Generating Income and Improving Communications Within Your Local Section -- for Medium to Large Sections

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Generating Income and Improving Communications Within Your Local Section -- for Medium to Large Sections

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Title: Generating Income and Improving Communications Within Your Local Section -- for Medium to Large Sections

1
Generating Income and Improving Communications
Within Your Local Section -- for Medium to Large
Sections

Paul Wesling, IEEE Life Fellow
Past Communications Director, IEEE SF Bay Area
Council
Past Editor, e-GRID nsltr
and GRID.pdf Magazine

San Francisco Section Oakland/East Bay
Section San Francisco Bay Area Council,
IEEE Santa Clara Valley Section
The IEEE GRID Magazine
2
Resources

Download this talk, and the extensive background
material, templates, etc, at
learn.e-grid.net/docs/1401-grid.zip
You can view these slides at learn.e-grid.net/doc
s/1501-sandiego.pdf
Subscribe yourself to our e-GRID
www.e-grid.net/subscribe
To contact me
Paul Wesling
p.wesling_at_ieee.org 1-408-320-1105

3
Outline

Chapter 1 How the SFBA Council Does It
Chapter 2 How You Can Do It
Chapter 3 Where is the Money?
Chapter 4 Viewing Your Resources
Chapter 5 The Right Person
Chapter 6 Selecting Tools (keeping them simple)
Chapter 7 Getting Paid
Chapter 8 Some Examples

4
Chapter 1 Medium to Large Sections

Who we are S.F. Bay Area Council
Three Sections (SF, OEB, SCV)
Three Sections combined (18,000 members)
Includes Largest Section in the world
About 48 chapters/groups
SFBA Council (board) reports to the Sections
Serving Silicon Valley (entrepreneurial environ.)
Our GRID Magazine was started in 1953
Printed as a monthly magazine until 1998
Now Web, email, blog, RSS, eNotice, ListServ

5
Focus of Talk

Sections with 4 or more active Chapters
Each with 5 or more meetings/year
Perhaps also with PACE, YP, Life, WIE group(s)
Willingness to Improve/Expand
Top-Level View, for your awareness
You Section Officers are decision-makers
Youll find other volunteers, for implementation
The downloadable examples and resources will give
your helpers a good start

6
Your Job Today

As a Section leader, you should focus on
The VISION can you do this locally?
What RESOURCES you may already have
When you discuss this the challenges
Who can work with you to implement this
See it as a Multi-Year project
Ideas about what your Commns Director/Editor
would be like who could do it
How to leverage what Ill be telling you

7
Your IEEE Franchise

Each Section (or Group of Sections)
Geographical monopoly
We dont compete for advertising funds
We can share freely and help each other to
improve the IEEE where we live
So, sit back and think broadly about what can
be accomplished

8
Chapter 1 An Overview of our S.F. Bay Area
Council

Were bigger than you thus, different
Opportunities challenges
Weve been doing this for some decades
We will review our recent developments
10 years to develop our Internet-based system
Do it a few steps at a time
Gather ideas, for consideration
Implement what works in your locale

9
The GRID System

The GRID is a powerful publicity utility/ service
for Chapters in the Bay Area Sections SCV, OEB,
SF
As a monthly PDF the GRID.pdf
As a twice-a-month e-GRID email to Members
others (circulation of about 33,000
engineers/managers)
As a website (events come up in Google searches)
As a web log (blog) and RSS feed - Google
indexing in lt30 minutes www.e-grid.net/BayAreaT
ech
As a Google Calendar that people can integrate
into their own Calendar
As iOS and Android Apps (look for IEEE GRID)
Aimed at both Members and non-Members (to
encourage non-members to attend and get involved)

10
GRID services the GRID.pdf
(demo)

Front cover of the GRID.pdf is a hyperlinked
index to the issue
Each Chapter mtg is profiled, linked to the full
details inside
Paid Conferences are profiled and linked to
internal ads
Chapter Seminars, Paid Univer-sity Courses are
highlighted,
linked to internal descriptions

11
GRID Services the GRID.pdf

Each Chapter meeting has its own feature page
with overview of talk, details, bio sketch, and
space for our advertisers
These can be extracted from the full PDF to
provide a Chapter with a small document (60 kB)
that can be circulated separately to Members

12
GRID services the e-GRID e-Newsletter
First Screen

Push Technology Sent as an email to all
Council Members twice a month
All future upcoming meetings, Webinars, chapter
seminars
Sent also to non-Member subscribers (ListServ)
There is also a text-only version, for those who
request it

The e-GRID tends to be forwarded to co-workers
around the company/lab

13
GRID services the e-GRID
Second Screen

Upcoming Chapter meetings summaries, links
The e-GRID Conference Calendar lists upcoming
conferences, workshops
Paid Conferences plus Chapter seminars, classes
and workshops are profiled for 6 to 8 weeks
before the event
(demo)

14
Sending out the e-GRID

Use IEEEs e-Notice system to send to all your
Section members
Removes those not wanting emails
Fill out the Web form
Set up an IEEE ListServ Dlistfor non-Members
(eg, past members and unaffiliated engineers) to
self-subscribe
The other 95 of engineers
See www.e-grid.net/subscribe

15
Sending out the e-GRID

We have arranged to send a reduced-content
e-GRID quarterly to a neighboring Section
Sacramento Valley Section
For their awareness, since some Chapter meetings
are within driving distance

16
GRID services the GRID Website

Links to the Marketplace, QuickRef Calendar,
contact us
Each Chapter meeting is profiled, and linked to
details on chapters own website
Banner ads for paid advertised University
Courses
Paid banner ads for upcoming conferences

17
The GRID Blog and RSS Feed

Meeting Title, Details
All, or Category
Eg, BioEng, Commns, Computers/SW, Power, Design,
Engng Mgmt, Nano, Optics, semiconductorsSearch
function
Paid Conf ads

WordPress automatically creates an RSS feed
Used for iOS, Android Apps
www.e-grid.net/BayAreaTech
18
The GRID RSS Feed

eg, SAGE in Firefox browser (sidebar)
VariousSubscriptions (CNN, NYTimes, CNET, IEEE,
etc)
Most recent 10 Stories in selected blog
Story Summaries

www.e-grid.net/rss
19
Google Calendar
Webinars
Paid Conferences
Chapter Meetings
20
Blog Posts / RSS Stories

For the GRID
I average about 50 Posts per month
Google camps on our RSS feed response is about
30 minutes from post to a Google alert
An RSS Feed for your Section?
Subscribers expect news at least a few times a
week
Probably not needed until you create Android,
iOS Apps

21
Tracking Activities

Even with 48 Chapters/Units, I use paper
A single sheet for each month
Tracking sheet for advertisers
Keep it simple!

Oct
Nov
Sept
3D Arch Dec 12-14
½ pg
½ pg
UC-Berkeley Winter
Masters of these sheets are in the ZIP file
22
GRID Success?

Revenue of US 75 000/year
Detailed breakdown later
Expenses of US 45 000/year
Therefore, 30k surplus for our Sections
While IEEE membership is declining
e-GRID IEEE ListServ Dlist is increasing lt 1
000 (2004), 8 000 (2011), 15,000 (2014) -- 5
CAGR
Adding 3 500 each year (non-members)
From ASME, ACM, unaffiliated engineers
Drawn by the services that we provideto the
profession

23
Magazines from other Sections

Boston
eReflector
Twice a monthemail

Gujarat SectionTechnoReport
Meetings, Student events
Rochester (NY)Section
SE Michigan Sec.Wavelengths

Dehli Section Beacon
Toronto SectionConnection

26
Your Section?

There are many existing examples
Look at what other similar Sections are doing
Adopt some of the others Best Practices
Your Section may already have a Newsletter or
Magazine to monetize
What could be your expansion plans?

27
Chapter 4 Where is the money?

Major Sources (results from SFBAC GRID 2010)
IEEE Conferences (18) US 17 225 (24)
Non-IEEE Conferences (19) 32 875 (46)
University/Extension Classes (3) 6 000 (
8.5)
Employment Ads (2) 1 400 ( 2)
Chapter Seminars, Wkshops (4) 5 000 ( 7)
Marketplace (9) 4 900 ( 7)
Misc (7) 3 625 ( 5)
TOTAL, for 2010 71 035
Of 37 conferences, 29 were local and 8 were
out-of-area San Diego, Anaheim, Beijing,
Portland, Dallas, Boston

28
Targets for Advertising

Non-IEEE conferences (about 50)
Includes ASME, ACM, SPIE, others
Charge them 33 more than IEEE ones
For access to your Sections members
IEEE Conferences coming to your area
Work directly with their volunteer leaders
Universities and Univ. Extensions
Publicizing technical courses
Employment ads, local seminars/workshops

29
Rate Sheet and Options
Full-List Price
Full Flyer www.e-grid.net/docs/conf-flyer.pdf
30
Rate Sheet and Options

SFBAC has 17,000 Members 15,000 on ListServ
- You will have fewer (but, build it up)
- Scale down from our pricing
- SqRoot scale (1/4 the members 1/2 price)-
Depends on your local conditions, costs
- below some price, not worth the effort
Remember Conferences want access
- to your members and their companies
- You have a valuable resource, for them- Do
not under-price your services

31
Why charge IEEE conferences more than local
events?

Most IEEE Conferences belong to Societies
They leave no money in your local Section
It all goes to their Society office
Our objective - give them a choice
They can partner with a local Chapter/Section
Typical 5 of surplus goes to Chapter (no loss)
They get an additional 33 discount on publicity
Or spend publicity money with the local Section
At the higher non-local rate

32
Where to find Conferences

IEEE Conferences
www.ieee.org/conferences_events
computer.org/portal/web/conferences/calendar
www.comsoc.org/conferences/conferencesearch
Non-IEEE Conferences
Keep adding websites to your Bookmarks
ASME, ACM, AIEE, local Convention Center
Check them every 1 to 2 months (for new ones)
Get on organization eMailing Lists (yeah,
looks like spam )

33
Deciding WHICH Conferences

For IEEE ones look at projected attendance
Less likelihood, for attendance lt 300
Best chances for 500 or more
Best for 2.5- and 3-day events Less for 1-day
Best Convention Center, large hotels
Conference budgets are US50 000 - 250 000
Charging 500 - 1 000 is a small portion
About equal to 1 or 2 additional attendees

34
How to Approach a Conference

Do your homework
Review website, Program, Earlybird date, etc
Get names/emails of people on the Committees
Develop std. Worksheet for your quote
Make it look semi-formal
We are aVolunteerorganization

Show full list price,then give them the
discount (if appropriate)
In Full Flyer www.e-grid.net/docs/conf-flyer.pdf
35
Send Proposal to Conference

Introductory email, customized
Attach Worksheet, Rate Sheet, Example

36
Technical Classes Skills Classes

University Extensions
Local Providersof classes
They can be good, regular clients

They value accessto our Members!
37
Chapter Seminars, Workshops

Low-cost Chapter seminars get free publicity
- Above US75/day, they purchase their publicity

Financially Strong Chaptersmake a strong Section.
38
Conference Tutorials/Courses

One- and Two-day ClassesAssociated witha
Conference
Can get additionalrevenue by publi-cizing them
separately
They add value for your members, too.

Every service you offer adds value for your
client-- and earns its fee!
39
Chapter 4 What does your Section Have to Offer?

Key to developing a community, loyalty,
readership is having content
Several Chapter Meetings each month
Maybe Section technical meetings occasionally
Open meetings/lectures from your Student Chapter
or University
But, might need more, to make the content rich,
relevant for local engineers

40
Expanding your Chapters

Your Job to select two or three Chapters that
might be started in your Section
Challenge grow your services to local IEEE
members by one new chapter each year .
Perhaps appoint a past Section Chair to be in
charge of new-chapter formation

41
Bi-Weekly Content for your eNsltr

What else to add? (to make it more useful)
SPECTRUM Webcasts
Subscribe to notifications
IEEE-USA Webcasts
Subscribe to notifications
Local Science Fairs, Maker Fairs

Free!
Free!
42
Other Local Publicity Opportunities

Adopt chapters from a nearby Section
Publicize their meetings, if within driving
distance of many of your own members
Partner with a neighboring Section
Involve any Student Branch Chapters
Some of their activities, lecture series may be
open to local engineers
Remember Content is the Driver you need it,
to be relevant
This is why engineers access your news

43
Other News to Publicize

IEEE corporate news
Xplore updates, renewals, RSS, IEEE.tv
Jobs website
Society resources
CS Cloud Computing videos Silver Bullet
Podcast series
ComSoc periodic free archived webinars
SPECTRUM Science Tech podcasts
IEEE-USA free Wiley e-books

44
Getting Advertising

Remember non-IEEE conferences contribute twice
as much revenue as IEEE ones focus on these.
IEEE conferences can be easier to find
Focus first on conferences coming to your
location
Then, reach out to regional conferences
For GRID, West Coast of USA works well
San Diego, Las Vegas, Portland, Seattle, Anaheim
Even Boston, Beijing, Singapore, Taiwan

45
Success Rate

For IEEE conferences about 40
For non-IEEE conferences about 50
For local Chapter seminars about 70
For University extensions about 50
You can get several proposal turn-downs for each
proposal accepted
Key scouring the web for coming events, CFPs
being pro-active in sending out bids

46
Chapter 5 The Right Person

Yes, a permanent paid staff of several people
would be nice but not practical
Need to be dependent on one part-time person
(maybe a retired Life Member)
Yes, creates uncertainty about continuity
What about succession? Training someone new?
Limited capabilities, dependent on person
Need to live with uncertainty
Solves the problem for a few years
Alternative Stay the same

47
The Right Person

Your person becomes Mr/Ms IEEE
For your Section and Chapters
Emphasis on customer service
Helpful, Positive, Enthusiastic
Your representative for the IEEE
Support your Commns Director/Editor
Help invigorate current chapters
Start new chapters, based on local skills/needs
Dont micro-manage delegate
Set up access SAMIEEE, CBRS, etc.
Be there to help

48
Formalizing the Contract

Use IEEE Independent Contractor form
Candidate must have other income (USAs IRS)
Cannot work solely for your Section
Work with MGA staff on details for your locale
Annual contract, renewable
Two main parts to job
Publicizing local activities, keeping up the
website, editing the magazine and e-Newsletter
Selling and composing ads (revenue)

49
Part 1 Publicizing Local Activities

This portion generates no revenue
Decide on a fair monthly fee based on
Amount of work (approx 1/5th time 30 hrs/month)
Expected coverage and output
Start with PDF magazine and 2X/month e-nsltr
Also website editor, Dlists, chapters support
May expand, as more publicity methods added
Blog/RSS feed, Calendar, iOS/Android App, etc.

50
Part 2 Selling and Composing Ads

Suggestion pay a commission
Contractor earns 20 (or 25) of revenue
Shared-Success model (win-win)
The more he/she gets, the more the Section gets
Encourages strong focus on selling advertising
Being pro-active, continuous improvement, etc.
Watching for coming conferences (IEEE, non-)
Local universities, extensions, course providers
Local chapter seminars, workshops
Local Employers, Recruiters

51
Monthly Payment Amount

Depends on your Section
Based on what would be appropriate
What can your Section budget allow
In USA, might be
Monthly editing/webmaster fee perhaps 500
Monthly 20 commission 400 to perhaps 800
Based on sales of 2 000 to 4 000/month
In my case (supporting 48 chapters, 3 Sections)
Monthly fee 2 350/month ( 60 hours/month)
Commission 20 varies from 600 to 2 000

52
Your Editors Title

Make it authoritative
Youre free to invent
Helps establish authority with clients
Clients can work with your DIRECTOR
Communications Director

Twitter handle
Local phone
53
Formalizing your Sections Office

Request that your new office be added to the IEEE
Staff Directory
So IEEE staff, Society staff will be aware of
your office
They can contact you for advertising, local
support and referrals, etc.

54
Resources

To help your contractor get started
How to Start a Home-Based Business,Bert Holtje
and Susan Shelly (2010 - about 20)
The Complete Idiots Guide to Being a Successful
Entrepreneur, John Sortino (5)
Let contractor purchase own tools
Computer, laptop, broadband, phone (VoIP),
software (free?), licenses, business cards
Work from home (or his/her own office)

55
Your Contractor

In USA Sole Proprietorship or LLC Advantages
of Schedule C (on Tax return)
Write off medical, dental, long-term care,
Medicare premiums
Set up tax-advantaged retirement plans
Write off tools, equipment, licenses, costs
It helps if your contractor is an engineer
Understand technical talk, language
Knows IEEE, conference/chapter volunteers
Might be retired Life Member

56
Chapter 6 Suggested Tools

Website and ISP (Server)
1and1 (German company) 10/month
Apache, MySQL, CGI, PERL, PHP, Javascript, AJAX
Basically unlimited hosting (Domains, Email)-
15/year per domain
FTP Client
Stand-alone
FileZilla (no cost)
For FTP uploads/downloads, file manipulation

57
Editing, Graphics Tools

I prefer Adobe Dreamweaver
Part of Adobe CS5.5 for Web
Can usually get it donated from Adobe employee
I use HTML mode (write in native HTML)
Has built-in WYSIWYG editor, FTP agent
Graphics (banner ads) Adobe FireWorks
Part of Adobe CS5.5 for Web
Also in CS5 Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash,
Acrobat 9 Pro, Distiller, etc.

Also PhotoshopElements, for JPGs
58
Browser (and setup)
Local copies of key files
Blog
Google Calendar

Firefox, with add-ins
LittleFox
TabMix Plus
Firefox Sync
Start up with 9Tabs open tokey pages

Banner-ad server
IEEE ListServ
Shows local copy ofGRID Website Home Page
59
Creating Your Magazine

I use MS WORD 2003 on a Windows 7 PC
Home Fast desktop, large LCD screen
Travel Simple 15.5 Laptop
Template pages for Ads, for Chapter Mtgs

Only use system fonts Arial, Times
60
Distilling the Magazine

I use my (free) Acrobat X Pros Distiller
Set it to not embed fonts (saves 200 kB)
Viewers system uses local System Fonts
Re-sample graphics to 150 dpi (saves 2 MB)
Achieve 40-page magazine in 800 kB file
So, easy for people to email it around
Not Print Quality, but utilitarian
Perfect, for your Sections purpose
Good enough for engineers!

61
Blog and RSS Feed

WordPressEasy to installon your serverNo cost
(open source) Generates theRSS Feed

Edit
Publish
Categories
62
Banner Ad Server

csBanner program
(about 40 to own)
Runs on Server

Statistics
63
Resources Summary

Conclusion
Efficient workflow can be set up
Tools need not be expensive
Each Tool has a learning curve takes time
Dependent on your Editors skills, methods
Customized for your own Section
Your experience will vary!

64
Chapter 7 Creating Invoices

Any Business level of Quicken

(I use 2013 Premiere Home and Business)
Customized, for each client
65
Mailing the Invoice

Important to send Committee the ad copies
Hand mark-up, circle in blue marker

66
Payments

Most payments come to me as checks
Save up for the month
Send to the Section Treasurer
Credit card payments
Not preferred (you lose 3 of the value)
Can be cleared through IEEE Conf Services
Deposited directly to Concentration Bank Acct
IEEE Conferences, events
You can have them transfer directly from their
Concentration Banking Account to yours

67
Chapter 8 Some examples
Deadline email every two weeks
Announcements for Chapter, Section Officers