On 09/06/2012 12:11 AM, mike bader wrote:> I'd like to get one going here, but not sure there is enough time left?

I think I have the manpower and maybe a location. Too bad as there are none in Michigan.

mike bader

Hi! Sorry for not having fully followed up and great initiative to ping the list. The 3 events I was referring to in "your area" are all roughly from 210 to 300 miles from you (google map was unusable at the time of my email) which is still quite a distance. Considering you do have a LUG to assist you and are kind of confirming both some helpers and a location I would go ahead. Did you read the Start Guide which I pointed to you [1]? It's full of advice and tips to get off the ground. I can only give you a pale and shorten version here, but I'll still give it a shot: 1. Email your LUG (mailing list, forum?) and tell them the event is on and ask for: - speakers - help to reach out to people they know - volunteers and ideas 2. Asap make a meeting to get things off the ground, define tasks and assign roles. I'd say face to face meeting will be more efficient but if email is the same to you guys, then email is fine. 3. Tasks: just a few from the top off my head (the Start Guide [1] has a lot more) 3.1 - Find speakers or a theme - any hackerspace or other user groups in your area? contact them now! - non-profits could be a good target, see if they use FOSS and can come and talk how. If not, invite them to join, and make sure you'll have something that will interest them (productivity apps, web apps, cms, ask what they could need, civicrm?) 3.2 - Find an audience: - any free magazine, or free community website for the Detroit area? get a free listing in one of those - social networks, tweet, identic :P , G+, FB if you have to... but tell people you're doing something on the 15th. If you have a theme or a program beforehand that might help. 3.3 sponsors: that might be tough but arm yourself with your best smile and think of small IT shops, web development, they might have give aways for you or could help to produce a few CDs (think OpenCD or GNU/Linux distros). Think about your demographics, who you're trying to get to come to your event (usually young to middle age, geeks into technology but maybe you'll know better than me). Then try the delivery shop from around the corner or a bakery/coffee shop. they'll be interested to tap into your visitors and get them to come, ask them to provide free drinks/food maybe, and/or coupons to see what return they get. Be professional, make it sound interesting for them. 4. Get someone to update the wiki page or website you elect for the event as soon as you have updates (with that plan you should have plenty), propagate those updates through whatever means you're already using (mailing list, tweets, FB, G+, etc) to build up momentum. 5. Follow up with the 3 parties identified in 3 and you should be all set. Don't forget your own LUG members of course. You may have to use SMS to your phone address book too, and your friend's phone address books ;-), everything works. You have 8 days left, this is doable. If you think it's a bit too challenging delay, give yourself 1/2 more weeks and make the event happen on 22 or 29th, this is fine too. Just make sure people you contact know you're pick a different date ;-) And now you can also read the Start Guide, all is in it and much more. Good luck and go for it! It'll be a great experience I am sure. Thanks. Fred [1]: http://wiki.softwarefreedomday.org/StartGuide