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Neil Williams wrote: >On Friday 02 December 2005 4:00 pm, Rob Beard wrote: > > >>Now I was thinking about a unique selling point. >> >> > >In the best tradition of loyalty-building loss leaders, giving away things >that help people see what you are describing is the most obvious choice. > >Ubuntu, Knoppix, OOo. Also, cater for those who are interested but don't want >a sales-pitch right now - order in some boxed sets from >http://www.linuxemporium.co.uk/ and sell them on with a margin. Some people >like to have the manuals and a shrink-wrapped box and may not want to wait >for delivery or may not have a usable internet connection / be wary of online >commerce. > >Stock some GNU Press books too. Maybe even T-shirts and mugs. You may not have >your own premises but tuck a sales-sheet of this stuff into your publicity >materials, quotes and invoices. > >Probably the best advert though is to let people SEE GNU/Linux on your >systems. Have a demo machine running Ubuntu or Debian or FC4. Use GNU/Linux >for your till systems or ordering - the front-shop stuff so that people can >catch a glimpse of it in action. Or take along a laptop running GNU/Linux - >I've had good results with Fedora on older laptops. > >Make a BIG play about the key benefits to your likely audience: > >1. Install GNU/Linux on as many boxes as you like with no restrictions and no >fees. > >2. Security. > >3. Freedom to tinker and improve. > >4. Information on resources, support and contacts. > >Put a Tux on your notepaper alongside any Windows or Mac logos. (Remember to >acknowledge the trademark on 'Linux' held by Linus Torvalds on your >commercial stationery as well as corresponding notices for the terms RedHat, >Mandrake/Mandriva etc.). > > > >>Most of the local >>people offering computer repairs seem to cover the usual - virus >>removal, upgrades, repairs etc on Windows. I haven't however seen any >>(yet) offering any sort of Open Source offerings. >> >> > >Information is probably your most valuable offering. Describe GNU/Linux, >outline the benefits in choice and flexibility, stability and freedom. > > > >>On the past couple of jobs I've done, I've been telling my customers a >>bit about Linux & Open Source. >> >> > >Leave something with them, let them make their own minds up. > > > >>What I'm wondering is, are there any sites out there which can give me >>help in promoting OpenSource (and hopefully my business too!). >>Microsoft have something for small system builders to push >>Windows/Office/Exchange etc, but to be honest, it's hard to be >>competitive when I've got to stick £60 on the price of a PC for Windows >>(competing with Dell is hard enough as it is!). >> >> Thats given me a few things to think about. At the moment I'm running the business from home. When I visit my customers I guess I could take along some Ubuntu Live CDs to give them something to look at, or maybe a couple of Knoppix CDs. Rob -- The Mailing List for the Devon & Cornwall LUG Mail majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with "unsubscribe list" in the message body to unsubscribe. FAQ: www.dcglug.org.uk/linux_adm/list-faq.html