Adding Registration Fees to Reduce No-Shows: Does This Make Sense?

June 22nd, 2009 • Comments 2009 Write-off, Communities, Toronto Social Media

This morning, Joe Thornley wrote a post discussing why they’ve decided to start charging a fee for Third Tuesday Toronto (TTT) and Third Tuesday Ottawa, and Justin Kozuch reflected on the topic at his Refresh Events blog. Both seem to concur with the idea that charging a nominal fee (TTT is now $10) will reduce the number of no-shows at the event. Is this the best approach to take? It’s an interesting question certainly; one which I think needs to be examined within the context of the purpose of the event.

I’ll be frank; this $10 fee that TTT is charging will ensure that unless the speaker is someone absolutely spectacular, I likely will not attend any future TTT events. This isn’t a bad thing; I’m not the direct target market for these events, so maybe by not attending I’ll help them get who they’d like.

However, if the purpose of your events are to bring a community together while helping to promote the individuals involved in it, I’m not sure that the nominal fee is the way to go. One of the commentors on Joe’s post said that the industry standard is to open it up to 2.5 times your capacity to account for no-shows. That seems pretty smart by me; opening up for just your level of capacity will never allow you to have a full venue, as something always comes up.

If you’re implementing a fee just to reduce no-shows, I’m not sure that fits with the community building aspect. There’s enough going on in town right now that I don’t need to pay to network with the current Refresh Events crowd, for example. (I still will, but that’s beside the point) Adding a fee to recurring events will certainly help distinguish you from the other events going on, but perhaps not in a good way. If you are planning on adding a fee, at the very least you need to do it at an event that can be perceived as having a higher value of the events in the past. That way, you reduce the shell-shock from having to pay for events which you previously attended for free, and can help ease your crowd into the new system. If you’re still developing your events, your target audience, or the logistics surrounding them, it may not be the best idea to charge a fee. (If, like Third Tuesday, you can’t get your event on the date it’s supposed to be on because that’s what you’re named after, you also might want to think about that – but that’s a personal quibble I have with the Third Tuesday events.)

Just my two cents. What do you think?

Social Mastermind: A Way to Give Back

June 10th, 2009 • Comments 2009 Write-off, Communities, Toronto Social Media

Today I’m participating as an “expert” in an event called Social Mastermind, part of Toronto-based MaRS’ NetChange week. (I use the quotes because while I consider myself savvy in the fields we’re discussing today, in no means do I think I’m an expert. The organizers, however, seem to, so I’ll run with it.) Today’s event is about gathering together web, PR, and marketing individuals to assist local charities with their social media and communication efforts, and the end goal is to produce a plan of action for them to move forward with. I’m working with Pencils for Kids; a group that I had never heard of prior to Googling them (or for my Microsoft readers, Binging them) 5 minutes ago, but one that I think has a lot of potential to grow from a project like this. I’ll share what we come up with after we’re done.

I enjoy participating in events like this, where my time can be used to help not-for-profits or charities grow and become more successful. As my generation moves from schooling to starting out careers, it’s important to remember to still take time to give back in whatever ways your skill-sets enable you to. Yes, we have the highest personal debt load of any demographic, and it’s important to work to pay that off as quickly as possible, but many of us have been able to build our successes based off of our involvement outside of the classroom. It’s important for social movements, and for our own karmic growth that we stay involved in projects like this. Often, our time and skills are worth more to these people and groups than writing a cheque – although I’m sure there exists a point where the money does become more important.

So, I ask you, what are you doing to give back outside of your work and your donations? Are you satisfied with what you’re involved in? Are you looking to get involved in other places?

Quick Thoughts on the Twitter Community’s Reaction to Sunday’s Events

May 11th, 2009 • Comments Communities

If you’re from Toronto, unless you are living under a rock, you’re well aware of the Tamil protests that have been taking place over the last month or so. Last night, things escalated with the protesters physically closing the Gardiner until just after midnight. I’m not going to touch the nature of the protest, or the pros and cons against what it is that they did. (I think Torontoist has an interesting piece on a for and against here, although the two sides aren’t directly arguing against each other.)

To me, the interesting part was watching our community react to it. For once, possibly for the first time since I started using Twitter heavily, I finally saw real interactions taking place. People who usually spend a lot of time supporting each others ideas were suddenly placed at odds – and what’s more, they interacted and argued with each others’ viewpoints in a rational manner. Yes, there were a few ad hominem attacks, but by and large, these were well thought out, well-structured debates. I’m so used to the Toronto Twitter community being a bastion of support that I was initially shocked – but as the conversations continued, not only did I find that I joined in, but that I suddenly felt that I knew more about those that were participating. People’s public personas were dropped in favour of real personal opinions – and it was a great thing. If we had more interactions like this, not only would we help educate others and ourselves on issues which we may not understand, but we would also advance ideas and theories to levels where they could be successful. As I’ve said previously, not every idea is a good one (duh), and most can benefit from feedback and reshaping. Why do we seem afraid to do that?

Last night was a polarizing issue that demonstrated the power that we have to do this; let’s not wait for the next polarizing issue to come our way to have these real interactions again. Nobody benefits from a lovefest.