Graeme Moffatt Apple Regional Liaison: Oceania

Hi

Once again it’s time for my regular update as to what’s been happening down under’ as far as Mac User Groups are concerned.

This newsletter is devoted to the assistance provided by Apple Computer to Mac user groups and how that assistance is dispensed. I have compiled the following information largely from sections of the Apple web site dedicated to user groups.

What does Apple do to support user groups?

• They list your group on the Apple User Group Locator so potential members can easily find and contact you,
• They mail out promotional materials such as posters and t-shirts for local user group events. Request materials when you have upcoming events.
• They provide training materials.
• They host user group events at Macworld.
• They work with a Macintosh User Group Store to offer special deals to user group members.
• They also point customers to Apple user groups through product registration and support emails, through feature stories on the web, and with website links throughout www.apple.com.

Apple has established a group known as the Apple User Group Advisory Board, a small, diverse group of leaders chosen by Apple to provide ongoing feedback and advice on its user group program. The advisory board collects feedback from the user group community and meets with Apple every month on a conference call, twice a year at Macworld and constantly via email. Apple listens to this feedback and considers the ongoing advice it receives from board members on issues related to the user group program. In partnership with Apple, IDG and other computer industry vendors, the advisory board also plans and executes several important user group events at Macworld, including User Group University, the User Group Lounge, and Macworld Guides.

A further group of user group leaders called the Apple Regional Liaisons, are selected by Apple and its User Group Advisory Board to network with and represent user groups in their specific areas. They work with the Apple User Group Advisory Board and Apple on efforts important to the user group community. Regional liaisons are there to establish and maintain relationships with the groups in their areas. They are specifically looking for success stories to share with the rest of the user group community and for concerns to take back to Apple.

The role of Liaisons is to collect feedback from the user group community and share best practices among leaders. Collected feedback goes to the User Group Advisory Board and to Apple. Apple listens to this feedback and considers the ongoing advice it receives from board members and regional liaisons on issues related to the user group program. This however is very dependent on the Liaisons receiving information from user groups in their region and to date, this has not been occurring as much as would be liked in the Australasian region.

As User group leaders, you volunteer incredible amounts of time and effort to your group. Fortunately, the benefits are clear to leaders, members, and the community. All groups benefit if leaders help each other and have access to tools and resources to run their groups. There is a lot of information and tips available to leaders in the Apple User Group Discussion List. This is a forum for Apple user group leaders to exchange ideas and discuss topics related to Apple user groups. To join this list, go to <http://lists.apple.com/mailman/listinfo/augd> and complete the short form on this page.

There is also a Apple User Group Bulletin which is an email newsletter for Apple user group leaders. Sent monthly, the bulletin contains news about Apple user group program activities, community events, group success stories and special deals. To join this list, go to <http://lists.apple.com/mailman/listinfo/augb> and complete the short form on this page.

If your group is currently not registered into Apple’s user group program, it is a good idea to apply to be in the program. To be approved as a public user group, you need:

• Three leader contacts in the database
• A generic group email address
• A group website
• A history of successful meetings
  

To register go to <http://www.apple.com/usergroups//find/register/> and:

1. Click on Register a New Group.
2. Fill out the Group Profile and submit.
3. Fill out the Contact Profile and submit.
4. Wait patiently. New group approvals sometimes take a few weeks.

As part of this process you will need to appoint one person to act as your user group’s Apple Ambassador. This person may order the resource mailing and is considered Apple’s primary contact for that group. Once your group has been approved, you are a recognised Apple user group. Apple user groups are independent organisations not authorised, sponsored, or otherwise approved by Apple. Recognised Apple user groups may use special signature lines that include the Apple logo. The groups Apple ambassador may download these files along with usage guidelines from Apple Sales Web.

There is lots of valuable information and resources available for user groups from Apple such as free copies of selected software, professionally created Keynote presentations on most Apple hardware and software, a resource DVD sent to user groups that each registered user group may order from the Apple Sales Web for a small fee and a free dot Mac account once ambassadors have earned 2,000 points as well as pass the .Mac quiz from the Apple Sales Training Online (ATSO).

Keep those emails rolling in (or start if you have not already done so) and I will pass them on to everyone via this forum. Please advise me if you are no longer the contact for your group and who the new one is. Once again thanks for those of you who have sought support and I look forward to being able to assist you if needed and hearing from you all.

Kind regards


Graeme Moffatt
Australasian Regional Liaison