5. What is SpiceCorps? SpiceCorps connects local Spiceworks users in person so that you can help each other use Spiceworks, swap product and vendor recommendations, share general IT tips and resources, get the latest on hot IT topics from tech experts and expand your local IT network. What does that really mean?
12. And It’s Growing Like Crazy Q2 2011 Spice Corps Stats 46 SpiceCorps Groups 42 Meet-Ups 542 SpiceCorps Attendees ~12 IT Pros/Meet-Up Future Current 2011 Goal: 75 SpiceCorps
15. Special discounts Advance insight of releases and announcements Exclusive threads Plus plenty o’ points & and a badge! Earn Points and Perks YOU!
16. Keeps IT pros engaged in the Spiceworks Community Spreads the idea that “IT’s gone orange” Word-of-mouth marketing for Spiceworks Help Fuel the Community (On & Offline) Help Fuel the Power of 1.5M IT pros!
35. Keys to a Successful Sponsored Meet-up. SpiceLeaders are the face of Spiceworks for their SpiceCorps. Follow the tips below to ensure that both your members and sponsors leave happy! Schedule meet-ups at least 3 weeks in advance Have a quick pre-meet-up call with your sponsor Take the reigns at your meet-up
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSWelcome the ‘How to Start a SpiceCorps’ webinar. I’m so excited that you all are interested in taking your IT conversations offline, to meet-up in person to bond of Spiceworks, IT, and you’re pain the in neck users Introduce self & special guests, as your go-to-gal for anything SpiceCorps, I’ve been working with SpiceCorps since 2009, and have grown the program from 10 to almost 50 SpiceCorps, but more about that later.Enough about me, and more about your meet-ups. We’re going to cover a lot in today’s presentation…[TRANSITION] This is in interactive session, and I’m depending on you guys to jump in with questions throughout. [CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSSince we’ve got lots of folks on the call, we’ve got all our attendees muted. However, you can ask your questions using the “Questions” interface in your GoToWebinar console, as you can see here. Ask questions early and often, and we’ll get to as many as we possibly can! If we don’t hit yours live, rest assured that we’ll follow up after the fact. And fret not, this broadcast will be recorded, and sent out in a follow-up email 1 week after the broadcast. [TRANSITION] To give you an idea of what we’ll cover today, let’s check out the roadmap…[CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSWhat We’re Gonna CoverFirst we’ll make sure we’re all on the same page with what SpiceCorps is, where it came from, and why you should consider starting one.Then, we’ll dig into the details on how to start a SpiceCorps and deliver kick-butt meet-ups that keep your members coming back for more! And, we’re saving the very best for last… We have one of our fantastic SpiceLeaders, Grey Howe, on the call who will ‘Tell All’ on what it means to be a SpiceLeader and offer advice straight from the IT trenches. [TRANSITION] Without further ado, let’s dive right into the skinny on SpiceCorps. [CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSThe Skinny on SpiceCorps- we’ll hit411 on SpiceCorpsHistory on how they came to be. Facts and Figures of the SpiceCorps program. [TRANSITION] And now drum-roll please… what is a SpiceCorps? [CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSSo this wouldn’t be an informational webinar without at least one textbook definition – A SpiceCorps … [TRANSITION] Snore right? So what does all that mumbo-jumbo really mean? [CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSSpiceCorps are local Spiceworks user meet-ups… by you, for you, where you are. It’s an opportunity for you to gather with like-minded IT pals to Swap IT tips and tricksShare vendor and product recommendationsLearn from industry expertsTalk shop over a beer (or two!)… and most importantly have a lot of fun!Coolest thing about SpiceCorps is there is no one-size fits all.7 regular members vs. 30.Light-hearted open discussions vs. structure presentationHeld in a corporate meeting room vs. their local Hooters. [TRANSITION] No matter what their flavor, SpiceCorpsare taking the IT world by storm, but how did it all get started?…[CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSK team, jog your memory back 5 years (exactly from today in fact), before the day of Spiceworks, when the one-man-IT-shop was an island.Running around all-day everyday trying to meet the needs of his users, and expected to know all the answers – and when he didn’t he had no one to turn to. Then came Spiceworks which helped manage all his IT needs as well as connecting him with techies worldwide to swap IT insight[TRANSITION] After two years of online chatter, Spiceworks users were finally brought together at…[CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSSPICEWORLD! At SpiceWorld, over 100 SMB IT pros who use Spiceworks came to Austin, Texas for a 2 day user conference to learn the ins & outs of Spiceworks (and IT in general), meet face-to-face with their IT pro buddies, and have a ton of fun![TRANSITION] However all good fun must come to an end…[CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSBack in Boston, once the SpiceWorld hangover had set in, Brian Rousseu, MrFuggles, refused to wait a whole 365 days for the next SpiceWorldto meet-up with fellowSpiceHeads.So he teamed up with Spiceworks staff to create a local Spiceworks user group in the Boston-area. He had his first meet-up with the goal of meeting up with like-minded IT pros to talk about Spiceworks and expand his IT network. With that – The 1stSpiceCorps was born. [TRANSITION] Shortly after Boston, SpiceCorps in Central FL, Philadelphia and LA popped up…[CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSNow Fast Forward to TODAY!StatsGoal for end of 2011 = 75 SpiceCorps![TRANSITION] Goal for end of 2011 = 75 SpiceCorps! …[CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSThat’s where you come in!With your help (combined with killer determination and inherent desire to spread the spice), I know we can make our goal. That said, thanks again for hopping on this webinar, and taking the first steps to starting a SpiceCorps in your area.[TRANSITION] This all sounds great, right? But I’m sure you’re all asking, what’s in it for me?…[CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSWhat’s in it for You!There are plenty of perks for getting a SpiceCorpsstarted and running.[TRANSITION] I know you’re dying to hear more, let’s jump in…[CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSEarn Points and PerksOther than receiving ‘Rock Star Notoriety’ in the Community, as a SpiceLeader, you’ll get:Special discounts for SpiceWorld and other events (for you and your members!).Advance notice for upcoming releases and other Spiceworks news.Killer (and highly coveted) SpiceLeaderthreads… andPlenty o’ points to help you climb the Spice-o-meter and a badge to boot. [TRANSITION] On top of the personal benefits, the offline engagements help the Community as a whole…[CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSHelp Fuel the Community (on & offline)Keeps Its pros engaged in the community and coming back as a source of Everything IT.With over 1.5M IT pros using Spiceworks, it’s safe to say that IT’s gone orange! SpiceCorps helps to ensure that Spiceworks is mentioned in every IT conversation. Helps spread the spice LOCALLY![TRANSITION] As we spread the word about Spiceworks, ultimately it helps to …. [CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSKeeps IT free!The more Spiceworks spreads throughout the IT Community, the more advertisers will want to get into Spiceworks to connect with you!You know what that means! Bigger, better Spiceworks for you, with more features to help simplify your IT day![TRANSITION] Now that you have the skinny on SpiceCorps, let’s go through how you get one started…. [CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSGetting it off the ground. Boiled starting a SpiceCorps into 3 easy steps. [TRANSITION] Time to hit the SpiceCorps HQ…. [CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSTo keep things simple, we have created the SpiceCorps HQAll-in-one-place to: Learn what a SpiceCorps is See upcoming meet-ups Search for a group near you![TRANSITION] Let’s jump into the community and check it out… [CLICK]http://community.spiceworks.com/channel/show/10-spicecorps
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSStarting a SpiceCorps is super easy, here’s an overview.. [TRANSITION] Let’s take a close look at these steps …[CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSStart a conversation in the regional groups near you. Ask if any SpiceHeads would be interested in meeting up to network with others in the local IT community. [TRANSITION] After you gauge interest, you’re ready to start making plans…[CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSAfter 2 other SpiceHeads chime in showing interest, set your time, date, and location.To maximize attendance, plan your meet-up at least 3 weeks out, so Spiceworks has plenty o’ time to roll out the promotions. Stuck on the whens and wheres for your meet-up? Consult the SpiceLeaders who have gone before you by checking the SpiceCorpsFAQs.[TRANSITION] Once you have your logistics set, now you have to send it over … …[CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSSimply send your meet-up details to me and I’ll …Set-up an official SpiceCorps group – a place for you and your members to post announcements, schedule meet-ups and more. Make you group admin (aka SpiceLeader) – here’s when you’re perks are granted. Promote your meet-up: That’s when I start spreading the word about your meet-up through slews of social media, banner ads, and targeted regional emails to IT pros near you. Lastly I’ll arm you with tools to help plan a schedule meet-up.[TRANSITION] Now that you’re SpiceCorps group is all set, it’s time to plan your first SpiceCorps meet-up…[CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSHosting a Kick-Butt MeetingTake advantage of the Tips & ToolsPlan Your TopicGet a Sponsor 2 kinds, when to choose each, how to engageKey tips on holding a successful meet-up[TRANSITION] Without further a due, let’s get started. Back to the SpiceLeader Lounge…[CLICK]http://community.spiceworks.com/group/show/360-spiceleader-lounge
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSFirststep is to head back in the SpiceLeader Lounge to peruse the ‘Tips & Tools’ where you will find:‘Suggested Agenda for your 1st meeting’ docFAQs from SpiceLeaders who went before youSpiceLeader guidelines and more Then give your SpiceCorps that spicy ‘look’n’feel’ with the templates provided such as:Presentation slidesNamebadgesSign-ins sheets[TRANSITION] Now time to start planning the ‘meat and potatoes’ of the meet-up.…[CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSBy clicking on the ‘Topics & Speakers’ tab your will see how Spiceworks helps you fill your agenda in two ways:First, by offering you SpiceCorps-exclusive webinars and recordings. You can vote on topics that you’d like our product experts to cover here. Reminder – for first meet-up consult the ‘Suggested Agenda for your 1st meeting’ doc in’ Tips & Tools’ – voila, you're agenda is written for you!Second, SpiceLeaders can invite highly technical reps from Spiceworks Partners to educate on an IT topic and leave you fed and decked out in their latest swag. Plus it helps keep Spiceworks FREE! [TRANSITION] Other than filling your agenda, and providing free food, beer, and swag, let’s check out the other perks to inviting a SpiceCorpssponsor. Back to the slides, y’all .…[CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSSpiceworks gives you two sponsor options, premiere and local. Premiere sponsors are Spiceworks partners who have raised their hand to attend your meet-up. The benefits of choosing a Premiere SpiceCorps sponsor are:The list of sponsors are easily found in the SpiceCorps Sponsor DirectorySpiceworks will help you coordinate the details with the tech rep (less work for you!)20 minute presentation or roundtable discussion (whichever is best for your group). The sponsor stocks your meet-up with the food, beer and swag aka IT pros will flock! Plus, formal sponsorship branding is included on all the promos – getting the word out that SpiceHeads will be able to get in the ear of top tech vendors, giving them even more reason to attendBUT BEST OF ALL – it helps keep IT FreeBy inviting a Premiere SpiceCorps Sponsor, it helps to keep IT free, which keeps the lights on for us at Spiceworks, so we can crank out your must-have feature requests and foot the bill for SpiceCorps swag. Local SponsorHowever, the main goal of SpiceCorps is to spread IT know-how, and we want SpiceLeaders to be able to invite your favorite local tech vendors to share their products and services with your group as well. If you are up for finding and coordinating a local vendor in your area, feel free to invite them, as long as they follow the criteria below. Have a Spiceworks Vendor pageLimit their time in the spotlight to 10 minutes. Agree to bring the fixin’sSoapBox – Please use the local sponsorship sparingly, as the premiere sponsors help keep IT free. [TRANSITION] Now, how do you lock down a sponsor?…[CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSHow it all works.To invite a premiere sponsor the process is rather simple. Set a Meet-up and request a sponsor from Sponsor DirectoryAshley facilitates the coordination between sponsor and you. SpiceLeader finalizes details with sponsors (a.k.a. preso topic & goodies!). Vendor experts engageat SpiceCorps meet-up with IT pros. Great opportunity to form relationships with top tech vendors, and continue the conversations in the Spiceworks Community. [TRANSITION] Now that the process is nailed down pat, I’ll spell out how to make the most of your sponsored SpiceCorps… [CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSKeys to a Successful sponsored meet-up. As SpiceLeader you are the face of Spiceworks on behalf of your SpiceCorps, your goal is to keep both your members and sponsor happy! Below are some quick tips to keep it all going smoothly. Schedule meet-up at least 3 weeks in advance. This allows time for your sponsor to confirm and get the word out to the local IT community.Have a quick pre-meet-up call with your sponsor.Intro the personality of your SpiceCorps and nail down the topic, presentation format and goodies – this ensures a successful experience for both your members and the sponsor.Take the reigns at your meet-up. Encourage your sponsor to stick to the allotted presentation time, keep to a technical topic (not a sales pitch), and facilitate engagement from the SpiceHeads[TRANSITION] Can you guess the common theme here?…[CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSCan’t reiterate this enough, the biggest Key to having a successful SpiceCorps is communicate often and early. Times to remember this is:Polling your SpiceCorps members on when to have a meet-up.Scheduling a meet-up in your SpiceCorps group. Inviting a sponsor to attend your meet-up. Reaching out Ashley or other SpiceLeaders with Questions or FeedbackWith about 50 SpiceCorps groups, the other SpiceLeaders are a wealth of information. Never hesitate to post in the SpiceLeader Lounge asking for advice or tips from the SpiceHeads who have blazed the trail before you. [TRANSITION] Now you’re armed with the tools to host a kick-butt meet-up, it’s time to hear some real-life testimonials.…[CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSPhew, we’ve covered a ton this hour, now you knowWhat a SpiceCorps isThe Benefits of starting and maintaining oneHow to Start you’re very ownWhat it takes to host a Kick-butt meet-upAnd now what you all have been waiting for – I’ll hand it over to our special SpiceLeaderguest, who will go beyond the logistics and speak to the real-life benefits andlearningsfrom starting and running a SpiceCorps. [TRANSITION] It is my pleasure to introduce…. [CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSHear from the ExpertGrey Howe – SpiceLeader of Denver, another pioneer to the SpiceCorps program. Due to his group’s killer attendance and consistent meetings, a Spiceworks developer is headed to his next meet-up in Sept. to give them a sneak peek of 5.2. [TRANSITION] Now I’ll turn it over to them where he can add a little more color on how and why he got involved in SpiceCorps…. [CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSDavid Scammell, SpiceLeader of Central FloridaWhy you started your SpiceCorps?Please describe the personality of your SpiceCorps?Pearls of Wisdom for SpiceHeads starting a SpiceCorps.DesirePersistenceSupport[TRANSITION] Thanks David, and now we’ll turn it over to Grey…. [CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSGrey Howe, SpiceLeader of DenverWhy you started your SpiceCorps?Please describe the personality of your SpiceCorps?Pearls of Wisdom for SpiceHeads starting a SpiceCorps.PersistenceVendor Control Communication[TRANSITION] Thanks for intros guys…. [CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSOpen it up to the Q&A portion of the webinar. Here’s you’re chance to get your questions asked. Please submit them in the Gotowebinarconsole under “questions” and we’ll get to as many as possible. To break the ice and kick off the Q&A, I’ll start by asking a few.How often should you schedule SpiceCorps meet-ups?What is the perfect number of SpiceCorps attendees?Where do you recommend hosting your SpiceCorps?For your first meet-up, what are your thoughts on having a SpiceCorps sponsor?What benefits do you see in invite a SpiceCorps Sponsor to your meet-up?[TRANSITION] [CLICK]
KEY POINTS/ACTIONSThanks everyone for taking the time to learn how to start a SpiceCorps in your area – truly this is a key way to help spread the spice and keep IT FREE!Missed something during our hour together? Never fear, this broadcast will be recorded and emailed to you in a week.Good luck on starting a SpiceCorps of your own, and if you have any questions along the way, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me – always happy to help![TRANSITION] To close the webinar, I’ll leave you with a taste of SpiceCorps [CLICK]