Re: Marketing/PR cont'd

[Ra'id Al-Jamali <rjamali at omantel dot net dot om>]

Yes, I'm pathetically late.


On Thu, 2003-09-18 at 03:09, Nadim Shaikli wrote:
> Ra'id, I had sent a mail in reply to your previous thread and I
> didn't see any concrete schedule and action list with deliverables
> and/or a recruiting effort, etc.

Alright, let's get to it...

>  a. Prioritize the todo list
>  b. Pencil out required tasks and possible tangible actions
>  c. Recruit/attain a list of people willing to help in ANY capacity
>     i. Classify people into interest levels and doers vs. none
>        (according to action list created in #b above)
>  c. Set some deadlines (keeping goals in mind)
>  d. Execute
>  e. Revisit entire process upon completion of any deadline

... in short, stick to a plan-do-review cycle. I can see parallels
between our thought patterns.

So on to the plan bit...

Here's a repeat of the summary todo points:

        a- Assemble list of contacts in universities
        b- Assemble list of contacts in LUGs
        c- Assemble list of contacts in Linux distros
        d- Assemble list of contacts in Linux Businesses
        e- Assemble list of contact for media
        f- Focus on creating the appropriate outreach tools
        g- Look into how to acquire market research studies, etc..

In short, these are:

1. Assemble contact lists (a-e)
2. Create / adapt various tools to act as marketing hooks (f)
3. Search for various market studies (g)

If I were to prioritise: highest to 2, then 1, then 3.

Why do I perceive number 2 highest?
Creating existing tools (such as Arabbix), or adapting existing ones
(such as translating the current website, adding user-oriented
FAQs/screenshots/etc..), this is the essence of public relations. The
content is already there, but the message to be fine-tuned to achieve
better leverage. All the tools need to be complementary and aligned such
that they provide a marketing "hook".

What kind of "hook"? We're not going fishing are we?
Seeing for many is believing, and when Arabbix is out (and properly
distributed!) it should hopefully be a powerful lure to Arabeyes. The
challenge then will be to capitalise on these 15 mins of fame. First
port of call will be the website - this is, after all, a 'net community!
We need therefore to ensure that there are sufficient hooks there for
each slice of our audience. For the intrepid newbie, sufficient help
docs, user FAQs, screenshots. For university staff, perhaps a message to
promote the user of Free & OSS , and a plea to help tackling Arabization
technical issues within their institutions. For government officials and
national standards organisations, perhaps a request to throw their
weight in various standards consortia. For commercial organisations,
share with them our plans and 'to-do's, establish Arabeyes credibility
in adding genuine value to Arabizing the *nix environment, and put forth
some sponsorship aims both materially or otherwise. You get the idea:
for each mouse, some cheese and a trap :)

Ok so what do we do next?
Each Arabeyes project should have an expanded page which is
user-oriented (read more newbie than developer). The template for each
page should be consistent: A number of fixed headings + subsequent
paragraphs and a screenshot (or more if necessary). The headings should
answer simple questions like: what does the project do / aim at? What
are the technical issues (layman's terms)? Where are we now? What is the
plan ahead? This sort of thing. Remember the aim here is to lure and
hook, so simple questions followed by simple answers, and a picture is
worth... you know!

Did I mention Arabising the content?
No, but does something that obvious need to be stated? Isn't this whole
project about arabeyes-ing the unix environment anyway? :)

OK... but I'm still talking and not doing, am I?
That's right. As mentioned, the tools of PR are top priority for me.
Currently this means two things: Arabbix and Website. I'm quite eager to
see Arabbix up and running, and even offered Anmar my help in that
regard. As for the website, what do those in charge feel about my
comments? I'm eager to work with you guys to get something going...

I've blabbered on a but and still didn't touch the issue of contact
lists and market research. I'll stop for now, get some sleep and pick up
once some I get some comments.

Regards,
Ra'id

On Thu, 2003-09-18 at 03:09, Nadim Shaikli wrote:
> Ra'id, I had sent a mail in reply to your previous thread and I
> didn't see any concrete schedule and action list with deliverables
> and/or a recruiting effort, etc.
> 
>   http://lists.arabeyes.org/archives/general/2003/September/msg00042.html
> 
> As noted earlier, what matters the MOST is involvement and true
> commitment.  I think the thread so far is rather complete (the
> most complete we've seen so far) and it really beckons someone
> to drive it and lead it with tangible "gotta do's" and fast
> "can see" results.
> 
> Ra'id, I really really hope you haven't given up on us and I,
> for one, would love to see some movement forward.  Beyond the
> assembly of the various lists mentioned in the thread, here
> is what I suggested (this is a cut-n-paste in order to either
> augment this list and/or enact it - feel free to comment),
> 
>  a. Prioritize the todo list
>  b. Pencil out required tasks and possible tangible actions
>  c. Recruit/attain a list of people willing to help in ANY capacity
>     i. Classify people into interest levels and doers vs. none
>        (according to action list created in #b above)
>  c. Set some deadlines (keeping goals in mind)
>  d. Execute
>  e. Revisit entire process upon completion of any deadline
> 
> As noted earlier too, there have been lots of people that have
> talked about this endlessly and are yet to do anything - let's
> snap out of that circle of inaction and leap forward to grab
> those results.  No one is gonna do it for us...
> 
> Salam and I look forward to your (and others') reply.
> 
>  - Nadim
> 
> 
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