 |
|
|
|
|
The Amtower ReportVolume 6, #7, May 7, 2007(The Amtower Report is an e-journal on the Business-to-Government market featuring the opinions of Mark Amtower, and occasionally reader comments. This newsletter is only sent to those who request it. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.FederalDirect.net and if you like this newsletter, please pass it along to your colleagues. To unsubscribe, see directions below. The newsletter is posted each Monday at www.FederalDirect.net, and the latest “Off-Center Observations” is on the home page. All back issues available at http://www.federaldirect.net/newsletterarchives.html)
Item: GovSec is at the DC Convention Center this week. I will be there if only to see what the Spy Museum Store brought this year, but there will be lots to see for everyone. I know they will have several authors signing books – see events below for link. Item: GSA Expo is next week. Item: I get press passes from FOSE, GovSec and other events, and as a result, I get emails from PR firms. The emails I do not mind. The fact that they have attachments the size of the Federal Acquisition Regulations is irritating. The intelligent PR firms will either gauge interest before sending massive attachments, or direct you via link to the client or PR firm web site for more info. The lazy PR firms, which I may start referencing, insist on sending everything with the first missive. And people pay for this service? Item: Can one person make a difference with a major vendor? Max Peterson has moved to Dell as VP of Civilian Sales. After four years or so at CDW-G, Max left last July and took some time off. Last week Dell announced he was coming on board. Dell has been flat in federal for a couple years, the same period CDW-G was moving up the food chain. Max has the ability to help Dell any way it chooses to go: direct, channel, or a sensible mix. While a sensible mix may be hard to establish, I think this is the direction Dell will go and I believe Max is the absolute right person to drive this bus. He is liked and trusted by just about everyone –vendors, feds and the channel, and gives Dell a senior credible player in DC they have lacked. One person can make a difference. Item: If you never bought a copy of Government Marketing Best Practices, there are less than 100 left, and the only way to get them is to click here: http://www.governmentexpress.com/ordergmbp.html Item: After every issue of the newsletter I receive inquiries from people asking why their events are not listed in my newsletter. There are several reasons most events don't make it into my newsletter, and I try to make that clear each time we publish the few that get in: 1) there are too many events; and listing them all would take a daily newsletter – not mine; 2) many of these are not worth attending; 3) many worth attending are not listed as I am not a promoter of OPE - other people's events; 4) I select a very few events from requests that I get, for events that have a good history, are from associations I find worthwhile (if I have space) and from strong recommendations from people I trust and work with; and from the carefully selected companies I do business with ; 5) Inclusion in my calendar means endorsement from me, and endorsements from me are not common. There will always be worthwhile events that do not make it into my newsletter. Repeat Item: The wait is over – the archives for my new radio show are up at http://www.federalnewsradio.com/?nid=356&sid=1102333 . The show airs Friday at 2 PM on WFED, 1050 Am in Washington DC and is simulcast at www.FederalNewsradio.com . Item: What is with ad agencies and PR firms that form alleged third-party marketing associations, then give marketing awards to their own clients? Do they really expect other agencies and PR firms to support these blatantly self-serving activities by submitting details of their campaigns to another agency? Do they believe anyone outside their immediate circle of clients will look at this as legitimate? This is self-serving behavior is so transparent that event the winners of these awards should be embarrassed. This provides absolutely no benefit to the community at large. Not that I have an opinion.THE GOOD, THE BAD, and THE UGLY: CORPORATE MIS-COMMUNICATION Once again the ability of corporate headquarters outside D.C. to confuse and irritate channel partners and upset deals already in the works shows up unannounced and unwelcome. According to news releases near the end of April, Sun HQ announced some massive discounts on selected products to all customers. For those who have not heard, on April 23 Sun announced a 25th anniversary sale on selected products, with up to 65% off if the customer ordered direct from Sun. (See the story in Washington Technology). Channel partners were not notified in advance, nor did they have the ability to offer the same discount. Needless to say, these channel partners were not happy. Sun resellers threw a fit, and the problem was fixed – publicly. Privately some of those in the federal channel see this as a desperation move by a company that has seen better days. Others look at it like HQ once again makes moves without asking any advice from those in the front lines. Either way, it was a bad move. If Sun needs to beef up quarterly or annual revenue, it should work with existing channel partners and develop programs, via co-marketing programs, to do so. This was one of the topics discussed on my May 4 radio show with Jill Aitoro, Steve Charles and Bob Laclede. See the link to my show archives (above and below) if you missed it. Beware of the SCHLOCK EVENT PRODUCERS, producing minimal value events that eat your money with no significant return! The events listed below are among those I think are worth your time, money and effort. Just because an event is not listed below does not imply it is not worth attending. If you want my opinion on a specific event or producer, call me. This topic is addressed more thoroughly in the members section at www.GovernmentMarketingBestPractices.com. May 9-10, 2007, GovSec, Washington Convention Center, www.GovSecinfo.com May 15-17, 2007. GSA Expo, Orlando, Florida. www.expo.gsa.gov May 23 A Tribute & Roast Honoring John Sanders, 6:00- 10:00 PM, Capital Hilton http://www.dctechcouncil.org Sponsorships are available. June 3-5, 2007, ACT Management of Change Conference, Richmond, Virginia. THIS WILL SELL OUT FAST – REGISTER NOW! www.actgov.org June 6, 2007: VMWare SYMPOSIA 2007 Ronald Reagan Center.: http://info.vmware.com/content/Sym?&Src=web_homepage June 25-28, 2007, National Veteran Small Business Conference & Expo, Las Vegas www.Nationalveteransconference.com June 26-28, Department of Energy 8th Annual Small Business Conference, Washington Hilton, www.smallbusiness-outreach.doe.gov Nov 6, 2007 – The SIXTH ANNUAL AMTOWER SUMMIT ON SELLING PRODUCTS to the GOVERNMENT, BWI Airport Hilton. Save the date – details to follow at www.FederalDirect.net/2007summit.html
Amtower Off-Center airs Friday at 2:05 PM on WFED 1050 AM in Washington, DC and is simulcast on www.FederalNewsRadio.com. Upcoming guests May 11: Women in the Contractor Community: Issues and Viewpoints: Courtney Banks (Raytheon), Jill Aitoro (Government VAR), others TBA; May 18: Telework, Mark Zelinger (Zelinger Associates), Heywood (Woody) Talcove (Juniper), others TBA; May 25: B2G Marketing – Mary English (MCH), Lisa Dezzutti (Market Connections), Fred Diamond (Diamond Marketing), Larry Rosenfeld (Sage Communications). ….Stay tuned!
*** As always, your comments, questions and suggestions are welcome. Thanks The Amtower Report is published by Amtower & Company, and is written for companies targeting the government marketplace. The opinions expressed are those of Mark Amtower unless otherwise noted. Contact us at Amtower & Company, PO Box 314, Highland, MD 20777-0314 (301-924-0058). This material is copyrighted and may not be duplicated, reprinted or otherwise replicated without written permission of the publisher. Email subscriptions are free by request: sign up at www.FederalDirect.net |
| | What We Do | Events | Multimedia | Newsletter | Subscribe | About Us | Contact Us | |
Design: Dragonfly-design.com