|
Hi Leslie, Greg,
Great work on this document. It looks terrific to me. Two
thoughts:
1- How about if we use this opportunity to brag about our advisory
board coming together? Can that be part of the 1.4 press release
or does it need to be a separate release?
2- Spokespersons. We've obviously got tons of ready-to-go spokespeople
in N Carolina, Boston, California. Who do we have in NY? Do
we need a program for training spokespersons? Off the bat I
would think that all board members should be able/available to talk to
the press in their respective areas and it'd be great if we could also
have a batch of additional spokespersons ready elsewhere. I guess
my specific question is: who's available to cover NY interviews? Do
we have a strong spokesperson in the city or is RH or Ximian willing
to sponsor an employee/employees to fly out to NY for GNOME interviews?
I don't think we should set aside Gnome Fdn funds to fly people to press
briefings.
Bart
Greg Corrin wrote:
MEMO
To:
GNOME Foundation Board
GNOME
1.4 Release Team
From:Leslie
Proctor and Greg Corrin
Re:
1.4 Release Strategy
Date:
February 9, 2001
Following is a general overview
of our media strategy for the GNOME 1.4 release:
Overview
1.4 represents a maturing of
GNOME into a world-class environment and programming platform. Public relations
around the release should emphasize not only the new features that will
be included in it, but also the stability of GNOME 1.4 and its power and
versatility as a programming platform. We will also emphasize the organization
and structure of the GNOME Foundation as it drives the progress of GNOME.
The 1.4 release will act as a proof point for the power and versatility
of GNOME, but will also prove the maturation of GNOME as a category.
We recommend the following steps:
Draft a press release for GNOME
1.4 by the second week in March, which will then go through a review process.
Also draft a GNOME 1.4 Fact Sheet and Technical Spec Sheet.
Prepare a presentation on GNOME
1.4 to be used during press briefings/meetings. Timeline for completion
of the presentation should be the first week in March.
Compile a comprehensive list
of targeted media and analysts. Pre-brief these media, beginning three
days before the release of 1.4, under NDA and offer interviews with GNOME
Foundation spokespeople.
Go on a tour to top-tier media
and analysts in the Bay Area, New York and Boston, the week before the
release of 1.4. Since we have GNOME Foundation representatives/ spokespeople
on both coasts, we can accomplish this with little cost. As part of the
tour, visit key analyst firms, like Jupiter, that have not covered GNOME
or Linux before (or who are doing minimal coverage). These firms typically
begin tracking a technology once it becomes more mainstream. Tailor the
pitch to them, emphasizing the maturation of GNOME and the marketplace
in general. Since firms like Jupiter are very influential, it's important
to get GNOME on their radar.
To garner continuing coverage
of GNOME 1.4, we recommend the following strategies:
Begin a reviews program for
GNOME 1.4. Contact media who conduct reviews for publications, radio or
television and invite them to review GNOME1.4. Follow up with them to ensure
coverage.
Formulate targeted pitches
to appropriate editors/writers at top-tier publications. This involves
researching the publication and the writer and tailoring a pitch to them,
with follow-up phone calls.
Find interesting user stories
and use them to continue public relations efforts for GNOME 1.4. The stories
should involve how GNOME has impacted a business, school or other organization,
as well as individual users.
Cultivate GNOME champions,
industry/thought leaders who we can use in our ongoing media relations.
# # #
|
