How local associations can do local Drupal marketing

The Dutch Drupal Association brings Dutch Drupal professionals, agencies, users and (potential) businesses together by organising events like Drupaljam:XL (450+ attendees), Splash Awards and Drupal Training Day. In 2018 we started an cross channel marketing campaign including advertising, sponsoring  digital marketing events and publishing success stories of brands using Drupal. Now reaching a broad audience of potential Drupal brands, users and decision makers, we are in a unique position to promote Drupal beyond our previous reach which is essential for the project to sustain and grow. Your association can (should) do this too!

Drupal is part of an ever shifting market. Promoting Drupal is as essential as getting a next release out. The Dutch Drupal events is bringing together many people and agencies already part of the Drupal ecosystem. Reaching potential new users and brands was lacking behind. Events actually gained a profit, but we didn't have time or focus to do anything with it. In 2018 we started reaching potential new developers, brands and organisations and establish Drupal as a solid alternative to their digital experience platforms. With the Promote Drupal initiative underway and our paying partners calling on us to invest on increasing awareness, we have gained momentum on promoting Drupal, we wish for every local association to have.

This session will cover:

• How we established marketing goals and work toward them
• How we are establishing a brand, so newcomers recognize them
• How we involve both the development community and others
• How we connect with business managers, CMO’s and influencers
• How we manage our Marketing Backlog and Budget

This session is going to be a follow up on 'Essential marketing at the regional level', presented at Drupal Europe by Imre Gmelig Meijling. Imre is chair of the Dutch Drupal Association and contributed to Drupal since 2006 by organizing events and sharing experience. He has worked for various agencies in The Netherlands and Belgium, creating Drupal adoption within regional and international organisations. Besides being a Drupal volunteer, Imre is commercial director at LimoenGroen in Amsterdam.