99 Steps to Your New Grid
Table of Contents
PART I: BEFORE YOU STARTÂ
GRID BUSINESS MODEL
- Decide if your grid needs a business model
- Choose one of these five top business models for OpenSim grids or invent your own
FINDING YOUR GRID’S FOCUS
- Survey your network
- Find underserved markets or needs
- Identify your Unique Selling Proposition
- A/B test your USP
- Identify minimum viable product based on USP
RAISING FUNDS FOR YOUR GRID
- Decide if your grid needs funding
- Decide if bootstrapping can work for you
- Write a business plan
- Find investors or partners
- Crowdfund your grid
- Customer-fund your grid
- Vendor-fund your grid
BUILDING THE BUSINESS INFRASTRUCTURE
- Do you need to incorporate?
- Do you need to register with FinCEN?
- Do you need business insurance?
- Get your EIN
- Get your business bank account and PayPal account
BUILDING THE MANAGEMENT STRUCTURE
- Allocate people or time to these critical areas
- Match individuals to best roles
- Find advisors
- Select platforms for finance, project planning, communications and meetings
PART II:Â THE TECHNICAL FOUNDATION
GO IT ALONE OR GET EXPERT HELP?
- Checklist of necessary skills
- Checklist of hardware and networking requirements
- Select the support level you need
- Connect to OpenSim support networks
SELECT YOUR VENDOR
- List your vendor criteria
- Choose vendor finalists
- Key questions for vendors
- Contact references
- Start small
BUILDING A SMALL, DO-IT-YOURSELF GRID AT HOME
- Is your project suitable for at at-home grid?
- Evaluate your network
- The Big Bad: Port forwarding and NAT Loopback
- Choose your OpenSim software
- Configure your grid
- The Other Big Bad: backups and updates
BUILDING A LARGE GRID
- Configure your network
- Choose OpenSim software for a large grid
- Configure your grid
- Choose currency system
- Install key modules
- Set up automatic backups
BUILDING A WEBSITE
- Choose effective URL and buy domain
- Choose front end platform
- Draw focus to your USP
- Demonstrate trust
- Set up these key site features
PART III:Â THE CONTENT
BUILDING THE WORLD
- Start with a clean slate
- Set up provenance tracking system
- Identify minimum viable product
- Allocate building responsibilities
FREE CONTENT SOURCES
- Check these reputable sites for free content
- Check licensing terms and provenance of content
- Upload OARs to your grid
- Upload IARs to your grid
- Upload XML object files to your grid
BRING CONTENT FROM SECOND LIFE
- Export your own creations
- Contact partners and volunteers for their contributions
- Identify most-wanted commercial content
- Contact original creators to get export permissions
OPENSIM MARKETS
- Identify minimum necessary licensing terms
- Check these leading online marketplaces for content
- Check these in-world shopping destinations
- Contact individual creators for export permissions
HIRE CUSTOM CONTENT CREATORS
- Create content creator contract template
- Select content creator criteria
- Find creators
- Select vendors
- Start small
BUILDING FOR USABILITY
- Welcome area checklist
- Add grid to viewer lists
- Create starting default avatars
PROTECTING YOURSELF AGAINST LAWSUITS
- Register as a safe haven
- Set up a DMCA or takedown process
- Create a TOS
PART IV:Â SALES AND MARKETING
ONLINE PRESENCE
- Get grid into search engines
- Establish social media presence
- Add grid to these online lists and directories
- Identify top bloggers relevant to your grid
MEDIA OUTREACH
- Write press release about grid opening
- Create media list
- Distribute release to media and top bloggers
- Follow up with reporters, editors and bloggers
ADVERTISING
- Create first campaign using these suggestions or your own idea
- Set up unique landing pages for each advertising channel
- Place free ads in these five locations
- Reach out to vendors and merchants for additional free advertising
- Trade ads with non-competing grids
- Buy ad spots from relevant media and ad platforms
WORD OF MOUTH
- Identify needs of key influencers
- Create rewards system for select influencers
- Create affiliate program
- Create referral program
- Seek high-profile endorsements