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International Events: Oracle Applications Users Group

The Oracle Applications Users Group (OAUG) is the largest independent global users group serving Oracle Applications users. OAUG brings information and resources to help increase knowledge, productivity and the return on your organization’s investment in Oracle Applications.

Challenge:

In an effort to expand and deepen its global presence, the OAUG charged ACI’s consultants with creating a user-driven training event in the Middle East with no marketing budget. A result of the event would be the launch a new Middle East users group. Both initiatives were conducted with very few contact leads and with a breakeven-to-profit budget model.

Solution:

We successfully recruited a steering committee of local volunteers through the OAUG contact database. Additionally, we were able to gain support from the local Oracle office and the director of marketing for Oracle, Middle East. These efforts helped us to outbound market with no marketing budget, and enabled us to create a new list of over 500 contacts that previously OAUG did not have. Steering committee members helped with outreach to their contacts and Oracle was able to market the OAUG’s offerings to their customers within the Middle East and Africa.

Results:

These efforts helped to create a profitable 100-attendee event, surpassing attendance goals. Additionally, as a result of the event, OAUG succeeded in launching the OAUG – Middle East users group, which has now elected officers and will begin offering programming in fall 2009.