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Growing NT User Groups
There are many ways to "grow" your NT User Group. The key is to be innovative and not be afraid to
try new things. Groups quickly become stagnant when leadership refuses to
consider new ways to improve the group.
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| 6:30 PM - 7:00 PM | Registration, shareware sales, etc. | 7:00 PM - 7:15 PM | Announcements and business | 7:15 PM - 8:00 PM | Question-and-answer period | 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM | Main presentation |
Some NT User Groups hold their meetings at local colleges, universities, or community colleges. They feel that an educational site offers a great setting for NT User Groups: numerous classrooms for SIG meetings, an auditorium for main meetings, and parking lots. Some even make available computing labs for special events. There are also benefits to the colleges or universities:
Program selection should start with a review of the interests identified by a survey of the members. When recruiting speakers, be aware that expertise of the subject does not always make for a good presentation. Handouts should be encouraged wherever possible to encourage sharing of information with those members unable to attend.
If a Program Chair is in doubt about the level of interest for a specific topic, always include it on a program with another topic that is of interest to a wider audience; and always plan for backup topics in the event of a last-minute cancellation. Vendors will often furnish guest speakers who give product demonstrations or new product announcements.
When vendors come to a meeting, they are interested in having the largest possible attendance so they are also willing to advertise in your newsletter, or to furnish a copy of their product for review in the newsletter prior to their presentation. If a particular vendor is unable to accommodate a visit to your group, ask whether they will answer questions from members over a speaker phone during a meeting.
In addition to vendor presentations, other programs that are often
popular are user or dealer panel discussions; swap meetings where
members bring items to buy, sell, or trade; or five-minute presentations
by members in which they demonstrate their favorite software program.
Question and Answer Sessions
Most groups devote a portion of the meeting to a question-and
answer-session, where user group members can seek help from a
"panel of experts" or their fellow user group members.
This can be a ten- to fifteen-minute segment or up to half of
the meeting time, depending on the questions or problems and the
expertise of the members. Through users sharing experiences, tips,
expectations, and complaints, group members gain knowledge during
the course of one or two meetings that they may not gather otherwise
from months of personal experience. If no one can answer a user's
question (which doesn't happen very often), the question
is usually published in the newsletter or sent to the vendor for
an explanation that may then be published. The advice given by
user group members is frank, open, and usually accurate. You'll
rarely hear members holding back about a hardware or software
product, either in person or in print, making this one of the
most popular portions of the monthly user group meeting.
Door Prizes
Door prizes have become a common part of many user group meetings,
and many vendors often offer a special limited-time
discount to all attendees on the product demonstrated. Handling
of door prizes differs from group to group. Some groups award door prizes
to members as a way to encourage membership. Some groups draw
door-prize winners from member names, badges, or completed membership
surveys, and some groups require that a winner write up a review
for the newsletter in order to keep the prize.
Other groups sell raffle tickets to boost membership and make money, but it's important to check the laws of your country, region, or state regarding any kind of a raffle; it may not be legal in your country, region. or state.
The "best" way to grow your NT User Group is to start an electronic newsletter. Best method is to start acquiring an E-Mail address for each of your members and distribute the electronic newsletter via E-Mail. You will also want to cross post the newsletter to your group's WWW Home Page. Still, E-Mailing the newsletter is the most direct (and cost effective) method to reach every member. It is also a superb marketing and public relations tool--you will find that members will forward it along to their friends and contacts, thus building a whole new set of possible members for your group.
Items often covered in user group newsletters include:
With an active advertising program, it is possible to fund the cost of publishing and distributing the newsletters, which is usually one of the largest user group expenditures. Remember that bulk rate permits are available to nonprofit groups for mailing of newsletters.
Groups that are concerned with the environment can distribute their newsletters electronically via E-Mail or on an Internet Web Page, or print their newsletter on recycled paper.
Evaluation copies of software are frequently available from vendors for reviews in user group newsletters. Reviewers working with vendors should keep the following points in mind:
NT User Group WWW Home Pages are accessible to members via modem or direct Internet connection are popular services for a NT User group to provide.
FTP File libraries are a convenient way to build a Shareware Library for your NT User Group.
List Servers, Chat Servers, and Threaded Discussion Groups allow for information exchange 24 hours per day and serve as a method of communicating among members. You can post a message on a list server, a chat session or a threaded discussion group that describes your problem and receive an answer or solution within a day or two, rather than waiting for the question-and-answer session at the next meeting.
Additional uses of a NT User Group WWW Home Page include:
If you don't have resources or volunteers to operate a NT Server to
host your group's WWW Home Page, you might make an arrangement
with another local or WANTUG NT User Group to host your User Group's
Page on their server. many are wliinig to do this to help you get started.
Just ask!!!
Special Interest Groups
General meetings don't begin to meet the needs of a large
number of members at a single meeting. Smaller groups of members
with similar interests are the answer to filling these needs.
With SIGs, members are accommodated according to interests, expertise,
or locality. SIGs might also be product-specific. For example,
a NT Group may eventually branch out into three separate SIGs:
NT Server SIG, SQL Server SIG, and Exchange Server SIG.
SIGs have the same requirements as the general meeting does for comfortable meeting space and equipment for regularly scheduled meetings. Often SIGs will "piggy-back" and obtain meeting space at the same site as the main group. This is especially true if you decide to form your new NT User Group as a SIG of a larger well-established general-purpose user group.
A SIG leader does not have to be the user with the most expertise, but must be someone who can guide a discussion and take care of logistics and notification of SIG members. Phoning or E-Mailing members to remind them of the meeting tends to increase attendance.
SIG programs are usually not as structured as the general meetings and often spend time answering members questions. Group projects and assignments to report on at the next SIG meeting are methods used to increase participation.
Sharing Software (Legally!)
Shareware and Public Domain Libraries provide a service to members
as well as a means to raise user group operating revenue. Software
distributed by shareware authors for distribution on a "try-before-you-buy"
basis is available to user groups for distribution, either on their FTP File Archive
or on the Internet.
Operating a shareware library and keeping it current
with the latest versions requires a dedicated librarian and volunteers.
The librarian is responsible for securing the latest versions
of programs for the library; scanning programs for viruses;
determining which programs will be included; and maintaining
a FTP listing or Web Page listing the programs available.
Providing Training
One of the most important missions of many groups is to provide
education to their members on the use of computer technology.
Training sessions at SIG meetings, seminars, workshops, or regular
classes are offered by user groups to both members, and often,
the general public.
We would also encourage NT User Groups to form relationships and/or
partnerships with local training companies. Often these companies will
be willing to conduct training or training seminars in exchange for the
publicity or anticipated business leads it will generate for them. You
might also want to explore "fee-based" training to make money for your group.
Some training companies may be willing to rebate a portion of the fees
back to your group or even do a 50/50 (or other) split with your group.
Most NT User Groups reach the target audience that training companies
would lkie to market to, so use this to your advantage.
NT User Group Library
Press releases, books, videotapes, and other literature and publications
are regularly made available by publishers to user groups. Review
copies of books are available from some publishers upon written
request that is submitted on user group stationery. Some groups
choose to loan these out to members on a limited term, while others
with a central meeting location often create a reading and research
library of materials available to all members. This is generally a
feature found in larger, well-financed groups, although it is possible
to much of this online via the group's WWW Home Page.
Fairs, Swap Meets, and Trade Shows
The goal of providing public education about computer technology
can be accomplished by holding a computer fair or show. Fairs,
shows, flea markets, or auctions can also be substantial fund
raisers for user groups.
Planning for a computer fair, trade show, or swap meet should begin at least six months to a year prior to the event. Running such an activity can be very positive for your group if there is sufficient planning and enough volunteers with specific job tasks. There is a tremendous amount of work required, but it can also be a lot of fun. Not only can the fair or trade show be financially successful and help to finance other activities, but it can also help build membership, provide for community training and awareness of the group, and promote the organization in general. Plans need to be made for location, electrical power, equipment, furniture, volunteers, admission, presentations/speakers, promotion, food, vendor space and contracts, parking, security, and door prizes.
Some groups work with local, national, or international trade show companies to handle
the logistics and the convention center, while the group handles
vendors, publicity, and seminars. Even with a 50/50 or 60/40 split on
the profits with the trade show company that handles the details, this
allows the NT User Group to do what they do best, "computer stuff."
Help Desks
Users helping other users is most evident in the Help Line listings
published in group newsletters or posted on the group's WWW Home Page.
These listings identify volunteers
who are mentors to users with questions about particular applications.
These volunteers who are willing to help other members on a one-on-one
basis provide their home phone numbers and areas of expertise.
This one-to-one relationship is critical to effectively educate
and train users.
One of the most cost-effective methods of providing a help source for your
members is to establish a List Server or a Threaded Discussion Group. The
software costs are minimal and the services can be added to your WWW Server
machine.
Community Service
Service to the community offers rewards in many different ways.
Your group will reap the benefits of greater visibility and recruitment
of new members by participating in projects that help to make
a difference in your community. Such service activities include:
providing assistance with computer technology to another nonprofit
group, participating in community special events, teaching computer
literacy programs to community groups, and refurbishing and distributing
donated computer equipment to nonprofit agencies.
The Association of Windows NT Systems Professionals (NT*Pro) in Washington, DC has taken a proactive stance towards the group's Community Service involvement. They are currently (1996-1997) involved in three Community Service projects--all are projects where the group arranges for the volunteer efforts of its members to assist non-profit charities. They are involved with the following projects:
Today many user groups are participating in activities that can make a difference in their communities. By participating, your members also receive great personal satisfaction.
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