A Program Director can make or break a user group! I never knew how hard this job was until I sat down & tried to write this guide... You are dealing with variables, and lots of them.

What kinds of presentations does your membership want/ expect? Do they tolerate PPT slide shows or do they hiss and boo after the first 5? Do they prefer end user programs or higher-end technical ones? What subject matter do they prefer to see (software, hardware, emerging technologies)? Do they prefer to interact with the presenter or just be entertained by it? Is your meeting attendance high enough that vendors will want to come to you (at least 200)?

What sort of agenda do they prefer? First you have to determine the length of your meeting, as this is sometimes dictated by the host facility. Will the technical attendees sit still for (or even demo) something very basic for the newbies (at least 20 minutes)? Is a Member-To-Member session appropriate for your group, where attendees write their problems down on index cards and the entire audience troubleshoots them (another 20 minutes)? Most vendors expect at least an hour to present their products, but you can generally incorporate the Q & A into that hour. If there are door prizes to give away, that will take another 15 mintues at least.

If you have the good fortune to attract corporate vendors, you need to count your blessings. If you can entice the more lively, interested attendees into sitting closer to the presenter, you will definitely score more points.

Build a checklist and email it to the presenter at least three months prior to their arrival, it will make you look more professional, and make their life easier. The one I used most often included the following:

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User Group Checklist for (Company Name)'s Scheduled Presentation

User Group Name: ______________________________

Date of Presentation:________________________

Meeting Location and address Directions on finding the meeting site Address where vendor can ship products, literature, etc. prior to arrival Program Director's name, address, phone numbers Nearest airport: [name and three-letter designator] Hotel recommendations: [Offer at least two options. One is the recommended hotel if cost is not a factor, one is a lower-end hotel where cost is a factor, and possibly a third if proximity to the airport is desirable. List addresses and phone numbers for all.] Telephone line availability and type of internet access at the meeting site. Projector available at the meeting place: [provide them the basics specs on the projector] Sound system available at the meeting place: [Podium microphones, Hand-held microphones, Lavalieres, sound booth attendant, etc.] Start time of the meeting; start time for vendor presentation: Approximate length of vendor presentation: Number of expected attendees: [Be extremely honest this number. Contrary to popular belief, the vendors frequently communicate with each other and if you routinely overstate your expected attendance, they will compare notes. If you have exaggerated the number, they will be less willing to come to your group, than they would be if you had given them the true (smaller) number of expected attendance.] Telephone number at the meeting place in case of emergency: Any general information about your group that you think might be helpful to our presenter: [Bring a smile, a sense of humor, and a southern attitude is what I had in mine. It gave vendors a friendly feeling before they arrived.] Are they allowed to sell product off the floor at your meeting? If you have additional events scheduled, such as a TV or Radio Show, please give them the five W's, i.e. who, what, where, when, and why. Ask for your presenter's name, all contact information for him/her (including cell phone) and a complete itinerary and lodging information for their stay.

There are also a lot of things that can make or break a meeting:

If the presenter does not know his/her audience, they will start drifting out, so please advise the presenter on the expectations of the audience. You might even point out the "challenging" members in the audience.

If the presenter speaks in a monotone, and seldom changes facial expressions, be prepared to nudge sleepers. And make certain this name doesn't turn up on your presenter list again.

If someone in the audience becomes enamored with the sound of his voice, everyone else will consider bringing produce to the next meeting. Keep an eye on the flow of the meeting, and don't hesitate to interrupt if one person is monopolizing the floor. Ask them to restrict comments and subjective questions to the post-meeting Brainstorming Session.

If technical difficulties arise, such as the projector or microphone dies, and you have no backup, the meeting format will have to change. If you can shuffle the agenda to the Member-To-Member or Back 2 Basix Sessions, it will allow someone to correct the difficulties, and all will be forgiven. Long silences are awkward for everyone, so have a topic ready that you can discuss with the audience should the need arise.

If you have a member of your group who enjoys "schmoozing" vendors, by all means take advantage of this. Someone who doesn't have to be at a workplace every day, and doesn't have a problem with finances, and has a friendly, outgoing nature, and can take them sightseeing or to a dutch-treat dinner, it will make scheduling vendors in to your group a lot easier. If you ask them to come, and they have these great memories of previous visits, you can definitely expect a higher return rate. Some vendors prefer to stay in their hotel while there and catch up on their work, and some vendors SAY they want to stay at their hotel so they won't be annoyed by questions about their product(s). But if they believe what you're offering them is totally unrelated to computers, and believe it will probably be fun, they will generally take advantage of the offer to go, do, see, be. The trick is to find something unique to your city that they will probably find irresistible!

We're fortunate in Louisville that we could take vendors to Churchill Downs where they could visit the Derby Museum or go backside to pet a horsey [bwg], or take a tour of the Louisville Slugger factory. BUT, we also took certain vendors touring old architecturally significant structures because they were interested in that! Sometimes, even though you don't think you have something interesting or notable in town, a vendor will feel differently; sometimes you can find out in advance and tailor their day to that.

If you can start a PIG SIG after the general meeting, some vendors enjoy it, as do some members.   A PIG SIG is a post-meeting dutch-treat dinner at a local restaurant, where those who were unable to eat prior to the meeting can do so afterwards. Presenters have a tendency to be too tense to eat anything prior to the meeting. Given an informal format, where there are no expectations other than what's on the menu, what's the latest joke off the internet, and who's winning the game, you will make a grand finale to a wonderful meeting!