This page is intended to help ConCom assigned TrainingMentors help trainers promote their training courses.

Preparation

These actions should be carried out by the mentor before first contact so that they can provide useful feedback:

  • Ensure training description is clear and defines learning objectives etc. Update the CMS as necessary. If major updates are made, ask Delia/Charel to also update the CVent site (which has it's own copy of training class descriptions)

Template Email

Here's the text of an email that you might like to send out on first contact:

Dear FIXME,

The ApacheCon team offer assistance to all trainers publicizing their training events at the conference. I'm FIXME, and I've been asked to offer my support to you. The idea is that I can help you come up with ideas for promoting your sessions.

Remember! The early bird discount (which applies to trainings and the conference) ends 14-August - so be sure to remind prospective attendees soon!

I've had a look over your abstract and [think it's great|think it can be improved by...]

In order for me to understand how best to help you can you please answer the following questions:

  • Who/what lists have you mailed so far?
  • Where are you planning on advertising your training?
  • Have you added a link to your training on your TLP's website? (only if appropriate)
  • Do you have boilerplate text for advertising your training?
  • Have you done an interview with Feathercast?
  • Who is the training targeted at? What other kinds of users might be interested?
  • What are the benefits to attendees?
  • Have you downloaded the Speaker buttons and put them on your website?

http://www.us.apachecon.com/c/acus2009/about/speaker-resources

Once I have a full understanding of your session I'd like to help promote it in the appropriate circles.

Followup Contact

Once the schedule for the conference is available it would be helpful to follow up with the following quaestions.

  • What other training sessions overlap or complement yours?
  • What presentation sessions overlap or complement yours?
  • Is there an overlapping meeting up (i.e. Wicket, see MeetupSpaceACUS2009)

Promotional Activities

These are things that trainers should be encouraged to do:

  • Put together a good ApacheCon wide schedule for potential attendees, i.e. if they would be interested in your training what other sessions would be useful
  • Identify lists and individuals that can be mailed, and mail them
  • Cross promote with trainers/presenters in overlapping/complimentary areas
  • Ensure the trainer has posted to relevant user and dev lists
  • Ensure the trainer puts the relevant buttons and banners in as many places as possible

These are things the mentor can do:

  • report any particularly effective approaches to the ConCom (and add to this page if generally applicable)
  • send collated info about trainings and "personal tracks" out to existing registrants
  • No labels