Hello,
I suggest to first focus on new potential users, then sponsors. Developers pick all of this it up anyway if they are good. I have put together a few messages and how they are connected. As main targets for Marketing I can identify:
* New users (direct marketing)
* New sponsors (good direct marketing as argument to get sponsors)
* New projects (Only a strong, independent OSGeo is attractive to cool[1] projects. We want cool projects to join)
Marketing should not have to care about existing projects, sponsors and users, but - and thats the trick - by doing a good marketing job, all existing projects, sponsors and users will also profit because it is good for OSGeo from an overall viewpoint.
To new users the message could be:
* Use OSGeo Software because it is proven and thats what we are here for
and good at
* Explain OSGeo's role in Incubation and why this is good for users. * OSGeo will achieve better Geospatial data availability - a crucial problem to many users
* OSGeo Education will help you to get better educated and find a job
* Connecting with the OSGeo community makes you learn, understand and profit for free[2]
To potential sponsors this message can be conveyed with a slant on monetary profit:
* You profit by sponsoring OSGeo because OSGeo *is* well known and accepted as an authority in the matter
* Your OSGeo support will raise your Karma with new potential customers
* Your service will be easier to find (still needs some "pimp my SPD",
working on this...)
To existing OSGeo projects this message can be conveyed with a slant on raising awareness in the community, spread the word and potentially get more support for development (monetary or capacities):
* More sponsors bring in more money (this is also "internal" marketing
of the OSGeo project sponsorship program)
* More visibility raises awareness, usage and liveliness
* Graduating is good, push it. (but be careful to not push it too hard
as it is one of the few assets that OSGeo's actually *can* market!)
To new projects the connected message is obvious:
* Apply for incubation (if you dare) as it will raise your profile
* Profit from collaboration in a community. If there already are
competing projects inside OSGeo then it will be better to also join instead of working "against it" from the outside. OSGeo is by default gentle to everybody.
Best regards, Arnulf.
[1] "Coolness" is probably not quite the right term - but then again - we are into marketing here. "Cool" in this context means
[2] Obviously OSGeo aims at exploiting individuals as any other non-profit also does. But this should happen as a result of people being happy and wanting to get exploited (see also Damian Conway's FOSS4G Keynote), not because OSGeo whines for volunteers as so many non-profits do. OSGeo is a cool shop and it is cool to volunteer for things.
