[Linux-aus] Wrong medium, wrong market

[Brent Wallis]

Hi,

On 12/12/05, Andrew Donnellan <ajdlinux at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On 12/12/05, Paul Coldrey <paul at ensigma.com.au> wrote:
> > I think this is the answer. Every month or two some journalist who has
> > heard of Open Source decides to write an article in a major paper or
> > magazine. A couple of years ago these articles tended to be completely
> > uninformed shite. Nowadays they seem to be becoming ever-so-slightly
> > more informed version of shite. If we could find a way to get a few more
> > of the salient advantages of Linux / Open Source into these articles
> > (hopefully at the expense of some reworded M$ marketing drivel) then I
> > think it would reach a much larger audience and be far more compelling
> > that late night TV advertising. Plus it would be free which fits in with
> > the LA marketing budget :-)
>
> You really can't trust journalists to do this. These articles will say
> some of the linux advantages (free ads for us) then say some of
> Windows' benefits (what we don't really want).
>
> ______________________________________________


Must disagree here.

A properly managed  PR campaign will negate the risk of a journo doing what
you don't want them to do......
(....and before anyone flames on that, note the use of the word MANAGE. It
does not equal MANIPULATE.)

In any event, I think the ctte formed to handle the press will know what to
do here....am looking forward to their reports in the coming months.

After absorbing the comments on LA income of the last couple of weeks, I
would like to throw up an alternative income idea.......but first, a story:

- Placing my Business Managers Hat on...and throwing away the propeller cap
:-)

- I am looking out at my 50 user enviroment and am wondering whether or not
this Linux and Open Source nonsense could help me in the years ahead....and
I wonder if there is anything that I could use NOW!.... I need ideas and I
need strategy advice....even though I can't articulate those exact
questions....

- I know that I need to find someone that really knows this stuff. Someone I
can trust to come up with a valuable and worthwile business solution,
someone who is not a "fly by nighter"...where shall I look first?

- Fire up Firefox (am glad I took that one on board at the start of 2005, I
haven't had to worry about all those damn IE bugs...)

- Google search...I am in Australia so the first one I will try will be 2
words..."Linux" "Australia"

- Lo and behold, LAs website turns up number 1....(and has done for some
years).

- I read the front page...looks like these guys know what they are
about.(*grin*)

-...Hmm can't seem to find if they know of any great Linux and FOSS
practitioners....but after a couple of clicks, I find that the link "Linux
in Australia" gets me to a page that has another link for Linux Vendors.

- I click on that and notice that there are many..... but which is best?

I can gaurantee you that that happens EVERY day and it is accelerating. I
have been involved with many businesses since 2000 that have many times
gained leads directly from the LA site vendor listing.

The points I want to make here are:

Business is SCREAMING for professional support of FOSS and Linux.

By virtue of it's name, Linux Australia holds a unique position in the
search ranks that would be envied by all and sundry.

Why not leverage this by charging for advertisng Linux Services on the LA
site....instead of giving them away?

Yes, LA is not for profit, but my feeling is that if businesses are gaining
leads from the LA website then they should assist LA to keep the thing
going...and....to improve it.

If it is improved the right way, businesses will gain more leads...LA more
income....businesses more leads....LA more income.....The (nauseous)
"marketing" state of  "win-win" may well be possible to achieve here....

Whilst orgs like OSIA have been formed to start fulfilling this role, they
simply don't have the entry point in search engines like LA does....there
would be opportunities for referrals though!

It's all in the name...

Why not implement a paid for advertising solution for businesses that want
to tout their FOSS and Linux wares? Keep the old table, but start another
page that is linked DIRECTLY to the front page, and provide more space for
businesses to do a better job with their advertising.

In short, leverage the name and the ranking in Google that LA has, in order
to provide a PAID for Advertising service to those businesses that want to
participate. The ranking alone would make it a much sought after service.