Ever since we changed venues and Roger snatched a projector for us, I think we have the ingredients for keeping going at a pace that suites everyone, and in a way that keeps the workshops fresh and new.
First off, we start the night in the cafe. We spend a little time swapping stories of social media over the week, and each identify at least one thing we want to get done in the night. I try to group and pair people off according to their interests for the night, and get a list of about 3 - 4 things I might be able to demonstrate.
Then, I dunno where it came from, but I set up the projector and had the people interested in the first demo to follow me step by step on the projector. They each opened their blogs with a new post ready, and as I demonstrate, they follow along and write step by step notes to their blogs.
This way, at the end of the demo we each have written notes, and an example. And it keeps the pace right for everyone. If its going too slow, people can go on with other things and easily find a way back in when the demo catches up to them.. and it can't go too fast because I wait for everyone to catch up.
Now ideally, after doing a few demos like this, more and more people will start doing their own thing. I'd like to try and find a way to keep those people coming on Tuesday nights, just to keep the vibes going and gradually lift everyone's levels up.
One idea is to ask people to post to their blogs what it is they would like to do in the coming week. From that I could form up the 3-4 demos before the Tuesday night and txt message everyone what is planned for the night. From that, others can decide if its for them or not.
Also, this way I think new people can join in when-ever, and people can skip a night or two when-ever. The precarious point though, is that the free workshops are at this point sustained by people turning up.. I'm not sure what the longer term will be... maybe a paper money donation at the door each night?
Another goal is to try and go deeper into social media.. we are only touching the surface, there is so much to it, and a lot of opportunities for us in deep dark South NZ.. maybe even careers in it! How might we get the workshops going to a deeper level, while at the same time welcoming new comers? If it gets to that, perhaps the first hour is for beginner level things and the send for advanced?
Would be nice to get ideas from you all.. do you reckon we've found a sweet spot those who came last week?
Here's a good reader on using social media to develop markets and business. What I'm wondering if I can develop a course or service for local Otago businesses along this vein? Is there, or will there be a demand for such knowledge and insights? Check out the 5th paragraph in the introduction where he describes the gains he made in his boutique tourism business:
Slashed my marketing budget by over 80%
Fired my publicist and her expensive monthly retainer
Increased subscriptions to my monthly news letter by 50%
Almost tripled my revenues
Increased my profits by 500%
Surely those claims would catch the attention of local Otago tourism businesses? But how might I go about getting their attention and selling my services to them I wonder? Especially when social media is not a big deal in the local scene...
Select an existing playlist, or if you do not have a playlist already, click the button that says Add
Fill in the details for your new playlist and click the button that says Save Playlist Info
Find another video you like that is similar to the first video, and click the link that says Playlists - selecting your new playlist from the list, and then click the button that says Add.
Keep doing this, and create a collection of videos
When you are finished starting up your playlist, view your Channel by clicking your Username in the top right of the Youtube website
As you find videos you like on YouTube, click 'Add to Playlist' under the player to add them to your list. You can change the order of the videos in your playlist by returning to the 'My Playlist' page.
The easiest way to embed a playlist is to create a custom player. Go to your YouTube account by clicking the link in the top right that says Account.
Click "Custom Video Players", then "Create Custom Player". Select a color and format for your player, and then choose what is going to play in it—you can choose a playlist, your own uploaded content, or your favorites—and then click the "Generate Code" button.
Copy and paste the code into your blog entry or web page
I thought last weeks format worked pretty well hey? We start by sitting down away from the computers, going round each person and coming up with a plan each for the night. I think its a good way to get to know where everyone else is at, and to get a sense action before we zonk out in front of the computers.
I'm pretty keen on showing people Wikispaces. Its a free and very easy place where you can set up your own wiki, even create a fancy looking website that is always quite and easy to update.
