In my last blog, I invited you to send me questions you wanted answering as part of my regular Q & A spot. You didn’t disappoint! Many of you asked ‘Why should I join Social Circle?’ I am glad you asked. With so many free groups like MeetUp out there, it is a question that will cross the minds of anyone thinking of joining. So I put together a little list of reasons that makes social circle so good.
Firstly, it is important to know why I set up Social Circle. After travelling and living abroad during my teens and twenties, my life turned upside down when my marriage fell apart. I found myself moving to Manchester to accept another job. In my thirties, totally alone and in need of company, I put an advert up to meet like-minded people. The rest was history. From that, I built a business, found the love of my life and introduced hundreds of people to their best friends and significant others. Social Circle is my passion and life purpose.
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Time Saved Scrolling.
Today, people are still craving connection with others. We look to modern technology to help us make friends. You can either meet individuals or groups with a single common interest. Firstly, there is not just one group on MeetUp or similar, but hundreds in some cities. What if you want to do more than one activity? Are you meant to spend yet more hours finding other groups? At this rate you can easily spend more time on the app than you can out socialising. Then there are the various charges for tickets, or admin costs!
I know variety is the spice of life, which is why our events calendar is jam packed with wonderful events from meals out to cinema nights and it is all included in one price. We are web and phone savvy too, so you can just book on any event with a single click.
2. No Drama
Have you ever tried to organise a night out with your friends? How about a weekend away? First there is the alarming rate at which people develop a mystery illness and have to drop out. Then there is always someone who wants to go to someplace else and is very vocal about it. Or you end up the only single one amongst couples. At Social Circle there is none of that. When we organise our calendar, we book everything. The tickets, the table and the time. Our weekends away are organised with military precision. If you want to join us – great! If not, then there will be something else you fancy. All you have to do is show up and meet people who like the exact same things.
3. Help with the nerves.
I am a confident and sociable guy, and I get nervous when I meet new people. I can completely understand how terrifying it must be if you have anxiety in social situations or are more introverted. Can you rely on amateur organisers to understand? Some will be sympathetic, but others may not have a clue and it can be difficult reaching out and asking for help.
Our hosts always call and text ahead, and will run out and meet you if you have an attack of nerves at the door. I am also proud to say we have members who are warm and welcoming and will always take any nervous newbies under their wing.
4. Fresh and Familiar.
Part of why we reach out to social groups is to meet new people. So imagine you meet a kindred spirit on an event, forget to swap numbers, and never see them again. Ever. Lets face it, we don’t just want to meet new people – we want to make new friends. It can be difficult when there are so many people attending an event that you end up being the new guy (or gal) at every single event. So what is great about being a member is that other people are members too!
We have a members facebook group and regular events means that you will start to bump into the people you gel with more often. Some people have been members for many years and have met their best friends and partners through social circle. For me, providing a membership encourages people to attend events regularly so you get to meet new people and see some familiar faces, that way friendships can really start to blossom naturally.
5. Your kind of people.
The hardest part of using apps is trying to find people who are – well – more like you! Maybe you moved to Manchester with your career and are looking to set down roots. Perhaps you are the only divorcee in a social circle of smug marrieds. Either way, hanging out with a group of twenty somethings may not bring you the friends you seek. When looking for friends – we not only want to share interests – but values and life experiences. We know our members well and many share stories similar to my own. Like attracts like right? Social Circle is full of great, friendly professionals, aged thirty plus who are just as keen to meet you.
Still wonder if it is for you?
You can reason with yourself, mull it over, and ponder the pros and cons all you want. Its not getting you off the sofa and out there. If you want to see Social Circle for yourself, meet other members and hear about their experiences, and see how events are organised then come along! You can attend an event for free.