How to Use Meetup for Small Business Networking

Networking is important for any small business owner. There are lots of social networking sites online and utilizing them works well for many businesses. But some businesses are better suited to offline networking. Meetup is an online networking site that facilitates offline networking. Members can create and join groups of people with similar interests who live in their area, and they can easily organize real-life meetings. Many small business owners have taken advantage of the service to meet potential business partners and clients.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Sign up for an account at Meetup.com. It requires very little information to get started and it’s free to join.
2. Build your profile. You can upload photos and share information about yourself and your business. You can also sign up to receive emails about new meetups in your area and in your topic of interest if you like.
3. Browse existing meetups by topic or city. You can also search using one or both parameters. Look for groups of small business owners in general or for groups of business owners in your field.
4. Start a new meetup if you don’t find a meetup group that suits you. There is a monthly fee for group organizers, but there is also a 30 day money back guarantee.
5. Attend meetups planned by others or plan your own. Meet other small business owners to form partnerships with or swap services or referrals.

Tips & Warnings

• When attending meetups, make sure they are going to be in a public place for safety reasons.