Building your local community and organizing (Drupal) conferences can be very tricky - especially if you haven't done anything like that before. But when you have some ideas about how to start from scratch, you have the right team with you and you work hard and fight your way through the challenges (because there will be some for sure), the result will be awesome and you'll be the proudest person on Earth on the last day of your conference. In my session I walk you through the steps of how to start organizing a camp or local meetups and what challenges you might be facing during the preparation.

1. Drupal Camp Organization:
The Good Parts
@drupalatonZsófi Major
@zsofimajor
@drupalironcamp

2. Zsófi Major
PM at Cheppers
zsofi.major@cheppers.com
@zsofimajor

3. XP 2012-2013
2014
2014 -
2015 -
+ Drupal Weekend in Budapest + BDUG & Budapest DevOps Meetup -

4. Why this talk?
The term "DrupalCamp" is used to describe
various types of Drupal-related events usually
organized by a local Drupal user group.

5. Startup-like project

6. Scope - your product
local DUG, smaller/larger DrupalCamp, summit
target groups: developers, CxOs, management people
language
number of expected attendees - low and high
the most important thing:

7. Focus & format
Sessions, workshops, trainings, BoFs
Pre-event program (e.g. summits)
Slots & breaks
Sprints! Sprints! Sprints! - extended or regular

8. Where is money coming from?
Sponsors & tickets
MVC - Minimum Viable Camp
Financial responsibility
MVC What we all want

9. Tickets
Ticket = covers MVC, +/- 5%
Risk of free event = 25-30% drop-out
Early - Regular - Late bird prices
Who gets free tickets?

10. Sponsors & packages
Sponsorship management is important
Set realistic goals with packages - don’t overprice
Your idea of values ≠ values for sponsors
Know your sponsors
Communication, communication, communication

11. Need a team! Have a leader and core helpers
Define tasks (e.g. financials, marketing, operative tasks, etc)
Communication channels and regularity
Volunteers (Stephanie El-Hajj DC NOLA session)

12. Timeline
6 months Event5 months 2 weeks1 month3 months
Find a date for your camp
Choose realistic deadlines
Count backwards

13. Marketing & social media
Brand workshop
Choose social media channels and hashtags
Newsletter
Prepare with design materials (offline and online)
Set up a website

14. And stickers!

15. Location & venue & accomodation
Rooms availability (for side events too)
Various options: use a comparison board
Universities, hotels, event centers, conference halls
Location easy to access

16. Catering Discover various combinations
Budget?
Special dietary needs
COFFEEEEEEE

17. But if people are hungry…

18. Internet Local provider
150%+ of attendees
Test before :)
Constant supervision is useful

19. Heatmap from DDD2014

20. Speakers & session selection
Set realistic proposal deadlines
Reach out to speakers to cover topics

21. Sprints are awesome

22. Documenting everything
Optional
Video recording is <3
Photos, group photo

23. The time is here, my event is starting!
Get the registration desk ready
Double check speaker setup, check every room regularly
Coordinate with volunteers

24. This is the camp

25. Retrospective
Nice to have, but useful
Be honest
Report/memo

26. Knowledge base for DrupalCamp organizers
Form —> http://bit.ly/drupalcamp-knowledge-base
https://github.com/drupalcamps/drupalcamps

27. Little litterature
Organizers report from DDD2014 by Gábor Hojtsy:
http://hojtsy.hu/blog/2014-apr-22/drupal-developer-days-2014-organizers-report
Recruiting and retaining dedicated volunteers by Steph El-Hajj:
http://bit.ly/recruit-and-retain-volunteers
Camp Survival Guide by dasjo:
http://bit.ly/Camp-Survival-Guide
DrupalCamp and Event Organizing Guide
https://groups.drupal.org/node/136494

28. Yaay, thanks!