2024 Q1 Event - Promotion

[allella]

Pilot event notes include a list of specific tasks and ideas:

• [x] Confirm the event date and time and that the venue has been confirmed and RESERVED
• [x] Logo - Pam and Olivia create neon concept. Jim has those files saved.
• [x] Create and promote on the existing Meetup.com account
  • [x] Add themed banner / hero image and sponsor logo - see the pilot event for an example
  • [x] Add Dietary or allergy question(s) on the registration form
  • [x] Add field to collect HackGreenville or Twitter username / handle on the registration form (wasn't done for Feb 29th, but worth considering for the next event)
  • [x] Add RefactorGVL text link to the bottom of the event description.
  • [x] Food menu
  • [x] Schedule
• [x] Publish the Meetup listing and approve the announcement
• [x] Announce in the #events Slack channel
• [x] Announce on OpenWorks’ Basecamp
• [x] Announce HG Nights on the https://www.reddit.com/r/greenville/ (Robert Roskam has done this in the past, so ask him)
• [x] Share via on other community boards / mailing lists - Synergy Mill ?, Beer & Napkins ?, Carolina Code School, SC Codes, select Meetup groups?
• [x] Coordinate with a volunteer to take photos at the event for use in future promotions for HG Nights and other HG things. (Alan Johnson volunteered for Q1 2024)
• [x] Invite local writers / journalists to attend and cover the event (Alan Johnson invited John Clayton for Q1 2024)
• [x] Update Meetup page with the speakers and agenda by using a "Comment" on the event, not a message to the entire membership
• [x] Share on any social media accounts
• [x] Have organizers share on their own social media accounts
• [x] Carolina Code Conference will promote to their audience via blog
• [ ] Add date and speakers to HG Nights website page - See the existing open issue about that page.
• [ ] Swag - HackGreenville and/or Sponsor swag table
• [x] HG Nights themed Graphic with the schedule, sponsor logos / recognition, for large TV
• [ ] A day or so before the event, send a follow-up announcement to those who registered with:
  • [ ] Directions
  • [ ] Parking and parking deck fees
  • [ ] Entrances / Doorbell - for OpenWorks we know have a guest access page, which could be shared in the Meetup listing and as a reminder a day or two before the event.
  • [ ] Any street closures due to festivals, events at The Well, or downtown construction
  • [ ] Expectations for coming and going from rooms and social area
  • [ ] Accessibility - confirm handicap accessible parking and access to the building

[eric1234]

Invite local writers / journalists to attend and cover the event

This is something I have thought about before as well. One thing I often wonder is are there a lot of tech folks in the Gville area that are not hooked into HG just because they don't know about it? Would it be useful to send the event details some some place like GVLtoday or Greenville New to promote it to see if we can help find those people? Or does that potentially invite a lot more people than we are willing to handle?

[allella]

@pamelawoodbrowne hackgvl/nights#1 has yielded a Feb 29th date.

I suspect we can "clone" the event on Meetup and change a few things. We don't yet know the sponsor, but I'm talking to a prospect on Friday and we have SB as a "standing offer" if that doesn't work out.

We probably need to figure out a sponsor before we can do things like the hero / banner photo for the Meetup.com event listing and a similar one for the TV screen (assuming OpenWorks, since we haven't talked about other venues).

Would you be willing to do the graphics again, once we have a sponsor figured out?

[allella]

We have this new OpenWorks "guest access" page, so that can be used in the Meetup or other announcements / promotions to explain the parking and such.

[allella]

@eric-hemasystems do you want to do a save the date on #general since it may be some days before we get an official out to the Meetup?

[allella]

Or, I suppose we could do the same on Meetup and just add details, banner, schedule, etc as it's figured out.

[eric-hemasystems]

I'll post to Slack but will do it in #events rather than #general just to abide by peoples preferences a bit. There isn't much actual difference since I think #events is a default channel and only about 50 people aren't in it.

If we think we can get the sponsor and speaker info together in the next weekish I say we hold on the Meetup announcement. The save the date will at least get it on people's radar and having fuller details for the announcement on Meetup will be stronger and provide more value to our sponsor.

[eric-hemasystems]

I'm also going to announce it on the DC864 Discord. It's a different group but they are the definition of "hackers" in Gvl so seems good to invite them. Plus maybe someone there would be interested in giving a security talk which I think would be great to have.

[allella]

@laurenmcglamery @ATMartin @leliaking we had a good showing of current and past CCS folks at the pilot. We'd be glad for you all to share the word once we have the Meetup page setup for registration.

The date will be Feb 29 6 PM - 8 PM. Homemade chili.

Speakers and format will depend on the talks, but we're considering more lightning talks and continuing a focus on not everything being software talks, and not all talks which are better suited for an existing meetup group or conference.

[allella]

@nalanj has invited a local journalist, John Clayton, to attend. He said John agreed to pitch the idea to his editor.

[eric-hemasystems]

I was actually wondering about that on Tues at UCLUG. @avon61002 is one of our speakers and evidently is roommates with a journalist.... Is that something he can hook us up on? If so, is that something we want? Are we trying to get promotion before the event to reach out to people that might not be connected with HackGreenville but would be interested? Or are we trying to get promotion after the event just to raises the general profile of HackGreenville?

[allella]

@eric-hemasystems I was thinking more of a story about HG Nights than trying to promote an upcoming event.

I didn't specify when mentioning it to Alan and the offer from his contact was to attend and see about writing a story.

It would be good to get some press coverage of what HG + RefactorGVL is doing. I'm not sure if they want that full "merger" story, but it seems we have stories worth telling given the impact on connecting the workforce and DIY doers through HG promotions and initiatives.

[nalanj]

I pitched it to John mostly as how programmers in Greenville connect to the community and how things have ramped up after COVID. Still not sure if the editor will go for it or if it'll morph into John just talking to a few folks, but all we can do is pitch ideas and see what happens. I think for connecting to the folks we don't know and for raising awareness that Greenville is a pretty ok place for programmers I think it could be helpful to get stories like this from time to time.

[allella]

@pamelawoodbrowne I've checked off the tasks that are done, or not needed on their iteration.

If you can lead the charge on the remaining ones, then that would be great.

I may still update the HG Nights page if I can make the time.