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2+title = "Hosting a Meetup"
3+description = "Best practices for hosting your Urbit meetups."
4+weight = 2
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6+
7+There are already [a few](urbit.org/meetups) Urbit meetups that take place in cities around the United States. Want to start a meetup in your home town? Consider these best practices.
8+
9+### Create the Meetup Group Online
10+
11+The most straightforward way to start a meetup group online, like on [meetup.com](www.meetup.com). Services like this offer messaging, calendaring, payments, discussion boards, and basic group profiles.
12+
13+There are other options available but, regardless of what you choose, there should be a public place on the web for people to access the group.
14+
15+Group suggestions:
16+
17+- Meetup.com
18+- Google groups
19+- Dedicated Website
20+
21+### Spread the word
22+
23+It’s not much fun if people don’t actually show up, so it’s important to get the word out. Use your existing network to tell people about your event. Remember it takes time to build a community, so don’t be discouraged if only a few people show up at your first event. Also, be sure to email [support@urbit.org](mailto:support@urbit.org), and we'll promote your meetup.
24+
25+Outreach methods:
26+
27+- Post to social media
28+- Email your friends
29+- Put up signs
30+
31+### Format
32+
33+Meetups are about sharing ideas and meeting like-minded people. There are a few formats that can help achieve this goal. As the organizer, take the lead and prepare ahead of time. Think of some topics for the group to discuss, and try to ensure that the conversation isn’t dominated by one or two people.
34+
35+Presentations are a great way to share ideas. If you have a speaker for your event, coordinate ahead of time and make sure they have everything they will need to make a great presentation and ask them to arrive early to the event.
36+
37+If you have a speaker, be sure to record the talk so that it can be posted online. There are plenty of people who would appreciate such content.
38+
39+Format considerations:
40+
41+- Guided group discussion
42+- Presentation
43+
44+### Venue
45+
46+Your meeting location can determine the success of your event. Consider how your members might get to the venue. Ideally, you’d want to be away from congested areas and find locations with good parking and transit options nearby. However, this isn’t always possible, so just do your best to accommodate. It’s also a good idea to locate the event near bars or restaurants so people can continue the conversation after the event officially ends.
47+
48+Location considerations:
49+
50+- Easily reachable
51+- Consider parking and distance to transit
52+- Check out public libraries
53+- Coworking spaces
54+- [peerspace.com](www.peerspace.com)
55+
56+### Date and time
57+
58+Most people are able to attend meetups after work on weekdays. This isn’t true for everyone but it’s a good rule of thumb. It’s also a good idea to avoid holidays and days when there are large sporting events happening.
59+
60+Date considerations:
61+
62+- Weekdays
63+- Between 6pm and 8pm
64+- Avoid holidays and weekends
65+
66+### Stay consistent
67+
68+Like anything worth doing, meetups take time, patience, and consistency. Come prepared to engage with people and have a good time. The more often you can meet the stronger the community can become, so schedule meetups regularly.
69+
70+### Bonus
71+
72+Here are a few tips and tricks to consider with hosting a meetup. You don’t have to have all these things at your first meeting, but try adding them in as you go.
73+
74+- Names tags
75+- Door signs
76+- Projector
77+- Extension cords and power strips
78+- Video camera
79+- Lapel microphone
80+- Bring your own internet