One of the most effective initiatives to recruit new employees is to expose them to the world of the company and its business partners. Initiating a MeetUp can be a great opportunity to present the company and its activities, in a way that does not scream marketing, but adds value and professionalism to participants.
We’ve compiled a guide for you with 7 important tips to create a successful MeetUp event:
1. Content – good, relevant and current – The basis for the event’s success and the creation of an active discussion within your will revolve around the added value that the participants received during the event. It will also reflect on the organization’s image and how it is perceived by the participants. Therefore, it is important that participants not only focus on selling themselves or their services, but focus on what useful and up-to-date information they can provide. Don’t be afraid to find a unique niche, especially when it comes to a complex technology debate. Your goal is not to bring as many participants as possible, but the most relevant audience for you. The more you focus on the topic of the event and engage with content that others do not offer, the more attractive you are to those who are really looking to enrich their knowledge in the field.
2. The Moderator – when it comes to discussion between several people and not just frontal lectures, it is important to keep a high-quality instructor (moderator) who is familiar with the topic. There is no real reason to spend a lot of money on someone “famous” if they cannot guide an intelligent and in-depth discussion of the content in question. Think if you know a colleague, journalist or even a person from the organization who has experience speaking to an audience and know how to get the best out of speakers at the conference.
3. Preparing and coordinating conversations between the moderator and participants – In addition to the above tip, a round table or multiplayer panel can become one big mess if you have not done proper research and coordinated between all the participants. Want the discussion to be interesting but not too turbulent? Afraid that one speaker won’t get enough facetime? The moderator should speak to each participant, ask them about their expectations, what they want to present and what questions will be relevant to them. The better you prepare yourself and the participants, the more successful the event will be.
4. Ensuring equal female and male representation – Unfortunately, at most conferences in Israel and around the world, female representation is scant. In practice, in the high-tech industry, there is a steady increase in the percentage of women employed, including in technology positions. Most companies are presenting the message of equality and diversity, but are they standing behind their words? If you also want women in your future teams and if integrating women is not just an empty slogan for you, they will not only show up in a post on International Women’s Day, they will be featured in your MeetUps as well.
5. Build an event page – There is no fundamental problem with using existing platforms to create a registration page for your MeetUP, but if you have the option, create a short landing page designed with your branding. The prospective employee’s journey and impression the company creates already begins with an invitation to the event, continues with the registration page and ends with the design of the event itself and the content quality. Always ask yourself: what are we purveying to the prospective employee and whether the impression we make will make us attractive as a potential employer.
6. Advertising, Marketing and Inviting Participants – As you use social networks to deliver messages and recruit employees, it is useful to use the company’s Facebook and LinkedIn business pages to promote the event. Yes, you’ll probably have to pay some money for sponsored ads. But if you have already put so much energy into thinking about content and producing the MeetUp, the last thing you want is an awkward panel in front of an empty room.
7. Live Broadcasting Options on Facebook and Other Platforms – The Corona Crisis has prevented people from meeting and brought MeetUps to the virtual arena. True, we all prefer to meet face to face and show participants our beautiful offices, but hey – the world has changed. Many people have realized that not only do you not need to go to meetings, but traveling to events is a waste of time. Therefore, you are also expected to broadcast the event live, for the benefit of those who want to participate from the comfort of their home. So spend a few dollars on quality photography and sound and maximize exposure to your event.