Recipe for a Successful IASA Chapter
Having been involved with user groups for computer industry professionals for many years, I’d like to offer some recommendations. If you're thinking of starting a user group for computer industry professionals or are running one now, please contemplate these lessons, drawn from my experience. You might want to consider reviewing the list from time to time to keep you true to your mission.
1. You need a regular meeting location.
Changing meeting locations will cause your group to loose attendees. Why? It’s too hard for people to remember where the meeting is from month to month. You can tell them, email them, and they’ll still wind up at the wrong location. Once that happens the word will get out that the group has folded, and then it’s too late. The other reason is because it’s a strain on people. They have to find out how to get there, where to park, whether the neighborhood’s OK to walk in, etc. The location doesn't have to be impressive: conference rooms, college cafeteria, a coffee shop, pizza parlor or community center are a few ideas. See what’s available.
2. You need a regular meeting time.
"Regular" usually means same day of the week or month, and keep it that way. Most groups meet once a month; first Wednesday at 6 pm or third Tuesday at 5:30 pm. Make it easy to remember and easy to enter in people's Pocket PC, calendars, and PalmPilots. Don't get fancy with things like "every other Thursday": Make it so anyone with a calendar can easily figure out when the next meeting will be.
3. You need to avoid meeting-time conflicts.
Check out the schedules for nearby events: other user groups, sporting events or other events your audience is likely to attend. Mid-week days are best, you avoid having meetings on 3 day weekends.
4. You need to make sure that meetings happen as advertised, without fail.
Show up to have a meeting rain or shine, locked meeting room or not. Have a few members show up early to avoid potential problems. If there is a problem, let people know by posting a sign or flyers apologizing and letting them know when the next meeting will be occurring. If you need to cancel or reschedule an event that you've already been advertising as "upcoming", don't simply remove the original listing on your Web pages: Continue to list it, prominently marked as cancelled/rescheduled.
5. You need a core of several experts.
You will need a couple of experts who are energetic and willing to share their knowledge with your members. A chapter should be neutral territory; they should not be allowed to sell their services during a meeting.
6. Your core volunteers need out-of-band methods of communication.
By that, I mean outside your chapter's regular electronic means of communication. Use a list server or email groups.
7. Place your meeting time and location prominently near the top of your chapter website.
Make it overly obviously when and where you meetings are. If you don’t, people will find your email address and ask.
8. Include a maps and directions to your meetings.
Be helpful to your members, include a map and clear step by step directions. Offer suggestions for parking, and public transit if available. Give as much detail as you can.
9. Emphasize on your main page what your group is all about, and the dues or fees or if meeting are free of charge and open to the public.
Make it clear before people arrive. If there is a fee let people know in advance.
10. Don't go into any other business.
Some user groups get sucked into the strangest, business schemes. Don't! You are not a Web design firm, a technical support firm, a network design consulting firm, or a LAN cabling contractor or any other business. Not even if you're told it's for a wonderful charitable cause.
Along the same lines, remember that you are not a convenience for job recruiters: If allowed, they will spam your mailing lists and abuse every possible means of communication with your members. Nor are you a source of computers for the underprivileged, a repair service for random people's broken PCs, or a help desk. I have been pestered by all of the above. As much as you would like to help, leave it for the professional in you group.