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Communications Technology

Promoting Technical Users Groups? 25

Posted by Cliff from the more-coverage-than-a-billboard dept.
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!"
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Promoting Technical Users Groups? More

Promoting Technical Users Groups?

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  • If there truelly is need, word will spread, and the group will build itself.
    • That's very idealistic. There is no organized group, no group will materialize without some motivation or prodding.

      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.
      • Yes, that's the way to go. Also on the list of places to post your flyer: coffee shop windows and university bulletin boards.

        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)

    by rednip ( 186217 ) * on Friday June 17, 2005 @07:49PM (#12847784) Journal
    I've got a great idea, submit your question to Slashdot! Oh, yea. here we are...

    AKA,

    • Travel to your nearest users group and ask around, I'll bet even money that you'll find some people from your area
    • but more importantly get to know that organizer, and find out that they do to be successful.
    • Get to know the local University or College, post in the lunch room perhaps even take a night class.
    • Post to online forums, I hear people get good success from Craig's list.
    • Put a magnetic sign on your car, announcing your group.
    • Get a booth at the local flea market.
    • hang signs where ever you can. Take inspiration from the "loose weight now" signs you see posted on public property. (if it's legal where your at)
    • Go door to door like a Jehovah's witness (ok that's a little over the top).
    • Go to the nearest Scifi convention, and spread the word.
    • Talk to the nearest computer hardware providers, ask them to put up signs, they might even 'sponsor' your group!
    • Meet with as many people as you can muster, even if it's one or two, but do so in a public place like the coffee area of a bookstore, chances are someone will wander by and ask what's going on.

  • Well, first... (Score:5, Funny)

    by EvilMagnus ( 32878 ) on Friday June 17, 2005 @07:53PM (#12847811)
    ...when trying to pimp your group on Slashdot, it is vital to include the *name* of the group, the location and time of the meetings! Yeesh, you just passed up the chance for a few tens of thousands of pageviews! :-)

  • Hot Women! (Score:2, Funny)

    by maxogden ( 844677 )
    Just hire a hotel heiress to stand on a desk during your meeting and spin around while wearing scantily clad clothing (if any). Put it in a commercial, and profit!

  • Go to SWAP meet (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Dark Coder ( 66759 ) on Friday June 17, 2005 @08:45PM (#12848189)
    To do this like the olden days of computing yores (before email was in vogue), try the following:

    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.
  • Join mailinglists for other local groups in the geographical area in which you are interested. For example, if you wanted to launch a technical user group in Atlanta you might announce it to the Atlanta Linux Enthusiasts [ale.org], the Atlanta Perl Mongers [pm.org], the Atlanta .NET User Group [atlantadotnet.org], or the Atlanta Java User Group [ajug.org]. Even though your new group might be unrelated to some other groups, there will undoubtably be members who are interested or know someone else who is interested. If you are concerned about posting to th
  • If you become involved in the tech groups of others, they will be willing to become involved in your tech group.
  • If your area has a bookstore with a great technical magazine rack or book section, see if the bookstore will allow you to invite an author to come in to speak and do a book signing. Make sure you have a sign with the author info and your group info posted up somewhere. If you have colleges nearby, post up fliers and let the student newspapers know about the event. I've seen quite a few self-help groups host author events at the local Barnes & Noble, and they usually have a small crowd of interested peop
  • Try meetup [meetup.org]

    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.

  • I might be a bit dated here, but back in the day, all the hardware geeks read IEEE and other trade magazines. Perhaps a press release to a similar publication for software developers or even buying an ad might best reach your target audience.
  • You could try to get an ad on some websites that are local to your area, but that typically costs $$. Instead, you can try to find some bloggers or podcasters in the area that might have a following that includes the people that you are trying to target and get them to talk you up... it's pretty easy to get promoted on these types of media, especially if you have a group worth talking about.
  • Vendors involved in your user group's technology have a vested interest in it's success.

    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

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