Clubhouse has recently joined millions of iPhones’ social media icons across the world. Right now, the app is in beta testing so it’s not available on the Google Play Store. The app is reportedly valued at $1 billion, despite being less than a year old and in beta.
The social media hangout allows users to create clubs and host rooms to speak about their chosen topic in an intimate setting. The goal is for thought leaders and various industry experts to share their knowledge in a low-key environment that encourages thoughtful thinking. Participants can enter any Clubhouse room they choose and hear someone speak, no matter if you’re in their club or not. The app is audio only, there’s no video and it can’t be recorded so if you miss out, you miss out.
By invite-only
Clubhouse is alluring because of its exclusivity.
The app is currently by invite only, and throw in the fact that members only get a limited number of invites, yeah. Great job, Clubhouse marketing team on your launch campaign - everyone wants in and now you’re apparently valued at $1 billion.
There is a workaround to invites, though. If you aren’t a Clubhouse member, use a member’s iPhone and sign up through their app after they log out. Then when the member logs back in, they’ll see a notification asking to let you in. Once they tap “let you in”, you’re in! No invites wasted, but it does make the inductee work a little bit harder to get in and ramps up the anticipation.
Find qualified leaders
There seems to be a lot of people who aren’t really qualified to host rooms, which is a downside. This isn’t Clubhouse’s fault, as anyone can host a room, but a lot of people enter a room expecting to hear actionable, thought-provoking content. It ends up being a biography or something entirely off topic, which can turn people away from the app.
However, if vetted properly though, you’ll be able to interact with some incredible individuals. Elon Musk just hosted a Clubhouse room and broke the app. The rooms have a 5,000 person capacity, and the newly-crowned richest man in the world (naturally) surpassed that number by a lot. Granted, Elon Musk could probably talk about pool cleaning chemicals and people would pay thousands to hear it, but nonetheless Clubhouse has hosted some great conversations with various experts.
Clubhouse and cannabis
The cannabis industry has taken Clubhouse by storm, too. The cannabis industry is always looking for a safe place to have an uncensored conversation, as traditional social media like Facebook and Instagram restricts cannabis content. Clubhouse doesn’t do that, so cannabis professionals are taking advantage.
Industry leaders are hosting cannabis marketing chats, cultivation information, finance and business, brand strategy, just to name a few of the great conversations taking place. The app is seeing plenty of female cannabis thought leaders starting great conversations about social equity in the space, along with other important topics. Find Black cannabis business owners sharing their ideas, especially last month during Black History Month.
Leverage Clubhouse the right way
You probably won’t become best friends with the Elon Musks of the world, but you can absolutely connect with small business owners in the space and create meaningful connections. Here are some ways to do that:
Take time to learn the app
Clubhouse isn’t anonymous. Other members can see your profile and read your bio from the rooms, as well as see different clubs you’re a part of. Take the time to learn the app and create a great profile before you jump into different conversations. If networking is your goal, you want to appear professional at every turn. You’d be wise to take a minute and strategize a game plan, then get after it.
There’s plenty of cannabis clubs on the app, with topics focusing on things like cannabis networking, science and medicine, cannabis nurses, cannabis and pregnancy, cooking with cannabis, and more. You can write as much or as little as you’d like in your profile biography, so use the space to highlight some of your accomplishments.
Don’t expect the first room you join to be “the one.” Browse different rooms on the homepage, and find one that meets your needs. Clubhouse allows you to set reminders for rooms you don’t want to miss, so take advantage of that!
Raise your hand
Raising your hand is virtual now, like everything else in our post-2020 life. But really, it’s a cool feature Clubhouse has that allows listeners to participate in the conversation without disrupting the speakers on stage. Just press the hand icon on the bottom right and the moderators will let you speak if they’d like. Moderators can choose to turn off the hand raising feature during rooms if they’d like to.
Don’t raise your hand if you don’t have something relevant to say. If you’re not on the moderator panel, you should never talk just to hear yourself speak. Make sure each time you contribute, you’re adding incredible value to what’s being said. If you do it right, other listeners will resonate with what you’re saying and give you a follow after they view your profile.
Host your own room
If you’re an expert, host a room. You don’t need to be the smartest person around, but you need to be able to talk about your topic at length and give valuable insight. Some tips for effective content:
- Make sure it’s actionable
- Go beyond “educate yourself.” How can your listeners educate themselves? What is the step-by-step process to educating yourself? Explain who they need to talk to, what books they need to read, and how long it will take to reach the point of being educated enough to consider yourself an industry leader. What kind of struggles did you go through on your path to educating yourself, and how did you overcome them? Expound upon everything you say, and give examples to drive your point home.
- Talk about your personal experiences
- The room shouldn’t surround your life story. But, if you have a personal experience with the point you’re making - share that experience. Explain what impact it made on you and your business, and what you would change or keep the same next time you’re in that situation.
- Stay on topic
- Like we mentioned before, many people start rooms and go wildly off topic. Don’t do this. It’s fine to occasionally go off script, but keep the main point on the chosen topic. Your listeners are there to hear about something specific, and if you don’t deliver, you’ve killed your credibility. They’ll begin seeking out other thought leaders who can give them the actionable steps they need. Write down some notes before the room starts, and stick to those notes. If you can inspire some of your listeners, you can create a Clubhouse following and ultimately, a stronger network.
- Invite other industry leaders to join you
- There’s something to be said about the incredible amount of value that can come from hosting rooms with other inspiring people. Try and create a diverse moderator panel, as to try and relate to every listener as closely as possible. Include people of color, women, and other groups of people for meaningful conversations.
Stay the course
The road to Clubhouse mastery will be a long one, so be patient as you learn the ropes. Keep practicing, the simple act of speaking can be a lucrative investment in your brand if you do it right.