[Marketing] OSGeo Marketing Strategy part 2

[Dave McIlhagga]

Jeroen,

I think what you have outlined here is a terrific start -- and we all  
are crossing our fingers that this early momentum will continue into  
the future. :)


My one comment is concerning Sponsors -- I think it is important to  
keep in mind that there are a few different types of sponsors that we  
should be considering and that our messages need to be tailored to  
these various groups.

1. Users -- I think what you have below covers this well.
2. Service Companies around OSGeo software -- This group needs to  
have a clear message of the benefits sponsorship can bring them - in  
particular, promotional benefits of association with OSGeo.
3. Software Companies around OSGeo software -- keeping in mind that  
many of these companies follow hybrid approaches to open source /  
proprietary technology, the message needs to be tweaked again to  
reflect this. For these organizations -- high quality software  
development environment, and marketing in the form of recruitment of  
other like minded organizations to contribute development resources  
will have the most appeal. INGRES was encouraged to sponsor for  
exactly this reason -- and we should look to that model for future  
software companies.

Dave





On 9-Oct-07, at 3:58 PM, Jeroen Ticheler wrote:

> Hi all,
> Thanks for the supporting messages! I really want this thing to be  
> a successful process with a lot of consensus, so if at any time you  
> feel I am missing the boat or ignoring relevant issues, please let  
> me know immediately!
>
> I had a lunch meeting on the topic again with the marketing/design  
> people I work(ed) with. I tried to explain what I thought were some  
> of the key objectives OSGeo should achieve in the coming year. I'll  
> list those here for comments and further discussion/refinement. We  
> agreed we'll get a first proposal together to assess what is  
> reasonably achievable considering the available budget. I have  
> indicated that in this whole process I need the community support  
> and as such the implementation of the work will be different then  
> when they deal with just me and a small GN community.
>
> Here's what I put up as goals (as I see them, considering what we  
> discussed in Victoria etc...)
>
> - In rough terms we have two groups OSGeo serves. (1) the developer  
> communities of the different projects, and (2) the user broader  
> community of geospatial applications. Both have a business  
> component to them; the first is to have a healthy community and  
> thus product, the second is a good, professional image that helps  
> drive business.
> - We take fairly good care of ourselves for what the developer  
> community concerns
> 	I suggested we do not forget this part of the community, but not  
> focus on it at this stage from the Marketing point of view.
> - We have to transfer a message of trust and professionalism to the  
> user community (the people, businesses and governments that buy the  
> services/ use the tools)
> 	Ingredients:
> 	- Healthy, well established projects that work in a professional  
> manner (PSC, workplans, release strategy, bug reporting and fixing,  
> etc..)
> 	- Intellectual Property issues are closely monitored and have been  
> evaluated for all core projects
> 	- High quality software, use of standards etc...
> 	- Coherence and collaboration between projects
> 	- Support and training from professional companies
> 	- Free and Open Source Software is not just source code, it is  
> about participation and true open collaboration. Hell with fake  
> open source ;-) , OSGeo is about real Free and Open Source  
> Software. Users have to be made aware of this in clear terms.
>
> 	I may have forgotten some things now...
>
> - We have to improve the visual identity that is reflected in the  
> web site, OSGeo journal, articles, flyers and conferences. This  
> goes beyond the OSGeo logo I think. (just to be clear, I will not  
> try to touch the logo because it is very good already!).
>
> Goals:
> 	- Have a message we can deliver to users that is convincing and  
> clear. They have to directly understand the benefits of using OSGeo  
> software over other solutions :-)
> 	- Be able to use the marketing materials to convince potential  
> sponsors of the benefits of joining OSGeo as a sponsor. "This is  
> what you get when you support in OSGeo", "Professionalism and  
> quality that benefits your business".
> 	- Be able to add at least 5 (!?) new, substantial OSGeo and/or  
> project sponsors to the list in the coming year.
> 	- Have a common visual identity (see above) with at least a folded  
> A3 size flyer that gives the key messages/ overview.
> 	- The materials will have to be available for translation by the  
> different local chapters. We have to be able to maintain / update  
> these materials.
>
> OK, I talked for an hour on this, so I for sure miss things in this  
> email, but I think I got the main components.
>
> I have suggested that when we get started, they (Birgit and Ines)  
> join the mailing list to participate in some of the discussion.
>
> Once I have an initial proposal from them, I'll get this back to  
> the list.
> Ciao,
> Jeroen
>
>
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