Lee is looking for help for upcoming event - help if you can - see
attached!
Sent from my iPhone
Begin forwarded message:
From: Lee Dryburgh <[email protected]>
Date: April 9, 2010 6:28:20 PM PDT
Cc: Sonia Russell <[email protected]>
Subject: Heads Up and Request for Help
I created the conference because there was a gaping void I could no
longer tolerate. Before eComm came along I don't recall another
"telecom" event out there which
a) encouraged speakers to focus on truth, insight, personal passion,
creativity, knowledge (i.e. the company slide-pack is one thing, but
what do you know and care about?)
b) cut out the marketing dross (blatant pitching switches people off
before they have even heard you, it's so 1.0)
c) made short speaking slots and kept to the clock, ensuring people
focus on content (rather than a fair degree of boring podium waffle to
mark time)
d) almost constantly threw opportunity out there (at least for people
smart enough to join up the dots)
e) fostered genuine conversation, community and debate (the sense of
community comprised of people I considered worthwhile was a key
driver)
f) did not care about titles
Instead previous to eComm I found myself at telecom events which were
as much fun as watching paint-dry, but worse than that, they were
almost totally mis-guided; industry talking to industry type events
yielding nothing save consensual hallucinations. What drove me nuts
was the abundant opportunities being thrown away and the huge risks
being ignored. I really felt the industry had a unique opportunity to
transform and accelerate but instead we we're all on the Titanic while
everyone was discussing the re-arrangement of the deck chairs.
Now that I've given some off-the-cuff remarks in relation to
conference creation/purpose, let me share some things on a personal
level. I don't pull a dime from the conference. Call me a fool, but my
role has been this - I underwrite it and as soon as it hits break-even
territory, I then start authorizing additional spending. Hitting
break-even is quite hard because I go for all out production wherever
possible and wide distribution of event media which serves all the
speakers and companies involved - i.e. 1080p recording, best event
photography, best food etc. Addition spending is things like extra
meals, free drink sessions, fast WiFi etc.
Help Promote
----------
Today I looked at a few company blogs of speakers, and some speaker
Twitter streams/blogs/Facebook Groups and saw no mention of the
conference which was a bit disappointing. It's in the interest of
every person to build up audience to get enough energy there and to
get the event into discretionary spending mode (think fast WiFi, hot
breakfasts, free night drink sessions, that type of thing). Remember
if the purpose of the conference was to turn a buck, I'd have a sales
and marketing team, slots would be sold and production would be done
on the cheap etc. But to avoid that, requires the effort of everyone -
trust me - it's worth it. Take a look at the schedule and even with it
still not quite complete, you can sense the effort put in
(http://america.ecomm.ec/2010/schedule/).
Presentation Handling
----------
I'd like to give you the heads up that logistic and technical needs
for your presentation has been given to Sonia Russell (Sr. Manager
Operations & Logistics, Good Company Communications). She will email
all speakers, individually soon (within the next 24 hours I'd imagine)
to introduce herself and to help you with logistical and technical
needs. I believe I only work with the best, so hopefully you will find
her very capable. The event is hiring a lot of nice kit, so all your
needs should be capable of being met.
Any Issues
----------
In terms of content and scheduling though, please keep me as the
primary contact! Also come next week I'll be far too slammed to give
reasonable responses (for a start we're fitting 5 days of content into
3 days including 90 speakers, no easy task, plus I'm traveling
extensively) so if you have any issues, try to let me know on or
before Monday.
I hope that most of you can make all three days otherwise I really
think you're missing out, not just on the content side but also in
terms of social networking. This is not your average conference and
it's very much worth your time.
I believe the hotel is going to close out the eComm group rate of
159.00 USD (instead of 239.00 USD) per night plus I've heard the hotel
is getting close to full, so I'd register there if you've not already
very soon http://america.ecomm.ec/2010/travel/venue/
OK that's the end of informal preamble, expect a more formal email
from Sonia.
Finally. Thankyou for speaking. I know it will be very well worth it.
If it did not generate real and meaningful value, I'd not be sinking
my time free into it.
Regards
Lee
--
Emerging Communications Conference & Awards (eComm)
"What’s Next in Telecom, Mobile & Internet Communications™"
http://eComm.ec
facebook.com/leedryburgh
@leedryburgh
Skype "leedryburgh"
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