Hi Ian,
>There has been some discussion about frustration about getting things >done in marketing OpenOffice.org (OOo). The purpose of this email is to >bounce an idea about a marketing structure that may help recognise some >people and may allow things to happen more quickly. > >I suggest a structure where there are marketing facilitators for each >country. (I prefer the term facilitator to lead. OOoAuthors ROTFL as >they have heard this before.) Guidelines be developed about what the >country facilitators can do independently, what would be advisable to >let the rest of the group know, and that which might be a good idea to >discuss before proceeding. Aren't the MarCons sort of in that role now? In another context, John McC made a similar point about the MarCons: "If someone wants to act as a focus for marketing activity in a specific market (which could be a geography, or an industry, or...) then that's what MarCons (Marketing Contacts) do, Organising a conference is a good example." That is, the MarCons are effectively field agents. I think having clearer guidelines is a good idea. I also think that we need, as John suggests, to build up the MarCon group. We also, you know, don't have many organized regional user groups--perhaps now? As to the MarCons: <http://marketing.openoffice.org/contacts.html> A lot of people forget about the MarCons and the amazing amount of work they already do. My thanks to all of you. (And if you want send in brief bios and photos, I'd love to work with Jacqueline and John to post them.) > >The structure for each country could be entirely different. But a >suggested structure might be, marketing facilitators for primary, >secondary and tertiary education, business liaison, media liaison, >conference facilitator. Great idea, provided that communication is ensured (both ways). Effectively, something like this occurs, anyway, though it is not scripted (few things are here). The only other thing, from my perspective, would be the follow.up issue. It's easy to make contact, much harder to follow up. > >To me it would be good if we had a more flexible web content management >system (CMS) than it appears to me that we currently do. One that >allowed any of these facilitators to try out ideas such as wikis, >discussion forums, IRC applets,... I am slightly familiar with Plone, >Moodle and PhpNuke which allow this kind of web content management. I >know that there are a lot more CMSs out there and someone else might >have a better suggestion. Maybe the facilitators should be able to >choose their own CMS. At the moment--and I stress at the moment--that's not really feasible. More on this when I know more. I, along with many, have long wanted a CMS facility. But what do you imagine the CMS to do? > >The web site for each country could have a page listing the facilitator >positions and who has that responsibility, or that a facilitator is >needed. Agreed. Charles and I had thought about regional efforts; I think again the MarCons could be developed further in that fashion. The key point, again, is that there has to be communication--otherwise, there is confusion. But that's obvious. > >Having a title as a facilitator gives recognition and responsibility. I >suggest the facilitator roles be annual and the people be elected. I agree; is it better you think than "MarCon" ? > >These suggestion are not meant as an indictment of the existing >marketing people - but as an idea that might be useful. I have found >Jacqueline's pointing me in the right direction and calming heated email >exchanges to be extremely useful - my thanks to Jacqueline. Indeed, your post is a paragon. :-) Thanks. And my deepest thanks to Jacqueline as well. I am not sure the people on this list are aware of all that Jacqueline does for this project. She is a volunteer, like you, and and like you, too, is committed to making OOo a friendly place as well as a successful project. > >Thanks, Ian Laurenson > Best Louis --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
