Promoting Technical Users Groups? 25
An anonymous reader asks: "I'm trying to promote a technical user group in my area. We have great sponsorship and have had great speakers. I know my town has a lot of software developers employed, however I'm at a loss as to how to announce and get the word out to them. As a software developer working for a company, how do I get information to you? SPAM? Surely you delete those. Mail? I suspect my ad will never get beyond the mailroom. Should I post in bookstores? Put ads on the radio? Please help!"
Word of mouth (Score:2)
Re:Word of mouth (Score:1)
TO the poster who wanted to know: Try putting up flyers at your local Shaws (or other supermarket), gas stations, Computer shops and other place that geeks might want or need to go. Town hall is even a good place, and classified ads if you can afford it are good too.
Re:Word of mouth (Score:1)
Most local newspapers will have a community calendar section or equivalent. When you have good speakers signed up, write a press release and send it there. If the newspaper thinks it's interesting enough, they may even send someone to cover it.
Post to Slashdot of course. (Score:5, Informative)
AKA,
Well, first... (Score:5, Funny)
Hot Women! (Score:2, Funny)
Go to SWAP meet (Score:4, Insightful)
1. post bulletin/flyers at the
a. Computer Swap meets,
b. Flea Markets,
c. computer stores (talk to managers)
2. Visit stores, approach people staring at components, thrust the flyer in their hand after confirm their hobby interest.
a. computer stores
b. electronic stores
3. Take a classified Ad in the paper (that still works)
4. University bulletin boards, those are great but usually
requires Student Union approvals.
Check the QUADs/square or engineering department boards.
5. Visit other user groups
6. Try Craigs List. (exception to the email yores)
Justs alot of footwork, before the word of mouth gets around.
If you really want to demonstrate technical proweness, then construct a Bat Signal and advertise lightbeam-writing on the nite clouds.
Never fails for me.
Re:Go to SWAP meet (Score:2)
Do it the Internet way.... (Score:2, Informative)
You Get What You Give (Score:1)
Bookstore...? (Score:2)
Re:Bookstore...? (Score:2)
Re:Bookstore...? (Score:2)
I think there are two of them. I think this one doesn't know his alphabet. The other one knows a lot of words but grammar, punctuation and capitalization is beyond his/her/it abilities. When you grow up with the nicknames Titanic and Tortuga (turtle in Spanish), all the other insults pretty much don't mean anything.
Re:Bookstore...? (Score:2)
Their supercilious obloquies are both jejune and otiose. They are fatuous mammothrepts whose nugatory caterwauls are less piquant than an ululation from their own fundaments. Their only pursuit is a perverted predilection to plumb a porcine paramour's plenitudinous posterior.
meetup? (Score:2)
Create a group to represent your own groups, and those interested would register.
It's a slow process, but it's a start. Especially if you think about long term.
Re:meetup? (Score:2)
One of the reasons is that they are now charging the organizer for the meetups. Doesn't looks like the best solution.
Professional Association/Trade Mags (Score:2)
Local Blogs and Podcasts (Score:1)
Vendors are glad to do the legwork (Score:2)
First, it's extremely useful if you prepare a neat 1-page PDF flier -- just a bit about your user group and how to join it.
Next, try contacting vendors in your local area - invite their staff to join (as long as they are genuine users of this technology). Also ask if their marketing people can pass on the flyer to interested customers.
Last but not least, encourage existing group members to pass on the flier or a link