Greetings Susan,
It's encouraging to hear that you're interested in starting a local REI networking group.
To get yours off the ground, I would suggest reaching out to the other BiggerPockets (BP) members in that area. I started by sending a colleague request to the local area BP Pro members, asking about meeting up (once initially), to gauge interest. You should receive some encouragement and interest from Pro members. The next round of BP colleague requests should go to every other member in the local area. This group is going to be a lot of hit and miss. Following this round, you should have been able to connect with several BP members and have a loose idea of interest. I started with one other member (Thank you @Chris Davis!) and we met for drinks, to see what kind of meetup/gathering/networking group we wanted to form.
Some important concepts to incorporate into your group should be: Inclusiveness and Consistency!
Don't limit your group membership. Invite realtors, brokers, interested individuals, experienced and new investors, general contractors, and as many other real estate related service providers and professionals. Everyone can learn something from someone else. Bringing as many different real estate professionals together benefits everyone with an opportunity to network, meet new contacts (and potential partners), appreciate different perspectives/struggles/successes, and come to a better understanding where they might be able to create a win-win situation with others in the industry. Shoot maybe even some mentoring/mentee opportunities.
Ensure you have a system that others can use to coordinate and schedule group meetings. We opted to use BP to advertise our group and Meetup to host our group online for resource sharing and event scheduling consistency. Check it out and join. Look through the pages, see if anything jumps out at you.
Second, is consistency. I can't tell you how many groups I've seen dissolve and are forgotten because of a lack of consistency. You and your fellow group co-organizers have to commit to meeting on a regular basis. Give everyone an opportunity to attend on a regular basis. This promotes relationship building and helps those involved and or attending to benefit by establishing a positive reputation as an involved real estate professional. It also encourages members by allowing them an opportunity to be held accountable to their goals, celebrated when they meet their goals, as well as humbled and re-galvanized when they don't meet them. Consistency places the onus of involvement on the individual. "Am I going to commit to at least this, or am I going to stay at home on my bum?" If your group meets consistently, it's not the group at fault for not trying.....
So how do you maintain consistency? Passion and commitment. Even if you or your co-organizer(s) are not able to make one or more meetings on a consistent basis, explain why to your group. They should be able to step up when you have to step out. Otherwise, do your very best to attend as many as possible. You are the founder. You are the bedrock of the group. Members need to know that they won't show up and be the only one there. Whenever possible, encourage others to step up and coordinate meeting themes, discussion topics, educational lectures, etc. Give other members an opportunity to participate. Don't dominate the forum. This will provide a feeling of investment and increased involvement by those who may otherwise be comfortable with sitting on the sidelines and enjoying the show. I'm an introvert and I struggle to put myself out there. But if you want to make something great you have to do great things. [Insert super motivational quote here].
In order to create a lasting group, you have to light the torch and ensure that there will always be those who can carry it when you can't. If that sounds like too much work, then this might not be the role for you. Maybe one of your new BP
colleagues is really excited about the idea of starting a local group? Encourage and support them. Maybe you just might light the torch and they take off with it, either way I'd love to see it succeed.
If you're ever in Helena, even just passing through, drop me a line. I'd love to meet you.
All the best,
Chris Hermance
