Business idea · Agency
Meetup Group Takeover for Lead Generation
Meetup Group Takeover for Lead Generation: Acquire abandoned Meetup groups to leverage their existing member base for generating leads and hosting events. It was pitched on Koerner Office in the episode "A Secret Growth Hack to Steal Free Customers From MeetUp. Ep. #81" (aired October 21, 2024). How it makes money: Marketplace model with potential for subscription or event fees.
At a glance
| Podcast | Koerner Office |
|---|---|
| Hosted by | Chris Koerner |
| Episode | A Secret Growth Hack to Steal Free Customers From MeetUp. Ep. #81 |
| Aired | October 21, 2024 |
| Category | Agency |
| Real companies on the episode | Meetup Group Takeover |
The problem it solves
Many Meetup groups become inactive, leaving potential networking and lead opportunities untapped. Current solutions require starting from scratch, which is time-consuming and inefficient when a ready-made community exists.
How it makes money
Marketplace model with potential for subscription or event fees.
Skills you need
Community management Networking and relationship building Event planning and organization Digital marketing
The market, and why this works now
Meetup's recent API changes allow third-party developers to access inactive groups, making it feasible to acquire and revitalize them. A concrete first-revenue move could involve partnering with local chambers of commerce to promote events, leveraging their networks to attract attendees and generate fees. A potential risk is the initial capital required to manage and market these groups effectively, which may lead to a longer customer acquisition cost payback window than anticipated.
Our analysis, written after the episode. Not a quote from the show.
Real companies discussed on this episode
- Meetup Group Takeover
Founded by Edward Sturm, this business model involves taking over abandoned Meetup groups that have thousands of members after the original organizer steps down. By acquiring these groups for a small fee, you gain access to a ready-made audience for your events or offerings.
Where this idea came from
Podcast: Koerner Office, hosted by Chris Koerner
Episode: A Secret Growth Hack to Steal Free Customers From MeetUp. Ep. #81
Aired:
Summarized from the episode transcript. The show does not say which speaker raised each idea, so we credit the show, not a person.