How to foster a local user group?

Communities Blog
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Before COVID tech groups seemed to be a dime a dozen and were all over the place. Now I’m lucky to see online events with two RSVPs. I don’t care much for the WordPress meet-ups that are glorified tech support for tech-illiterate bloggers, I’m talking about IT and software development mixers.

I would like to be the change I wish to see. Instead of complaining that there are no local communities, I’d like to make one. The next question is “how.” I’m thinking I might start a biweekly hang-out at a local cafe. Maybe even grab a few pizzas or something for the fun.

If you were looking to find your people, where would you look? What would you expect? How would you go about coaxing your fellow introverts out into public again?

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Many people under-estimate how powerful of a tool a simple postering campaign can be. There are several local bands I never would have heard of if not for posters. They are platform-independent (doesn’t restrict your LUG to just people who can see the event on facebook or mastodon or whatever) and a good poster catches the eye more than an online event RSVP. Plus you get “underground” points

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