You may (or may not) have heard of a new social platform making its way onto people’s iPhones: Clubhouse. Or more likely, you have heard about how exclusive it is, being invitation-only at the moment and limited invites per user. The buzz is growing and we are excited to be able to provide you all with some insight into this app before it is opened up to the masses, giving you a head start on leveraging a new platform.
What is Clubhouse?
Clubhouse is a new, audio-only social platform. That’s right, no video, chat, photos, etc. It allows users to have open conversations about nearly any topic while eliminating biases and distractions that may be caused by visual components and adding what is often missed in online chats: tone. It also makes it easy for users to engage on the platform without being glued to their phones. Simply pop in your AirPods or other earbuds, join a room, and go about your day while listening to the insights the group has to offer. Or, join in and be a part of the conversation!
The Basics of Clubhouse
Once in, users can create “rooms” based on a particular topic. The creator of the room is the initial moderator of the group, but they have the ability to add others as moderators as well as other speakers. When you join an existing room, you start off as a listener, but by simply pressing a button to “raise your hand” you are telling the moderators that you have something to add to the conversation. Moderators have the authority to add or remove speakers as desired. You can also remove yourself as a speaker and “quietly leave” the room if/when you desire.
The way we see it, there are 3 types of connections happening on Clubhouse:
- Connecting with peers
- Connecting with consumers
- Connecting peers with consumers
How Businesses Can Leverage Clubhouse
So, as a business, how can you leverage this new platform? There are a few different ways that you can use Clubhouse to connect with your community or peers and/or potential customers.
Control the Conversation
When you host a room revolving around your industry it allows you the opportunity to control the conversation. You get the first word and can set the tone, you get to pose questions to the audience, and you get to control who speaks and when. By facilitating meaningful dialogues with like-minded peers, business owners can position themselves as industry experts and thought leaders.
Connect with your Community
Never underestimate the power of connection. It is difficult to connect with others on a more intimate level (especially since COVID), but this new platform opens the door for deeper conversations and connections that feel personal. Clubhouse can help businesses build true relationships with potential customers and community partners.
Test a New Concept or Idea
Use Clubhouse as a panel of sorts. Many people jump in and out of conversations randomly. Based on how many people stick around or respond, you may learn a lot about whether your idea is gold or garbage. Just don’t give away too much information or someone may steal your idea!
Build Awareness
Your business may solve a problem that some people are unaware of. Whether you are a part of a non-profit, individual advocate, or for-profit organization, take advantage of the ability to speak about the issue you are working to resolve and find out how many others there are out there who care to support the cause.
10 Tips for Creating a Successful Room
- Consider who your target audience is
- Create a catchy title
- Choose your moderators carefully
- Have an outline to lead the conversation
- Plan your room ahead of time and advertise it on other platforms
- Embrace the power of storytelling
- Ask questions of the audience throughout the conversation
- Maintain respect & tolerance of all opinions
- Incorporate calls to action
- End on a positive note
Our team has found the platform to be very simple and intuitive to utilize, and we highly encourage business owners to join this new platform. Regardless of your industry or model, Clubhouse has the potential to be extremely lucrative. Say, for instance, that you are a direct sales consultant for an essential oil business. Host a room on using essential oils in your day-to-day life, share advice and invite others to share stories of using essential oils. If you provide a service to new businesses (ie: business insurance, construction, accounting, etc.), host a room discussing common strugglings of new business owners and invite others who service these groups as fellow moderators. The possibilities are truly endless!