[SFS] Website updates
Maxwell Spangler
sfs@thegeek.nu
Mon, 28 Oct 2013 18:37:51 -0600
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On Mon, 2013-10-28 at 17:32 -0600, David L. Willson wrote:
> I put up some new posts and pages on the website in the last week or
> so. Your comments, feedback, emails, or whatever, are welcome. If you
> want to contribute to the website directly, let me or Gary or Troy
> know and we'll get you set up.
Some constructive criticism for you:
You didn't include the website address in this email so I went searching
for "Software Freedom Society". I couldn't find it easily.
The first item is a meetup you're associated with, but in the notes, it
doesn't list the website for Software Freedom Society.
Let Google do your marketing for you by helping to connect people with
your efforts:
* Pick a simple, easy to search for name and use it consistently. From
your About page:
"SFS stands for Software Freedom School and Society."
* Be consistent with your name in order to turn it in to a brand and
make it predictable to find and recognize. Is it school or society or
both? This is a problem for searching. Perhaps work around it "Software
Freedom Society's Training School." In that context, they can always
search for "Software Freedom Society" and find the rest.
* Whenever you post something related to SFS, include the web address.
The more times it shows up other website locations pointing to the real
page, the more google will recognize it as important and up the search
rankings.
* Go off and find places to link to it. Stick it in your .signature,
put it in postings elsewhere, add it to directories and listings.
* Once you've got a brand out there, protect it and reinforce it. For
example, now that you've done one successful Linux Camp, you have the
ability to refer to "Software Freedom Society's SECOND ANNUAL Linux
Camp" which gives you credit for your past effort. People will make
more of an effort to explore someone or something they don't know if it
has a track record of success.
> Wonder how I feel about "free gratis" after doing several
> one-on-one's, a few none-on-one's and none-on-none's (That's where I
> ~would~ have run a class, but I didn't know there were enough
> interested people until I'd already cancelled... :-( ), and having
> been criticized most harshly by those with the least invested? There's
> a blog post for that now.
> * I really want your feedback here. I don't like the idea of going
> strictly for-pay. What about "requested contribution", instead? *
A lot of people come up with grand visions of spectacular restaurants or
other businesses, spend millions to build them and then watch them flop.
They overlook the fact that a successful organization is about matching
up the vision and intentions with the actual customers and what they
want, how they want it and how much they'll pay. The matching is part
of the development process.
I would suggest this book by Duke University professor Dan Ariely:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predictably_Irrational
Disclosure, I haven't read it yet, but I've heard it and he referred to
on a regular basis in regards to how people make decisions regarding
products and services.
For SFS, you might try continue to recognize people's lack of
appreciation for free cost events and try something like this:
* Promote a course as you normally would and get people interested
* Charge $100 for it and note that it's an incredibly low introductory
price[1] to help build the school
* Offer them $100 rebate if they compete the source and pass the test.
By doing so you've gotten money out of it if they don't make the
commitment, you've given them incentives to complete it, and if they are
successful then you give them the money back and you've successfully
changed someone for the better and run a free course.
By operating this way:
* You've gained $100 for ongoing efforts if your students don't make the
effort or lose interest. So you're still ahead
* You've given them incentive to follow the rules, stay on track and
make the effort. See "Loss Aversion" here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loss_aversion
* If they do what you want, you give them back some or all of the money
and you've successfully changed them for the better and operated a free
cost event. That seems to be two more of your goals.
[1] It helps if you have an MSRP or "List Price" of $500 next to it so
people think they're getting something of $500 value for $100.
> Now, I'm sad. I was all proud of having done something, but there's
> still SOOO much to do. :-/ Good problem to have, I guess. :-)
It's a very good problem to have and a good measure that you're actively
engaged in something and not sitting around doing nothing. I have this
problem with way too many things that I want to learn and not enough
time.
That list of accomplishments is important because its a source of
confidence and momentum for getting the rest of the list done. I have
to remind myself of this all the time because often the list includes
things that were big challenges but, now completed, don't seem so
significant. But they are: 100 units of hard work is still 100 units of
hard work completed.
I hope this helps!
ps. http://blog.eventbrite.com/why-people-dont-value-free-events/
--
Maxwell Spangler
========================================================================
Linux System Administration / Virtualization / Development / Computing
Services
Photography / Graphics Design / Writing
Fort Collins, Colorado
http://www.maxwellspangler.com
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On Mon, 2013-10-28 at 17:32 -0600, David L. Willson wrote:
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>
<FONT COLOR="#000000">I put up some new posts and pages on the website in the last week or so. Your comments, feedback, emails, or whatever, are welcome. If you want to contribute to the website directly, let me or Gary or Troy know and we'll get you set up.</FONT><BR>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BR>
Some constructive criticism for you:<BR>
<BR>
You didn't include the website address in this email so I went searching for "Software Freedom Society". I couldn't find it easily.<BR>
<BR>
The first item is a meetup you're associated with, but in the notes, it doesn't list the website for Software Freedom Society.<BR>
<BR>
Let Google do your marketing for you by helping to connect people with your efforts:<BR>
<BR>
* Pick a simple, easy to search for name and use it consistently. From your About page:<BR>
<BR>
"SFS stands for Software Freedom School and Society."<BR>
<BR>
* Be consistent with your name in order to turn it in to a brand and make it predictable to find and recognize. Is it school or society or both? This is a problem for searching. Perhaps work around it "Software Freedom Society's Training School." In that context, they can always search for "Software Freedom Society" and find the rest.<BR>
<BR>
* Whenever you post something related to SFS, include the web address. The more times it shows up other website locations pointing to the real page, the more google will recognize it as important and up the search rankings.<BR>
<BR>
* Go off and find places to link to it. Stick it in your .signature, put it in postings elsewhere, add it to directories and listings.<BR>
<BR>
* Once you've got a brand out there, protect it and reinforce it. For example, now that you've done one successful Linux Camp, you have the ability to refer to "Software Freedom Society's SECOND ANNUAL Linux Camp" which gives you credit for your past effort. People will make more of an effort to explore someone or something they don't know if it has a track record of success.<BR>
<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>
<FONT COLOR="#000000">Wonder how I feel about "free gratis" after doing several one-on-one's, a few none-on-one's and none-on-none's (That's where I ~would~ have run a class, but I didn't know there were enough interested people until I'd already cancelled... :-( ), and having been criticized most harshly by those with the least invested? There's a blog post for that now.</FONT><BR>
<FONT COLOR="#000000">* I really want your feedback here. I don't like the idea of going strictly for-pay. What about "requested contribution", instead? * </FONT><BR>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BR>
A lot of people come up with grand visions of spectacular restaurants or other businesses, spend millions to build them and then watch them flop. They overlook the fact that a successful organization is about matching up the vision and intentions with the actual customers and what they want, how they want it and how much they'll pay. The matching is part of the development process.<BR>
<BR>
I would suggest this book by Duke University professor Dan Ariely:<BR>
<BR>
<A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predictably_Irrational">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predictably_Irrational</A><BR>
<BR>
Disclosure, I haven't read it yet, but I've heard it and he referred to on a regular basis in regards to how people make decisions regarding products and services.<BR>
<BR>
For SFS, you might try continue to recognize people's lack of appreciation for free cost events and try something like this:<BR>
<BR>
* Promote a course as you normally would and get people interested<BR>
<BR>
* Charge $100 for it and note that it's an incredibly low introductory price[1] to help build the school<BR>
<BR>
* Offer them $100 rebate if they compete the source and pass the test.<BR>
<BR>
By doing so you've gotten money out of it if they don't make the commitment, you've given them incentives to complete it, and if they are successful then you give them the money back and you've successfully changed someone for the better and run a free course.<BR>
<BR>
By operating this way:<BR>
<BR>
* You've gained $100 for ongoing efforts if your students don't make the effort or lose interest. So you're still ahead<BR>
* You've given them incentive to follow the rules, stay on track and make the effort. See "Loss Aversion" here: <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loss_aversion">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loss_aversion</A><BR>
* If they do what you want, you give them back some or all of the money and you've successfully changed them for the better and operated a free cost event. That seems to be two more of your goals.<BR>
<BR>
[1] It helps if you have an MSRP or "List Price" of $500 next to it so people think they're getting something of $500 value for $100.<BR>
<BR>
<BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE>
<FONT COLOR="#000000">Now, I'm sad. I was all proud of having done something, but there's still SOOO much to do. :-/ Good problem to have, I guess. :-)</FONT><BR>
</BLOCKQUOTE>
<BR>
It's a very good problem to have and a good measure that you're actively engaged in something and not sitting around doing nothing. I have this problem with way too many things that I want to learn and not enough time.<BR>
<BR>
That list of accomplishments is important because its a source of confidence and momentum for getting the rest of the list done. I have to remind myself of this all the time because often the list includes things that were big challenges but, now completed, don't seem so significant. But they are: 100 units of hard work is still 100 units of hard work completed.<BR>
<BR>
I hope this helps!<BR>
<BR>
ps. http://blog.eventbrite.com/why-people-dont-value-free-events/<BR>
<BR>
<BR>
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-- <BR>
Maxwell Spangler<BR>
========================================================================<BR>
Linux System Administration / Virtualization / Development / Computing Services<BR>
Photography / Graphics Design / Writing<BR>
Fort Collins, Colorado<BR>
http://www.maxwellspangler.com
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