform for venues to use when they are looking for bookers and you can contact them. Peerspace will also tell you the capacity each venue can hold. It is like an Airbnb for booking event spaces.
- Michelle: I look at Meetup as a platform that could help me build community and when communities are involved, I always think of a community center because they may be interested in bringing more people there. So when looking for venues, consider a community center, a religious church, or a synagogue that may have space during the week.
- For a group’s reoccurring Zoom events, do you suggest using the same Zoom code for each event, or using a new Zoom code for each event?
- Colin: I have a reoccurring event from Monday through Thursday, and I do use the same Zoom link. With that said, that could be problematic if someone infiltrates my meeting and then copies and pastes my Zoom link for the future but I haven’t experienced that yet. It really comes down to what you’re comfortable with. I found that I don’t really get that many Zoom bombers but the few times it’s happened, It’s a little traumatic. After those occasions, I changed the Zoom link but I still continue to use the same link every day until something goes wrong.
- Is it worth it to post signs at your venue telling your members where to meet?
- Paul: Yes, we want people to be able to find it. There’s nothing worse than having people confused trying to find your event, so you should definitely have signs. You can even go a step further and ask the venue to have a blocked-off area for just your group.
- Michelle: I usually plan to wear the Meetup t-shirt. Sitting with a sign, in a park or lobby might not look good. So I recommend wearing a Meetup t-shirt or a shirt for your group to make it feel more welcoming.
Resources:
- Paul
- Michelle
- Join the Meetup Organizer Community on Discord
- Product Feature Request form
- Stay up to date on product updates
- Visit Meetup’s Help Center
- For further support from our team or to report a bug, submit a direct request to our team using this form
Last modified on April 18, 2023
