Going to the SPSP (South Pacific Star Party) this weekend, and thought it would be an ideal opportunity to try and get some more amateur astronomers to come and visit us here..
So with mojo's design help, I printed out a bunch of pamphlet/flyers, I printed a couple of banner size logos on the colour inkjet at work, and with silvie's help, I've got some IceInSpace logo stickers and banner size logos!
So i'll be able to leave these on the registration desk and around the halls, and Mike Kerr, the president of ASNSW has said I can participate in the vendor displays on Sat and Sun mornings to promote the website.
So stealing the megaphone and shouting out ICEINSPACE is the last resort
A big big thankyou to Silvie and her husband Le for their amazing work getting the stickers and banners printed in time and mailed to me before I leave tomorrow morning.
A big thankyou to mojo for helping me with the design of the flyer.
Hopefully there'll be some new additions to the forums after the SPSP, i'm sure there's some amateurs out there who are keen to pariticipate in some active forums, but they just don't know we exist... YET!
Very nice Mike....and Mojo...and last of all Silvie......but honestly.....just tell them Striker's a member of the forum....thats all they need....hehehe
Hey guys and gal, that is absolutely fantastic. Would love to have an ice in space to sticker to put on the back of my truck. Astro heads are every where, just driving behind me. What do you say Mike, will you send one to me in the mail?
I'd tend to be a little skeptical about the effectiveness of "iceinspace" bumper stickers. Quick glance "iceinspace" is quite meaningless unless you're already in the know. On closer look "Amateur Astronomy & News" is fine but nothing special. Website address is very small, probably invisible. Nothing on the sticker says iceinspace is an Aussie thing!!
Problem would be solved if website became a .com.au and the big "iceinspace" logo got extended to "iceinspace.com.au".
If you look closely Steve, the stickers have the iceinspace.com on them. I don't think that negative stuff is really necessary, I think that any advertising for the site is a good thing. It will give the site exposure to a whole range of people, most the sticker will be meaningless, but to a lot of other people it will require some investigating. That is good for us.
Sorry Paul, I meant to be constructively critical but came across plain negative. I tend to do that too often... Yes, any promotion for the site is better than none.
I think that the biggest draw card of the site is that it is local and the only one of its kind in the country in offering great community support online to anyone with an interest in astronomy.
Originally posted by janoskiss I'd tend to be a little skeptical about the effectiveness of "iceinspace" bumper stickers.
Problem would be solved if website became a .com.au and the big "iceinspace" logo got extended to "iceinspace.com.au".
I mostly agree and I know you’re giving constructive criticism, but I'll give you some background anyway....
They're not really meant to be bumper stickers. They're just meant to be stuck onto people's telescopes, gear, toolbox, laptop, wall, whatever. As bumper stickers, I'd agree with you and say they're almost useless for that. But we weren't really expecting anyone to stick it on their cars.
It was just something done quickly to be ready for the SPSP. Mike got them made because...well...he can and other people might want one. Just something that people are likely to keep if you give it to them. Marketing...ya know?
The .com.au domain is coming. It just costs money.
.com's are cheap. .com.au require a company name with an ABN.
Just slapping a .au on the end of the domain will cost not an inconsequential amount of money. It would have been done sooner, but believe it or not, some people are running at negative time and money to keep this site up. Not complaining, just giving you the facts.
When all that is done, I'll change the banner to a more obvious local feel, maybe. But this whole thing is only 6 months old. And poor Mike is peddling as fast as he can already (actually i'm not kidding)
On a side note: Congratulations to all the IceInSpace members. A nicer, friendlier, helpful group of people, I haven't seen in a while. *group hug* Oh and to the "IceInSpace New Member Welcoming Committee". You guys crack me up. Sometimes I'm not quite sure if you're welcoming them or scaring them.
I agree that the website URL is very small and hard to see in the bottom right hand side, and when the .com.au comes it will have to be made a bit more prominent. Maybe we'll have a map of australia, or "Australian Astronomy, News and Forums" as the sub line, or something like that.
However as has been said, it's marketing. The logo is eye-catching, easy to read and see and grabs your attention. The name "IceInSpace" will be read, and hopefully remembered.
When it's combined with word of mouth, people telling their astro societies, as well as any other ploys I come up with, then it's still brand recognition.
In time, it will be known as the local amateur astro site.. it's getting that way already. The .com.au will really help, i'm sure of it.
An update on that, the business registration forms are being submitted today. When that's given the green light, the .com.au domain name will be next. So hopefully in no more than 1-2 weeks we'll be up and running as .com.au.
So thanks for your feedback, hopefully it's just showing that you care.
As for the stickers, as mojo said, they're meant for scopes and astro gear, rather than cars.. but of course they'll be made available for all the members. Will work out the logistics once I get back from SPSP.
infact mike, if you want I can hand out fliers at the next MAS meet on the 21st in case it doesnt get to the news letter. I have sugested it goes in the newsletter but I of course have no control over the content, but I can leave fliers
just email the file to me (dhall@rockdale.nsw.gov.au) and I'll print it out
as for the stickers, I think they'd be a great marketing tool when slapped on a scope. Ken (ballaratdragons) posted a pic of his scope in one thread and it was the first thing i noticed. its eye catching and easy to remember. people will either look it up or ask "hey whats this ice in space about?" when they come to look in your scope.
I might even shove some fliers in the brochure stand in the library I work at. our astronomy books seem to go out a bit even though i never see them move.
We can still go further Boys and Girls.....how far are we away from a IceinSpace stall.......you can sell memorabilia, stationery, T-Shirts, Stickers maybe little plastic toy scopes for the kids....in which case I would be happy to sign...lol...the list is endless.
Wow Mike, they look great if I do say so myself! You sure are going to bombard those poor unsuspecting future members
The stickers I printed for you look really, really small though compared to the ones you printed. Very sorry that I couldn't get them any bigger, but that was all the stock that I managed to find
Anyway, it was fun printing those stickers and making the banners. The logo really does stand out very nicely when printed in full colour. I hope you all get to have a sticker each. Next time, I hope I can print bigger ones, like bumper sticker size. And no Tony, I will not put your name on the stickers so don't ask
What do you guys all think of iceinspace bookmarks? That's what I've been using my iceinspace sticker for (hehe, I kept a few of course - I kept the badly cut ones though ) but it's too floppy. Must print one on heavyweight card stock soon hehe
Good luck with getting the .com.au domain Mike and mojo.
Mike, let us know how the bombardment campaign went as soon as you get back.
Ready for the marketing assault!
(actually i'm not kidding)
