[NTLUG:Discuss] Explaining Linux and Open Source software

[Paul M Foster]

Leroy Tennison wrote:
> I was developing a little marketing piece and thought the phrase "Your 
> source for free, capable, legal software" would be attractive.  /*
> 
> No one I talked to got it.*/
> 
> Has anyone had any success with a catch phrase promoting Linux and Open 
> Source software?  If so, what did you say?  I thought "free" would be 
> attractive but decided to throw in "capable" so that they wouldn't think 
> "junk" and "legal" so they wouldn't think pirated.  What I got was "What 
> does capable mean?", "Is this software for the legal market?", "What 
> kind of software is it?"
> 
> The only other idea I have right now is: "Emphasizing free software (ask)"
> 
> Any input would be most appreciated.

*Free* may or may not be a good thing. To some people, "free" is 
"crappy". In addition, "free" has several meanings.

The essence of Open Source software is that you have the source, and can 
modify and redistribute it. Unfortunately, no average user would ever do 
that or care about it. So it's not really a selling point.

What would be a selling point for *any* software for an average user? 
Keep that in mind first. Then, what about Open Source software would 
appeal to the average user? Some possible answers:

1) It's more secure than proprietary software.
2) It frees you from the yoke of megalopolies like Microsoft and Adobe.
3) It's higher quality, because there's no huge bureaucracy driving it. 
4) The people who make it do so out of love for the software, not money. 
  (Some car companies have used something like this before.)

Etc. Also consider that you're trying to sell a nebulous concept, rather 
than specific software for a specific job-- a lot harder task.

You might also want to find out what people *dislike* about proprietary 
software, and whether Open Source software doesn't have that/those problems.

But the key to any *effective* marketing effort it surveying. What you 
were doing with asking people what they think is the start of this. Come 
up with various ideas and then test them on your target audience.

Positioning is another approach to marketing. What thing or object 
reminds them of really good software? Or just something that's high 
quality, useful, cheap/free, or whatever button you're going for? Now 
position your product above or next to that object. The classic example 
of positioning is the Avis "We're number 2. We try harder" campaign. 
Avis was number 2 against Hertz. They had to be sly about it, because 
they couldn't use Hertz's logo to position against. Anyway...

Also remember that what you're trying to come up with here is just a 
"button", not the whole campaign. You need to attract the 
reader's/viewer's interest first with an aesthetic "wrapper" for your 
piece(s), then hit them with the button. Ad copy is short and punchy, 
not like press releases, which are wordy and boring.

I'd venture to say that of the thousands of ad campaigns launched every 
year, maybe one is truly effective. And I don't mean "it gets your name 
out in front of the public". That's the way of Madison Avenue, and it's 
their cheap excuse for the fact that they actually don't know how to 
market things. I mean, "drives people to buy *your* product". When was 
the last time you saw a commercial where 1) you actually *remember* who 
the sponsor was, and 2) it actually made you *want* to buy the product.

I'm not trying to discourage you. I'm just trying to give you the 
picture of what truly good marketing should be.

Here's one idea (kinda involved, and would require film/TV):

Shot of a young, clean-cut fellow in a tie at a very neat but antiseptic 
cubicle (nothing personal in sight), sitting in front of a computer 
running Windows. Looks bored. Voiceover: "This is Bill. Bill writes 
software. He works from 9 to 5. He gets paid. It's his job."

Shot of a young fellow with longer hair in a t-shirt, obviously in a 
lived-in room, enjoying himself in front of his computer (running 
Linux). Lots of color and personal touches in the room. Voice-over: 
"This is Matt. Matt writes software. He works whenever he has free time. 
He does it for free. It's not his job. He just loves doing it."

Split screen shot of both young men. Voice-over: "Who would you rather 
have writing your software? (Pause) Open Source. Software written by 
people who really care."

A little rough, but you get the idea. It pushes the quality button and 
the "software from love" button. Only works if those are the buttons 
you're trying to hit, and only if those buttons resonate with your 
target audience.

Have fun!

-- 
Paul M. Foster