[Marketing] Cleaning up the Marketing Exhibition Pack

[Alex Mandel]

On 04/23/2012 02:04 PM, Cameron Shorter wrote:
> On 24/04/2012 12:35 AM, Alex Mandel wrote:
>> On 04/23/2012 05:36 AM, Cameron Shorter wrote:
>>> So that we can quickly respond to requests for funds for a Marketing
>>> Exhibition Pack, I've been looking over our existing page here:
>>> http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Exhibition_Pack
>>> This has 2 tables in it, and descriptions of different items, all of
>>> which could be simplified into one easier to maintain and understand
>>> table.
>>>
>>> Also, I think that we can probably revise what is required for this pack
>>> now that we have a solid OSGeo-Live DVD we can reference.
>>>
>>> In particular:
>>> * We don't need a book of project descriptions, as we can point people
>>> at OSGeo-Live running on a laptop.
>>> * If we don't have all the paper on the stand, then we don't need a
>>> literature stand.
>>> * I'm not convinced a $200 OSGeo branded table skirt looks any better
>>> than a $20 table cloth that most people would have at home and could
>>> bring with them.
>>>
>>> So I've updated what I think the Marketing Pack should include in a
>>> spreadsheet here:
>>> https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Al9zh8DjmU_RcHU5MDE0Z3lienJlWUtkVjgtV1FfU0E#gid=0
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> And if I don't hear any objections in the next couple of days, I plan to
>>> remove most of the content from the Exhibition_Pack wiki and just point
>>> the the google doc spreadsheet.
>>>
>>
>> I think the definitive copy should remain on the wiki as the document
>> does not change often and linking pictures in of items is quite useful.
>
> I'm open to having words in the wiki, but hope to reduce the
> duplication, as duplication makes it harder to maintain, and harder to
> read.
>
>> The literature stand has mostly been used in the past to keep the OSGeo
>> 1 page info sheet and FOSS4g postcards, hence the need only for 1. It's
>> nice for getting some material off the table and noticeable from a
>> distance.
> Ok, I've put this back.
>>
>> I agree a black table cloth can be easily substituted, and that's partly
>> why we experimented with the table runner in CA which can be much
>> cheaper.
> I'm not familiar with a table runner. Do you have any links and a cost?
>
>> Depending on the location a pop-up is not always feasible and
>> so something on the table itself helps.
>>
>> As for paper materials, I'm hoping we can get the pdf output of the
>> overviews from OSGeo-Live formatted nicely so that can be used as a
>> spiral bound (or binder) on the table. Electricity at all conferences is
>> not always feasible either, so having a $5 low tech copy on hand is good
>> (1-2 quantity is sufficient).
>
> I agree that this will be nice, but it will be a lot of work by someone
> to print off and bind, and it also will get out dated every six months.
> So I would add it to an optional section.
>
>>
>> So I guess I'd say we can shift some of these items to the optional
>> section.
>>
>> I'll see if I can dig up some pictures to show what our table (CA
>> Chapter) has looked like with the whole setup. You can probably find
>> them on the wiki already.
> Ok, pictures would be good.
>
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Alex

Here's what the California Chapter has been using
http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/California/Exhibition_Pack

You'll notice our literature stand is table-top, acrylic and cheap. We 
also have a similar stand for a single document that we change to have 
things like lists of Open Source talks at the event, or an Ad for the 
Live disc. Here's our exhibition pack in live use
http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/File:OSCON2009_boothstaff.JPG

(Books on the table are my personal copies of GRASS and R Spatial Analysis)

There is a need for something non-electronic on the table. I've done 
outdoor, in the sun and everything in between; power and internet are 
not reliable and so even laptops only work for so long. Also many people 
are hesitant to approach a computer or use the mouse even if you have it 
facing them with a sign saying, try me!

To address this we've found business cards with the website and the 
projects listed is really easy for people to take. If we can get a clean 
pdf output of the OSGeo Live overviews I think a 3 ring binder on the 
table with those in it will be very useful, updatable and not very 
expensive to maintain.

I can see why one might comment that 
http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/Exhibition_Pack has redundancy - 2 tables. We 
can put that all in one table if we want but might make the table too 
wide to fit on most screens. Google docs is nice but we really don't 
update the page that much, it is supposed to be somewhat official and 
the wiki page is much easier to recall from memory. I could see keeping 
the cost matrix on google docs linked off the current wiki page with the 
existing descriptions.

Thanks,
Alex