[Marketing] OSGeo Marketing Strategy part 2

Tue Oct 9 16:38:41 EDT 2007

Thanks Dave for the excellent additions!

Yes, service companies and software companies need to recognize  
themselves in the message and we may indeed have to look at tailored  
messages in some circumstances, or at least keep them in mind when  
evaluating what we come up with in a first round.

Brings to my mind that I also mentioned governments, EU, etc.. as  
potential sponsors that may be sensitive to the way we formulate the  
message and to the OSGeo mission.

Ciao,
Jeroen

On Oct 9, 2007, at 10:11 PM, Dave McIlhagga wrote:

> 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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