Conference Questions

[NOTE: I thought I published this four days ago.  I was surprised when I checked in and it wasn’t posted, but just sitting in the Drafts waiting for me to press the magic blue button!]

Here’s what I’d like to do to take one more baby-step toward hosting a conference for parents and siblings of addicts.  I want to rework the survey and send the link out again.  Some of some of my thoughts about various aspects of this project:

1. More responses:  I think 17 respondants was decent for the first round.  Some of you helped pass the link, and I thank you for that.  But honestly I’d like to see 100+ responses, and that will take more marketing work on my part.  If any of you are active on other social media (your blog, facebook, twitter, etc) or are experts in online marketing, you can help by spreading that link through your own network and/or advising me on how to do get better results.  I am working on a facebook page – and I know I have to get active again on Twitter.  Other suggestions?
2. Get a good snapshot of where we are geographically.  I neglected to ask this in the original survey.  Live and learn, of course.  But since many of us cannot take the time or spend the money to travel outside of our regions, it’s important to know where we are all located.
3. Funding – Investigate which philanthropic foundations are investing money into the lives of kids and families dealing with addiction, and then approach them with this idea – maybe they would help.
4. Association with a major rehab center or hospital or holistic healing center – If we have a core population in a certain area, we might be able to partner with a health-related organization of some sort.  This could help with marketing and event costs.  For instance, maybe a major rehab or research institution has grant money for working with families and maybe a gathering like this would fit their goals. 

I’m just thinking out loud here.  How do we (a) reach people with the idea and (b) make an event affordable.  Those are the two main points.

Thanks for any feedback, ideas, assistance, etc.!  Love you all!