Value and Meetups - SEO / SEM
I went to a meetup yesterday that was on the topic of Internet Marketing / SEO / SEM. The meeting had a decent case study and some pretty good discussion around the room of different tools that you might consider using. Then the organizer went into a 20 minute sales pitch around his new training/coaching offering. It felt like a bad time share presentation.
At the end, he said that going forward the focus of the group would be around his commercial offering and that the only value that an organizer and participants get is when they can pitch their stuff to the group. Yikes.
What's interesting about that opinion is that there were people in the room who were more than happy to share their ideas around tools and techniques to use as part of the discussion. They weren't explicitly pitching. However, you understand that you can talk to them about it and possibly pay for their help if you want to know more. And I doubt that any of them were providing that information because they were trying to pitch. Instead, they were trying to share and help. None of it was that revolutionary. But it's helpful to share ideas, methods, compare your approach versus other people.
It's unfortunate that this event is going the way it is. I'm hoping to figure out a way to spark a meet-up around SEO / SEM in Santa Monica / West Los Angeles / South Bay.
At the end, he said that going forward the focus of the group would be around his commercial offering and that the only value that an organizer and participants get is when they can pitch their stuff to the group. Yikes.
What's interesting about that opinion is that there were people in the room who were more than happy to share their ideas around tools and techniques to use as part of the discussion. They weren't explicitly pitching. However, you understand that you can talk to them about it and possibly pay for their help if you want to know more. And I doubt that any of them were providing that information because they were trying to pitch. Instead, they were trying to share and help. None of it was that revolutionary. But it's helpful to share ideas, methods, compare your approach versus other people.
It's unfortunate that this event is going the way it is. I'm hoping to figure out a way to spark a meet-up around SEO / SEM in Santa Monica / West Los Angeles / South Bay.
3 comments:
Tony, that is one of the biggest drawbacks of many of these network groups. Often the one who takes the initiative to lead/coordinate does so with very clear goals to use it solely to market to potential customers. It's short-sighted and does nothing to build local networks or collaborative expertise and opportunities. If I can help at all with your group, happy to do so, although would prefer Orange County if possible
Ah, yes, the old Orange Curtain issue. It's tough to do anything that crosses the divide.
It seems that MeetUp meetings have become more commercial since they started charging organizers a fee to use their system.
Post a Comment