How to build a group of friends using Nextdoor and other online tools 
Problem: It’s nice to have a group of local friends – the closer in proximity, the better. Groups of friends tend to break apart over time – spreading to the wind – some people move away; relationships fray; etc.
Problem #2. It’s often difficult to create a new group of friends when one moves to a new place. It can often take people 2-3 years in a new place to “land”.
Solution: Using Nextdoor.com and other online tools such as Constant Contact (email service provider + survey capability) and Facebook (for group functions) it’s possible to quickly build a list of people who live close by who share your interests. This means that when one relocates, it is potentially possible to create a new group of friends, quickly.
Steps I have taken to try this out.
- Sign up for Nextdoor.com
- Create an email list for potential new friends – ie, a sign-up form that people can use to sign up for your friend’s list (or, just a simple group in your email client like Outlook or Gmail). There can be more than one list – ie, I like to play chess; I like to play music; I like to effect change to make the neighborhood more livable. A person can join one or more lists.
- Instigate conversations on Nextdoor around the above topics or ones of your choosing. **
- Via private messaging – ask people who seem interesting to you to either join your list (provide sign up link) or tell them what you’re up to and ask for their email address.
- Once you have a group – you can start inviting the people in that group to events or meet for coffee and see how things go. This could also be a time to start a Facebook group so that the members of the group can speak to one another and possibly instigate activities themselves – the cool thing here is that you’re acting as matchmaker – and all of the connections are local!
- Repeat the above until your social life is full of interesting people who live close by and may enrich your life.
- Show others what you’ve done (we learn by teaching).
I’m always open to feedback. Please feel free to help me improve this concept in the comments section below or write me @ albert@albertideation.com.
As of 5.5.19 I have been doing this for about 6 months and I’m learning as I go. I have a list of 60 people in my Portland, Oregon neighborhood who have been invited to various events at my house (mostly house concerts and an orphans’ Thanksgiving) and the experiment continues.
**Another way to find people who share interests is by creating a survey. That way you can find people who share your interests and ask for their contact information all in one effort. And, people love to provide feedback 🙂
Here’s some of my past writing about Nextdoor.com
- Oh boy, Nextdoor.com
- Changing the world with Nextdoor, one neighborhood at a time
- Efforts in my own community using Nextdoor to effect change
