The powwow organizer assumes primary responsibility for selecting a suitable venue and time, and primary responsibility for reporting on powwow attendance. Though it is not required, most powwow organizers will also say a few words to start or finish a powwow, and many see to it that a report and/or photos are entered after the event.

Some powwow organizers do more: some create agendas or even invite speakers. Others host at their houses, preparing food, etc. But this is not required; it is enough to make sure that everyone is clear regarding the venue and time.

Proposing a Powwow

The first step in the process of holding a powwow is proposing it. Any ProZ.com member with a verified identity or a platinum membership can propose a powwow by going to the main powwow page [ http://www.proz.com/powwow/ ] and clicking the tab that says "Propose New Powwow". When this form has been submitted, site staff will be notified, and will confirm or deny the powwow within a few days.

Because the powwow notification process is a gradual one (people notice powwow ads as they browse the site), powwows should be proposed 2 to 3 months in advance of the planned date. There is no reason you can not propose a powwow just a few days in advance... just don't expect many people to notice!

Attendance and a Venue

The two most common venues for powwows are restaurants and organizers' homes. Powwows have also been held at parks, libraries and other public places.

When selecting a venue, it is important to select a place that is quiet enough for a comfortable conversation. If the venue is a restaurant, try to get a private room so that members will be able, for example, to stand and introduce themselves. Alternatively, select a day or time when there will be few other patrons.

One important factor in selecting a venue is the number of people who will participate. It is hard to know exactly how many people will attend a powwow, but there are several ways to estimate. Powwow attendance varies with location, so one way to get an idea of how many people may attend is to look at the pages of past powwows in your area.

As the date of the powwow approaches, it becomes easier to estimate attendance. Interested members will have added their names to the powwow page. In order to accurately estimate how many of these will attend, an organizer can encourage interested parties to confirm attendance. A group mailing function is providing for this purpose (it can also be used to notify members regarding updates to information, etc.)

When closer estimates of attendance have been obtained, the organizer should let the venue know.

Editing Page

Organizers are given a means of editing the powwow information box on powwow pages, including the date, theme and other information related to the event. To edit this information, click on "Edit powwow info" to the upper right of the powwow box on the page for that powwow.

Promoting the Powwow

The best way to promote a powwow is to invite local colleagues you know personally (no ProZ.com function is yet provided for this purpose). Encourage colleagues in turn to invite others or bring friends (and family, if appropriate).

Powwows are also a place to meet new colleagues, so you will want to notify people in the area who you do not yet know. Consider announcing the powwow in the ProZ.com powwow organizers forum: http://www.proz.com/forum/32 You may make an announcement there when a powwow is first accepted, and then an announcement again (as a reminder) a week or two before the date the powwow is to be held. not more than two postings should be made in this forum for a single powwow.

To attract new members, ProZ.com banner advertisements will also appear automatically (randomly), to those who have entered the relevant country into their profiles. As a result, it is likely that people you do not know will express interest in your powwow. Organizers are encouraged to make new guests feel welcome, and respond to any questions they ask directly or in the powwow page.

Upcoming powwows are also announced in each of ProZ.com's monthly newsletters.

Communicating

A group mailing function is provided to help organizers communicate efficiently with members interested in a powwow. To use it, login and visit the page of your powwow. A series of checkboxes will appear beside the names of those interested. Check the boxes of the members you want to contact and then click "Send message to checked members". On the next page, you will indicate the type of message, and then write/edit the note you would like to send to each member.

The group mail function can be used to inform members regarding updates to powwow information, to request that they confirm attendance, to announce that a powwow report has been posted, etc.

To test the group mail function, just check your own name and send yourself a message.

Confirming attendance / receiving payments

In order to get a good estimate of the number of members who will attend a powwow, organizers are encouraged to send a "confirm attendance" request, using the group mail function, a week or two before the event. Members are given a way of either clicking a link in the "please confirm" email, or of indicating via the powwow page how likely they are to attend (yes, no or maybe). In addition, the organizer is able to change the attendance status for each member--this allows the organizer to update the page when members confirm personally via email, etc. Organizers are encouraged to keep status up to date using this function so that miscommunication will be avoided (members will change their status if they notice it is wrong.)

Most powwows are either free or "pay-your-own-way", ex. each member pays for the food she/he eats. In some cases, however, particularly if 50 or more attendees are expected, advanced payment may be advisable. In these cases, permission must be requested from ProZ.com for the powwow to require advanced payment. A ProZ.com staff member will review the proposal, and if advanced payment is deemed advisable, the format of the powwow page will be modified so that instead of confirmation status, payment status will be shown.

Advanced payments can be received in one of two ways: locally (with payment handled by the powwow organizer) or via ProZ.com (with payment online). When payment is made via ProZ.com (a business), an electronic invoice will be issued. When payment is made locally to you as organizer (not organizing a powwow as a commercial activity), no invoice should be expected by members.

Note: Organizers are required to record the names and IDs of members in attendance. To facilitate this, members are asked to bring their ProZ.com IDs. Members who attend should receive browniz, but that can only happen if they bring their membership numbers, and the organizer enters them into the online attendance sheet afterwards.

Browniz Points

After the powwow date, each member that attended the powwow receives 200 browniz points as long as the organizer has entered in their username or entity ID in the attendance sheet.

Related links:

To view the upcoming powwow page, please click on the following link: http://proz.com/powwows

To view the past powwow list, please click on the following link:
http://www.proz.com/powwow