Date: Fri, 13 Sep 2002 12:48:52 -0400 From: Michael Lucas <mwlucas@blackhelicopters.org> To: advocacy@FreeBSD.org Cc: GB <gbrooks@BLUE-MOUSE.COM> Subject: A real, live, PR person... Message-ID: <20020913124852.A951@blackhelicopters.org>
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...who, like, gets *paid* to do public relations! I'd like to introduce Greg Brooks. Greg has a web page at http://www.janemobley.com/gbroo.html. He is one of the people who contacted me privately, and has offered to give us a hand with public relations. I'm forwarding this chunk with his kind permission, with some minor editing to trim out personal and/or irrelevacies that appear when you swap email with someone. I'll comment separately in another message. My personal opinion is: here we have someone who can guide us through a lot of the PR pitfalls we would encounter, and get us a jump ahead. Let's not waste him. ==ml On Fri, Sep 13, 2002 at 10:11:10AM -0500, GB wrote: > > Now, having said that, I'm happy to contribute time/expertise/whatever > to putting together a strategic plan and then executing some or all of > that plan. As I said: the key is going to be figuring out WHAT we want > to say and staying on message. Most PR failures aren't because of poor > targeting; they're because people wander off message. > > Some basic things we can do, at a minimum: > > * Create and maintain a database of tech editors/writers, feeding them > not just story ideas, but perhaps a 6x/yearly BSD update sheet that > includes stats, factoids, contacts for specific BSD-migration success > stories, etc. > > * See if we can talk the folks at freebsd.org into letting us maintain a > media area on the site. > > * Develop a "BSD champion's kit" that gives less-than-eloquent techies > everything they need to speak the good word and/or write the good > company memo regarding the OS. ("Dude, this rules!" does not generally > impress CTOs) > > * Begin developing a master list of major BSD vendors/consultants who > can be used as local contact/quotable sources in regional computing > publications. > > One of the main things we'll have to do is resist the urge to say "hey, > what's all this fuss about Linux when we were here first/we do it > better/we're cooler/etc." In fact, one approach (but by no means the > only approach) would be to reach both midrange and experienced Linux > users with a simple message: We're the next logical step in stability, > flexibility and power. > > Anyway, this is becoming a ramble, so I'll cut it short. What do you > think? > > G. > > -----Original Message----- > From: Michael Lucas [mailto:mwlucas@blackhelicopters.org] > Sent: Thursday, September 12, 2002 11:43 AM > To: GB > Subject: Re: Personal to Michael re: FreeBSD PR > > Greg, > > This sounds awesome. > > I think we should definitely take this public on advocacy@. We're all > volunteers, and I think the presence of a PR volunteer who knows what > they're doing could really help galvanize the Project's PR efforts. > It seems that strategic marketing is something we could really use, > and if you know how to do it and are willing to pitch in, we'd welcome > you with open arms. :-) > > ==ml > > On Thu, Sep 12, 2002 at 11:07:57AM -0500, GB wrote: > > Michael, ... > > The nice thing about real PR is that it's not capital intensive -- > heck, > > there are more efficient ways to hit the press than PR Newswire or > > Business Wire, and they're free. What we should first do is decide > WHAT > > we want to communicate, then craft the channels and tools around that. > > > > Below is a message I wrote to Jason Hubbard back when he was the PR > > liaison. Off base in some ways, but it reflects my thoughts at the > time: > > > > > > > > Mr. Hubbard, > > > > My name is Greg Brooks, and I'm new to (one might say "a convert to") > > FreeBSD. After trying a variety of dissatisfying Linux distributions, > I > > was drawn to the elegance of FreeBSD's ports structure and (frankly) > the > > no-nonsense approach the OS takes to most non-trivial tasks. > > > > Why am I writing? Because I want to see this terrific project continue > > to grow and succeed. And while it will be a long time (OK, likely > > never!) before I'm submitting bug fixes, one thing I *can* help with > is > > the area you're responsible for: public relations and corporate > liaison. > > > > > > My background is in marketing, public relations and design -- about 15 > > years of experience launching products and services from dotcoms to > > automated toll roads. I'm currently a vice president at one of Kansas > > City's larger PR firms; I also own a graphic design company, Blue > Mouse > > Design. I point this out not because I'm gloating (I remind myself > that, > > as in programming, there is always someone in communications with more > > experience, no matter how far up the ladder you climb), but to make > the > > point that my offer consists of more than help from a good-natured > > hobbyist with a copy of the Gimp. > > > > How can I help? Well, you can likely outline that better than me, but > > two major areas come to mind: > > > > * Public relations and strategic marketing -- With the changes in > > FreeBSD's ownership, it's more important than ever to project the > > strengths of this OS and the vibrancy of its support community. Does > > FreeBSD have a formal plan in place to help grow the user base and/or > > promote the strengths of the product? Whether the answer is yes or no, > > perhaps I could be of assistance. > > > > * Graphic design -- I can't recall where I saw them, but I seem to > > recall ads for FreeBSD in one or more of the Linux magazines. If you > > paid to have those designed/written, consider this an offer for free, > > ongoing assistance in that area. If you talk with Chris Coleman at > > Daemon News, you can pass this note on to him as well... I spend a big > > chunk of my time professional consulting time helping nonprofits and > > trade associations figure out how to do better publications at lower > > cost. > > > > Anyway, this turned into a rather long introduction -- if you're still > > reading at this point, thanks. And if you'd like a willing volunteer > in > > this area, let me know how I (or my company) can help. > > > > Warm Regards, > > Greg Brooks > > Principal > > Blue Mouse Design -- Michael Lucas mwlucas@FreeBSD.org, mwlucas@BlackHelicopters.org http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/q/Big_Scary_Daemons Absolute BSD: http://www.AbsoluteBSD.com/ To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-advocacy" in the body of the message
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