The Clubhouse app has enjoyed a meteoric rise since its launch in March 2020, and its method of operation has already had a profound effect on how small and medium enterprises (SMEs) communicate, according to world-renowned TedX speaker and public speaking coach Jose Ucar.
“What Clubhouse has cleverly done is to eliminate video and large images, leaving you a tiny profile picture and, of course, your voice,” Jose explains. “This removes barriers like having to dress up, even halfway if you are using zoom, teams, WebEx or any other video-conferencing platform.”
You Can Even Join In From Your Hot Tub
“You can be cooking, driving, I’ve even heard people speaking from the hot tub,” Jose said. “They are making it easier for all of us to participate, connect and hopefully benefit in the process.”
As there is no need for people to make themselves look professional before joining a Clubhouse chatroom, it enables them to join discussions whenever and wherever they are. Jose believes this encourages them to communicate more regularly. “This auditory channel is way more accessible which adds a great deal of flexibility and opportunities for businesses and individuals to be out there sharing and connecting,” he said.
An Audience On The Phone
One potential downside of the Clubhouse platform is the lack of a visual component, and Jose acknowledges that some people prefer to communicate in that way. However, he also believes those platforms have become overwhelmed by the sheer number of users, so it makes sense to try something different.
“(On Clubhouse) it’s important you raise your hand, ask questions, share your thoughts, create rooms, network and connect with your target audience,” Jose said. “Now we only have our voice, the rest of our body language has been taken away. It’s an interesting change, especially when the trend seemed to be towards videos on the digital channels. Given that our communication is comprised of the words we say, our tonality and our physiology, without the physiology element, we need to get exceptionally good at words and tonality to keep our audience engaged and interested.”
Supercharging Networking
One of the best things about recent advances in technology is the seemingly endless supply of opportunities to connect with people around the world via social media. For many, Clubhouse has accelerated the networking process. “Connections are happening almost instantly on this platform, which enables business owners and individuals to expand their networks and exchange knowledge in ways that we could have never imagined before,” Jose explained.
“If you are willing to speak up and share value, you may find yourself sharing the panel with influencers and authorities in any field. At this point, people that did not have any previous recognition on social media are positioning themselves as thought leaders within clubhouse. Early adopters willing to put in the hours are thriving within this new arena.”
Focus Is Important
“Many business owners are still looking for the sweet spot between the time they spend and the results they are getting from their efforts on the platform,” Jose explained. “A good strategy is to focus your energy on joining and creating rooms that are appealing to your target audience and to provide enough value that generates enough interest in people to follow you and check out your bio. Consistency is currently proving to be essential for success on Clubhouse.”
A Great Opportunity To Find Business Partners
Jose Ucar is a global TEDx speaker, NLP coach, International Business and Marketing Specialist and the Founder of Finding Excellence. So he naturally looks for like-minded individuals who are pursuing the same or very similar goals to partner up with.
“One of my rooms (on Clubhouse) is called ‘TEDx Speakers Share & Connect’. Last week I had over 15 TEDx speakers on the panel from all over the world, connecting and delivering incredible value to an amazing audience that kept on raising their hands to join the panel to participate and ask questions. And it only took me a few hours to pull that off. How cool and powerful is that? This is the perfect time to do it.”
Just Be Yourself
If you are sitting there wondering how to act when using Clubhouse, Jose has some simple advice for you: “Be genuine. Be you, be transparent, be humble and open, care for others, share value and you will connect with incredible people from all over the world who are willing to follow and support you. It’s time to fully embrace the power of real-time global human interactions.” You can also enroll in Jose’s Communication Skills Virtual Training Course for more pointers.
