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[Due to the discontinued Meetup Everywhere platform, this article has been updated. - Feb. 5, 2015] Tips for Starting & Organizing FDR Meetups If you're one of the members of the FDR community who are interested in meeting fellow philosophers in the area in which you live, you may be wondering where to find each other. Up until December 1, 2014, the place to begin checking was on the site at http://www.meetup.com/freedomain-radio; however, since then, the Meetup Everywhere platform was discontinued by Meetup.com. Since then, if you're looking to find and meet FDR members who reside within a geographical area close enough to meet face-to-face, take time to check for FDR Meetup groups in your area. Try searching on the Meet n Greet Section of the forum here on the FDR Board, Meetup, or Facebook. In the meantime, if you don't find a group already out there and are interested in starting one, here are some suggestions to help in starting and organizing an FDR Meetup group: Momentum is key when starting your Meetup group. New members are just as enthusiastic and excited as you are about meeting others. Make sure you've got a Meetup scheduled. Take the initiative to schedule a definitive date, time, and location for the Meetup. Though posting the "does anyone want to meet" type of comments can establish interest should someone respond, results show that these types of posts can linger for weeks, or even months, before a Meetup gets planned, if at all. Choose and post a date and location; if someone is interested in meeting, they can choose to make the commitment to attend or not. Follow-through with your own commitment to attend an event you've scheduled. If nobody else RSVP's, be there anyway, even if only for an hour. It does happen that people attend without ever RSVP'ing. For first-time Meetups, choose a suitable venue. When people are meeting for the first time and getting to know one another, choose a venue where people can easily converse and hear one another, without distracting noise in the vicinity. Conversations should be able to be had without having to shout over loud music or bowling pins. Also, in the beginning, choose a venue where people can easily leave when they're ready (unlike a hike and they're in the middle of the woods). Include info about the venue; address, link to the venue's web site, anything that will help attendees to foresee the setting and become familiar with where it's being held. If the venue is in a metro area, provide info about the parking and/or transportation options (nearest and cheapest parking garage, nearest train station, cost and availability of street parking, etc.). People will come in by car, train, bike, and most recently, even by plane (which is awesome!). Include an explanation in the description stating the specific goal or activity for the scheduled Meetup (meeting for coffee or a meal, hiking, etc.). This helps people know what they need to bring (money/credit card, comfortable shoes for walking, water, etc.). If it's an outdoor event, include rain/shine instructions. Promote the Meetup using social media such as posting in the Meet 'n Greet section of the FDR forum, create a group on facebook, establish an account for your group on Meetup.com, etc. Reach out individually to the people who are already members of FDR in your area by searching on the FDR forum. Do a search on the FDR forum for your city and/or state in both the Forums and Members drop-downs and contact those you find via PM (private message). In your message, introduce yourself and let them know you have a Meetup planned and where to find out more about it. If having the Meetup at a venue with a host/hostess, let them know you are expecting the arrival of others who may ask about a Meetup. If possible, seat yourself where you can see the entryway, so that way you can watch for people as they arrive and who may be inquiring about a Meetup and/or are clearly looking for the group. Place an item on the table or in the vicinity or on your person that can help identify the Meetup. Of course, after the group has met several times and everyone knows each other, this wouldn't be necessary; however, keep in mind that new people may attend that have not RSVP'd and will be looking for the group. Use a table card or put a label on your shirt with the Meetup or FDR logo on it, stand up a copy of the RTR or UPB book on the table, or whatever method you feel would be most effective for the venue in which you're meeting. Some may be comfortable with posting and exchanging their contact information on a group's site; however, keep in mind that if a group's site is set to public that the information posted is viewable by the public. With that in mind, if you wish to keep your contact information private, consider another means of communication to exchange information. Consider taking a group photo during the Meetup. This should be determined by the organizer as to whether it would be appropriate for the group. If it is, consider sharing the photo on the group's facebook page or other social media, but be certain that you have everyone's permission to post it online before doing so. Photos give a reality to the group; one that tells others, we're real, we're getting together, and we welcome you to join us. After the Meetup, leave feedback on the social media where you promoted it, to let others know the Meetup was held and people attended. This helps to confirm to others that the Meetup actually took place and the group is active. Schedule the next Meetup and keep the momentum going. It gives potential members a very compelling reason to join by showing there's activity and it gives current members something cool to look forward to! For those of you who decide to take an active role as an FDR Meetup Organizer, there is a Freedomain Radio Meetup Organizers group on facebook and we welcome your participation. The goal of the group is to provide a forum for those who are active in organizing Freedomain Radio Meetups and to help each other as we develop and promote FDR Meetups in our local communities.