In an online customer community, meet-and-greet sessions are more important than your morning coffee. Okay, maybe not that important, but close.
Whether you host an AMA session with industry experts, throw an online networking event, or showcase success stories in your meet and greet, these sessions create a sense of community and provide an opportunity for community members to connect, build relationships, and share ideas.
Running a successful meet and greet session is not that easy, though. You need to get people to RSVP, keep them engaged, and make sure everyone feels included.
Here are a few best practices to help you tackle some of these challenges:
Boost registration
The answer to a high registration rate is crafting a clear and concise agenda that outlines what the session will cover and what attendees can expect to gain. Also, consider offering incentives for attending, such as points that accumulate to get community swag. You can also gamify the process by giving specific badges to attendees.
Unleash your attendance potential
Send out reminders a few days before the session and on the day of the event to remind people to attend. You can use email or in-community notifications, and while you're at it, provide clear instructions on how to join the session. Also, ensure that the technology is user-friendly and accessible to everyone in your community.
Encourage connection & engagement
It can be tough to get some people to open up, while others might dominate the conversation. Try using icebreakers or discussion prompts to help people connect and get to know each other better. You can also use polls or breakout rooms to encourage smaller group discussions. And if you really want to spice things up, invite some community experts or influencers to join the conversation and share their insights. Plus, why not offer some awesome incentives like community points to participants?
Foster diversity & inclusion
Begin by setting the tone for the event by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment. Use inclusive language, acknowledge and respect diversity, and make sure that everyone feels valued and heard. Consider providing accommodations to ensure that all community members can participate in the event. For example, provide closed captioning or sign language interpretation if needed.
After each session, don't let the momentum stop! Follow up with all participants to show your appreciation and gather their valuable feedback. Let their input guide your future events and keep the rest of your community engaged by promoting discussions around the event’s subject matter.