PR Committee Initiatives

Hi Folks,

(PR meeting notes are on the wiki and will augment this post soon)

Here is a quick update on PR Committee and a place to have an up-to-date list of committee member tasks. If anyone is experiencing difficulty with their project, this will be an easy way to direct extra help their way. I expect to update this document as I check in with each person about their efforts and needs. Stay tuned for our next meeting. Based on survey feedback, we are thinking of offering Sunday afternoon as an alternative to our previous time of Thursdays at 6/7.

After overseeing the publication of our makerspace on a major Dallas news site (The 'World’s Largest Volunteer-Run Makerspace' is in Dallas, and it's Doubling In Size » Dallas Innovates) and facilitating a successful VR meetup at Capital Factory that saw 25 people attend, PR Committee had an awesome time running a booth at the Frontier of Flight Museum’s Apollo 11 moon landing anniversary this past Saturday. NASA astronaut John Blaha was even in attendance! Check out a few of our photos from this past weekend: Imgur: The magic of the Internet

These are my notes from the last PR meeting. Official meeting notes are pending - @mrjimmy have these been posted somewhere?


Votes-

PR Kit

  • Voted “yes” for whatever is reasonable. Numbers around $1000 were discussed and it was agreed that James, as president pro tem would provide advice if there are any questions about item costs.

Mesquite Plaque

  • The City of Mesquite requested that Kevin Patel add a plaque on behalf of DMS if we are willing to subsidize it.
  • Vote is “yes”, Kevin and Andrew responsible for followthrough and messaging
  • Amount: $150 or within reason in order to ensure weatherproofing etc.

Business Cards

  • Business card orders. Business cards in general. Same as existing cards, but updated titles and contact info. Cost is expected to be minimal. Any pricing questions will be cleared with James.
  • Vote is “yes”, Andrew to order

This controller sucks

  • This controller sucks, an initiative by a DMS member, has requested funding for one of their projects. In return they are willing to cobrand and allow signage at the many conventions they frequent. This is a good prototype for future funding of member projects for the purposes of PR material.
  • Vote is Yes to this controller sucks (they have agreed to film the building here and give us all access to filming rights)
  • Amount authorized: $150 if necessary (Due to time constraints initial build fund has already been donated by a volunteer on behalf of DMS PR) $150 will be used for any additional material or signage.

Meetup.com prototyping

  • Eric has volunteered to head up an investigation into how to best utilize our substantial meetup.com group that is currently run by a DMS member.
  • Vote is yes to provide $300 to Eric for meetup

Monthly discount codes for coworking space members (Voted yes, pending board authorization):

Spaces requested so far:
GeniusDen
Acme Creation Labs
Stoke
Node
Wework
Capital Factory
Worklodge


General Initiatives

Rob Griffin Podcast on Thursday, July 25th (Kris and Andrew, in progress)

More Tour guides for tour nights (Andrew)

Capital Factory Meetup (Andrew + Michelle) (FINISHED)

Robot SIG (Musashi - not present, progress unclear)

Discount codes (Andrew) (In progress)

Secretary cleanup (Kris) (In progress)

Social media (Andrew, Michelle, John Gorman, etc. All are welcome to apply for our Social media team)

PR kit (Andrew) (In progress)

Make a sign for our new lobby (Judy)

DMS Newbie guide / Hitchhiker’s guide to DMS (Judy / Andrew LeCody, others. Seems to be well under way. Will check back next meeting)

Ceramics campaigns (ceramics is really stepping up with follow through - we will support them with their social media efforts in the mean time)

Signs / handouts to use at exhibits , etc. (Andrew + Michelle) - this will be put under our initial “pr kit” investment.

James’ highest priority: professionally- made DMS video or even animation.


More individual initiatives and interests:

Stephanie

  • Kids stuff
  • Facebook outreach
  • map out the best times to post
  • Monthly calendar
  • Encourage people to hop on certain tags, etc.
  • accountability log (Michellle, Kris, and Andrew)
  • Social media classes (Michelle and Andrew and James)

James -

  • Beginning of August orientation (Andrew and James)
  • Get hours donated to a PR media campaign (James and Andrew)

Judy

  • Make a sign for us
  • 3 pieces of art in the lobby

Caireen

  • developing the internal community
  • Fundraising ideas (what’s been approved?)
  • Information-only forum - maybe wiki?

Johnny

  • familiar with the deep Ellum community
  • Basic SEO
  • Wants to develop ceramics committee and ceramics
  • Get ceramics on google maps ###
  • Free little items for selling / giving away (Julie and Johnny)
  • Genius den
  • Satellite shows -
  • Halloween party (Everyone) - talk to rick (Andrew will post)

Larry

  • video content via Elijah
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Can we get a meeting together to discuss the two money risers for DMs one is the wall of donor plaques and the other is they adopt something at Makerspace. One comment that I have been hearing is that at this time we look well like a warehouse not like a creative space the donor wall of plaques would not only bring in money but it would make it a much more personal spice. I think it would be good in multiple ways for us and I think we’ll have fun with it. To some extent they adopt something at Makerspace will do some of the same things not quite as obvious however. They said both been cleared by pure attacks so all we need to do is to sit down and Hammer out the amounts and sizes of the hexagon and I’m out for various items.

How about a big “Dallas Makerspace” sign on the outside of our building?

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These are great initiatives!

I definitely want to join this committee. Sunday meetings will make it a lot easier for me.

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I don’t know if the landlord would allow it but I know we had a member that created some huge welded spiders that can be mounted in such a way it looks like they’re crawling up a building and on top. I believe several buildings in Dallas area have them and they’re quite eye-catching. But something like that would be absolutely fabulous for us if the landlord would allow it stop.

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Thanks for update. Can you provide a few details on the “This controller sucks” project. From the write up, I couldn’t infer much about it.

Same for the coworker discount. How much is the discount? What do you estimate the number of member of additions will be. Why do they deserve a discount?

Edited because I accidentally posted while my thumb was still typing.
Edited again to correct auto-correct.

Our Building Lease states what type and style of signage is allowed. No spiders, just a regular sign very similar to the types on the other buildings in this area. Please do not even think about a lighted custom sign made here as it will not pass City Inspection. We are required to get a Sign Permit from the City before it can be installed.

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Could the spiders become an art installation close to the building? A sculpture garden tour would make a good news story.

The Richardson Library had a project a year or so ago where people knitted or crocheted large sheets of yarn and put them around trees.

Maybe we could incorporate a rotating gallery-type maker experience in the new lobby to attract news media and interested locals - maybe a Meetup or wine and cheese or beer and nachos type thing, with a restaurant sponsor to provide food and beverages.

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Check with the Landlord if you want to change anything on the outside of the building.

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I don’t know about our landlord but I would think that what the landlord doesn’t want is something like the flashing light signs you find around pawn shops or such. Our thanks something that is tasteful and Arc might be attractive to them. In general aren’t in an area improves the value of land around it it doesn’t take away from it. It’s something we can talk to him about we do have that small grassy area on the side. I think I’ll sculpture area would be wonderful I think maybe figuring out how to incorporate art into the areas where the trees were cut down last year might be interesting. There were several large trees that were cut down out front and they still really haven’t filled in the holes well. And I really wish our landlord would get someone who knew how to treat crepe myrtles instead of folks that give them haircuts all the time. Makes me mad every time I see him haircut. If we don’t ask will never know. And by the way we are running over half this building so that might give us a little more power I’m somebody reading 10 it is likely that our five-year lease on over half the building improve the building price value. And of course we would have to get things cleared with a City of Carrollton as well.

I dont think it’s our signage that is the problem. We arent visible from the highway and we dont advertise. That’s the problem.

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Sourced slip via @meanbaby and molds from @Julie-Harris for event need to pour a table full.

Did maps for both Jewelry and Ceramics. Jewelry is up already please favorite and or review if you have eyes here. Ceramics isn’t up yet. Have another instance up for pottery as well.
image

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I think having a sign is a great idea, even if it’s basic. We will discuss this further as a committee.

Our lease is really pretty restrictive. The sign is supposed to be flat, and painted. Period. This area isn’t retail, and we’ve pushed a bit just to get the gas locker in the back parking lot.

Any info on the maximum size we can have?

I don’t remember – I was checking the signs for Chris Marlow when she was doing expansion. Look at our neighbor to the south. That’s it. I think I remember that our neighbor across the south parking lot dropped their nice cut-out sign, because that wasn’t what the landlord wanted. I’ll try to pay attention the next time we drive in. At any rate, the nice big cut-out script letters were not what the landlord told us was permitted. Maybe they’re grandfathered?

Check with the Board. Our lease has a paragraph about signs including size, format, and mounting. Do not compare with what the neighbor’s sign look like, I do not think it meets the requirements of the lease. PR should create a simple drawing or artist concept and get Landlord approval. Since I have dealt with City permits in the past for DMS, I will also use this drawing and get the Sign Permit from the City.

Ceramics sent a message a couple weeks ago to set a meet for discussion on PR needs/help. Are we still in line for a meeting?

FYI @brendamvilla

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I’ll look for this email again. Our plate is pretty full, but we are currently featuring ceramics pieces in the Dallas Public Library Fretz park location as well as working on authorizing spending for some graphics to be printed. I’d also like to support Ceramics’ social media presence, since i heard interest about that. Is there a good day for me to come visit a ceramics class next week and chat about this stuff?

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