Recently we found an interesting article of Magnus Nystedt, President & Ambassador of Emirates Mac User Group.
He started his thoughts regarding Guy Kawasaki, the best known Apple Evangelist. Magnus continued, analyzing the evangelist term, but also offered some suggestions of what Apple IMC Middle East should do, for a real help and support for the Mac users who are passionate about Apple.
As he says, for example, they should:
• Establish an Apple User Group program of their own, a program that could extend what Apple Inc. is presently doing. Apple has great products but there is a large untapped resource in Apple users and customers in the region.
• Appoint a User Group Coordinator that works for IMC ME but that has as their sole responsibility to communicate with, support, grow, inspire, and nurture User Groups.
• Establish a web site through which they communicate with users and customers. There could be a closed areas just for user group leaders, where some news, announcements, and discussions could take place that shouldn’t be open to everyone, but the aim should be to be as open as possible.
• Coordinate activities between User Groups in terms of web sites, newsletters, meetings, presentations, and other activities.
• Send out a “care package” regularly to User Groups with brochures, posters, stickers, demo software, etc. This could be further disseminated by User Group members. It’s a way to show that they care without it costing much.
• Help user groups find and sign up sponsors and advertisers for newsletters and web sites. This is a tough task for small, new User Groups, and with Apple IMC ME’s corporate backing it should be easier.
• Bring User Group leaders together regularly to discuss things, spread information, and get valuable input.
• Arrange an annual conference or all Mac users in the region, with workshops, presentations, etc. Kind of a Macworld Expo Middle East.

The situation in Middle East’s market, regarding Apple products and support, is about the same with ours. So, we have to think about all those things too; both the Greek Mac User Groups and Greek Apple IMC.

You may read this article’s Greek translation, on Macephemera forum.