Networking is the lifeblood of businesses and should be something they are engaged in on a daily basis. Though it might be difficult whether you’re just starting out or a seasoned pro, sometimes we all need a little help with business networking. That’s why we thought it would be useful to round up our 3 recommendations for networking apps.
Each is different and has varying features that are useful when you want to make an impression.
Clubhouse is the new kid on the block when it comes to networking. Think of clubhouse as an app that allows you to jump in and out of discussions, talks and interviews but all live and not pre-recorded. Clubhouse is almost like getting your fill of podcasts with the added spontaneity of these talks being done in real time. The novelty of Clubhouse doesn’t make it any less popular. In fact, when it first launched in March 2020 it grew in popularity in just a matter of months and was worth $100 M. This rise in usage traces back to when Elon Musk held a talk on the platform with Robin hood CEO Vlad Tenev.
But how does Clubhouse work? The invite-only app allows its users to create a “room” where they can hold discussions on various topics. Each room has designated speakers while people can pop into these rooms as private or public listeners, they also have the option to put their hands up and join the conversation in certain chats. Clubhouse is a great way to connect with business leaders and other people of value in your industry. Given it’s exclusivity factor many users of Clubhouse feel that it streamlines the process of networking and creating valuable connections.
Lunchclub was one of the many businesses that pivoted during the pandemic. The program allows industry professionals and individuals to connect with each other initially for in person meetups. With the onset of the pandemic, Lunchclub pivoted to allow for online meetups which helped the company truly gain ground. Lunchclub starts off by having you state your interests and the kind of people you’d like to meet.
By matching people based off of these user questionnaires and goal setting and objectives lunch club ensures that there are quality matches week per week. Their powerful AI searches its users to find the best matches for you.
The choice to opt for online video meetings was a key turning point for the company and is proving to be beneficial for its growth. The growth in the number of users on the app rose from 4 times to 8 times with the addition of the new video functionality. Lunchclub is operating in 50 cities with plans to operate in more as its audience grows.
3-Meetup
Meetup is a service primarily centered around events that are either in person or online. Meetup allows like-minded people to meet and interact with each other to discuss and engage in what they do best.
Meetup allows users to search for events on their platform either by interest or by the calendar date of the event. You can even adjust the advanced search settings to limit the search to events that are in the time you would prefer or that are specific to your region by limiting the distance. It also supports hosting online events on its platform which means you don’t have to hang around the site as an attendee. While the app was primarily meant for in person events initially it’s managed to have a steady stream of virtual events for its users.
We surely don’t need to stress the importance of business networking and how it’s integral to attend events in-person or virtual. If you want to learn more about what startup and marketing events you should be attending this year you can check out our post on: Startup and Marketing Events 2021 for a comprehensive list on what you need to attend and when it’s happening.
What are your favorite business networking places? Let us know in this post.