hick tech: the rural and modern technology conference
TRANSCRIPT
HICK TechThe Rural Technology Experience
emma jane hogbin
I am IAM
eh?
1995: I discovered the Internet
BSD, OSXDebian, Mepis, Ubuntu
Drupaluid: 1773
morten.dk
HICK Techis the rural and
modern technology conference
HICK isHow the Internet Connects Knowledge
FAILFAIL
In 2007 we launched our firstever rural technology conference.
BusinessDigital Lifestyle
EducationHealth
BusinessCommunity
Food & AgricultureTechnology
HICK Tech is a new way of thinking about how technology affects communities and how
communities affect technology.
We focus on local.Local speakers, local food, local location.
2008 Registrants
0 5 10 15 20 25
WomenMen
(seven weeks to the conference)
Some women even bring their husbands to the conference.
2007 Speakers
33
2 2
3
3
2
1 2
W: 18 presentationsM: 18 presentations
2008 Speakers
W: 10 presentationsM: 12 presentationsKeynote presentation
Wrap-up moderator
Marketing HICK Tech to women increased overall participation.
And they registered early!(2/3 of early bird registrants were women)
10 Steps toSuccessfulPromotion
Engage.Engage.1
Kids are optionalChamber of CommerceLocal Theatre & Gallery
The Coffee Shop
Earn your media.Earn your media.2
Send a media release toall local purveyors of news
3Know your matriarch.Know your matriarch.
they’rebetter than facebook
Buy small ads.Buy small ads.4
Each small ad may gain you registrants from the publication’s staff.
5Get large sponsors.Get large sponsors.
Ask for inkind sponsorship of free ads in the largest local publication (or station).
6Use easy language.Use easy language.
Make your messagevery easy to repeat.
Use memorable sound bites.
7 Give it away.Give it away.
Allow others to give away tickets to your event as a prize.See also: your BIA/DIA; radio station.
8Give it away. Again.Give it away. Again.
Have rewards for referring other people to the conference.
Only successful registrations count, of course.
9Y’digg it? Just do it.Y’digg it? Just do it.
You know the drill:facebook, myspace, blogs, linkedin,
meetup, twitter, digg, wherever your peeps are ...
10 Be flexible.Be flexible.
Follow the energy and let your community help shape the event.
HICK Tech is nowan ideasfocused,
end user conference.
HICK Techinspired its community
to demand more from technology
The followup workshop choosing a format speakers sponsors media coverage time lines registrants volunteers food + alcohol venue
thanks creative commonsalykat: raffle tickets
digiart2001: NY Times buildingI am IAM: Canadian flag
thomas hawk: Red Hat Society ladiesjono bacon: eee pc/LugRadio
zehawk: girl singingtobo: classified ads
tim norris: newspaper boxesxt0ph3r: doing business
andrew dupont: telephone pole advertisingmorten.dk: drupal socks