Virtualmeet.net

I'd really like to see more people participate. Any suggestions for spreading the word about virtualmeet.net ?

I remember how excited I was when I first found it...and I still think it's awesome.

Thanks Ginger, really happy to hear that!

To put the participation level into numbers: We've had 134 unique lifters representing 17 countries do one or more virtualmeets to date which for 43 meets averages just above 3 first timers per meet. If we divide the total number of meet sign-ups (280) with the number of held meets, we get an average meet participation of 6.7 lifters. But there is a huge amount of fluctuation between meets and time of year (the first half of every year is usually quite strong with the summer/fall less so). I am the first to agree that one lifter meets are not all that cool...

The biggest events we've had have always been clubs organizing virtualmeet events for their members. I personally believe that adding support for teams and lowering the barrier to entry are key ingredients to seeing stronger growth in the future. It is no secret that I have spent a couple of years and counting now programming a new VirtualMeet from scratch and I am hellbent on actually getting that launched one day to the tune of a big Bongo drum.

Meanwhile, I think the best way of increasing participation is to spread the word to fellow lifters whether online or offline. On an even more grassroots tangent, I also still have some high-quality Virtualmeet stickers left which I would be happy to send out to anyone who wants one or more to stick on the bumper or hand out (if so, just send me an e-mail with your address). Of course, there's also the Virtualmeet.net T-shirt (http://virtualmeet.spreadshirt.com/), wearing that in the gym is never wrong either... That said, if anyone has any other ideas for spreading the word I am definitively all ears. :)

In order to retain interested lifters, a newsletter to all registered lifters could be used to inform them about upcoming events.

Or a gathering in January at -30° in Vaasa could make headlines ;)

A Gathering at that time could make people dead. :D

Sending out a more comprehensive e-mail every few months than the current "sign-up now open!" type of e-mails could be a great idea. The current notifications mostly cater to people who already know that they are going to do a specific meet (and may even be somewhat redundant nowadays thanks to the more flexible meet registration policy), but does not give you time to prepare if you were not aware of the meet.