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All internal postings completed -- PieterHartsook - 01 Apr 2003

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Wed. 3/26 - Mitch agreed that we should not do a Mellon grant press release at all, but we need to quickly begin to integrate the salient message points into our existing communications infrastructure, i.e. website, maillists, wiki, blog. I will write up my notes from my discussion with Mitch on these points for review later today or tomorrow.-- PieterHartsook - 26 Mar 2003

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Before we begin issuing OSAF press releases, I believe we need to answer some important questions about the organization and product. PR is like a game of chess. Each move we make impacts the next so it's critical that we think through the overall press release strategy/communications plan up front. The Mellon Grant release should be a small part of our overall plan.

TYPES OF PRESS RELEASES

Here are some categories of press releases that we need to build into the 1.0 launch plan:

• • OSAF Corporate
  • Product/Technical (Chandler, security, etc.)
  • Developer
  • Fundraising/Grants ( Mellon fits here)
  • General momentum releases
  • Partnerships
  • Customers
  • Community
  • Higher Education
  • Mitch Personal (Mitch has invested in a number of companies. They may request quotes from him from time to time)
  • Other categories that are important to OSAF????

BUILDING OUT OUR PR PLAN FOR 1.0

Here are some questions we need to consider:

• • What types of press releases will help OSAFs achieve its short term and long term business goals?
  • When should we issue our first press release?
  • What corporate and product messages do we want to communicate in our first press release?
  • How often should we issue formal press releases as we move towards 1.0 launch? How many press releases will our budget support?
  • How will the incremental releases of the Chandler prodcut impact our PR program? How do we build excitment around Chandler when the product is being built in public?
  • What releases are mandatory leading up to 1.0 launch? What releases are nice to have?
  • How do we properly sequence our press releases as we move towards launch to create a sense of momentum? What is the right balance of corporate, product, education releases?

In my opinion, the first press release from OSAF should be an introductory release that sets the tone for OSAF moving forward. It may turn out that we use the Mellon Grant as part of our news hook. Let's discuss on our call Thursday.

--Chris

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Just talked with Mitch Tues. 3/25. He has agreed that we don't need to jump at putting out a Mellon Grant press release, but that we DO need a Mellon Grant communications plan that might include a press release at some point, but does include communications about higher education market for Chandler,Westwood extensions to Canoga, the grant, etc. through the Chandler Wiki,the mail lists, the web site, Mitch's web log, etc.-- PieterHartsook - 26 Mar 2003

Question on timing and ROI. This PR will generate inquiries a month before our first code release. Should we lay low and make the grant announcement coincident with the O'Reilly conference or some other event context? -- PieterHartsook - 24 Mar 2003

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We need to make an announcement about the Mellon Grant and have a communications plan.

We will need as a courtesy to run a draft by Mellon before releasing.

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Note: In copying Wiki pages from the CSG Twiki to the public Wiki I have not bothered to copy over the drafts for the press release. See the link below for the final press release as posted on the OSAF public web site. -- PieterHartsook - 24 May 2004

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Pieter's initial draft of press release: MellonPRdraftv1^? Sample of a Mellon grant press release: SampleMellonPR^?

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• We have a quote from Oren at UW (see MellonPRdraftv1^? last paragraph)
• have a canned quote from Mitch (see MellonPRdraftv1^?)
• Mitch does not think asking Ira for a quote is appropriate
• do we need another quote?

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Announcement What are we trying to accomplish with this press release? (objectives, timing, content, and form)

• financial sustainability of OSAF,
• opening the subject of grant support as a revenue model for OSAF to encourage other grants,
• possible expansion of target market for Chandler;
• legitimacy for project, opportunity for status update?

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Communications Plan

• Internal
  • OSAF website - first draft (MellonGrantPRwebsite^?) final draft http://www.osafoundation.org/MellonAnnouncement_Mar-31-2003.htmwith approval from Mellon general consul
  • OSAF mail lists - MellonGrantPRmaillists^? , Posted on April 1 to announce, design, and dev
  • OSAF Chandler Wiki - MellonGrantPRchandlerwiki^? , will be mentioned in Mitchell's Thursday 4/3/2003 public update with link to web site
  • Mitch's weblog - (blog url)

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• External nothing required for the time being -- PieterHartsook - 02 Apr 2003
  • press release (stand alone or combined with other message)
    • targets?
      • Higher Ed?
      • Hi-tech press?
      • general press?
      • Analyst targets
• Action Items - next steps all done

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Copied from CSG Twiki by -- PieterHartsook - 24 May 2004