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Josh Berkus
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Open-Source Press Relations
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Resources
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volunteers
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press contacts
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reference users
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press kit
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a little money
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Volunteers
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writers/designers
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press releases
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web design and graphics
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handouts and articles
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translators
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regional contacts
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press/biz experience
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email/phone for work hrs
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one per country/region/language
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PR contributions are as valuable as code
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Press contacts
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collect a list
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bloggers/reporters in your community
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reporters who have covered your project
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lists from conferences
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biz cards
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manage the list
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keep in central, secure location
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don't want it stolen, or reporters spammed
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separate into categories
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"warm", "cold", "intimate" contacts
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Reference users
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Testify that your project is ready for production use
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You need them
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Quotes, interviews, case studies
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Get them through community
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mailing lists, consultant clients, conferences
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Keep contact info handy
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Press kit
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1-stop shopping for reporters
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"what is" doc
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"latest news" doc
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case studies, reference users
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contact info -- regional contacts
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logos/graphics
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self-booting CD (optional)
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have same info everywhere
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updated on website
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paper handouts at conferences
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Handling the press
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Reporters are people, too.
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Don't insult them when they get something wrong
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Contact them, but be nice. Leave your contact info!
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But thank them when they get something right
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There is no "off the record"
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Make a list of talking points, and things you want to avoid
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FAQ is good
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Don't send out the second list
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On second list: e.g., don't rip on other distros/MS
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Make their job easy -- provide facts, quotes, numbers, contacts
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Do _not_ ask to preview the story
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Figure out what the "news" is, and tell them
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Press releases
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-8 weeks: draft release
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Do it open source
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involve advocacy group
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use mailing list and wikis/VCS
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many eyes make bugs shallow
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allow 3-4 weeks
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Doing it in the open is not a problem
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Use professional release format
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Top-down
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Emphasize news value
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Have a "theme"
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1-1.5 pages
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If it's too long, they won't reach the link to more info,
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and they may throw it away
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8 parts
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contact info -- need a phone number!
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on deadline, they need phone, won't run the story otherwise
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dateline
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required! their spam filters toss out badly formatted stuff
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summary 'graf
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5 W's: who, what, when, where (not that imp), why
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theme 'graf (opt)
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1-3 quotes, no more
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biz users, someone famous
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needs to be by "external" user
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need person's full name and title
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ask them what their title is, some people wear many hats
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detail info
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link to more info, prolly the press kit
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about 'graf
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also may have about 'grafs from the companies you quoted
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-4 weeks: create press kit
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release, plus:
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links to more advocacy info (case studies, etc)
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full text of quotes
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detail that didn't fit in release
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info about quoted companies
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contact info
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links to regional contacts
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get website ready to roll
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"bit flip" to activate all content at once
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CMS good for this
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links to downloads
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homepage announcement
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traffic monitors
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release to translators
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-1 week: embargoed releases
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contact "trusted" press
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must agree to not release till release date
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must be willing to postpone/cancel release in case of problems
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say "i will contact you 24 hours before release to let you know
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whether it's a go"
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good way to "reward" reporters you like
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additional advance contact
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Q&A about release
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demo, if appropriate -- send them a CD or download
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arrange interviews with devs/users
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be aware of press schedules
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file release with PRWire
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it's free. you don't need to pay them, but it may be a 3-day delay
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instead of a 1-day delay. you might want to give them the
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minimal amount.
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most useful when you have a small press list
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-12 hours: stuff up on website
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last chance to postpone
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check with lead devs
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put up on web
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press kits
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downloads -- consider cascade delay on mirrors
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docs
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lists of regional contacts
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check that regional contacts are ready
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0 hour: send out release
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contact embargo reporters and give them all-clear
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spam your whole press list
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use a script or a mailing list
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do NOT use BCC, spammers use this so it gets filtered
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tell regional contacts/translators "go"
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panic!
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+1-5 days: follow-up
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follow up with key reporters
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collect links to press coverage
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put up on website
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send corrections if needed -- polite!
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slashdot it!
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find someone in project with high karma rating to post it
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update press list
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thank volunteers
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