Comments on: Northern Voice speakers are primarily from Vancouver and use Twitter

By: Mack D. Male

Mack D. Male — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 06:58:04 +0000

Will do Darren, thanks!

By: Darren

Darren — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 06:56:45 +0000

With no actual staff and changing ranks of busy organizers, I do think a lot of ‘organizational knowledge’ gets lost from year to year. The usual problems of a non-profit are amplified.

The organizing committee would almost certainly welcome any help you wanted to lend. I’d wait until after this year’s event, and drop info@northernvoice.ca an email expressing your interest.

By: Mack D. Male

Mack D. Male — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 06:40:05 +0000

Hey Darren, thanks for the comment. Totally makes sense to have more locals because the costs aren’t covered, and I mentioned that. I also think it might be a bit of a chicken-and-egg problem, but only to a certain degree.

The first thing that would help would be to include organizers (or at least input) from elsewhere. There has been a debrief session the last few years which has been good, but I think the outcomes are easily forgotten. I’d be interested in taking a more active role next year.

I think the type of content also has an effect. If there were more “all across Canada” kinds of presentations/activities, I think it would entice people from outside BC even more.

I need to give this more thought. I probably should have before making the post, to be honest!

By: Darren

Darren — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 04:10:13 +0000

I didn’t participate in speaker selection this year, so I can’t say for sure. But I’d bet that the vast majority of speaker submissions came from BC. The conference has never paid a speaker (nor does the conference’s focus attract a lot of corporate submissions), so it’s natural that the attendees and speakers would be local.

Maybe it’s kind of a chicken and egg thing? Call it “Canada’s conference” and hopefully you get submissions from other parts of the country. Or call it “BC’s conference” and discourage non-locals from submitting.

In any case, I’m sure the organizing committee would welcome your participation next year, if you wanted to throw your hat in the ring. You could be Mack Male, Prairie Outreach Coordinator.

How do you think the conference should entice speakers and attendees from the rest of the country?

By: Alain Saffel

Alain Saffel — Sun, 18 Jan 2009 20:13:14 +0000

If you’re going to bill yourself as Canada’s social media conference then you should get some representation from elsewhere in the country.

I would be particularly interested to hear from Quebec social media types. How is it different there compared to English Canada?

That’s just one topic. Makes you wonder how relevant this conference will actually be to the rest of the country with such a narrow slice of the country’s social media people.

By: Derek K. Miller

Derek K. Miller — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 07:08:46 +0000

Yup, I think calling it "Canada's" conference is indeed a bit of a stretch. It started as an idea (by Darren Barefoot) for a conference of bloggers from Vancouver and elsewhere in B.C., and I don't think it's a bad idea to keep calling it an event for this area. Not to discourage anyone from elsewhere from coming, but to clarify that's likely what it has been and will be like.

By: Mack D. Male

Mack D. Male — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 17:35:05 +0000

Heh, “Cascadian”, I like it! See you there!

By: Nancy White

Nancy White — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 17:26:54 +0000

You have me pegged correctly! But hey, I’m a “Cascadian” too!

I hope to offer a session on Friday on graphic recording. See y’all there!

By: Mack D. Male

Mack D. Male — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 06:19:31 +0000

Likewise Tris, it’ll be good to reconnect with you. I’ve added a link to Dave’s account, thanks!

By: Tris Hussey

Tris Hussey — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 06:16:32 +0000

Looking forward to seeing you again Mack. Dave Olson is uncleweed on Twitter.

Yep I didn’t make the cut for Saturday either, hoping to do something on Friday as well.