with 1.0 final coming soon (?): launch campaign!

In this thread I want to start a discussion about making a launch campaign for the impressCMS 1.i final version.

This is the moment to launch the system into the web-o-sphere. If you miss out on this moment, you've really lost a huge opportunity. So, here's some ideas on how to make the launch of iCMS 1.0 final known to the general public:

- press release. Write a press release about the 1.0 version, the iCMS philosophy, the project goals and the advantages of the system. Make sure someone with experience in writing press releases reads and approves it before you send it. Then send this to the major open source news publishers, web cms news publishers, software news publishers, etc. Also appoint a spokesperson, someone the press can contact if they have more questions.
--> tasks: [1] write press release, [2] review press release, [3] make list of press contacts

- press kit. Create a press kit with a factsheet with more detailed information, images (logo's screenshots, diagrams etc.), contact information for questions and a FAQ list. Also, a press-account on a demo site with sample content and a special review-release with pre-installed modules and sample content will help a lot, as it makes reviewing the system that much easier.
--> tasks: [1] coordinate press kit, [2] write fact sheet and FAQ list, [3] create demo for review with sample content, and make it a special release.

- banners. Create a set of banners, buttons and other 'support us' kind of things. Do a Firefox-like campaign: spread iCMS, and have as many people as possible display these banners to show their support. It is important to make the banners about the iCMS *project*, and not just the system, because I never support a system.

- income. Generate income to use for marketing. You can start by asking for donations. My bet would be to create a new screen in the admin section (perhaps linked to the 'this is the first time you are entering the admin section' page), welcoming the webmaster to his newly installed iCMS site, allowing him to sign up for the community site then and there (on that page, if possible), and to click to make a donation to the project. This makes it easy to join the project. Also, make both these features (simple signon for community.icms and donate to icms) available in the admin section too.
You can also generate income by having a contest: create artwork for a cafépress shop, and use the merchandising you create with that to support the project and generate some funds. Don't expect a lot of money from that tho. But it's a great source of prizes for future contests!

- celebrate the launch. The 1.0 is perhaps the biggest milestone of the project, and it should be celebrated. Special deals are a good way to celebrate and also make it known that you are there. Perhaps a special iCMS hosting deal with pre-installed iCMS? Contact kayla@surpasshosting.com perhaps. Or try Fantastico and VMWare to have iCMS added to these packages for easy install and testing. Make deals (VMWare is easy, you can do that yourself), and celebrate them!

- contests. Organise contests and reward those who participate. Get prizes to be donated (this is easier then I thought!) for some good contests like themes, reviews, modules, artwork, etc.

- part of iCMS. Make marketing not just something in the project, but part of the system as well. Make it easy for iCMS users to join the community, to ask questions, to get to documentation, to access the forums, to make a donation, right from their control panel. Integrate the icms.org sites with the system. I've seen this with Wordpress (there's a new version available, click here to download!, also for modules!!) and ExpressionEngine (easy access to docs and forum and my account on their site!), and it help to make me a loyal customer of their products.
My advice would be to create a 'iCMS' module that is installed by default where the webmaster can sign up for the icms community site or fill in his/her existing account infos, quickly access his/her account infos, docs, faq, forums, etc., and see the status of requests, posts PM's etc. I realize this is more work, but IMHO it is vitally important when building the community and userbase, and making them loyal to the system! And happy and loyal users is the best marketing you can get! You see this with xoops.org, they do not have a large happy and loyal userbase...
If this module is too big to get done now, start small by adding links to the sites, sign up page, but add the New version available check for the core now! This is done easily (it only checks the value of a specific file here on icms.org), and returns a text and link if it is a lower value then the one on this site. It is simple, and you can expand on it later. But it will help get your users to stay your users!

Take these advices to heart, and please do not rush into releasing 1.0 final just because it is ready. Now is the time to invest, and to create the solid foundation on which you are building the project, usrebase and next developments.

Herko

Some very valid comments here - and we have some time before final .... so worth putting this together.

This is very important and herko brings a very interesting plan. We need people to make this happen.

So, devoted ICMS member, please come forward

Nice words Herko

I think we probably all agree with Herko's suggestions, but let's now transform the words into actions.

Anyone who would like to take this opportunity to create a great success with the 1.0 final, please step forward and manifest yourself. We need help to get this organized!

Attached is a draft press release. More for brainstorming and layout than content. I took liberty with quotes and whatnot but really want others to help add some excitement to this doc and please correct any of my misunderstandings.

It is zipped with both an .odt for editing in Open Office and .pdf for those that haven't yet switched from MS Office.

Seth

Attach file:

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impress.zip Size: 0.00 KB; Hits: 24

Thank you Seth - that's a very good start

You're very welcome.

I can start on the press kit as well, if desired? I am not sure I want to touch the money part but contests and arranging some special deals I could attempt. LMK.

Seth

I have securely posted the Press release on Google docs. Please PM me if you would like to view and help create the first ImpressCMS press release. I do not have enough info to create the necessary excitement myself!

Seth

http://www.mrtheme.com/icms/468x60.jpg
http://www.mrtheme.com/icms/468x60-2.jpg

I would have embedded them, but images do not resize to full view when clicked..

Very odd - they only display as a single pixel?

nm, i must be tired.

I have one of my monitors set to 1024 and the other set to 1280.

the popup opened on the 1280, and it just appeared smaller.

sigh, sometimes i don't know about me....

Looks fine to me.

It could be this machine - i'll try again when I get home

looks fine to me too ...

Is it possible that the specialist among us make a nice Official logo pack? Which we can use at the press releases but also in applications, websites etc?
I think they are also important for a Presskit

Mr Theme's images are working fine for me now

Can we just make a page called "Press" on WWW that then has the entire press kit including all of the images, contacts BIO's etc..?

Similiar to this - http://www.oracle.com/corporate/pressroom/index.html

Yes, I think this is a good plan... it would certainly fit on www.

Hi guys,

I have read the press release and it is awesome.

However, a few comments :

1- I, personaly, am not the Lead Core Developer. I am only a developer in this project, like many other. I don't consider ImpressCMS having a lead core dev. We are a real team and we have accomplish great things so far this way, without having to point someone as being "the guy in charge". ImpressCMS is no one-man-show. And will never be.

2- We need to add "quotes" from other people as well. Currently, I seem to be the only one so please, could you guys post a few quotes so we have people form different backgrounds saying things

3- I would like to propose Seth as the official spokesperson for ImpressCMS. If he and you all agree, I'm sure this would be great for the project. Perhaps someone else could replace him later so we are sharing the tasks and responsibilities amond different people.

4- We need to establish a mailing list for the marketing people to get inform of what we are doing.

5- The press release is one thing, but looking at herko's suggestion, there are other things we need to do. Seth, can you coodinate that we do all of these?

Thanks !