Skift Take
You can exercise.
This post is for all those who ask me how to get involved with events.
MeetUp is the answer. If you have a passion for events and a passion for something else, whatever that is you might want to start a MeetUp.
First of all, let me clarify that I am a fan of MeetUp. I’ve talked in the past about traditional event management as a thing of the past. I am a true supporter of user generated events, I think they help in skimming the market from unskilled, possibly-to-posh-to-be-true, unmotivated, unaware-of-the-content event managers.
I am also a fan of this kind of events because, by making the role of conference/event producers redundant, they cut costs dramatically for end users, being most of the times for free.
Are you gonna tell me we really need to pay 1500£,€,$ to attend a conference?
A lot of people answer that in the end companies do pay for ticket.
Well you know what? I have no company behind me, I am a student, I am a full time mum, I am a young professional in a small agency, I live in a recession period, my company cannot afford to pay!
Sometimes ROI in conferences is embarassingly high and this logic of huge profits at our cost is simply unacceptable. Therefore Viva MeetUps! and death to the conference oligarchy!
There are immediate benefits for those with an entrepreneurial spirit and lack of employer.
– Once you reach the number of 40 members per MeetUp that appears to me as a good entry for your CV. You will be in charge of sourcing a location, sponsors, promote, sell tickets and pretty much everything involved with event management
– You can experience B2B marketing and selling sponsorships. As a matter of fact MeetUps take away the trouble of not getting targeted audience. It is all about targeting. You will never have such specific audience. That translates to me in easy sponsorhip opportunities. If you go out there and perform a search of who is sponsoring what, it will be easy to realize that there are tons of e.g. organic shops willing to fund your Organic Food Lovers MeetUp.
– You will grow your network. You will become a reference in your interest group and that translates in a lot of power eventwise.
These are only few of the benefits, I invite MeetUp organizers to share their story!
P.S. If you are looking for a job there are job offers in our Linkedin Event Planning & Management Group
