What is the clubhouse app?
It's not an app where people party to the top 40 songs. In fact, this audio-only app is making huge waves in the entrepreneurial and working class world because it's easier to connect and have real-time conversations with other experts who share your passions. But, is it worth your time? Keep reading to see how it can help you grow your network with easy-to-implement strategies. I include my initial thoughts about the app, how to get on there, how to set up your profile, and tips for having a profitable room.
My Initial Thoughts About Clubhouse
When I first saw influential people in the online marketing space show that they were in a chatroom on the app, it didn't seem as impressive. It seemed intriguing, but it wasn't huge enough for me to be pressed to be on there. It said that it was invite-only and I didn't think I knew anyone who would be willing to give me an invite. I also thought, "Not another platform!" I just wanted to focus on the apps I was currently on. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, you know the drill.
When one of my friends asked me if I heard about the app a few months later, I told him I never got an invite so I basically gave up on the idea of being on there even before I tried. So many entrepreneurs in Facebook groups I am a member of did Clubhouse trains to try to get on there. They're kind of spammy, so I didn't want to put myself out there and do that. My friend asked me if I wanted to go on it. I hesitated, but I'm a girl of optimistic opportunity, so I said yes.
My Thoughts on Being on the App For the First Day
It was overwhelming at first because you see a bunch of rooms in the Clubhouse Hallway (see explanation below). There were so many good rooms to choose from on topics such as What I wish I knew before launching an Online Course, or Breakfast with Champions, or Pitch your Business and get Live Feedback- with actual investors and entrepreneurs. Sometimes I felt like I was missing out on good rooms, but I tried to stay focused and actually learn something.
Once in a room, I heard a moderator discuss the topic with their colleagues.
Some rooms were great and gave good insight into the future of my industry. I learned valuable strategies that I will be looking to incorporate to scale my business. In other ones, some people dragged on an on with their life stories and it was hard to focus on the point of the story.
So, to not waste time on the app, schedule out at least an hour per day (for however many days you're available) so you can either find a room on a topic you need to learn about or you can listen for a few minutes in one room, and if you get bored, that's probably a good sign that you should choose another room.
Quick start guide:
How to Get On the App: You can now register for an account and build your real estate on the app!
Craft a Good Bio: Leave the inspirational quotes and Bible verses for the bottom of your bio. Start with your expertise. Who you serve and what you've accomplished as that kind of expert. Attach your Instagram and Twitter. Invite people off the app to connect with you. You can't DM on Clubhouse so, if you're an entrepreneur, you can write, "DM me "CLUBHOUSE" to get my free training on (X) /free resource on (X)/my 1-2-3 formula for (insert topic)."
The point of this is to eventually get people off the app and to start a conversation with you. If they find your resource valuable, maybe they will want a paid product from you in the future.
If you have a 9-to-5, you can make some connections on there to advance your career or whatever passion you have.
Clubhouse Hallway: Your social feed/timeline on Clubhouse. Clubhouse has curated it based on your interests that you select when you get access to the app.
To speak on the stage: When you enter a room, click the hand to raise your hand. You can also swipe up the screen when in a room to raise your hand. If the moderators allow it, they will bring you on the stage and you will have the option to mute or unmute your mic, just like in a ZOOM room, by tapping on your profile.
Clap for something that was said: Don't physically clap with your mic on. Instead, click your mic on and off by tapping on your profile picture repeatedly.
30-Second Rule: Get to the point when you speak. Introduce who you are and what you do in 30 seconds if you are given a chance to speak. Then get to the question. Most moderators will allow for a Q&A Session after they talk about their topic, so if they give you a chance to speak, clearly state your question in an effective way so you can get your answer and give someone else a chance to ask a question.
Have a good flow: When you finish a sentence, say, "I'm done speaking." That way, there isn't an awkward silence after you're done and the moderators can call on the next speaker.
My Experience Co-Hosting a Room and Some Tips for You If you Host a Room:
A word of advice: If you're just getting on the platform, go inside a few rooms first to get a sense of how everything is so you'll have more of a feel for how your room should go.
Promotion before the event takes place: Create a flyer in Canva of what your room will be about. (See below) You can also screenshot the scheduled room and share it on your other social media channels to invite people to join the room if you don't have time to make a flyer. Write a compelling caption to go with it.
Caption templates:
1. "Meet me on Clubhouse! We'll be discussing the importance of (insert topic) and how you can (insert solution/ideal outcome of the problem). Join us here: (Clubhouse link)
2. "I'm excited to moderate a room with (Name of cohost). We'll talk about how (insert topic). Invite your friends to this exclusive room/interview! DM me for the link!"
3. (Instagram) "Going live in a half hour. Are you ready? We'll talk about the (insert adjective) ( insert topic). Hope to see you there. Listen in at the link in my bio!"
Our flyer I made in Canva:
Screenshot of the scheduled room:
You can also invite people to be on the app. The app gives you two invites, so share them with two of your best supporters! If Clubhouse sees that you're actively using the app, they'll give you more invites.
You can also do a Clubhouse giveaway in which you give an invite to a follower who won a challenge you created or answered a trivia question.
To add a co-host, you have to start the room. Make sure they're on the stage and then click their profile and click "Make a Moderator." They will have a green star next to their name. We missed this part when we did the room, so I looked like an audience member.
Shortly after I introduced myself on stage, I pinged my followers into the room and one showed up! That was exciting, but she left the room. So I think to avoid that, it's important to reset the room each time a few points have been discussed or if you see people entering the room.
You do that by welcoming new people who joined the room and quickly saying what is currently being talked about along with how it ties to the title. You don't have to welcome people by name, but you can something along the lines of, "For those who are just joining, we're talking about..."
Don't let your stories or the stories of others overshadow the actual strategies behind the room. If someone comes to a room and your title clearly indicates that a process or strategy is being shared, make sure you drop a gem they can use. People shouldn't leave your room with just motivation. They need action steps. So, if the topic is about ways to eat healthy, they're not going to really get value from you just talking about your struggle to eat healthy or the importance of eating healthy. Pair a strategy with your story. You can say something like, "I didn't like vegetables when I was growing up and my parents tried to force me to eat them. It felt like torture. But, as I got older and started cooking more, I realized I was able to eat more vegetables because I explored more flavors. So if you're looking to incorporate more vegetables into your diet, make sure you go down the seasoning aisle and try using different seasonings on your vegetables so you can discover your palette. You can also try alternatives to your favorite guilty-pleasure foods by searching for a healthier version of them on Pinterest." See how I just gave the reader action steps rather than just sharing my former distaste for vegetables?
Promotion before you wrap up the event: Invite your audience to connect with you on Instagram/Twitter to either follow up on the conversation or for a free resource.
Tell people to follow each other and the moderators .
Create a club and tell people to follow it so Clubhouse can notify them when new topics will be discussed.
Why I Think You Should Be on Clubhouse if You're an Entrepreneur
You get access to people you probably wouldn't. I was in the room with a moderator who had over 100,000 followers on Instagram. You might be thinking, "But can't you see that person live on Instagram? You can, but you can't talk to them on Instagram live unless they invite you to go live with them. With three guests max allowed on Instagram live with the host, you may barely have a chance to talk to the host. Just having the opportunity to speak with someone with that big of a platform is a great opportunity.
I didn't even know he existed, but he was hosting a room and one of the people I followed was in there. The beauty of Clubhouse.
Also, I met Dr. Venus, a black millionaire and media mogul. She has about 1,000 followers, yet she included me in the conversation about Black women and social media. So I gained some followers from being in that room and offering my perspective that night. She has over 16,000 followers on Instagram, but she still talked to me.
The potential to grow on the platform: Try to speak in one room each week, whether it's asking a question or moderating with a cohost on the platform. Try to cohost with people who have way more followers, but are still humble enough to connect with you and moderate with you. Also, you should plan to reach out to at least five people weekly through Instagram or Twitter DM and see if you can find something you have in common with them so you can host a room. You do this by looking at their bio. They will drop hints as to what they enjoy and if you can connect with that, then BOOM, you may have a potential moderator! Always present how you can add value to their audience and they may be more willing to moderate a room with you.
I wanted to moderate with someone I heard speak on the platform after the room was over and she never opened her DM. It's just like that. You will have some who leave you on read, or don't open their messages, or you might message some people and find that they aren't a good fit for you goals or what you want to speak about. Just keep trying because you may find someone who will be excited to moderate with you and you can grow together!
Bonuses: Sometimes the founders of Clubhouse are in the rooms and those are amazing because it'll be over 1,000 people in the room and you can learn about updates before other people. You can also hear about their intentions with the app to understand it more.
Endless Content ideas: You can enter rooms that are about topics in your niche and just listen. Your ideal client and customers are sharing what their problems are. You can create content that addresses those problems and provide solutions based on your perspective and experience.
There you have it. An entire guide to get started on Clubhouse! If you're ready to take the next step, take a leap and start listening to a conversation on the app.