Five things Internet Week can do better next year
“We saved 8 slots. Make one yours.” So reads the “Make The Stage” submission page for Internet Week NY, the annual “festival celebrating NYC’s thriving Internet industry & community.” In addition to content programmed by IWNY, the festival also includes eight panels created by the community, or so the page suggests.
We submitted three panels. None of them were accepted. As much as we think our own content kicks ass, we’re OK with rejection. But the process through which we were rejected was far more painful than the rejection itself.
Here are some tips to the folks behind “Make the Stage,” based on the month of suspense and confusion that we’ve just been through:
- Accept panels for each category. Eight winners, eight categories. So why no winner for “Fashion & The Arts?” We know of at least one panel submission that would have been a great choice!
- Accept the number of panels you clearly say you are going to accept on your site.
- Announce the winners on time. As Tom Petty says, “The way-yay-ting is the hardest part.” We were told we’d find out the winners by April 18, but only found out yesterday, less than two weeks before festival. Not a lot of time for moderators to prepare and finalize panel questions.
- Let us know that we weren’t picked — and why. We had to find out we weren’t picked by looking at the list of panels that were picked. A definite “no” would keep us from showing up on your doorstep with a boutonniere in hand. And let us know what we can do to be picked next year. We can change!
- Issue a mea culpa for the whole process. It’s easier to apologize than to ask for permission. We’re the forgiving type. Look how wide open our arms are.
Photo by flickr user drbeachvacation.