# Temperate Mesh — Marketing & Customer Onboarding

**Document purpose:** Go-to-market plan for Ketchikan launch and repeatable customer onboarding.  
**Brand:** Temperate Mesh · temperate.app  
**Stage:** Part-time side venture; word-of-mouth heavy

---

## Positioning statement

**For** Southeast Alaska residents who work and recreate beyond reliable cell service,  
**Temperate Mesh** is a local Meshtastic partner that sells **configured devices, plain-language guides, and professional outdoor installs**—  
**Unlike** buying hardware online, we deliver Alaska-ready pricing, community mesh defaults, and construction-backed repeater mounts—  
**So** joining the mesh is affordable, understandable, and makes coverage better for everyone.

---

## Core message: "More nodes, better mesh"

Every marketing touch should reinforce the **network effect**:

- Your handheld helps relay messages for neighbors
- Your home node extends coverage across the channel
- Solar repeaters on ridges connect islands and valleys
- **You're not just buying a gadget—you're upgrading regional resilience**

This aligns profit with community good and reduces "salesy" feeling.

---

## Target segments (priority order)

| Priority | Segment | Entry product | Upsell |
|----------|---------|---------------|--------|
| 1 | Outdoor enthusiasts (hunters, hikers) | Hunter Pack / T1000-E | Private channel, ATAK workshop |
| 2 | Homeowners interested in tech / prep | Home Base / RAK kit | MQTT gateway, solar repeater install |
| 3 | Fishing / small commercial skiff | Fisherman Pack | Multiple units, shore gateway |
| 4 | Construction / trades | Site consult | Solar repeater + mast install |
| 5 | SAR / volunteer groups | SAR Team Pack | Training + maintenance |
| 6 | Existing ham / mesh hobbyists | Accessories, antennas | Construction mount |

**Ketchikan population ~8,000** — you need **depth** (multiple products per customer) not just width.

---

## Channels (low budget, high trust)

### 1. Word of mouth & demos (primary)

- Live demo at farmer's market, library maker night, fishing dock bulletin board
- **"Send a message with no cell"** live demo—memorable
- Bring 2–3 nodes + simple map on tablet

### 2. temperate.app web presence

- Existing technical reference site—add **"Get help locally"** CTA (when ready)
- Link to contact form / email—not full e-commerce day one
- Document Temperate Broker status honestly ("coming soon")

### 3. Local partnerships

| Partner type | Offer |
|--------------|-------|
| Outdoor gear shops | Referral flyer, bundle poster |
| Charter / guide services | Fleet packs + commission |
| SAR / volunteer orgs | Discounted workshop, not free labor |
| Construction companies | Site comms one-pager for foremen |
| Boat yards | Waterproof mount consult card |

### 4. Social / community (light touch)

- Facebook/local groups: **educational posts**, not spam
- Post mesh map screenshots (no private data), storm outage comms stories
- "Repeater of the month" celebrating customer installs (with permission)

### 5. What to skip early

- Paid ads (too small market for ROI)
- Full Shopify until inventory/process proven
- Discounting devices below margin—compete on service instead

---

## The "join the mesh" pitch (30-second)

> "Meshtastic is off-grid texting and location sharing—no cell plan. Messages hop from device to device. In Ketchikan we're building Temperate Mesh so hunters, fishermen, and neighbors stay connected where cell fails. We sell the right device for your use, configure it for you, and explain everything in plain English. If you want a solar repeater on a pole, we install that too. Every new node makes the mesh stronger for everyone—including you."

---

## Customer onboarding flow

```mermaid
flowchart TD
  lead[Lead inquiry] --> intake[5-min intake form]
  intake --> consult[15-min consult call]
  consult --> quote[Written quote]
  quote --> sale[Payment + order]
  sale --> config[Tech: configure device]
  config --> manual[Generate customer manual]
  manual --> deliver[Deliver + training session]
  deliver --> followup[7-day and 30-day check-in]
  followup --> review[Ask for referral + maintenance offer]
```

### Intake questions (form or call)

1. Primary use: home / hunt / fish / work / SAR / other
2. Property type: apartment, house, boat, cabin, job site
3. Can you install outdoor antenna or need construction help?
4. iPhone or Android? Interest in ATAK/iTAK?
5. Budget range
6. How did you hear about Temperate Mesh?

### Consult deliverable

- Recommended SKU or bundle from `01-product-pricing-catalog.md`
- Setup tier (basic vs full)
- Honest range expectations for their location
- Optional install site visit quote

### Delivery session (30–60 min)

- Pair app, send test message
- Walk through customer manual sections relevant to them
- MQTT explainer if gateway—`04-mqtt-explained.md`
- Safety: not 911

### Follow-ups

| When | Action |
|------|--------|
| 7 days | Text/email: "Reach any nodes? Questions?" |
| 30 days | Offer firmware check, maintenance plan, referral ask |
| 90 days | Invite to community event or workshop |

---

## Support tiers

Define scope narrowly to protect part-time capacity.

### Tier 0 — Included (30 days post-sale)

- Email/text for setup questions tied to delivered config
- One remote troubleshooting session (<30 min)

### Tier 1 — Pay-as-you-go

| Service | Price |
|---------|-------|
| Remote support session | $50 / 30 min |
| On-site visit | $75 minimum + hourly |
| Firmware refresh | $50–75 |

### Tier 2 — Support subscription (optional)

**$10/month or $99/year** (planning)

- Priority response (48 hr goal, not SLA)
- 2 remote sessions/year included
- Annual config review
- **Excludes:** new hardware, construction, major reconfig

**Cap language in contract:** "Best effort part-time support—not 24/7 emergency service."

### Tier 3 — Maintenance (construction)

See `02-construction-services.md` — physical install care, separate from tech support.

---

## Pricing communication

### On website / flyer

- **Devices from $49** (RAK) **/ $69** (T1000-E) — shipping included in Ketchikan
- **Setup from $75**
- **Installs from $350**
- **"Get a quote"** for solar repeaters

### Never publish

- Exact landed cost sheets
- Private broker credentials
- Channel keys

---

## Launch milestones (first 6 months)

| Month | Goal |
|-------|------|
| M1 | Finalize catalog, manuals, quote template; 5 demo nodes ready |
| M2 | 3 paying customers (friends/family OK); collect testimonials |
| M3 | First paid outdoor install; photos for marketing |
| M4 | First group workshop (hunt or SAR) |
| M5 | 15 cumulative customers; evaluate inventory reorder |
| M6 | Temperate Broker beta OR clear public timeline |
| M6 | Review financials vs `07-financial-projections.md` |

---

## Referral program (optional)

- **Give $10 credit / free firmware check** · **Get $25 credit** on next service
- Or donate $10 to local SAR group for each referral—community-aligned

---

## Brand voice

- **Plain, Alaskan, honest about limits** — rain, terrain, no guarantees
- **Educational, not hype** — mesh literacy builds trust
- **Community-first** — free broker, celebrate repeaters
- **Professional on construction** — licensed, bonded, safe installs

---

## Metrics to track (simple spreadsheet)

| Metric | Why |
|--------|-----|
| Leads / month | Funnel health |
| Consult → sale conversion | Pricing fit |
| Average order value | Bundle success |
| Attach rate: setup % | Service revenue |
| Attach rate: install % | Construction revenue |
| Support hours per sale | Margin erosion warning |
| Referral count | Word-of-mouth working |
| Active nodes helped (estimate) | Community impact story |

---

## Sample flyer copy (bulletin board)

**Temperate Mesh — Off-grid texting for Ketchikan**

No cell? Meshtastic lets your group message and share locations device-to-device.

We help you pick the right radio, configure it, and explain how the mesh works.

• Handheld trackers from $69 (setup available)  
• Home & solar repeaters — we install high  
• Free regional MQTT broker (coming soon)  
• temperate.app

Call/text: [PHONE] · Email: [EMAIL]

*Not emergency services. Carry appropriate SOS for serious trips.*

---

*Related: executive summary `00-executive-summary.md` · Financials `07-financial-projections.md` · Risks `08-risks-and-challenges.md`*