So you’ve decided to create a Laserfiche user group. Maybe you are a new user or perhaps you are a power user looking for new ways to grow your Laserfiche knowledge base.  Whatever your reason, Laserfiche encourages members of our community to connect whenever possible.

Before your very first meeting, here are four things to keep in mind.

1. Define Your Goals

Why do you want to start a new Laserfiche user group as opposed to joining an existing one? What will prospective members take away from your new Laserfiche user group that they don’t receive from current Laserfiche resources?

Understanding the mission of your Laserfiche user group will make it easier to define key leadership roles and shape the content of the meetings.

Here are some common reasons to start a Laserfiche user group:

• Leverage the expertise of Laserfiche experts.
• Exchange real-world ideas for success.
• Connect with peers in similar roles, responsibilities or goals.

Deepen Laserfiche knowledge

Invite Laserfiche subject matter experts to conduct product-focused training sessions or demonstrations. Study together for Laserfiche certification opportunities.

Develop leadership skills

If your focus is to nurture future Laserfiche leaders, provide opportunities for participants to lead discussions on Laserfiche topics that interest them. Encourage different members to facilitate the meetings and try out new ideas to bring value to the group.

Network with the local community

There are many ways to foster connections in the wider Laserfiche community. Bring in outside speakers to talk to your members about how they use Laserfiche to address workplace challenges. Set up mentoring opportunities to connect members at different career stages. Inspire the wider Laserfiche user community to participate in social activities to facilitate bonding.

2. Create an Agenda

Advanced planning is crucial for a successful Laserfiche user group meeting. Make sure to pick a day and time that is optimal for your members.

Below, we’ve listed a general outline for how a typical day goes:

• Icebreaker activity: Fun games can be very effective for team building.
• Introductions: Names, titles, organizations and how they use Laserfiche.
• Success stories: Share how your organization uses Laserfiche to improve operations.
• Lunch.
• Product demos: Showcase new product features or topics of interest.
• Next steps: Announce the date for the next event, wrap up any final details.

3. Location, Location, Location

When researching potential venues, keep in mind where your prospective attendees are located. If your members are based in a large city, attendance rates will be lower if the user group venue is in the outskirts. If members are spread out across the region, choose a venue that is centrally located. Your attendance numbers will be higher if it is easier for members to access your meeting space.

AV set up

A great Laserfiche user group event has the ability to support your users’ audiovisual needs. Here are a few items to consider when evaluating your prospective venue:

• Projector: Your selected venue should have a projector to display content.
• Screen options: You’ll want at least one 6’-8’ screen or multiple smaller screens to view presentations as group.
• Wifi: Internet connection allows for smoother information sharing.
• Microphones: Amplified presenters help your audience hear better; this is particularly valuable for larger groups.
• Connections: HDMI or VGA connections for your presenter laptops.

Parking

If your venue is in a location not served by public transportation, it is important to consider the available parking options in the immediate area. If participants will need to pay for parking, make sure to notify them in advance of the cost so participants can make the appropriate arrangements.

Alternatively, hosts could also look into local ride-sharing options. For example, both Lyft and Uber offer unique event codes for specific events.

4. Attract Members

Once you’ve defined the goals of your group, created an agenda for your meeting and chosen an appropriate venue, it’s time to promote your event.

Email

It’s best practice to send a save the date email to attendees six to eight weeks before your event. Be sure to include the location, date, time and agenda to get people excited. Create an ICS file so people can easily add the event details directly to their calendar. Most importantly, tell people how they can register by including a link or a button that directs people to sign up.

You’ll also went to send reminders three weeks and one week before the event.

Social media

Social media is a great way to engage with your members online. Use a social media scheduler like Hootsuite to schedule a calendar of promotional posts to keep your event top of mind. Use #LaserficheUG to reach a wider audience of users around the globe.

Word of mouth

Ask Laserfiche and your solution provider to help spread the word about your event. Laserfiche is happy to share your event details on our social media channels. Your solution provider may be able to put you in touch with other Laserfiche users in the region who would be interested in attending.

Laserfiche is here for you.

Laserfiche is ready and eager to support you in setting up a successful user group event. Together, we can share best practices, address workplace challenges and achieve success.

If you need assistance in putting together a user group, don’t hesitate to reach out to our events team at events@laserfiche.com.