Kendra Initiative Wiki: KendraEvents

Kendra Events

Working with conferences and other media/networking industry and standards organisation events is a great way to promote Kendra to a wide audience with minimal administration/organisation. So, let's do it much more. Also, there's an added benefit that, under the banner of Kendra we can get into these events and participate in the sessions; speak about what we do and what Kendra does; and have a jolly good time. If we're lucky and provide value to the event we'll even get accommodation and travel paid for - it happened at WWW2006 for instance. See: FutureEvents.

What we like from the event:

Logo and link on the event website.
Logo on the event brochure.
Logo on the event catalogue.
Insert into the delegate bags.
Article in the event catalogue.
Discount to Kendra members on booking for the event.
A stand in the event exhibition. Push for a good spot with power and Internet access included.
One or more speaking (keynote and/or panel) slots in the conference program.
A good number of access-all-area passes for Kendra Volunteers on the stand. Doesn't have to be one-for-one just as long as the passes can be shared between volunteers.
One (or more) time(s) sponsorship of pre-event newsletter with 100 words and weblink.
A one time email-shot to all attendees who visit the physical event. Kendra provides text to event organisers.
Kendra logo branding on the event signage as sponsor/endorser.
Provide room for Kendra Meeting and/or Workshop. This could be expanded to cover up to a whole day if required.
Accommodation and travel for speakers, if necessary.

What we offer the event:

Text and link on Kendra website. At present Kendra doesn't have any external logos on the website. Hopefully this will change in the future.
100 word description (informative rather than marketing hype is best for our readership) of event and weblink sent to Kendra members in a Kendra newsletter. At present we don't have postal addresses for members so we can't send out physical matter. At present we can't send out attachments in our newsletters.
A listing in the "Future Events" sections of the Kendra newsletter for every newsletter sent before the event.
A listing on the "Kendra Home" and "Future Events" webpages.
Top quality industry speakers.
Distribution of physical collateral for the event at Kendra member meetings (should these occur before the event).

Before the event:

Check that the Kendra logo on the event website still looks good and smooth. Sometimes the event has to resize the logo and it comes out all jaggedy.
Check there is an option for membership discount in the event booking form and Kendra is listed.
Check that the event always uses the full "Kendra Initiative" rather than just "Kendra" on their website.
Find sponsor for insert.
Ask for volunteers for to attend the stand. And say they should not leave it too late.
Sometimes a rotor will be needed for Kendra Volunteers listing who gets the pass to the conference and when if there is a limited number of passes (less than one per person). And when people should be on the stand. Being flexible is key to having a fun time!

During the event:

Register new contacts to the Kendra database:

This is one of the most important things we do at an event because it allows us to keep people informed about what we are doing.
During the event you will speak with delegates and take their business cards.
As they hand over their card, look them in the eye and ask them if they want to receive information updates from Kendra - only one a month if that.
Then on the card either write "YES UD" or "NO UD". This will save you having to ask them later by email.

Stand organisation:

On the Kendra stand we want to have:
- Posters describing the Kendra vision.
- Literature than we can hand out to visitors.
- Business cards.
- A few laptops with videos playing ideally members' content. Note disctiction between what members do and what Kendra Initiative does WILL require clarification. Every demo should have a hard copy lable in front of the Laptop describing the content on display.

Kendra Events Team:

Are typically participants:
- With an involvement or interest in the area of Digital Media
- Who are interested in enhancing their participation in and contributing to this developing industry.
- With a background in building and running delivery systems or applications.
- Who are creating or developing content.
- Who, above all, have a passion for fostering adoption of open standards.
During an event, Kendra Events Team participants attend the Kendra Stand to talk about who they are, what they do and why they support Kendra. No specific technical skills or experiences are required. Just a willingness to talk.
Register as a Kendra Events Team participant at http://www.kendra.org.uk/profile.php#meetings

Kendra Events Team Benefits:

gain free access to conferences/meetings/Workshops?/Seminars?
meet like minded individuals
attend lectures and exhibitions that interest them.
keep up to date with the latest developments in Digital Media and Support Kendra Initiative.
Interested? Register as indicated above. Send any questions and your poster (see example below – but feel free to use words which are most comfortable for you) to the Kendra Events Coordinator:
- Gurbir Singh <gurbir at gurbir dot co dot uk>

Kendra Events Team Posters:

Each Kendra stand participant to design and print 5 to 10 A4 posters - depending on size of event.
Say who you are and what you do in a few sentences.
Say briefly what your vision is of the future media content marketplace. What you'd like to see in this future distribution system. Invite people to come along to the stand to meet you and talk about your vision of the future media marketplace. Use the terminology that you understand and suits you.
Posters will be put around the conference with the aim of bringing people to the stand to talk to us about content and distribution.
Keep it bold and simple. Not too much information.
Make it colour if you can. But high contrast and readable.
Print to the edge or make margins 1cm all the way around.
With largish font size so it catches people from a distance. Suggest point size no less than 20pt.
Include a photo of your self.
Include the stand number.
Include the [Kendra logo] - size it down!
Include your logo - if you have one.
Download MS word version of a sample Kendra Events Team poster --[KETP.doc]

Have a fun time!