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Hi Raoul [spelt correctly this time :-)],
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Seeing as you opened this blog up to the entire community...
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I have lots of useful ideas but must admit I'm not yet familiar with all the technical terms you're using eg. FLOSS/L-UG.
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I'm not technically challenged though and work in another dept (Support) near to Derek (Hi Derek!) hence word-of-mouth was my starting point some (long) time back.
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I am keen to help where you need it so what are your greatest needs at the mo: Support, documentation, distribution, etc...?
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Marketing suggestions:-
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A1. Run reliable anti-virus, anti-spam and spybot software (eg. www.spybot.info) before inviting the masses. Have a startup manual available as a separate download. Have backup mirrors available from the start. Investigate the spybot site for how they grew and leveraged their Freeware software - ask Patrick M Kolla (Spybot author in Germany and very difficult to reach) for advice.
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A2. Concentrate the efforts now leading up to holidays and Christmas instead of closing down as it seems logical that more churches would be looking at sourcing beamers now before Christmas, and planning budgets for the new year (including unnecessary pay software with various "lock-in" marketing ideas).
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- Post mentions and links to www.openlp.org from various relevant places within wikipedia.com;
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- Describe www.openlp.org as FREEWARE beamer software (for churches) on freeware sites.
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- Drop a few complete leaflets (screenshot included) and a cd under the door of various church denominations in your area specifically asking them to make mention of it in their newletters world-wide and let the churches do what they do so well - word-of-mouth distribution. Include typical prices of beamer, screen, PC, etc and where to get them. Include a market research questionaire during this door-to-door distribution for improved market uptake. Train the trainer concept can be used here too and save you lots of support issues in the medium term.
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- If you have a secular version available it would be useful for Kareoki [sp?], displays, demos, specific presentations, etc and you would have 100-fold more visits to your site(s) and umpteen more mentions and links from various sources. You'd also have to buffer your sites and software for various types of intrusions. Again, similar to what www.spybot.info have had to contend with over the years.
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Hope this helps grow your forum,
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Basil
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