Networking Online - Support tools | 
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Below are presentations on using meetup and other online groups and a guide for starting your own MEETUP. There are now over 20 such groups in N.Am using MEETUP specifically for propagation. Hundreds have been introduced this way, some moving on to The Keys and learning the techniques of Knowledge; all from finding a simple link online.
There is a Google group that addresses this topic, as well at http://groups.google.com/group/snip
Enjoy these presentations and contact our help desk here if needed:
Internet Groups & Email Networking : Great Tools
by Carroll Klein
Using the Internet and attending meetings arranged by other groups has been highly successful in getting Maharaji’s message out to people in the Greater Phoenix area. To date, we estimate this e-approach brought the possibility Maharaji offers to an estimated 1100 persons who may not have been reached in any other way, with at least 11 requesting The Keys. Two of those people received Knowledge (as of 1/20/08).
We started using the Internet back in August 2005 when we took advantage of email distribution lists that were going to large groups of people who were expressing an interest in spiritual and metaphysical matters.
By using selected resources on the Internet, we were able to send emails to hundreds of people at little or no cost –– about $125 to distribute 3,500 emails. It was so gratifying to then see people show up at local introductory events carrying these email invitations!
(Our cost was $25 to email to an opt-in group of 350, and $125 to email to a mass group, less selective, of 3,500)
Also, the emails referred people to the www.wordsofpeace.org and The Prem Rawat Foundation websites, and included dates and times when Maharaji’s presentations were on local cable TV or the Dish Network (at that time still broadcasting).
In December 2005, one group contacted over the Internet sent an invitation to a new, informal “beautiful souls” gathering in a private home. I attended these a few times to talk about my experience and pass out materials to interested people. It was very beautiful.
I also attended several other get-togethers that I learned about from Internet groups, and dozens of people took materials and talked to me after those meetings. Several came to our local introductory events.
These meetings typically were coordinated by one person who would ask people to introduce themselves and say why they attended. This was a great chance for me to talk about Maharaji’s gift and the beautiful experience of peace, fulfillment, joy and love inside each of us that is possible. I made it clear that it was available at no cost and that I had materials if people wanted to learn more.
www.meetup.com
When I first used http://www.meetup.com in 2006 I signed up with a “consciousness group”. At the first meeting I passed out materials about to eight people. One person who attended emailed me a week later to thank me and tell me he was watching the first of The Keys. Later he held monthly meetup sessions at his art gallery that were attended by between 25-30 people. Over time, people with Knowledge who went to those gatherings had the chance to speak and hand out materials to more than a hundred people.
There’s no cost to join meetup.com or attend another group’s events. To start one’s own meetup costs $72 for the first six months, a great bargain considering the exposure possible. Listing your meetings means others are notified about them automatically via weekly emails.
I urged others in the community to join me at some of these gatherings. Two of us started our own meetup at my home in January last year, and we now have about 150 members in this group. We structure the gatherings like an introductory program, featuring a DVD presentation and refreshments. Often, if the group is interested. we then show Discovering More. We also notify our members of the community’s formal introductory programs and send out reminders about upcoming meetups and links to TPRF and wordsofpeace.org.
We even heard from several people who could not attend but who checked out the websites. In some cases, they came to our meetings after visiting the sites.
Distributing Materials
Materials that I have distributed at meetups include Peace is Possible, Discovering More and What Does Peace Feel Like brochures; magazine reprints such as “Pursuing Peace Means Knowing Where to Begin” and “A Joy Unparalleled”; the Discovering More booklet; Getting Started with the Keys, and the Invitation list cards. I also always have a small supply of the Words of Peace DVDs to hand out if someone shows a keen interest. Now, the Designed for Joy DVD is available as well.
Another person helping with this, Pete Weinelt and myself now belong to about 35 meetups, though we haven't yet attended all of them. Overall, we’ve gone to almost 100 of these events, and other members of the community have also attended as well. We’ve also been asked several times to do presentations at other meetups. This most often happens when that group’s leader becomes an aspirant or has enjoyed reading or listening to Maharaji’s message.
The Bottom Line
We estimate that of all the people we’ve reached by attending and speaking at meetups, as many as 500 have accepted our materials, and about 50 have given us email addresses or filled out program-notification cards. Many have attended a local introductory event.
The overall response has been tremendous when I go to meetups scheduled by other groups. It is truly a low-cost way to spread this message and, most importantly, it’s a lot of fun –– and highly gratifying!
I would very much enjoy helping others use email and meetup methods or any other forms of networking online. Don’t hesitate to contact me via the help desk here.
Carroll
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Some comments from those who learned about Knowledge via meetup.com, either by attendeing a meeting or are watching videos online, reading Inspire, etc. There are many ways to use these online forums:
“This is wonderful!!
Thank you so much for sharing this with me.
Mr. Rawat is very inspiring. I will be sharing this with my friends and checking out what his foundation is up to.
I agree - with you and with the message here - that peace comes from within.
I will continue to work on my own personal peace while trying to spread it to my fellow man.
Thank you once again”
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“Peace and joy within myself has always been elusive and not until this group, which has been the most amazing experience of my whole life, did I finally find hope for that to occur. Lots of different sources claimed to be able to help me but they were all complicated for me and required lots of what I saw as hard work to really get it or so they said.
Maharaji for me lays everything out very simply and neatly ties what he says in a package that is easy to comprehend. I needed the concept of peace and joy within to be made very simple to me and here it was done just that way. I am so grateful to this group for helping me. It is not to be missed.
I have tried so many ways to find joy and peace within myself and only Maharaji made everything so very clear to me; most of which my heart already knew. I have finally found home and joy and peace within myself!!! So please if that is what you want come...it is so very simple.
Oh and lastly you will never think it is work or something you have to do it will be just pure joy every time you experience this group. Again I just want to thank everyone.”
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by Candice Wilmore
>Start a Meetup (we called our Words of Peace. Click on our link to see more) http://peace.meetup.com/172/
>Invite those waiting on alert lists for topics such as peace, meditation, consciousness, etc.
>Encourage local PWK to register as members to boost the RSVP #s.
>Promote events using Meetup tools and resources. Meetup does much of the communication for a team/group. No one’s personal email is required in order to communicate. It’s all done via the message board for members. In addition, the organizer can use automatic settings for announcements of new schedules and etc.
We’ve found it best to highlight what is offered rather than a lot of information about Maharaji. All that will be learned over time if someone is interested. For us, this is crucial and choosing proper text and promotion is something to consider carefully.
MEETUP text for possible use. Copy for your own needs if you wish:
General description
http://peace.meetup.com/201/
http://peace.meetup.com/172/
Peace. Truth. Fulfillment. Joy.
Are those nice ideas or can I feel those things? This Meetup is a place to learn about this and offers, perhaps, answers to some of these fascinating questions. Open discussion following DVD.
What is presented is not about a lifestyle, philosophy, religion or beliefs. It's also not about following someone, except perhaps yourself, in the nicest way possible.
For those who want to learn practical techniques for discovering what exists within each person, there is a self-paced preparation process on DVD, free of charge at local events or can be ordered online for cost of shipping.
For TV Words of Peace broadcasts in your area: http://visionsinternational.org/cable.php
Short video introduction: Designed for Joy
http://video.maharaji.net/view.php?id=1102
Candice
http://peace.meetup.com/201/
http://peace.meetup.com/172/
I use this if I invite people individually, rather than hoping they find our meetup on their own. I find them by looking at “alert lists” under categories where people may be interested. Look within you zip code and enter category to find these lists.
Hello,
My apology if you have already received this information.
You are invited to learn more about the Words of Peace Meetups. Our goal is to offer information and support to those interested in the subjects of personal peace and fulfillment. Most of us suspect these experiences exist. The big challenge: How to feel them?
Although we present local events, there are other ways to access this message and information. (see links below for detailed description)
Let me know if you have any questions. There are ways to learn about this topic online and with print materials. If you'd like to receive a gift packet by mail with DVD let me know.
Candice
http://peace.meetup.com/201/
http://peace.meetup.com/172/
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Under Organizer settings you can write a greeting that gets automatically sent to all new members who decide to sign up to hear more. Look for "Write a message to welcome new members" after clicking "organizer help and tools" As someone who has joined many meetup groups, I can say it's nice to get a personal message, not the standard MEETUP greeting. Below is what we use, but yours can be whatever you choose to write. Ours is intended to show other ways of hearing the message, since the showing up for an actual meetup rate among members will be maybe 10-20%. The rest may only go as far as your own MEETUP site, so give them something they can do online! We find this works well and get notes of thank for online videos and more.
Hello and Welcome,
The reason we started this meetup is simple: To let people know about a message and a possibility, independent of belief, lifestyle or religion. This is not about following anyone except perhaps yourself, in the nicest possible way.
We know it's often hard to attend meetings of any type. Here's some information that may be helpful:
30 minute interview:
http://video.maharaji.net/view.php?id=1081
to listen to audio : http://www.eurc.net
The Prem Rawat foundation: http://www.tprf.org
To find TV Words of Peace broadcasts in your area: http://visionsinternational.org/cable.php
If you would like a free information packet mailed to you, contact the organizer with your mailing address.
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Prem Rawat, also called Maharaji, offers a practical way to discover what is inside every human being. Preparing to learn these simple techniques involves watching a series of DVDs called The Keys, a self-paced and home-based learning process.
These may be borrowed locally or online. For information, contact the organizer here.
Other suggestions:
Consider not using photos of Maharaji to promote your Meetup. Use audience shots (many at http://innerlink.typepad.com/index.html you can save and upload to your meetup site) or general nature/people/etc.
In your text, talk about what’s in it for the newcomer, not about Maharaji’s award, honors, etc. People are looking for a feeling, just like we were. They will have years to get to know him if they choose to learn more. In the beginning, put the focus on what is being offered. This has proven successful in attracting people. We have tried various approaches and saw a difference when we promoted the message and what is possible.
For support email knowledgecontact@gmail.com. Someone will help you get your online meetup site set up if you need that.
Have fun!
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