From seidensticker@msn.com Fri Mar 23 11:25:20 2001 Return-Path: X-Sender: seidensticker@msn.com X-Apparently-To: lojban@yahoogroups.com Received: (EGP: mail-7_0_4); 23 Mar 2001 19:25:20 -0000 Received: (qmail 91166 invoked from network); 23 Mar 2001 19:25:20 -0000 Received: from unknown (10.1.10.26) by m8.onelist.org with QMQP; 23 Mar 2001 19:25:20 -0000 Received: from unknown (HELO fl.egroups.com) (10.1.10.48) by mta1 with SMTP; 23 Mar 2001 19:25:19 -0000 X-eGroups-Return: seidensticker@msn.com Received: from [10.1.10.101] by fl.egroups.com with NNFMP; 23 Mar 2001 19:25:19 -0000 Date: Fri, 23 Mar 2001 19:25:18 -0000 To: lojban@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: Marketing lojban Message-ID: <99g7uu+k7nv@eGroups.com> In-Reply-To: User-Agent: eGroups-EW/0.82 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Length: 2473 X-Mailer: eGroups Message Poster X-Originating-IP: 206.129.86.130 From: seidensticker@msn.com --- In lojban@y..., Invent Yourself wrote: > > >If its premature to issue press releases > > >or otherwise try to spread the word, > > > > People are doing this. > > I'd be interested to hear what ideas seidensticker has. I agree with lojbab's comments that advertising (as in something you pay for) doesn't make sense. (Although the success Loglan had with its advertisement is an interesting data point to keep in mind for when money isn't as tight.) Instead, my thought was for guerilla marketing efforts -- basically zero-cost efforts that encourage the press (or other vehicles) to spread your message for you. For example, I recently came across a local newspaper article about a foreign language conference for high school kids and the most popular language was ... Esperanto. That was the main point of the article. The story of lojban or the history of artificial languages is fascinating and makes for interesting reading. I am no expert (or even a novice) in getting PR and so can't lead this charge. But at the appropriate time, I suggest thinking about press releases or story outlines sent to newspapers (y'know that center column on the Wall Street Journal's page 1?), newswires (AP, UPI, etc. cover more than just breaking news), or popular magazines (Omni, Wired, Discovery, Smithsonian, in-flight magazines?). The other question that has been raised is: If LLG received 1000 inquiries (say), would that be a good thing? As has been mentioned, this issue must be resolved first before starting any big attempt at spreading the word. Some naive thoughs about this: * Simplify the web site so that a neophyte coming to lojban.org for the first time can immediately see (1) a very brief lojban summary to verify that yes, this is the right site and (2) a short list clearly and succinctly answering the question "This is great! Where do I go from here?" IMO, the home page text does a good job with (1) and a fair job of (2). * If it's a pain to USmail anything but Cowan's book, perhaps everything else can be converted to: "Here's where to download it, here's how much we'd encourage you to pay, and here's where to send the check." This could simplify logistics. * Can all other static (FAQ-like) responses be handled by the web site and dynamic responses handled by questions sent to lojban@yahoogroups.com? I don't clearly see the burden that 1000 curious new people would impose. Bob