My presentation for the 2015 TEC Summit on bringing community together in real life. I focused on my work with SFTech4Good and how that community functions, grows, and how it’s nurtured both online and in person. Thanks to Amy Vernon for some great quotes and insight!

1. Bringing Your Community Together IRL:
Learn how and what the real value is of bringing your
community together in real life.
TEC Summit: May 28, 2015
Regina Walton
SFTech4Good, organizer, and
Marketing Manager, Pole To Win International
@ReginaWalton on Twitter

2. Be involved
Align yourself with a mission you're vested in.

3. Be consistent

4. Listen and pay attention

5. Share and repurpose
“Give members who can't attend a way to
participate from afar - livestream, hashtag
for the event, Storify afterward.
“Definitely post photos that people can
share and tag afterward.” – Amy Vernon

6. Use your personal network
to grow and spread the word

7. Experiment
Be open to change and churn

8. Steal great ideas
Other events, Meetups, Pinterest,
Communicate

9. “Know that there are some online community members
who are never going to come offline. And that's fine.
There also are some offline community members who
will never be active (though they'll be paying attention)
online. Accept that.” – Amy Vernon

10. “In order to bring your community offline, offer them
something cool and different that the average person
doesn't have. For a startup or company, it could be
cool swag. With the American Museum of Natural
History, I've gone to meetups where we got pre-
opening access to new exhibitions and behind-the-
scenes tours.” – Amy Vernon

11. “Nurture those online community members who are
really into what you're doing. Empower them as
leaders and give them responsibility that they're
interested in/willing to take on. They will help you bring
that online community offline.” – Amy Vernon
Thanks to Amy for her insights!
Find out more about her company,
Predictably: http://www.predictable.ly/,
and check out her site: http://www.amyvernon.net

12. Online community examples
SFTech4Good
• I’ve been at it since 2011
• 1600 to over 3,400 now. One sponsor to two.
One venue to over 15.
Four Thriving Communities to Learn From
This 2011 post talks about 4 great IRL communities including the Hells Angels.