Hello fellow LA Westside Marketing Pros,

--NEW NAME: LA Westside Marketing Pros [formerly "Los Angeles Westside Business Marketing Professionals," whew, that's long! Twit that!]

--New web addy/url: http://www.meetup.com/LA-westside-marketing-pros

Or you can keep it all lower case: http://www.meetup.com/la-westside-marketing-pros/

--New organizer, Jenny Lens, with lots of new energy, tools, ideas, etc to bring new life to this lively Meetup group!

Let's turn this into a more participatory, interactive group. It's one thing to mingle over drinks and finger food, or sit and listen to a speaker. Different results for a round table discussion amongst ourselves. Looking through the member list, those of you who took the time to share your accomplishments and interests indicate we all have something to gain by sharing.

--Which location, day and time: what works for you all? What conflicts with your other Meetups?

I CREATED ONLINE POLLS FOR:

--TIME: http://www.meetup.com/LA-westside-marketing-pros/polls/180303/ and

--DAY of the MONTH: http://www.meetup.com/LA-westside-pros/polls/180302/

--Venue suggestions? Any meeting place which accommodates a few to a lot of people, close to food and coffee, if people want to pick up something? A screen if we want to demonstrate using our laptops? WiFi?

Venue ideas: pls respond to: http://www.meetup.com/LA-westside-marketing-pros/messages/boards/thread/6639795

--Sponsors: any members want to help sponsor, by providing some kind of service, whether it's your office for meetings, helping to buy food IF we decide we want food and drinks (if we have pizza, let's have fresh fruit and veggies too!), offering discounts to fellow members, whatever. I would love sponsors amongst ourselves, as a way to help promote our businesses.

PLUS if you know outside businesses likely to sponsor us.

--Which topics are of interest to you?

--Would you like to speak? If so, please email me (jenny @ jennylens.com) a short list of potential topics, plus a short bio, weblinks/urls too.

--USE THE MESSAGE BOARD. I MUST insist on that!! We are so bombarded with emails. I have one hard-fast rule: Please be careful with emails! BEST way to respond to emails is via the message board (aka Forum). Why? Because it's not intrusive, all the responses are organized in folders, anyone who joins later can read and get a history of this dialogue, it's perfect for groups and it's why Msg Brds/Forums exist. It's soooo much more efficient for online discussions, rather than emails which can't be organized online.

Forum topics/folders: keep on point, on topic. If you change topics, create a new topic/folder.

Forum topics/subject header: be specific! Don't write: "Venue for meeting" Do write: "ABC Venue for 8 - 20 people." Don't write: "Great idea." Do write: "Tips for Video Bogging."

If you do want/need to respond to me, please be sure to respond to me, NOT Reply All!! We sometimes act quickly and hit the wrong button. But please, as marketing pros, we need to learn/observe Netiquette. Pls limit your emails to me IF they pertain to the whole group. Share and share alike!

I organize the Joomla User Group, http://juglawest.org. Joomla is a leading content management system to create websites. I knew many companies to contact because I've used their products. They were all happy to sponsor the Joomla group. But marketing is a very broad field. Suggestions?

--I never attended previous LA Westside [Business] Marketing Pro[fessional]s Meetups. The photos indicate these were rather large events, with food, speakers, the whole nine yards. PLS discuss what worked, what didn't work, where, how much, how long, etc? PLS POST at http://www.meetup.com/LA-westside-marketing-pros/messages/boards/thread/6640285.

Let's start with less formal gatherings, to get to know one another and more about your specific needs.

I want to produce large half or full day events, with speakers, breakout sessions, food, press (traditional and online), the whole nine yards. I've been involved in major computer conferences and know how to do it professionally.

I'm waaaaay too busy to do by myself, so if you know how to do something (help organize, sponsor, speak, help with PR and press, etc or want to learn, just write me, jenny @ jennylens.com! Thanx! (Caveat, be prepared to work, lip service won't fly with me. But you will gain invaluable skills and bragging rights.)

--FINALLY: those of you who didn't bother to fill out any or minimal profile info are encouraged to do so! You can't fully participate if you don't take the time to share who you are, what you've done, what you want to do, what you need to get nor give, if you don't share that info. We are all busy, and many are shy or hesitant to be too public online. If you want to take advantage of cutting-edge technology, build your business or your client's businesses, you need to give a bit more about yourself to get the kind of responses you might need or want. Just a thought . . .

I am very publicly available online. I don't hide my membership info, I don't hide who I am on my site, various blogs, etc. I can't think of any time it's been detrimental. I get the most amazing emails from people, whether via my site, myspace or Facebook. People feel like they know me and share some wonderful things, which brings me tears of joy, a feeling of really having made a difference for the better in this world, and so very connected with what is really important: people touching souls, sharing smiles, good stuff. Some are fans of my photos or what I've written. Some are famous, some not. So healing.

I just don't understand joining Meetup and being so private.

It's your choice, but you might find being so private works against you.

Pls upload a photo if you can. I HATE having my photo taken, but it's how we can meet and remember each other better.

We can help each other grow and develop personal and professional relationships within this group. And let's have fun!!

I've been looking for a group in which the members can actually share their info. When I read what some members wrote about themselves, I realized this could be a different kind of Meetup. I don't want to sit passively and listen to someone else. You have more wisdom and experience, and if you are serious marketers, the ability to learn, implement and share with others, so we are all elevated.

I want to hear what you all have to say, because there's power and knowledge in this group. Let's each acknowledge that, share, and yes, invite speakers as well. But always leave room for networking and lively discussions.

PS What do I know about marketing? Natural instincts, informally helped many authors, artists, small businesses though the years. I was very involved in the LA Mac User Group in the early '90's. We had a large office in Santa Monica, with classes, meetings and monthly magazine. Plus we produced a large computer fair, and I demonstrated s/w and h/w, led panels and spoke at many major computer events throughout the 90's. I've been a teacher at various computer training centers and colleges/universities (mostly either consumer computer programs or computer graphics/art/communication, either Mac and PC,). I write, I consult in a variety of fields, worked in a variety of businesses and know people from all walks of life, various ages and skills. I know about user groups, dealing with various personalities and issues for any gathering.

I am the most published punk rock photographer from LA, 1976-1980. That's no small feat, as people contact me from all over the world. Been published internationally since 1976, yet struggled for years for a better online presence. My photos are very famous, but not my name. It's been an uphill battle. Now that I figured how to promote my own work (after years of study and personal application), I realized I love web consulting and assisting others more than working on my photo archive. One key for me is the web s/w I'm using: Joomla. Others prefer WordPress or something else. I started with hand-coding around 1995, then Dreamweaver, then WordPress, but Joomla really set me free.

Enough about me, what about YOU?!

Now Meetup, and the opportunity to share with others, in person too!