Make the first five minutes easy
- Tell people exactly what to expect. Where to go, what to bring, when it starts and what happens first. Put it in the invitation.
- Have someone whose job is hello. Pick a different regular each week. It’s a small job, and people enjoy it.
- Learn names. Name tags seem silly until you’ve forgotten the name of someone you’ve met four times.
Give them a person, not a group
Joining a group of friends is hard. Talking to one person is much easier. Pair a newcomer with someone for the activity: a running partner at a similar pace, a seat next to someone chatty at dinner. Introduce them with something they share.
Give them a reason to return
The best moment for this is the end of the first night. Tell them when the next one is. If a regular says “see you next week”, it’s worth more than any newsletter.
Watch for the second visit
The real test is whether someone comes twice. Greet them by name if they do. Ask what brought them back, and do more of it. If you can’t tell how many people return, count for a month. It’ll tell you more about your club than your total attendance will.
Where Flare fits
Flare can make the introduction for you. Everyone scans in, regulars included, and answers a couple of light questions about what they enjoy. Flare introduces two people who’d likely get on, and a first-timer gets a reason to talk to someone before the coffee’s gone cold.
Friends events have a 30-minute rest after each introduction, so conversations get time to go somewhere. Up to 10 people is free, so a small club can try it at no cost. It needs iPhones, and it’s for adults only. Use it before or after a run, since nobody should be watching a phone while they’re moving.