You've picked a date and a venue. Now people need to hear about it. Good promotion isn't loud. It's clear, honest and in the right places. A few well-placed posts and a poster or two will usually bring enough people for a great first meetup. This guide shows you where to post, what to say and when to say it.
Where to post#
Go where your future attendees already spend time. Pick three or four places rather than trying to be everywhere.
Online#
- Local tech, privacy and open-source groups. Developer meetups, digital rights groups, Linux user groups and hackerspaces often have chat channels or mailing lists. Ask the organiser before posting.
- Local crypto communities. Many cities have general crypto chats. Keep your post about learning and meeting people.
- University societies. Computer science, economics, law and student tech clubs love free events. Email the society's committee.
- Event sites. List your meetup on Meetup.com, Luma or similar sites people use in your city. Many people find events this way.
- Our directory. Add your group and your event, so it appears on the events page and in calendar feeds.
- Regional Zcash communities. If there's a Zcash community for your country or language, share it there. They're usually delighted to hear about new meetups.
- The Zcash forum. Post in the events area of the Zcash Community Forum (opens in a new tab).
Offline#
- Noticeboards. Libraries, universities, co-working spaces, cafés and community centres often have boards. Ask first, then pin up one of our posters.
- The venue itself. Ask if you can leave a few leaflets or put up a poster the week before.
- Word of mouth. Ask your co-organiser and two friends to each invite two people. Personal invites work better than anything else.
Keep it honest#
How you describe your meetup shapes who comes and how it feels. Our rules for all promotion:
- Be clear about what it is. A friendly meetup to learn about privacy and Zcash, meet people and ask questions.
- Be clear about what it isn't. Not a sales event, not a sign-up for anything, not financial advice.
- Never promise financial outcomes. Don't mention market moves, returns or making money. That attracts the wrong crowd and can attract scammers.
- Don't say you're official. Your meetup is community-run. Don't claim to represent the Zcash Foundation or any Zcash company.
- Be welcoming. Say clearly that beginners are welcome and no knowledge is needed.
Clear, honest messages build trust. Trust is what brings people back.
Message templates#
Copy these, change the bits in brackets, and make them sound like you.
Main announcement#
[City] Zcash Meetup, [Day, Date]
Curious about private digital cash? Join us for a relaxed evening of chat and questions about Zcash, the open-source project that makes financial privacy possible.
- When: [Day, Date], [start time] to [end time]
- Where: [Venue name, area], [access info, e.g. step-free entry]
- Who: Anyone curious. Beginners very welcome, no knowledge needed.
- Cost: Free. Order your own drinks if you like.
We'll have a short intro talk and plenty of time to talk. This is a community meetup, not a sales event.
More info: [link to your group page]
Short version for chat groups#
Hi all! I'm starting a small Zcash meetup in [City] on [Day, Date] at [Venue]. Friendly chat about privacy and digital cash, beginners welcome, free. Details here: [link]. Hope to see some of you there!
Message to another group's organiser#
Hi [name], I'm organising a community meetup about Zcash, an open-source privacy project, on [date] in [City]. I think some of your members might find it interesting. Would you mind if I shared a short post in your group? Happy to return the favour for your events too.
Reminder#
Reminder: [City] Zcash Meetup is next [Day] at [time], [Venue]. Look for the yellow sign on our table. New faces especially welcome. Details: [link]
Thank-you post#
Thanks to everyone who came to the [City] Zcash Meetup last night, and to [Venue] for hosting! We had [number] people, great questions and lots of new faces. Next meetup: [Day, Date], same place. See you there.
A simple timeline#
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 3 weeks before | Add your event to our directory and an event site. Post the main announcement in two to four places. Message other organisers. |
| 2 weeks before | Put up posters on noticeboards and at the venue. Share in your regional Zcash community and the forum. |
| 1 week before | Post a reminder. Ask friends to invite one more person. |
| Day before | Short final reminder with clear directions. |
| Day after | Thank-you post with the next date. |
Using images#
Our social templates come in square (for feeds) and tall (for stories) sizes. Use the "we meet monthly" card once you have a regular rhythm, and "thanks for coming" after each meetup.
Promotion checklist#
Next step: Running the night.