Light Minds at ETC Workshop 2008

dlincecum — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 12:52:00 GMT

Every year about this time we hold a workshop for our dealers and reps in the US. It is always a fun event and we try to keep things active and upbeat. Attendees get in depth product training and we have a lot of fun outside activities as well. The event has full press coverage on our main website and you should deifinitely take a look. Of special note is the fantastic video coverage provided by our own Lincoln Theiler (webmaster and digital designer) and Joe Kirschling (Technical writer and officer of fun.) Putting these two together was a brilliant idea. You have to watch the daily video coverage in order to get the flow of the event. You may feel just like you are there! But don't get hypnotized. Wednesday Thursday Friday

There is also a daily newsletter including a column by a mystery "snoop" - an anonymous dealer or rep (we don't know which) who takes shots at us daily. We had three great guest speakers this year. Tim Hunter gave a great presentation on "convergence" and he will be doing a workshop this morning. We had a specialist in the field of Marketing to churches who gave 2 sessions and then a very great presenter - Chuck West from the UW who did 2 sessions on sales. This event has been developing for years and it has really gotten quite advanced.

One of the reasons I love working for ETC is that most everything is sprinkled with fun. The fun is infectious and it extends out into our dealer and rep network and to our customers too. Watch these videos and join the fun.

David

Have a good time.

chiefjoseph — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 18:10:00 GMT

So, I've been a little preoccupied. Lincecum and I talked quite a while ago about adding my two cents to the ETC blog pool and I was all jazzed about it. I mean, what a great opportunity to actually get to write something interesting! No offense to those of you who actually wait with baited breath for the next version of the Eos manual.

But of course, real work got in the way. Always does. Nonetheless, the influx of bloggers to the ETC community has been expanding and each time there is a new post I get a little email notice telling me that someone else has posted. Like an annoying 7-year-old (Bill Cosby called them "Informers"), these notifications poked my subconscious as if to say, "Other people are getting to do something FUN!"

Well, I decided that I finally had to make time. Not just for blogging, but for all of the side projects that, when faced with a looming deadline, seem to crowd the back burner. So today, I made it my mission to pick up a few of those dusty tasks and dedicate a little time to them. Basically, a renewed effort to make room for having a good time (Yes, I have Paul Simon playing in the background). One of those projects was blogging.

Luckily, another one was familiarizing myself with some of the efforts going into Workshop 2008. And this coincides with “Joe's newfound blogging effort” quite well. Particularly since I found that what's buzzing around ETC for Workshop is pretty darn cool.

I'm sure most of you have your own perception of what Workshop is, has been, or will be to you. Information overload? Possibly. A great social engagement? I hope so. A waste of time? I doubt it. And I have a pretty good feel for how ETCers tend to perceive it, which is a whirlwind of friends and colleagues, familiar voices being matched to faces, and an enormous information download. Personally, I look forward to it every year. If for no other reason than I get to surround myself with a mass of people who actually have an interest in what I do for a living...what we all do for a living. How rare an opportunity is that?

In poking around today within Marketing, I garnered a lot of zeal about all the things we're going to be doing to enhance the Workshop experience. I'm even lucky enough to get to participate in some of it. And after I had made the rounds, I got to thinking about all of it and what it means.

To be sure, a lot of what we are doing involves our newest products or changes in strategies. Of course there are all of the training and informational classes that are the drive for the entire event. Then there are the social aspects: the Welcome reception, dinner, barbeque, and softball to name a few. But on top of that, I found that there are a lot of little plans in the works that aren't really there for any discernible reason...other than for your enjoyment. Nothing more. And THAT is what I think is really exceptional.

Sure, we want you to come and see the factory. Yes, we hope that we can teach you something while you're here. And we certainly hope that you will be well-fed. But to top it all off, we truly are working hard on a lot of little extras in hopes that you will enjoy yourself. How many companies have that on their list of objectives for a 3-day workshop?

Personally, I find it remarkable. In the midst of so much else going on, there are plenty of individual efforts going into ensuring that you can come to ETC, learn a few things, and most importantly, have a good time doing it....really....we mean it.

So here's to hoping that all of our efforts come to fruition in the next couple of weeks. Workshop is shaping up to be a great event, yet again, and we look forward to seeing you. When you're here, keep your eyes peeled for the little extras that we've whipped up for you, try to learn something, and most importantly, have a good time.

"So God bless the goods we was given
And God bless the U. S. of A.
And God bless our standard of livin’
Let’s keep it that way
And we’ll all have a good time."
- Paul Simon

Light Minds Think Alike : workshop

Light Minds at ETC Workshop 2008

Have a good time.