As a startup founder, you’ve likely heard of Clubhouse, an audio-based social networking app. Launched in March 2020, Clubhouse is not only growing in popularity, but also growing in opportunities for startup founders and marketers to leverage their brand awareness. 

Clubhouse allows users to listen to or participate in conversations, interviews, and dialogs in a podcast like manner. The difference, however, between podcasts and Clubhouse is that Clubhouse conversations are happening in real time. Members can tune in and listen along to any speaker, and once the speaker is done, the opportunity to listen to that chat along with any comments disappear. Think of it like a widely acceptable and welcome form of eavesdropping, with opportunities to ask questions and interact. It is a useful and convenient way for brands or industry leaders to connect with their audience and in turn, a great way to make business connections and expand your industry knowledge. 

The downside? Clubhouse is an invite only app so not everyone has access or can gain access. Nevertheless, Clubhouse is still in early stages of development and as the platform grows, so does its member count and its societal relevance. 

Here are some ways leveraging the platform can help to scale your startup’s brand awareness. 

Connect to the audience

Clubhouse allows for members from your company to easily and immediately connect with members of your audience. This is your chance to get to know the needs of your audience members and their opinion of your brand. Be open and genuine when you are interacting with audience members; increased trust and loyalty for the brand will follow naturally. 

To start, set up the room so that those listening in will have the ability to “raise their hand,” the app’s method of allowing audience participation. Once you do this, a hand icon will appear at the bottom of the screen for listeners. They can then click the hand icon and you can approve their request. Those audience members will then be moved to the stage where they have the ability to talk, opening the floor for feedback, questions, and other dialog. 

To facilitate good conversations and interactions, have a plan of action for the meeting prior to logging on. Create value by thinking about what your audience will want to hear and tailoring your content for them. A few topics to cover are the founder’s story, exclusive company information or tips for success in the industry. Also, don’t forget to schedule time to run a Q&A. Interacting with the audience by answering their questions rather than always assuming what they want to hear is a great way to facilitate brand trust.  

Build credibility

Due to the authentic element of Clubhouse – unedited, raw conversation in real time – opening the floor to interact with listeners can help build brand credibility. Consumers are more inclined, now more than ever, to interact with brands that are transparent and trustworthy. Take advantage of the authenticity of the platform to have genuine conversations with your audience and open the curtain to the inner workings of your startup. 

Hosting a room in Clubhouse is also a great opportunity to enhance your status as a thought leader. Think of hosting a room like hosting a podcast, but with less editing. You can share your industry experience and discuss how changes in technology or the environment have altered your industry. If you are having a hard time brainstorming new topics, refer to older blogs. Just how you would turn a blog into visual content, you can turn a blog topic into a compelling conversation on Clubhouse. Also, consider hosting a keynote speaker. People may not be as familiar with you as they are with someone who is well established in the industry. Hosting a keynote speaker can both give credibility to your brand as well as raise awareness for your own startup. 

Gain industry insight

Using Clubhouse to build brand awareness is a two way street – similar to hosting meetings it is a good idea to also be attending meetings relevant to your industry. By listening in on other meetings, you will be able to better monitor your competition and how they approach work. Plus, you can gain valuable industry insight and even learn some new tips or tricks. 

Be strategic with who you follow. Search the member directory, club directory and event calendar. Follow people and clubs that are relevant to your brand persona and industry. Clubhouse will suggest clubs and events based on who you follow, so it is important to be strategic with your follow decisions up front so you aren’t sifting through irrelevant suggestions. Find an event or two you would like to listen in on in the event calendar. Once you join a room, you’ll see three sections of people: the speaker(s), the front row, and the audience. Pay attention to who is in the front row. Front row users are followers of the speaker and can make for valuable connections. 

Increase chances to gain followers

The more opportunities you have to speak and interact with other people, the higher your chances are of gaining new followers and creating brand awareness. Listen in on conversations that are in your industry. There is a better chance someone will call on you if you have an idea of what you are talking about and can actually hold an educated conversation. 

When you join other rooms, try to avoid joining rooms with tons of listeners. There is a lower chance of you raising your hand and actually being called on if you are listening to a speaker along with 5,000 other people. Try to go to events with smaller amounts of listeners, think 20-30. There is a greater chance you will be selected to ask a question or make a comment, increasing both your stage time and the possibility of new followers. 

Whenever you do have an opportunity to speak at someone else’s meeting, focus on delivering value. Don’t spend too much time introducing yourself or talking about your company. Briefly introduce yourself and then comment or ask questions. The goal is to create value and speak with purpose whenever possible to create positive brand awareness.