How to Get the Most Out of Attending a HubSpot User Group Meetup

Maybe you were on Twitter this week and saw that your local HubSpot User Group is holding a quarterly meetup soon. Or, maybe an email came through today from your local HUG leader, requesting your RSVP.

No matter why the impending meetup is on your mind, you’ve found yourself asking the same question: “How can I get more out of these meetups?” If you’ve attended a meetup in the past and found it less-than-helpful, there are a few proactive steps you can take to get more out of your time spent at a HUG.

On the other hand, if you’re anxious to attend a HUG for a first time, these are some great tips from HUG pros to get the most out of every minute.

6 Ways to Get More Out of Your Next HubSpot User Group Meetup

There are many others, but here are the six top reasons to attend a HubSpot User Group meeting:

1. Be a current or future HubSpot user

2. Network, network, network

3. Speak up & ask questions

4. Introduce yourself to the HUG leader

5. Make connections with the HUG speaker

6. Share your experience on social media

Here’s how these tips help you get more out of HUG:

1. Be a Current or Future HubSpot User

It’s true that for some HUG meetups, being a HubSpot user is not integral to walking away with marketing insight and info. However, depending on the topic, you’ll miss key takeaways if you’re not familiar with the HubSpot platform.

HUG leaders, and speakers, are HubSpot users in their day-to-day life. Everything that they talk about relates to the software, and how it applies to their strategies and tactics. Because of this, HUG meetups are a great place for people who are interested in migrating to HubSpot sometime soon, but want to get a little more information first.

After all, you’ll be interacting with HubSpot users galore who can tell you the ins and outs of the platform. They’ll help you work through any migration snags you might hit while adjusting to the new software.

2. Network, Network, Network

To really get the most out of your time spent at a HUG, networking needs to mean more than just shaking the hand of the guy next to you and making small talk about how good the beer is.

Make it a personal goal to learn the name and company of everyone in the room. Because HUG meetups are attended by various businesses in a smattering of industries, you never know who you might bump into.

Not only could you make a great professional connection, you might also foster relationships with new vendors or, dare we say, leads.

3. Speak Up and Ask Questions

There’s a Q&A during most HUG meetups for a reason! HUG leaders, and other attendees, understand that every single person in the room does not have the same grasp on the topic being discussed.

Plus, you never know when your question might start a new conversation that benefits everyone in the room. HUG meetups are bred for collaboration and idea sharing -- so get your ideas out there.

If you’re walking away with questions after leaving the HUG meetup -- you’re doing it wrong! HUG leaders are there to help you before, during, and after the seminar and are happy to point you in the direction of additional resources if needed.

4. Introduce Yourself to the HUG Leader

Think of your HUG Leader as your fairy-HubSpot-godmother (work with me here). The HUG Leader is your go-to guide for individual questions you might have about the topic and how it applies to your business and industry.

Got a great venue in mind in your city for a HUG meetup? Let your leader know! Got a topic in mind you’d love to see covered? Toss the suggestion their way! HUG leaders want to know what you want to know!

Use them as a resource for all things HubSpot and inbound marketing.

5. Make Connections with the HUG Speaker

Often, the HUG speaker for a meetup and the leader are the same person -- but not always! The speaker is just another awesome way to make an invaluable business connection with another thought leader in your area.

Walk up to the speaker and introduce yourself. If you loved the talk, ask the speaker where you can find the slides!

Remember: Not all speakers are members of the HubSpot User Group at which they’re speaking. They probably feel like a fish out of water, and would be happy to have a conversation.

6. Share Your Experience on Social Media

In case you haven’t already noticed, collaborating and interacting with others is the name of the game at a HUG meetup. So why not take the environment digital?

Most HUGs have social media accounts that you can interact with. Tag them, post pictures, and let them know what you liked about the session.

Don’t forget to tag the venue too, since most meetups happen at some pretty awesome places.

Get More by Going

If you haven’t RSVP’d to your next local HUG meetup, do it now!

Armed with these tips, you’ll get more than ever out of the sessions. Be sure to bring your co-workers along too to join the fun!

Are You In the Rochester, New York Area?

Our Q1 2019 HUG Rochester Meetup is taking place on 3/28/19 at Three Heads Brewing!

We'll be covering "Technical SEO Translated for the Non-SEO Nerds" in the hopes of making SEO feel less like an obstacle, and more like an opportunity for attendees and their teams.