Seven: Everyone has a story. Every camper brings their own story to the table, and experiences the camp in their own unique way, with their own perspectives, goals and ambitions.
Six: Enable others to connect with each other. It turns out that AuctionWally enjoys Voodoo Steve’s indie podcast. How cool is that? And many folks were not familiar with Amherst native John Robison before the camp. But everyone in his session came away with newfound knowledge and respect.
Five: Help others build their networks. It’s not about the size of your own network, it’s about how many connections you can make for others. That’s why I put the ‘Follow Me on Twitter” poster sheets up on the wall; to enable campers to continue the conversations.
Four: The spirit of PodCamp can be found in the little things. One of my favorite photos is this one of laptop bags lined up against the wall.
Three: The spirit of PodCamp can be found in the spaces. Yes, the sessions are usually excellent. But I learned from BarCampBank SF how great it is to allow ample time between sessions and leave a huge long lunch break. This is what really allows campers to connect with each other, and many times it’s these break conversations where new things are shared and learned.
Two: The buzz spread more AFTERwards. For an inaugural event word spreads more AFTER the event. WesternMass has never had any sort of ‘camp’ event before as far as I know. So even though many invites went out, many did not see the value in re-arranging their schedules in order to attend. But now that we have 14 GLOWING blog reviews of the camp, interest is piqued in a wider audience. So we’ll hold version two in about six months. If you are considering trying to get any type of new event off the ground, make sure it is WELL RECORDED online the first time out.
One: Seeing the camp through others’ eyes. This is actually one of my greatest joys of PodCamp. Being a ‘camp veteran, I take the open discussion and flexible format for granted. But since so many bloggers, photographers, and videographers attended, I get to experience the joy and wonderment of their first camp experience through their lens.
Tags: AuctionWally, BarCamp, BarCampBank, event marketing, events, Holyoke, Jaclyn Stevenson, John Robison, MA, Open Square, OpenSpace, pcwm, photos, Pitch Engine, PodCamp, PodCamp WesternMass, social media, social networking, Tish Grier, VoodooStevie
April 3, 2009 at 6:09 am |
I think you put together a very successful event. People are talking about it, and looking forward to the next one.
Woof!
April 3, 2009 at 6:36 am |
John, it was truly a pleasure meeting you at the camp. Thanks for attending, and for your excellent contributions as well! It was a real highlight! Keep up the outstanding work that you are doing. And PCWM number two will definitely happen this coming fall!
April 3, 2009 at 11:53 am |
Wonderful job organizing this event Morriss and so great to meet IRL at last!
April 3, 2009 at 12:07 pm |
I went to PodCamp with no expectations. I really didn’t know what it would be like, and I walked away having made lots of valuable connections with people who would probably never be on my radar otherwise.
My favorite part was the collaborative spirit. There were some true novices, and it was fun to see their eyes light up when they recognized the value of something that had been foreign to them before. Most of us had experience in various aspects of social media. We all gained great tips and resources.
It was a day full of really smart people who wanted to share and learn. Count me in for the next one!
April 4, 2009 at 1:43 pm |
Wow, we’re up to 17 blog posts about the PodCamp which is slightly more than 1/3 of all attendees!
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