Local Guide @jayasimha78 is a Local Business Champion with a love for photography and meet-ups. Originally from Mysore, India, Jay now lives in Antioch, USA. He has found a way to exchange knowledge and make friends with Local Guides from everywhere — through interactive and fun virtual events.
As one of the organizers of the #StateChallenge meet-ups, where attendees test their trivia knowledge on different topics, Jay has a lot to share about hosting a successful online event. So read on to discover some great advice.
What was your first experience with meet-ups?
My first physical meet-up was during Connect Live 2019 — the 36 Walk organized by @PaulPavlinovich . In fact, that was the first time I met other Local Guides; it was fun. As for virtual meet-ups, I believe my first was the Arizona #StateChallenge, in which I ended up winning [the trivia quiz]. I have great memories of both!
What inspired you to become part of the ongoing #StateChallenge meet-ups?
I started attending the #StateChallenge meet-ups almost from the start. Initially, I only shared Connect posts to help create the trivia questions for the challenges. That helped me to win quite a few of them! Then I started co-hosting, so I got to learn about places I had not visited before and discover more about the places I had visited. I got hooked.
When @Denise_Barlock invited me to join as one of the organizers, I was more than happy to. These meet-ups have helped me make friends all over the world and learn about places, cultures, holidays, and various Local Guide activities.
How do you prepare for the virtual meet-up challenges?
Preparation starts several weeks before the event with inviting Local Guides to co-host the meet-up and agreeing on the topic. Even though the series started as trivia on US states, over time, topics have expanded to cover other countries, accessibility, holidays, Connect, and, most recently, sports.
Once we choose the topic, we create the meet-up banner, Google Form for registration, and event on Facebook. Then we submit the meet-up on Connect for approval.
Next step: find posts on Connect on the meet-up topic or create a new one depending on whether we can generate 31 questions for the trivia quiz. Questions and answers for the quiz are prepared in a shared Google Sheet, which we use to create a Jeopardy-like game using playfactile.com.
A day or two before the meet-up, we post a Study Guide on Connect with links to the posts we used to create the questions. Also, an email goes out through Google Groups to registered attendees and members of the Google Group ‘Local Guide #StateChallenge’ with a Google Meet link and other details about the meet-up.
The game has also evolved over time. Recently, it has become a combination of Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. As Denise says, changing the rules of the game keeps it fresh and interesting.
The preparation of the weekly challenges is like the phrase, “It takes a village to raise a child.” We are blessed to have an enthusiastic Local Guides community who are regular attendees (you know who you are!) and who help us with the trivia questions and don’t hesitate to co-host.
What are your tips for organizing a virtual — and physical — meet-up?
It’s important to identify what attendees are going to gain from attending your meet-up. Try to keep it interactive, especially if it’s a virtual one. Go and have fun!
Do you have a favorite meet-up you’ve (co-)hosted? What about a favorite meet-up you’ve attended?
Tough question! My favorite would be the Karnataka #WorldChallenge, where I had the opportunity to share knowledge about my home state in India. I also like the Halloween #HolidayChallenge meet-ups, where attendees come dressed in costumes. We had one recently on October 29.
What is one piece of advice would you give to someone who’s about to host their first meet-up?
Before hosting a meet-up, start attending other meet-ups to find out what you are passionate about. Try to be active on Connect by posting, reading, and commenting on posts. That will help you build a network of Local Guides with common interests. Find a buddy who can help you with the organization and be your backup during the meet-up.
Also, we welcome all Local Guides who want to co-host the #StateChallenge. That could be another way to host your first meet-up!
Have you attended any of Jay’s meet-ups? Do you have a question for him? Let us know in the comments below.
Want to see who else is a Meet-up Champion? Read our previous post here.
Jay.
being featured as Meet-up Champion.