User Croups or Clubs, Churches, or Other Community Groups

Many companies sponsor product user groups who meet at conventions annually and hold other events locally or online throughout the year. Your company may do this for its products or services. There are also many enthusiasts' clubs that might be tapped as sources for participants for usability tests. (Be mindful of particular biases here because participants will have an avid interest in giving you feedback about something they have joined a group to engage in more deeply.)
You might also check for web sites devoted to particular interests, disciplines, or products to find sources for participants. There you may be able to contact members directly or post a call for participants on forums or message boards, for example, if the rules allow you to do so.
Typically, these groups are composed of people who range anywhere from novice to the most expert users. What makes them an especially valuable resource is the fact that you may be able to contact everyone in the group at once by contacting the head of the group directly or the planner of the group's meetings. You can then ascertain when the next meeting is and prepare a solicitation to be distributed at that meeting. Have all the people who are