[NTLUG:Discuss] A Fair Name: Marketing perspective

[John Fields]

Marketing Rule of Thumb: when you decide you can't rely on the name of the thing (branding), you have to tell a story (in this case,
with the name.).

So instead of naming the thing what it is.. ie: a faire, maybe we should name it what the attendees would want to get from it?
Downside is we need to narrow the focus, since we can't be all things to all people.

If so we need to pick a story, I suggest choosing from:
A) a thing (Linux, Software, computers)
B) a benefit (Free 'things', learning, Freedom from viruses-malware-spyware-trojans...)

Choice - rock on.
Free is always a good word, maybe associated with the suppressed economy for oomph?
I think it has already been decided we don't need to have "Linux" in the name.

A tag line like:
"Get more from your computers for free!"
"Get more from your computers! No strings attached!"
"Get more from your computers! A local Dallas event"

Sets expectations that they will walk away with something valuable if they bother to attend.

"How Free Software can set you Free"
"How Open Software can set you Free, for Free"
More narrowly defines it, but is that  the story we want to tell?

"Dallas Largest Computer Fair" <------ Go all Donald Trump on them. Why not?
"Dallas Largest Computer Fair, now with more Software Choice!"
"Dallas Largest Computer Fair, now with more Free Software!"
"Dallas Choice in Computers Fair"

What STORY are we trying to tell? (ie: top 3 things)
That will make naming the darn thing much easier.
John Fields

Go team Zaphod!

On 04/30/2011 04:00 PM, discuss-request at ntlug.org wrote:
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> Ok.... yall are not listening... this is a joint fair.. there will be windows... there will be expensive closed source sw potentially. Need to name implying choice and we need to be ambassadors for freedom during the event.