Time To Say “Thanks” For User Group Events at Macworld Expo
By now, everyone has had some time to recover from the trip to Macworld Conference & Expo. That meant digging through back email, taking care of the backlog at the office and get some much-needed sleep.
It also means that now you should be thinking about sending some emails. Mac User Group members enjoyed a variety of events and activities in San Francisco thanks to the backing of two corporate Mac User Group programs, the support of some of the best vendors in the Mac industry and the efforts of some very busy volunteers. If you participated in any of those events or activities, then take a few minutes and say “thanks.”
The biggest MUG event of the week by far was the Adobe User Group & Professional Association Breakfast. Want to see another one? First, drop an email to the Adobe User Group Program and say “thanks” for the event. That’s Step One. Step Two is to follow the advice Terry White gave to the attendees: share what you saw with your group, and when you do, send another email to the Adobe User Group Program and let them know.
User Group University was a bit more of a team effort. Apple helps produce the event, so an email to the Apple User Group Program wouldn’t hurt. UGU wouldn’t be possible without the support of the many vendors who support the event, so we suggest that you dig through the materials you picked up and send a thank you email to the people you talked to. Your luggage got lost on the way home? Visit the companies’ web sites, find the email or contact links and use them, specifically citing your appreciation for support of Mac User Groups in general and UGU in particular. And while you’re there, download a demo of the program or programs they offer and consider scheduling a demo or at least a review at an upcoming meeting. And by all means, when you do, send the vendor another email to let them know.
The list of vendors supporting User Group University include, in alphabetical order:
• Elgato
• HP
• I.R.I.S.
• MacSpeech
• Micromat
• Microsoft
• Miglia
• Newer Technology
• O’Reilly
• Other World Computing
• Peachpit
• Prosoft Engineering
• Recosoft
• SmithMicro
• Software MacKiev
• ToonBoom
• SpyMac
• TypeItForMe
• USGlobalSat
• Verbatim
Mac User Groups enjoy several opportunities for exposure at Macworld Expo itself, including the User Group Lounge, User Group Booth and acing as guides for attendees. Why not send an email to the folks on the Macworld Expo team at IDG saying, “thanks” for all have done, and continue to do, for MUGs? (It wouldn’t hurt to include the fact that your group spent an entire meeting reviewing all the announcements and events at Expo. Your group did do that, right?)
Last but not least are the volunteers who help make things like User Group University, the User Group Lounge and all the MUG events at Expo possible. Let them know that you recognize their efforts. The best way to communicate with that group of people is to email the User Group Advisory Board with your thoughts of appreciation and suggestions for improvement.
A few emails will only take a few minutes, but will greatly enhance the continued support of MUGs and MUG events at Expo in the coming years. Don’t wait…do it now.