Category: Events

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Join the SchipulCon kick off party at Saint Arnold’s Brewery 9/21

SchipulCon 2011 robot party - join us

Ever feel the need to check out the awesomeness of conference attendees BEFORE you get there?  Ever wish you could spend an evening getting to rub elbows and grabbing a pint with speakers, organizers, sponsors and…. robots…. without the official conference pressure?

We hear ya’ – and have set up one heck of a fun soiree for you at the one and only Saint Arnold’s Brewery  for those exact purposes!

Join the fun with our SchipulCon Pop Up Party – an evening of beer, bites and fun to help kick off the upcoming SchipulCon event on October 6th – 7th.  We’re excited to have great food to nibble on from Radical Eats and some pretty nifty surprises you’ll have to see to believe.

>>> Register here for our FREE SchipulCon kick off party and be in the running for some cool prizes

And speaking of awesome SchipulCon prizes….

The SchipulCon kick off party is not just about the FREE BEER (although we can all agree that’s critical),  it’s about WINNING.

Since we just celebrated Schipul’s 14th birthday, we’re giving $100 bucks off to the first 13  people through the door — and the 14th person will attend SchipulCon for FREE.

So get your 14th-person-through-the-door strategy ready, and don’t run over anyone in the brewery. (Didn’t your mother teach you not to drink and run?)    Don’t think you can be in the first 14? No one’s going home empty-handed.

Everyone who attends gets $50 off registration until noon on Thursday 9/22. Because sometimes robots like to sleep in after a night at Saint Arnold’s…. just sayin’.

So don’t delay – get your registration on already!

Nothing says a good time like beer, robots and a room full of brainy awesome people – what better way to celebrate a Wednesday than with you!  Register for your spot at the SchipulCon kick off party – can’t wait to cheers you.

 

 

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‘Ask a Geek’ at SchipulCon – where Web dreams come true

SchipulCon ask a geek

With 3 rooms fulls of fantastic speakers from all across the country and some of the finest attendees around (love you guys!), we just can’t wait to get to SchipulCon to grow your brain, network and creative side!!

October 6th and 7th is coming quickly and we’ve got some extra special announcements for you (psssttt… if you’re not signed up for our SchipulCon newsletter, you’re really missing out!).

Liza Kindred schools us on the future of e-commerce

Liza Kindred SchipulCon speakerEver meet one of those people that just.plain.gets.it?  Then SchipulCon speaker Liza Kindred should look awfully familiar with her Drupal, e-commerce and start up butt kickin’ ways.

Her presentation on ‘The New E-Commerce‘ is going to blow you away – learn how to combine the social web, innovative business models and awesome emerging technology to help you sell, sell, SELLLLL!!!  Don’t miss this one, seriously.

 

Personalized Ask a Geek tech and marketing sessions

Think of our Ask a Geek sessions like a Web marketing kissing booth, without the chapstick and breathmints.  We’ll have some of our Schipulite Web geeks on call to give you 20 minutes worth of their brains and expertise.

Have a specific pressing Facebook marketing question?  Want to feel inspired about your latest Drupal site view?  Need a little hand holding on your Twitter tactics (hey now, no frisky business).  This is the perfect session for you!

Register for your slot by filling out this form here and get ready to connect to some Web marketing and tech magic like never before!

Get those SchipulCon badges – your website can do the robot!

SchipulCon attending 2011While you might have two left feet, no reason your website or blog shouldn’t get a little funky.  Grab our cool robot and brain SchipulCon badges and share your SchipulCon pride like never before.

Email us a link to your SchipulCon badge-laden website and you just might get a super cool surprise 🙂  Can’t wait to get our geek on with you at SchipulCon – tickets are going fast, jump in to join the fun!

Photo thanks to Zitona on Flickr

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Hear ye, hear ye – welcome SchipulCon sponsor Texas Ren Fest!

Texas Renaissance Festival comes to SchipulCon

While there won’t be any jousts and we are not encouraging attendees to wear chain mail (although that would be hilarious), we are excited to welcome the Texas Renaissance Festival as a SchipulCon sponsor!  (Disclosure, they are a Schipul client)

The Ren Fest folks be spreading good cheer (in Olde English, of course) and are providing every SchipulCon attendee with 2 tickets to the festival which, conveniently enough, begins the weekend following SchipulCon.

Grab those SchipulCon tickets now, before the goblins get them!

SchipulCon registrations are going fast, be sure to sign you and your favorite co-workers of the round table to enjoy the brain growing and, mayhaps, mead imbibing experience!  Our Labor Day discount code ($25 / ticket off, good until 11:45pm Monday, September 5th) is the perfect accompaniment to your registration:  laborday  

And who knows?  You might even make some new fairy friends!  Photos thanks to Ed Schipul

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Meet Brian Sullivan + use our SchipulCon Labor Day discount!

SchipulCon loves robots

Give your wallet the day off with our handy Labor Day discount code!

While Labor Day was originally designed to celebrate “the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations”, the SchipulCon robots are putting their own spin on the holiday offering a handy discount code to all of our favorite laborers, leaders and learners.

Get your SchipulCon tickets with $25 to spare (that’s a decent happy hour tab, folks!) by using this code until Monday, September 5th 11:45pm:  laborday

Brian Sullivan SchipulCon speaker

Meet super hero design speaker Brian Sullivan

As if a coupon wasn’t exciting enough, we have even cooler news!  Please welcome Brian Sullivan, founder of The Big (D)esign Conference – among other notable achievements, as one of our amazing SchipulCon speakers!

Brian is joining us as an inspirational and actionable presenter bent on reaching the designer within all of us.  Yes, even you CEO of that awesome company.  And YOU, marketing director of our favorite nonprofit.

Read more about his great presentation “Collaborative Sketching for Design Ideation” and get ready to turn your brilliant ideas into well-planned and well-received successes in your business through the power

Get your SchipulCon tickets – don’t forget your favorite co-workers and clients

Know that post-conference high you get when your brain is so crammed full of ideas that you just can’t bear your old mediocre workstyle any longer?  Be sure to bring along your office cohorts so they can join in on the inspiration and excitement too!

Want to bring a group?  Let us know and we’ll connect you to a great group rate.  Getting hyper about SchipulCon and want your brand to join in the awesomeness?  Check out our totally awesome SchipulCon sponsorship info and be part of the buzz!  Can’t wait to learn and play on October 6th – 7th!

>> Awesome robot image thanks to Flickr user Steve.M~

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Event Management is Easier than Ever in Tendenci 5.0 for Professional Organizations

Back to School week also marks the return of Professional Organizations’ events after the summer break.  That’s why our programmers skipped summer vacation and added a ton of great features to the T5 Event Management Module.  I have been absolutely loving how much easier it is to create, manage, and update events in Tendenci 5.0 compared to Tendenci 4.0.

Check out some of the ways we’ve made it quick and easy to create and manage your organization’s Fall Event Calendar using Tendenci software.

With Tendenci’s New Single Page Event Form – It Takes Just 2-Clicks to Create an Event

We made our “Add an Event” form just ONE single page allowing you to create each new event from your website without having to sort through multiple page loads.  We made it easier to add new events inside the Admin navigation bar and now you can add a new event from any page on your website.  Click to add a new event, fill out the event details and then click to create the event – it’s that easy!

1 Page – More Event Options

We may have saved you some pages when creating your events – we didn’t skimp on the features and that page is fully loaded with customizable fields and event options to let you create and price your events in virtually any way you can imagine.  Here are just a few of the changes we made in Tendenci 5.0 compared to T4.

* Add multiple speakers to your event summary.

Simply click to add another speaker while you are creating the event, and without ever leaving the page – a new speaker box is created instantly.  After you add the new speaker’s details in, just click to add another speaker and another speaker box is revealed.  Repeat until you’ve added your entire panel without ever leaving the event form.

Easily Add multiple speakers to Tendenci 5 event form

*Automatic addition of Google maps to help show your guests how to get to your event.

Just fill in your event’s address on the event form and when you save it, Tendenci will automatically add a Google map to your event summary.  Registrants can view the venue on a map, click to get directions from their location, and all the cool extra map functions that Google Maps includes like street views and searching for nearby places.

*Add multiple ticket prices based on membership types.

Tendenci Events lets you set a different price for members than non-members, and you can segment your ticket prices by membership types, students, and corporate levels to create as many different ticket prices as you want.

*We listened to your requests and have added bundled ticket packages.

Tendenci now has the ability for you to sell Ticket Bundles for special group events like a Golf Tournament or Table Sponsorships.  You decide how much the bundled package costs AND how many tickets are in the bundle.  And you can create as many different ticket bundles as you need for your event – in the same single page event form!

*Discount Codes!

Tendenci 5.0 includes the ability to create custom discount codes for events that allow you to offer special promotional discounts.  Have a little fun creating unique discount code names, then easily track where your registrants are hearing about your event and signing up by tracking registration based on discount codes used.

*Manage the entire registration and payment process on your website with our payment integration options.

Tendenci integrates with Authorize.Net and FirstData credit card merchant services.  Your guests can register and pay on your website event calendar.

Your Website Guests Will Love How Easy it is to Register for Events Too!

We know that creating the event online is only one part of event management and that’s why we included tons of new features in Tendenci for administering the event after you’ve created it.

These features will save you time and frustration before, during and after your event.

*New Reporting tools for you.

We included event reporting tools that allow you to easily find invoices, see who has paid and who hasn’t, calculate totals and more.

*Communicate with your event registrants about any changes or announcements via email quickly with our event email tool.

You can select all registrants, paid registrants, or unpaid registrants and immediately send an email update for your event to your attendees.

These are just some of the new features that Tendenci 5.0 includes for managing events.  If you want to know more, then check-out our upcoming Event Management with Tendenci 5.0 Free Webinar or just Contact Us to schedule a demo of all of Tendenci 5.0’s capabilities.


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SchipulCon schedule and robots galore!

SchipulCon robot

Holy guacamole!   We’re 8 weeks away from SchipulCon 2011 business, marketing and technology magic on October 6th and 7th – have you gotten your conference ticket yet?

There’s never been a better place to Create, Profit and Reach – come learn and play with us!

Get excited about our SchipulCon schedule!

SchipulCon schedule 2011

We’re not afraid to show you our awesome work in progress, especially as we know what a masterpiece SchipulCon is going to be!   Peruse some of our confirmed speakers and general topic areas on the SchipulCon agenda.   Check back regularly for more updates!

Robots and brains for your blog and website

SchipulCon attendee badge

No, we’re not quitting our day jobs to become zombies – but we do have some pretty awesome SchipulCon badges to share the love of our upcoming conference!

Shout your SchipulCon pride loud and clear – whether you are a speaker, sponsor or absolutely awesome attendee – we’ve got a little something for everyone.

And now for some random robot facts:

* The very first robot to appear on the silver screen was in the 1927 film Metropolis

* George Lucas’ C-3PO drew heavily from Metropolis’ Maria robot (neat!)

* Even Leonardo DaVinci had a soft spot for our robot friends

* YOU! (yes, you!) will get to play with robots too at SchipulCon!

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7 Tips for New Entrepreneurs from Tech Champs

Welcome WIlson Sr. Shares Tips with Houston Technology Champions

Last Friday, noted Real Estate Developer and Entrepreneur Welcome Wilson Sr.  shared great advice for new entrepreneurs along with some terrific jokes at the August Technology Champions event.  The Houston Technology Center hosts a monthly Technology Champions breakfast and  Tech Champs members  represent Houston’s entrepreneurial and technology leaders and experts.

Although the event is focused on technology start-ups, I believe nonprofits and other organizations looking to succeed in this economy can also apply Welcome  Wilson Sr.’s “7 Tips for New Entrepreneurs”.

Tip #1: Never Trust an Expert More than You Trust Yourself!

If someone presents themselves as an expert and their evidence or reports don’t quite add up to you – trust your gut and do some research yourself, and get a second opinion.  There are a lot of “experts” out there who are more skilled at taking your money then providing your business with real value if you let them.

Tip #2: It is Safer to be a Copycat than a Pioneer!

Take MySpace versus Facebook or Internet Explorer versus Chrome and Firefox, and remember it isn’t always the person who comes up with the idea first that succeeds.  Most successful companies began by taking an idea that already existed and then found ways to improve on the idea, the marketing message or both.

Tip #3: You are NOT Invincible, Despite What You Think!

It takes a lot of courage to start your own company and that same attitude can also lead to an abundance of fearlessness. Take a moment to analyze those big make or break decisions because you can make a mistake and your business can run out of money and fail.

Tip #4: Deal with the Major Set Backs, Then Forget About it and Move On!

Sometimes you make a mistake and some things are out of your control – like the economy.  When something happens that steers you off track – analyze your situation to determine how it happened.  Think about it for a little while and then if you make plans to go ahead, move on and forget the failure and remember your successes.

Tip #5: Schmooze Important People!

Welcome Wilson Sr. said it best: “Any success is a group effort”. Find people who can help you succeed and then get to know them.  Think of what you can do to help them and offer that help.

Tip #6: Never, NEVER Burn a Bridge!

You never know who you may need to partner with down the road, and good relationships are critical in business deals. Treat people with kindness and respect, no matter how nasty they are in return.  You’ll earn their respect, the respect of those around you, and you’ll be remembered as a good person to do business with.

Tip #7 “Be Prepared and Show Up!”

This final tip is applicable to pretty much any situation I can imagine in life – you have to show up to the event with the items and information you need to accomplish your objectives.

I’ll conclude with one of the hilarious jokes Wilson Sr. told Friday after proclaiming he and his Alma Mater, the University of Houston are both 84 years old: “You know you’re getting old when you tell your best friend that you are having an affair, and he wants to know who’s catering it.”

The Technology Champions Networking Breakfasts are just one of many events the Houston Technology Center hosts.  This Wednesday August 10th, HTC has partnered with NASA/Johnson Space Center to offer “Resources for Entrepreneurs” orientation meetings at the Gilruth Center in Clear Lake.  Register to learn how to find the tools and resources you need as an entrepreneur.

View future entrepreneurial events at the  Houston Technology Center’s Calendar    and check out photos from Friday’s Tech Champs networking breakfast.

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Membership Management Module for Tendenci 5.0 Launches

Tendenci Membership Module Dashboard Icon

At the end of June, we announced the release of Tendenci 5.0 – the newest version of the Tendenci CMS platform that helps businesses, non-profit organizations, and associations manage memberships and events on their websites.   We have made some big improvements in the core membership module between Tendenci 4.0 and Tendenci 5.0 (T5 as we like to call it here at Schipul) and we think you are going to love them!
Tendenci Membership Module Dashboard Icon

T5 Memberships are Customizable

Tendenci Add New Membership Type ScreenshotOur membership management tools enable you to customize the membership titles, membership applications, reminders and renewal notices.  Once you have set-up membership types and imported and approved members then you can also customize your membership directory (listing pages).  The T5 membership module enables your organization to easily create and update the levels of memberships, your communications to your members, and more!

T5 Memberships are Flexible

You now have the ability to set-up a variety of different membership types/levels, different prices for the membership levels and for renewals, length of memberships, management of expirations, grace periods and renewals.  A few examples of how we have increased flexibility in Tendenci Membership Management:

  1. You can create a student membership level that costs $25 and is good for 1 year, and also create a corporate membership that costs $150 that lasts 2 years.
  2. You can set-up a membership to expire in any number of days, months, or years that you would like.
  3. You can have a membership expire with a 30-day grace period, a discount for renewing before the expiration date, and more!

Tendenci Membership Application Screenshot

T5 Memberships are Selective

Want corporate members to receive discounts on job board postings and regular members to be able to apply for free?  With the new Tendenci membership module – you control what content your members can access, can update, and what price they pay for things like events and job board postings.  Members can pay a reduced fee to register for an event and you can control who is allowed to update event photos to a gallery or view and contribute to content on the website.  Having more control over what members can and cannot access allows you to offer more members-only benefits to increase sales of memberships.

T5 Memberships are Unlimited

The different ways you can customize and manage memberships for your organization on your website are virtually limitless and best of all – Tendenci 5 allows for you to have an unlimited number of membership types.

We also make it easy for you to import membership from your Tendenci 4 website when you call us to migrate or if you are not on Tendenci – we can import your members and memberships from a CSV file.

Beginning in August, we will be holding free online webinar training on how to use Tendenci 5.0’s membership management tools and if you would like to find out more about upgrading to Tendenci 5.0 – give us a call and we’ll schedule a live demo just for you.