How Framer built a community of local hosts with Contra
Overview
Framer leveraged Contra to scale global design community events.
Embracing their shift to a no-code platform, Framer's goal to be a global design leader transcended widespread reach—it was about forging genuine, local connections. In their expansion into new territories, they faced a nuanced challenge: building meaningful, authentic relationships in nascent markets, turning mere presence into influence.
Kate Donnellan, Community and Partnerships Manager, leaned on Contra to manage community engagement and connect with local hosts who can organize impactful events. Spanning talent discovery to payments, Contra’s broad capabilities, empowered Framer to coordinate global meetups with ease, focusing their energy on areas needing deeper community interaction while streamlining event logistics remotely.
The Challenge
Framer Meetups transform local design enthusiasts into global brand ambassadors. The goal? To reach every corner of the world with Framer's design-first ethos. Rolling out this ambitious vision wasn't without its challenges, especially in key markets like Los Angeles where community engagement was just budding.
Kate faced a multifaceted challenge. Her team’s primary goal was to scale these events, targeting at least a dozen in each key market annually. And while hard work was necessary to achieve these goals, their limited capacity meant orchestrating such a high volume of global events all by themselves would be unrealistic.
"Contra has reinvented how we manage community events. It's not just about operational ease; it's about forging deep connections with community leaders, making each meetup an authentic and seamless experience."
— Kate Donnellan, Community and Partnerships Manager at Framer
Framer Meetup 2023
The Solution with Contra
A strong community of local experts managed with operational ease
That’s when Framer turned to Contra to seamlessly engage and hire qualified, influential community leaders in vital markets. A standout success was their collaboration with Esteban in Los Angeles, whose expertise in event management and local knowledge brought a new layer of excellence to Framer's community engagement.
"Contra’s comprehensive features streamlined our entire event management process. From talent discovery to invoice payments and event reimbursements, every aspect was simplified, cutting down our planning time substantially," said Kate. "This allowed us to focus on the heart of our mission—cultivating vibrant design communities globally."
Outcomes
The integration of Contra catalyzed a strategic shift in Framer's global community engagement, enabling them to host a series of local events that were more than just meetups; they became epicenters of design and creativity, particularly in key markets like Los Angeles.
“Curated through Contra, these events have gone from simple gatherings to dynamic hubs of creativity, paving the way for our ambitious large-scale conference,” Kate revealed. “This network of design enthusiasts that spans continents has become foundational to our global community strategy.”
For Kate, the effectiveness of these events extends beyond brand recognition. “What we achieved with Contra was remarkable. It enabled us to weave a tapestry of local leaders into a global narrative, turning each event into a chapter of a larger design story.” This network, sourced and managed through Contra, stands as a testament to Framer's commitment to nurturing a globally-connected design community.
“Each event, each connection made, has been a step toward realizing our vision of a cohesive, vibrant global design community. Contra has been instrumental in turning this vision into reality.”
— Kate Donnellan, Community and Partnerships Manager at Framer
