Yes! Investing in real estate is all about relationships, being active, visible, in the know, and being educated on the latest news, events, and policies.
You can get all of these benefits in a one-stop-shop – a real estate meetup. Now, let’s supercharge this whole process and have you host the meetup!
I’ve found great value in hosting a meetup, so I’d like to share some insight here with you guys here!
What is a meetup?
A meet up is a hub for networking and education. It can be an in-person event, online, or a combination of the two. A place where people go to expand their knowledge, to be connected with the right people, join a community, brother/sisterhood, and to grow both personally and professionally.
By hosting your own meetup, you set yourself apart as an industry leader. It is an opportunity where, regardless of your current ability or expertise in any given field; you can gain credibility.
Envision your meetup
Begin by attending other people’s meetups if you haven’t done so already. Start to think about some of the things you like and don’t like about these meetups. It is also important to begin thinking about what you feel comfortable doing as the host of your own meetup. What best practices have you observed and what will you implement?
Envision yourself running a meetup from start to finish. Think about how long you want it to be, what personality you will bring, whether or not it will be formal and have a rigid structure, or more informal.
What kind of guests do you want to attract? Passive investors, active investors, real estate professionals? What type of audience would you like to cultivate to help your real estate path?
The more groundwork you do on the frontend, and the clearer you get with your vision, the easier it will be moving forward.
Think about what to call it and get a logo
Don’t get too hung up on this phase. A simple meetup name would be sufficient. I would head over to Fiverr.com to get a logo for your meetup buy you can just as easily sketch one up. Again, this doesn’t need to be jaw-dropping, in the end, people will attend your meetup for the content rather than the fancy logo.
Where and when?
These events can be held in person, online, or a combination of the two. Some people have weekly, biweekly or monthly meetings. The choice really comes down to how much time you have to dedicate to this endeavor and what will benefit your guests most. I began hosting my meetup as a monthly event, and then changed it to a biweekly event when I partnered up with a friend and cohost who really helped supercharge our program.
Try not to think of your event as “the more meetings the better”. Not everyone wants to attend a meetup every day or even every week. What matters most is your ability to provide valuable content and the opportunity to network with people. If you think you can pull that off once a week, go ahead! just know it’s not necessary and could even be cumbersome for many attendees. Focus on what will provide the most value for your guests and be honest with yourself about how much time and effort you can commit.
Don’t think you can handle hosting your own meetup?
Sounds like you may have to crush some limiting beliefs! Here are some common limiting beliefs and some solutions or other ways to go about thinking of these challenges.
| I don’t know enough | You can still host the event, just don’t be the speaker.
Invite a guest speaker to your event and allow them to present, or hold a simple Q&A session. You will still get the credibility for putting the event together, and you get the opportunity to have your questions answered by a pro! |
| I don’t have enough time | You can find time. What is realistic for you, once a month? Once a quarter? If that is too much, ask a friend to co-host with you and split up the duties. That way if you are ever in a bind and need to bail, s/he can cover for you. |
| I don’t have enough money | Most meetups are virtual these days… and free, or nearly free.
But if we do go back to in-person meetings, host it at someone’s house or at a bar, restaurant or public space. You could also charge a small fee to attendees, although I don’t recommend it. |
| I don’t know anybody, and won’t be able to get people to attend. | Don’t think that it needs to be a huge event to be successful. Think intimate!
You really only need 2 people… But make sure you utilize social media and word of mouth to let people know what you are doing. There are also platforms like meetup.com where people actively seek meetups! Advertise it there. Don’t get discouraged if you have a low turnout for awhile. Stay passionate, consistent, and value-driven, and people will come! |
| I am scared! | Focus on acknowledging your weaknesses rather than hiding them.
You aren’t telling people you are a real estate guru at this point. Be open, honest, and transparent. Let everyone know you are learning alongside them. This should take the pressure off of you, and will also go a long way with building long-term, trusting relationships. |
*Just remember, you are not the first person to start a meetup, and you are not the first person to feel inadequate. Power through this phase! I guarantee it will only get easier. Put your head down and go, because, in the end, the benefits can be huge!
Why is a meetup so valuable?
Aside from the obvious recognition of being a thought leader in the real estate industry and being known as the go-to guy/gal in your network for everything real estate –
YOU WILL BE COLLECTING CONTACTS!!
I can’t stress how important this is. Getting people’s contact information, and being in touch with them on a regular basis does some pretty amazing things for your business.
- First, it keeps you active in the real estate community and helps you remain top of mind, expanding your network and opening you up to more opportunities.
- Second, this list will be your investor list! This list is what you will call upon when in need of limited partners! This is huge!! Don’t want to go that route? This will also serve as a list of potential JV partners as well as real estate professionals and other team members you will need to assist you in acquiring real estate.
- Third, you will use this list to create a paper trail. If you ever want to syndicate a deal and are looking for passive investors, you will need to abide by certain laws. Utilize your investor list and keep records of who you speak to, when and in what format (email/phone/etc.). This paper trail will keep you covered in the event the SEC comes-a-knocking if you are running a 506B.
I know, I know, not everyone can envision themselves syndicating an apartment building but unless you have unlimited access to cashola, you will most likely have to syndicate a deal at some point if you want to scale up.
Who will you call on at that point? It would be naive to think you will be able to call people the day you find a deal and ask them to invest with you. Those relationships have to be cultivated over time and nurtured to where these people believe in you as an operator; and that takes time.
Ending thoughts
So get out there and start a meetup, what’s the worst that could happen? In the end, if it’s just you and a couple of friends hanging out and talking about real estate; I call that a win!
As long as you are passionate about what you are doing, people will notice. Just be consistent with it and make it happen!
Want to check out my meetup? Email me for the link!
One love,
Nico
