Clubhouse: Why the Welcome Party?
If you haven’t heard of Clubhouse (aka the Clubhouse app), it won’t be long before you do. It’s the latest social platform but this time it’s audio only. Audio only? How does that work?
Well, that’s what I am here to tell you.
Today (Nov 23, 2020) it’s still in an invite-only beta with about 25K people on the platform. (Update: it’s over 2M as of Jan 21, 2021. Update: I think it’s between 12 and 15 million as of March 12, 2021) I’ve heard rumors that it will be released to the public soon but I don’t know when. The founders, Paul and Rohan, and team are continuing to develop the platform with weekly releases of new functionality they develop based on community requests and feedback.
While the application itself is very thin with pretty simple-to-grasp functionality, the power is in the people on the platform. And this is where onboarding through a welcome party is really helpful.
I didn’t get a welcome party so I make sure that everyone I invite to the Clubhouse app gets welcomed and onboarded and this is how I do it.
I insist that it be done on the day the invitee gets on the platform (or shortly thereafter). So far, every single person has been thrilled with the onboarding experience (and suprised by how effective it is).
It isn’t just about the funcitonality; it’s about introducing them to others on the platform so they can begin to build their community from the start. It also helps them see the power of the platform in action. I love these ‘ah ha’ moments!
Plus, everyone I invite has my name on their profile and if the folks I invite get kicked off for bad behavior, I could get kicked off.
Note: Clubhouse is changing weekly and I plan to update based on new relevant features and functions.
Creating an Event
Once I see that they have accepted my request and they are on the platform, I schedule a Welcome Party as an event and add them as a cohost. I used to send them an email with the link to the unofficial Clubhouse guide at clubhouseguide.com but now I point them to the new user guide on the app.
Welcome Party! (special thanks to Andrea Hernandez and Erica for pioneering this idea!)
When it’s time, I start the event by launching the room and once they’ve joined, I ping a few of my Clubhouse besties to help welcome them to the platform.
During the welcome party, I have them practice various tasks to get familiar with the platform and I ask the other folks what their favorite tip or experience is to get everyone involved in the cultural tutorial.
I use the following checklist to make sure we cover everything.
□ Newbie badge (party hat or cornucopia of fun)
□ Support@joinclubhouse.com
□ Always assume the best (Update: with so many people on the platform now not everyone is on the up and up)
□ Intimacy of radio and sound quality
□ Bio
□ PTR (pull to refresh)
□ Long press on bio picture
□ Using profile pics as a communication tool
□ Twitter or Instragram as messaging back channel
□ Following others and notfications
□ Mute, microphone as non-verbal cue and clapping
□ Curated versus unstructured rooms
□ Speaker stage versus audience
□ Moderator function, tools, responsibilities, reporting bad actors
□ Muting and moving to the audience
□ When you get a phone call
□ Hallway, rooms, algo, swipe to remove
□ Leaving quietly
□ Coming back into a room: audience versus speaker
□ Room titles
□ Different types of rooms: private, social, public
□ Events
□ Serendipity, community and finding your people
□ Jump into conversations
□ Creating and curating your own experience
□ Clubs
□ Notifications
□ Creative users of the platform
□ Scams: there is no influencer program, don’t pay-to-play, no blue check mark
□ Reporting trolls and scams
□ Weekly app updates
Then What?
Then they are free to roam about the platform with knowledge of the basics and a few friendly faces on the platform. And I leave feeling comfortable knowing I’ve given them a good start to a very powerful platform; it’s not just an app.
What’s My Experience Been?
Clubhouse saved me as I talk about in a recent YouTube video. It was just what I needed as a community-building, extrovert connector during Covid. I’d love some extra likes on the video and I’d love to hear about your experience on the platform in the video comments.
I am a lot and I own every bit of it.
I am a 50 year old tiara wearing, champagne drinking troublemaker amplifying and emboldening the voices and power of women to change the world.
I am the award-winning author of the book Piloting Your Life, a podcaster (Piloting Your Life), and a YouTuber (Terri Hanson Mead).
I am a Silicon Valley based angel investor focused on investing in startups that have products and services to expand the power and influence of women including health, consumer products, and technology. I am the Managing Partner of Class Bravo Ventures.
I am President of Solutions2Projects, LLC and as a consultant for the last fifteen years, I’ve provided IT strategic and IT compliance services for life sciences companies and more recently, expert witness services for failed technology projects.
I am a midlife woman with two teenagers and have been married to my husband Zeke for nearly 25 years. We’ve known each other for 40.
I am a commercially rated helicopter pilot.
I am an identical twin.
I am a San Francisco Bay Area native and have never lived anywhere but here.
I am the Club admin for the Virtual Coworking Procrastinator club, Midlife Madness club, and the Women and Power club (weekly fireside chats). All of these clubs are open to all.
For more, you’ll have to get to know me on the Clubhouse app.
Did I Miss Anything?
Did I miss your favorite tip? Do you have any questions? Let me know in the comments.
