Marketing:Swarms

A Marketing swarm is a gathering of bootstrappers who have with experience marketing businesses. They will in the space of on meeting prepare a recommended marketing plan for the subject business.

June 2006: Bootstrap Network

I wish I'd recorded this session. It was as valuable to the attendees as it should be to Bootstrap Austin.

Swarmers

• Brian Massey
• Ryan Pitylak
• Ben Finklea
• Miles Sims

Notes

http://www.bootstrapaustin.org/wiki/images/3/3d/Swarm-1.gif

Commentary

The swarm was working from the following goals:

1. Increase members of bootstrap
2. Increase percieved value of bootstrap to bootstrap members
3. Make bootstrap self-sustaining through revenue

The swarm felt that it was necessary to accomplish the following things with the Bootstrap Network's message:

1. Make the purpose more obvious to visitors. For example, where would I go specificaly to hear or read Bijoy's vision?
2. Make the different parts more connected.
3. Make it easier to find people and bootstrap stuff.
4. Make it easy to invite new members and potential members in.

One-hour Marketing Plan

1. Create a central information place with the following characteristics:
   1. Has resources to quickly describe Bootstrap's mission
   2. Aggregates information with editorial control. For example, why not provide content from bootstrap blogs? See 9rules for an example.
   3. Each subgroup is clearly shown with links to descriptive information, including how to participate.
   4. Let bootstrappers purchase access to this page. For instance, they can buy a category or geographic location. REVENUE
   5. An obvious place to send prospective members
   6. An obvious way to invite people by email
   7. An obvious and easy way to join. REVENUE
   8. A unified calendar. Since Yahoo! has bought Upcoming.org this may be the place to host it.
   9. ANALYTICS so that the value of the bootstrap site can be defined. REVENUE
   10. An area of the site that provides for social networking, marketing of bootstrap businesses, and transparency of members should be made available.
2. Building Traffic
   1. Use Search Engine Optimization to drive traffic to the site. Sprysoft's Ben Finklea has volunteered to head this up in exchange for being the bootstrap sponsor of the SEO sub-group.
   2. Expand the adwords campaign. Michael Griffin seems to have already posted some adwords.
   3. Allow members to refer traffic from their websites, blogs, and podcasts. Let them clip some HTML from the Bootstrap site to add the bootstrap badge to their site.
3. Offline
   1. MORE PRESS. Members like Michelle Raines should be willing to help Bootstrap with this in exchange for sponsorship opportunities.
   2. Publishing TV is easy with YouTube. Get a film oriented member to produce a 'Bootstrappers Reality Show' in exchange for PR and publicity.
   3. What other bootstrap members are good at doing things that will get publicity?

Summary

Bootstrap is too broken up, doesn't leverage its community, and is missing out on several revenue generating opportunities. This group's job is done, but someone should reformat the BootstrapNetwork blog and make it a traffic attracting and helpful site. Once established, it can become a target for PR, affiliation and other traffic building programs.