A a good introductory guide is found on Guide to Managing Media and Public Relations in Linux Community by Sheldon Rose, LPI (however I would have used "Gnu/Linux Community", but that is another story).
Planning
What do we want to accomplish?
- What are our objectives?
- How will we measure our success in accomplishing the objectives?
- We should have a list of goals so we maintain direction in our efforts
Who needs to know about Moin?
- Who do we need to tell what we are doing?
- Who do we need to tell what Moin can do?
Having partners is helpful, most of the times because they are another source or channel.
- How about "Wikis in Education" or "Wikis as Learning Tools"? We can build a few themes for the learning community and let them use it.
- Important audiences are usually:
- News Media (print, radio, television, internet business news, information technology news, vertical media or people with similar interests, human resources, colleges, universities, and organizations dealing with information management solutions).
- IT Professionals and Students.
- Influencers
- Other wikis and wikis users
- Training providers.
- Bloggers
- Schools
What do we really want to say?
Since I insisted on this a couple of times in #moin, it feels good I can quote the guide:
...it is critically important to maintain message consistency when delivering your organization's messages, vision, mission, and core values to your target audiences. Consistency creates a stronger impression and helps people remember your core messages.
You may get/contribute with more info visiting ../MoinMission and /MoinVision.
What kind of infomation is relevant and newsworthy?
- Industry/Area, Technology developments and human interest. To help understand this idea, I quote:
...Whenever there are changes or new developments in the industry, this clearly presents an opportunity for positive exposure and media coverage in appropriate publications. For instance, how and why the change is being undertaken may become a story itself.
- Numerical data, statistics, and trends.
- Industry/Area recognition or awards.
- Industry/Area, Technology developments and human interest. To help understand this idea, I quote:
Maximazing Media coverage
- Have a Strategy.
We can work on one after ../MoinSwot, ../MoinMission and ../MoinVision are ready.
- Have a good story.
- Know your audience.
- Invest in relationships.
- Think before you speak.
- Monitor our media coverage.
- Look for a unique angle.
- Know your story inside and out.
- Be persistent.
- Follow up.
- Be creative.
- Find Information.
- Study and adopt good writing skills.
Eliminate jargon and techno-speak
- I know it can be difficult for you guys, but we have to try.
- Expect results.
JotSpots aggressive marketing
Jotspot is advertising with "Moin Moin" in Google Adwords:
Should or can we interfere? -- ThiloPfennig 2006-10-01 11:47:13 Should we write to Google?
Discussion
I don't think that wikis need advertising. They are a very specific kind of software usable only for certain people. Obviously, not everyone is compatible with the idea of wiki, and in many areas CMSes are a much better choice. In fact, it seems that in any commercial area a CMS would be a better choice.
It's a question of what you want. I am somebody who is selling wikis as a product. And i know I have to promote them. I think there is no such product that does not need advertising. -- ThiloPfennig 2006-01-30 17:27:22