The world looks a lot different these days and potentially one of the most drastic changes has been the complete disappearance of in-person networking events. Pre-pandemic, the dreaded meet-and-greet with mediocre appetizers and cheap wine might have been the last thing busy professionals wanted to drag themselves to after a long day at the office, but things are different now and even a trip to the mailbox is an exciting excuse to leave the house.
The sudden rise in popularity of drop in audio-chat social networking app, Clubhouse, couldn’t have arrived at a better time as we approach the one-year anniversary of lock down, but many of us are also combating the dead of winter.
If even Elon Musk’s participation in Clubhouse didn’t alert you to the invitation-only app that simulates informal cocktail hour chatter via interest based “rooms,” then allow me to provide a brief overview. In Clubhouse, there are no posts, pictures or videos. Much to the disappointment of anti-phone call Millennials, interactions are conducted solely through audio conversation. The idea is to gather people from all around the world to drop in Clubhouse rooms to talk, listen and learn from each other in real-time.
In the absence of physical events, Clubhouse is an excellent platform for B2B brands to elevate the profiles of executives in an exclusive and highly targeted environment based on the audience they are trying to reach. This is an opportunity to be an early adopter of a promising new social networking app that already boasts five million users and over a billion in valuation.
What can you do next?
- Secure invites to the app and familiarize yourself with the lay of the land. Every new user receives a handful of invites to dole out upon entry, so it’s fairly easy to circulate invites to your team through a chain reaction. Being the app has become so popular so quick, even if you aren’t actively engaging on Clubhouse yet, you never know when an executive might be asked to participate in an event, so this will help you get ahead of the game.
- Consider mixing in a Clubhouse event in your marketing activities in lieu of a LinkedIn Live, Twitter chat, or Webinar. Clubhouse presents an approachable technology where speakers are able to easily connect and engage audiences in a fresh virtual environment. Moreover, while significant innovation has taken place in video conferencing technology this year, many are experiencing video fatigue and might find the audio-only format to be a welcomed break after a day of video calls. This allows an opportunity to focus entirely on the content and ensuring the audience enjoys a valuable discussion.
- Remind speakers that just like any other conversation taking place online or in-person, everything is on the record. It’s widely known by now that Clubhouse chats are subject to breaches, and while the app is reportedly working to lock up security as it scales, it’s important to avoid sharing any sensitive information while holding an event or participating in a room conversation.
If you’d like more information on how you can leverage Clubhouse to elevate your brand and join in conversations relevant to your audience and customers, feel free to reach out to tammy.olson@hotwireglobal.com for more info or a Clubhouse invite!