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Your first customers for an event app are already in your contacts. They are the people who run meetups, weddings, club nights, conferences and team offsites, and they are tired of juggling spreadsheets, group chats and ticket links. This guide shows how to find them, get your app used at a real event, and ask for payment.

All guidesFor founders of an event app

1. List everyone who organizes events

Open your phone contacts, LinkedIn and WhatsApp groups and write down anyone who runs gatherings. Think meetup organizers, office managers, HR and people-ops leads, wedding planners, sports club secretaries, church volunteers, startup founders hosting demo days, and friends who throw recurring parties. Aim for 30 names before you contact anyone.

2. Pick one event type to start with

Look at your list and choose the group that is biggest and closest to what your app does well. For example, small tech meetups of 30 to 100 people, or corporate offsites. Focusing on one type lets you use the same message and the same setup for each person.

3. Send a short, personal message

Write to each person directly and mention their actual event. Example: "Hi Sara, saw you're running the React meetup again next month. I built an app that handles RSVPs, reminders and check-in in one place. Can I set it up for your next one for free and run it with you?" Send 10 a day and follow up once after four days.

4. Ask for an intro to one more organizer

End every conversation, yes or no, with one question: "Who else do you know who runs events like this?" Organizers know other organizers through venues, sponsors and co-hosts. One warm intro usually beats ten cold messages.

5. Join the communities your network already uses

Check which Meetup.com groups, Eventbrite organizer pages, local Slack or Discord servers and Facebook groups your contacts belong to. Join two or three of them as a participant, then search posts for phrases like "RSVP", "no-shows" or "ticketing" to find organizers who are complaining about a problem your app solves. Reply with help first, then a link if they ask.

6. Show up and run the event with them

Attend the first event that uses your app, handle check-in yourself, and fix problems on the spot. Write down every question attendees and the organizer ask. This is your fastest product feedback and it builds trust for the payment conversation.

7. Ask for payment before the next event

Within two days of the event, send the organizer a short recap with the numbers from your app, such as RSVPs, check-ins and no-shows. Then ask plainly: "For your next event it's $X per month. Want me to set it up?" If they hesitate, ask what would make it worth paying for and write it down.

8. Repeat weekly and track every conversation

Keep a simple sheet with name, event type, date of last message, status and next step. Review it every Monday and send your follow-ups. Hulby, an AI cofounder, does this outreach and tracking daily for founders who want help keeping it going.

People asking this right now

Real, public posts from the last few weeks. Each one is somebody you could help today.

Mistakes to skip

  • Pitching features instead of offering to run their next real event.
  • Messaging friends who never organize anything just because they are friendly.
  • Giving the app away indefinitely without ever asking for payment.
  • Waiting for the product to be finished before contacting a single organizer.

Want this done for your event app, every day?

Hulby finds the people asking for what you built, writes every reply and email, and keeps you on it until they pay. Free to start.

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Questions

How many organizers should I contact first?

Start with 30 people from your own network. That is usually enough to get a few events running on your app.

Should my first event be free?

Yes, one free event is fine if you run it with them. Ask for payment before their second event.

What if nobody in my network runs events?

Ask friends who they know who does. Office managers, club secretaries and meetup hosts are a short intro away for most people.

How much should I charge?

Pick a simple monthly or per-event price you can say in one sentence. Adjust it after five organizers have told you what it is worth to them.