Acorn/AAUG Meeting

Acorn Marketing

Suzy Wright, Marketing Manager (SW)
Nicola Lewis, Marketing Assistant (NL)

Acorn World Show

Jonathan Cooke, Show Organiser (JC)

Association of Acorn User Groups

Neil Spellings, AAUG Chairman (NS)

  

Action for

Target date

Completed?

  

Introduction

• The Association of Acorn User Groups - what is it?
  A brief overview of the AAUG was given, including it's history, aims and objectives, and the services it provides for the user groups.

Improve user group awareness

• Providing the user group directory "in the box" with new Acorn machines
  SW stated that getting additional paper-based components added to the manufacturing and packaging process was extremely difficult (although not impossible). Several alternatives were discussed :
  • Electronical manuals
    Phoebe will be supplied with no paper-based manual - all manuals will be on the hard disc in the form of HTML pages. It was suggested that an electronic version of the user group directory would be relatively easy to add, and would also be easier to keep up-to-date and could also provide links to the AAUG website. 

    SW/NL to investigate further

    31/7/98

    Outstanding

      
  • User registration process
    It is planned that Phoebe will contain a run-once registration program that will record the users details such as name, address etc. NS asked that if this information was being collected by Acorn marketing, could it be made available to the users nearest user group to enable recruitment of new members. 

    SW/NL to investigate further

    31/7/98

    Outstanding

      
  •  Directory printing
    SW stated that Acorn could print the user group directory in volume, and get these distributed to dealers. The same directory could also be used on the AAUG stand at the Acorn shows. NS raised the problem of updates, which tend to happen to the printed directory before each show (roughly four times a year). SW suggested that as long as the directory contained the URL of the AAUG website, which contained up-to-date information, and the printed directory wasn't too out of date, there shouldn't be a problem.
    SW also stated that this would help raise the awareness of user groups in the dealer chain, and hopefully get more dealers involved with their nearest user group. NS stated that some dealers already actively support their local user group (giving DARC/Selective as an example) but more dealer participation would be a good thing. 

    NS to provide directory in suitable format	31/7/98	Outstanding
    SW/NL to arrange duplication and distribution to dealers	31/7/98	Outstanding

      
• Links on the Acorn website to the AAUG pages
  SW stated that the Acorn website is now being actively developed, after a lapse of several months. It was agreed that a reciprocal link between the Acorn and AAUG website would be setup. 

  Gareth Tupper to setup links

  24/7/98

  Complete

    
• Acorns' new direction - should the user groups follow? And how?
  This was discussed in some lengh, the outcome being that although Acorn are branching out into many new markets and technologies, non of the resulting products would contain any Acorn brand recognition whatsoever. This would make it extemely difficult in creating any 'link back' from a NetTV/NC product to the technology it contained. NS pointed out that this may result in there being many 1000's of people using Acorn technology who could all benefit from what a user group could offer. SW and NL acknowledged this, although due to licensing contracts it was unavoidable as the licensee would always be the company claiming recognition for the hardware and software, despite it being licensed from Acorn.

   SW stated that the workstation division would still continue to be prominent in Acorn's plans, and that there were not abandoning this sector despite their work on other markets. SW also stated that Chris Cox would issue a positive statement on the Acorn/Clan/AAUG website in the next few weeks.

Communication and support

• What can be done to improve Acorn communication to users?
  SW and NL both acknowledged this is something Acorn has been very bad at in the past. NS stated that although there are a few people within Acorn who offer excellant support via the newsgroups (Andrew Hodgkinson and Stewart Brodie were quoted as good examples) there is otherwise very little heard from within Acorn.

   NS highlighted that there was no official feedback channels back to Acorn other than the clan email address, which many people had expressed concern about that they though it never got read as they never recieved any response.

   The following were agreed as 'first steps' to improving Acorn -> User communication

  • Acorn marketing to be added to the AAUG mailing list, so that information and feedback can easily be communicated.
      

    NS to action

    24/7/98

    Outstanding

      
  • Acorn to add the AAUG onto the press release list.
      

    SW/NL to action

    24/7/98

    Outstanding

      
  • A copy of the 'Channel Connect' newsletter that gets mailed to dealers will also get sent to the AAUG.
      

    SW/NL to action

    24/7/98

    Outstanding

      Acorn will provide regular updates to a special area of the AAUG website dedicated to Acorn and the User Groups. These updates will appear one week after appearing on the clan website, and one week before information appears in the press, thus giving user group advance information, but still retaining the 'value' of being in the clan. 

    NS to setup area on website	24/7/98	Complete
    SW/NL to arrange regular updates	31/7/98	Outstanding

      

  How can Acorn better support their existing userbase?

• Overseas Acorn users
  Several emails from various overseas user group committee members were presented to SW and NL (thanks go to John Dagg and John Brown for these). SW agreed that overseas support was always a problem and that she would get the Overseas sales manager Alastair France to respond to the emails directly.

  SW to arrange for Alastair France to respond to emails directly

  24/7/98

  Outstanding

   
• Could Acorn offer any "bonus" resources to the user groups? (Limited Developer support resources, newsletter advertisements/sponsorship, event subsidy, publicity etc)
  SW stated that Acorn do not 'advertise' in that sense, but they could possibly help out in other areas. SW suggested that Acorn could offer pre-printed stationary that user groups could use for newsletters and leaflets.

  NS to put suggestion to the groups

  24/7/98

  Complete

  SW agreed to discuss the developer support issue with Dave Walker.

• Many user group members are teachers. Do you think Xemplar should be supporting these users?
  SW agreed that the situation with Xemplar was unclear. SW agreed to clarify the support question with a Xemplar representative

Assisting Acorn marketing

• Use existing user group communication channels for market research/feedback
  This point was discussed previously, and it was agreed both SW and NL should join the AAUG mailing list and participate in gaining feedback.

  NS to add SW and NL to mailing list

  31/7/98

  Outstanding

• Feedback from the Phoebe user group tour (Dave/Russel)
  NS thanked Dave and Russel for their efforts over the past months in touring the groups demonstrating and talking about the Phoebe prototype. SW stated that they did get good feedback, and as a result they will look at doing similar things in the future, although that will depend on resources at the time, as there is no 'dedicated' people to do this, staff have to give up their spare time for it.

Phoebe marketing

(Web marketing suggestions)
NS pointed out the Acorns' "flagship" workstation only had one page dedicated to it on the Acorn website, and only two photos. You also have to 'dig' for it through several pages. NS stated that other manufacturers often created entire websites for much smaller products (such as printers). SW thanked NS for the ideas, especially the dedicated domain name idea.

Acorn World '98

• Travel/entrance packages
  NS passed on the feedback from the interested usergroups. JC stated he would now start contacting various coach companies to get quotes wich would enable him to get a better idea of price and feasibility.
• If the user groups can help (Themed demonstration area?)
  JC explained that there will be a museum exhibit with a range of Acorn hardware from the 20 years of Acorn's history. He is looking for volunteers who are willing to spend an hour or three manning this exhibit, mainly for 'crowd control' to stop people messing with the displays. Obviously volunteers will get free admission to the show, and he may throw in a free Acorn T-shirt, depending on what the Acorn show 'uniform' will be.
• Stand arrangements (ARM Club stand or separate "User Group Village")
  The idea of a user group village was discussed, and both JC and NS agreed it would fit in nicely with the other themed villages of the show.

   JC stated that stand finincial arrangements would be similar to last year, with the ARM Club paying for the any commercial part of a stand, and the rest of the space would be free. JC also stated that he would throw in free lighting, power and furntiture for the user group stand.

   It was decided that NS should continue discussions about the stand with Ralph Sillett of the ARM Club.

• User group directory in the "handout carrier"
  It is planned that the 'Green Pages' will be included in the carier, in which case the AAUG will have an entry.
• "Special guest" feature - inviting various Acorn "personalities" from the past and present to meet with enthusiasts, Clan and user group members.
  JC was already planning a 'famous Acorn users' exhibit, and NS suggested that this could be extended to include famous 'Acorn personalities' from the past and present. This could include key people in Acorn's history such as Chris Curry, Herman Hausser, Steve Furber etc. JC liked this idea, and discussed the possible location for such a exhibit.