Information Management Systems
In this chapter, we are going to get into the tech weeds with you and discuss the different types of platforms and systems you might want to create in order to help sustain the growth of your society.
Discovery Platforms
Discovery platforms are where people find you. They can often be thought of us the “top-of-funnel”
Word of Mouth
Word of mouth is the original discovery platform and as you get started, this is probably going to be your main driver of growth. Even societies that have been around for years and that have excellent systems in place still rely on and structure their growth systems around word of mouth because it is very powerful.
People trust people and this is especially true when it comes to finding communities where people feel safe to share vulnerably about their psychedelic experiences.
In the initial stages of creating a society, word of mouth is going to be huge for growth and the nice thing about it is you don’t have to do too much to help facilitate it - aside from just focusing on creating a great “product”. If you provide great value at your events or on your community platform, people will find out about them.
Social Media
You are probably already well aware of what social media is by now… if you are not, then congratulations - that’s very impressive!
Social Media has changed the landscape of what it means to communicate with one another, and for better or for worse, it has and will continue to change our culture in significant ways. Social Media platforms are great discovery platforms. These are places where people can find you and learn more about what you do.
Some typical examples of social media platforms include Instagram, Meetup, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube and LinkedIn.
These are typically referred to as discovery platforms because they are easy places to discover new people, places and organizations. At their core, these platforms are built on powerful algorithms that have been specifically designed to put your eyes in front of things that interest you. This can be wonderful when it comes to discovering new things but there is of course also a dark side to social media that can be fairly addictive and distorting. Despite the drawbacks of social media, the truth is it is one of the easiest ways for people to find you and connect with you as hundreds of millions of people are active on these platforms every minute of every day.
If you have decided to create a presence for your psychedelic society on social media, the following tips can be helpful to keep in mind as you build your audience…
Focus on one platform to start. It can be tempting to try and publish your content all over the internet all at once, but oftentimes this will lead to a diluted message. Especially if you are just starting out, keep things simple. There are billions of people interacting on these platforms and you can create a successful organization and brand just using one of them.
If you decide to diversity later, there are platforms that you can use which can help you publish to multiple platforms at once
Let people know who you are, what you are doing, why you are doing it, and how.
Keep it short and sweet. Discovery platforms in general are not the best place for long-form content… whether that’s videos or text. Discovery platforms are about getting people’s attention and this requires short and captivating content
Use a LinkInBio of some sort
One way to think about your social media is as a menu of offerings. Over time, you want to make it easy for people to click through and find a resource that they resonate with most. Sometimes, using a link in your bio can be a good way to do this
If you’re hosting events, use social media to get the word out and get people to show up. Create graphics or video sharing what people can expect from your event
Having social media also allows your organization to connect with other psychedelic organizations near or around your city.
Dedicated Website
A well-designed website serves as your society's home base. This is where members can find comprehensive information about your mission, team members, upcoming events, resources and contact information.
By default, websites are also discoverable through SEO which is why we have listed it here under the Discovery Platform section. As your society grows and serves more people, it will naturally rise to the top of rankings on search engines like Google making it possible for people to find you when they search for psychedelic communities in their area.
Why It Works:
A website provides legitimacy and ensures your members always have a reliable source of truth.
Tips:
Including a blog with long form content can help with SEO discoverability
Secure your digital real estate by purchasing a domain. A custom domain not only helps searchability but it will also help later on when you create an email account
Create a resource hub with guides, FAQs, and harm reduction information.
Ensure your website is mobile-friendly and easy to navigate.
Be clear about what your psychedelic society is doing and who it is for.
You’ll have many people that hold very divergent interests under the larger umbrella of psychedelic work
Social/therapy work
Sacred ceremony work
Growing/manufacturing
Politics
Recreational use
Spiritual exploration
You could highlight the members of your team on your website
You’ll want to connect your social media links to the website and vice versa.
If you’re already creating events, it’s valuable to advertise your events on the website
Make sure you have an option for people to join your newsletter
Understand that as this movement is expanding, different people will be at different comfort levels in regards to speaking about their involvement with the society. Be the bridge and meet people where they are at.
i.e dont always publically name the new member in public forums
Be sensitive about those who are curious, one-time or first-time users versus long-term users or people who can lose their job for dabbling in this community
There are many new audiences coming into the movement: business interests, facilitators and manufacturers going above ground, networking events, political conversations
The education phase still exists and is super valuable
There are many desperate and uneducated folks coming to meetings with stars in their eyes looking for answers - it’s helpful to manage their expectations around what they can get out of this society.
Platforms:
Squarespace - Easy to start
Wix - Easy to start
Webflow - For more advanced and custom builds
Framer - New kid on the block
Carrd - Simple one page websites that are cheap
Wordpress - Legacy standard with a lot of integrations and customization
Siteground is our recommended hosting provider due to it’s ease of use, security, speed, and independent ownership.
Nurturing Platforms
While discovery platforms help people find you, nurturing platforms are where you deepen the connection, build trust, and foster ongoing engagement. These platforms are essential for sustaining and growing your psychedelic society by creating a space where relationships can flourish and meaningful conversations can happen - outside of your in-person gatherings.
Think of nurturing platforms as a connective tissue for your society—it’s platforms that can help hold everything together.
Examples of Nurturing Platforms:
Email Newsletters
Email newsletters are one of the most effective nurturing tools. They provide a direct line to your audience and allow you to share updates, event invitations, resources, and more.
Why It Works: Emails land directly in your audience's inbox, making them personal and hard to ignore compared to social media algorithms that may bury your posts.
Tips:
Start your email list as soon as possible. Even if that is just a Google Spreadsheet. You don’t need a fancy platform to start organizing your contacts. Just first name, last name and email is fine.
Keep emails consistent, whether weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly.
Share valuable content like integration tips, book recommendations, or harm-reduction resources.
Use email to highlight upcoming events and celebrate community achievements.
Consider gathering phone numbers as well
You can also use mailing lists to send out surveys to find out what your community needs.
Psychedelic Societies can get shadow banned on social media, so having a mailing list allows you to reach your audience directly.
Learn more about what to do in the case of getting banned on social media here
Ways to gather emails include setting up a Mailchimp or Mailerlite account or using your website host's service.
Mailchimp is free for up to 1,000 contacts and costs $10-$30/month for more.
Set up a section on your website to collect emails and first names.
Add a subscription form or email list form to your website.
Have people sign up for your mailing list when they purchase event tickets or register for events.
Platforms:
Kit - up and coming leader for creators
Mailchimp - jack of all trades
MailerLite - budget friendly option
Beehive - ideal for fast past growth startups
Substack - ideal for writers
Private Groups
Platforms like Facebook Groups, Signal WhatsApp, Discord, or Slack are excellent for creating private, interactive spaces. These groups allow for real-time conversations and foster a sense of intimacy and collaboration among members.
Why It Works: The best thing about platforms like these is that most people are already on them. You don’t need to do a lot of convincing for someone to sign up since the app is already downloaded and they most likely already have an account.
Tips:
Keep things clean and simple. Don’t make these digital spaces too complex.
Moderate discussions to ensure the space remains respectful and supportive. Be mindful of people who are simply trying to extract vs give.
Create topic threads (e.g., integration stories, upcoming events, harm reduction) to keep the group organized.
Use polls and Q&A sessions to engage members and get feedback.
Membership Platforms
Platforms like Patreon, Circle or Mighty Networks allow you to create a dedicated space for your community while also providing an opportunity to generate revenue.
Why It Works: These platforms create a sense of belonging and commitment by offering exclusive content or perks to paying members. They also provide an organized, user-friendly way to engage your members while offering features not available on public platforms.
Tips:
Offer tiered memberships to cater to different levels of involvement.
Provide special benefits like early event access, exclusive workshops, or personalized resources.
Use this platform to gather input from your core members about the future of your society.
Substack was mentioned earlier as an email platform but it is commonly being used as a simple form of membership since you can easily charge a subscription for your emails
Use gamification, such as badges or leaderboards, to encourage participation.
Offer a searchable archive of past discussions, resources, or event recordings.
Host regular live sessions or Q&As directly within the app.
Platforms:
Mighty Networks
Circle
Skool
Patreon
Heartbeat
Key Considerations for Nurturing Platforms:
Foster Genuine Connection These platforms are not just tools—they’re spaces for building trust and creating a sense of belonging. Actively participate in conversations and ensure your members feel heard and valued.
Balance Public and Private Some members may prefer open platforms like social media, while others may feel safer in private spaces. Offering both types of nurturing platforms can cater to a diverse audience.
Keep It Active A nurturing platform is only effective if it remains active. Regularly share content, encourage discussions, and celebrate member milestones to keep the energy alive. We will talk more about this in the next chapter.
Adapt Over Time As your society grows, your members’ needs and preferences may change. Periodically reassess your platforms to ensure they continue to serve your community effectively but keep in mind, once you choose a platform and build on it, it can be difficult to switch away… so take a good amount of time to research each platform carefully before choosing which one is best for you.
Operations (The Backend)
In this section we are going to speak about some of the software and platforms that can be helpful to support the backend operations of running your psychedelic society.
Setting Up A Domain
One of the first things you should set up in the back end is your domain since this impacts decisions made with other platforms.
A domain is usually thought of as a website but it’s really more than that since it is also used to connect to other services as well. To register a domain you can use one of the many different domain registrars out there. GoDaddy is one of the biggest companies in this space and their service is good. While they might charge a little bit more for domains, their support teams and other services are solid. If you are on a budget, services like PorkBun can be alternatives as well as website builders like Squarepace.
You can expect a domain to coat somewhere between $5-20/year to own.
Setting Up Email
Once you have a domain registered, you will now be able to connect it to an email provider. This will allow you to have custom and professional looking emails like bob@thispsychedleicsociety.com.
While it is nice to have a custom domain, you by no means need it to get started.
GMail is one of the most popular email services on the planet for good reasons - it is fast, reliable and connects to pretty much everything. GMail is free to use with a gmail domain but if you would like to connect your own custom domain and make use of Google’s other business features, then you will want to look into Google Workspace which is their suite of offerings for businesses and organizations. If you can afford it, we recommend it be one of the first softwares you choose. You can learn more about how to set up a business gmail account here. If you want something more private you might consider using Protonmail instead.
Internal File Management
Google Drive is one of the most trusted tools for file management but another good option is Dropbox. Here you want to find a cloud based software that allows you to access your files from anywhere. This is not only helpful in ensuring the safety and recoverability of your files, but it will also be essential once your society starts growing and you need multiple team members to be able to access the same folders and files.
Project Management Tools
Internal Communication
This is where you can have brainstorms with your team about certain projects and ideas coming up.
Slack, Discord, Signal
Task management tools
This is how you can separate out tasks and actions between your team
Trello, Notion, Google Drive, Airtable
This is a helpful way to establish a level of accountability amongst your board/team
It allows for people to know who is responsible for what and what is getting done and what might be falling along the wayside
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