My journey as a Product Hunt ambassador

As a tech writer, Product Hunt has been my secret temple since I discovered it. Discovering new apps or batting around collections became my favorite free-time activity. After a while, I found myself writing about my Product Hunt discoveries all the time and enjoyed reviewing recently listed apps. Not only did I review them, I also used them in my daily life. Calm and Canva, for example, have been life-changing for me.

When I saw the ambassador program, I couldn’t help but apply. I believed I could represent the platform in the best way, as I loved and had used it for many years.

On this road, where I set out to do my best, people ask me about my ambassador experience. I wrote this article to help them to set their own course.

When I applied to the program, I didn’t expect to work with the Product Hunt team so closely. At the beginning of the program, we met every other week and focused on learning. We attended workshops about physical events, social media and community management, and even used new web3 tools. These workshops have been very helpful to fulfill the needs of Ambassadors. They helped us improve a lot.

More importantly, we learned something from almost every single Product Hunt team member. The team has always been supportive of us with their deep know-how. Moreover, they have been kind enough to make time for us whenever needed. They listened to our ideas and made them possible. Every interaction proved how they valued Ambassadors’ ideas.

Benefiting from the experience of this diverse team enabled us to take a 360-degree look at different situations. Collaboration carried us from a local point of view to a global approach.

My ambassador announcement gained the attention of Product Hunt lovers in Turkey. The Product Hunt Istanbul Community is a productive, participative, and collaborative group of people. Makers enjoy building in public a lot, supporting each other, and guiding newcomers. Almost every week we announce new products. It is really valuable to be a part of a community that is eager to produce in unity.

From the very beginning, Turkey's startup ecosystem has supported me, from CEOs to investors, from senior executives to well-known personalities.

Since starting the Product Hunt Istanbul community, I’ve announced approximately 30 product launches in 3.5 half months. I also hosted three events with various themes.

Our first two event themes were around Product Management and Product Marketing. We brought experts and the makers together and makers had a chance to make product pitches to experts network. Our events have regulars now, and I enjoy looking at familiar faces.

At our latest event, Women in Tech Night, Product Hunt and Google communities came together in Istanbul for the first time. Google’s Women Techmakers Initiative supported tech enthusiasts and professionals with workshops. It was a great opportunity for me to meet with the Women Techmakers community and they honoured me by giving me a chance to be an event speaker. I believe these three events were only the beginning of more amazing opportunities and hopefully a life-long stream of upcoming experiences.

Creating social media exposure is my profession, but organizing physical events was something totally new for me. I had never coordinated a physical event before. That’s why I've made mistakes, but I learned from them. Let me share my learnings.

I was so excited about my first event that I immediately emailed my speakers to set an event date. I believed I could find a venue quickly. But then in a meeting, Alex Sheibar said “Always secure the venue first, then set a date.” It was the exact opposite of what I did.

We had to postpone the event date twice because we couldn't find a proper venue. My mistake was trying to organize the event as fast as possible without considering the primary needs of the organization.

Thanks to my venue sponsor, Assembly Buildings Levent, I don’t have to deal with finding a venue anymore. Finding a venue sponsor can be tricky, but don’t hesitate to use your connections. Ask your friends and colleagues for venue suggestions. In my case, my superior, Webrazzi’s VP of Content A. Buğra Ferah, introduced me to Assembly Buildings. Looking back, I can now tell you that finding the right venue is the key component of every event.

Another lesson I have learned is that, if you have experts around, you should follow their advice. Don’t rush things and take your time while you are planning, even though it might be stressful to wait for details to become clearer. No one wants to do things twice, so set a course and move step by step.

It’s important to be programmed. When I start planning events, I first make a list of the most attractive topics and write the names of the potential speakers related to that topic.

To gain traction and RSVPs, it’s crucial to listen to your community. What is important to them? Who do they want to talk to? Position yourself as an intermediary to help them. Planning your topics and speakers wisely helps your events to be impactful.

Even if everything is planned, some things may go wrong. For example, two of my speakers couldn't attend the event even though they had promised to. Another time stormy weather led to low turnout. It can be a good idea to get prepared for the worst-case scenarios.

As the Product Hunt Istanbul Community prepares for its fourth event, I feel stronger with the support of the second cohort of ambassadors. Turkey has four more Ambassadors besides me. I believe all Product Hunt Ambassadors around the globe are empowering one another. I’ve chosen to participate in a new Mentorship program where older ambassadors mentor new ones. I’m trying to help new candidates to respond to the needs of their communities. We will learn and build the future together.