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The Amtower ReportVolume 5, #19, May 22, 2006(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: There is no industry Ombudsman to oversee the Federal trade press. In a default mode, I assumed a similar role a while back, a B2G trade press media critic and referee. This was the result of several things. The first was me having opinions and an e-newsletter. Second, many people asking me (like the anonymous K Street Momma – see below) on a regular basis what I thought about what this paper was doing or what that magazine was doing, or should they exhibit at this or that event. Third, because in my haphazard way, I am even-handed. By that I mean I am an equal opportunity offender, pointing out blemishes wherever they occur, regardless of the source. At one time or another I have written about most of the trade publications and events that serve our market, and I will compliment when I feel it is called for and I will question or ridicule when I think it is necessary. I like most of the publications I write about and I care enough about them to hold them to higher standards. I do the same with the events in the market. Does everyone agree with or care about my views? No. Do enough people listen, those who spend lots of money on events and advertising in this market? Yes. Should you take my views with a grain of salt? Probably - I do. Some people take aspirin, then read me anyway. I am told by key players every week to keep doing what I am doing. And I will. Item: Speaking of which, kudos for two publications. Government VAR published a list of key influencers in the government market, and it is quite good. This magazine is improving. Washington Technology came out with its annual Top 100 Contractor issue – an excellent read, but I expect no less from WT. Item: There is a new section of this newsletter – Amtower on the Radio. If you have not figured it out, I have a talk show on WBIS out of Annapolis, Maryland. I have also been doing radio interviews on radio shows around the country for over a year. Upcoming shows will be listed after Events in each issue. Item: I will be interviewing Eloqua president Mark Organ in a free webinar covering on-line lead generation and lead management June 13 – stay tuned for details. Eloqua has a good product (www.eloqua.com ). Item: In my call to Deep Six Hilton last week (due to the Capitol Hill Hilton closing the venue where disabled Vets from Iraq and Afghanistan had a Friday dinner), I failed to mention that many Hilton properties are franchises. Further, and much to my embarrassment, John Barrett of Industrial Medium pointed out that right after my Deep Six Hilton line was the Events section of the newsletter, were two events were being held at…Hiltons. Mea culpa! John’s company, Industrial Medium, is a software company that sells the Expressroom content management and Expressroom IC, the Intelligence Community's only end-to-end digital production environment. www.IndustrialMedium.com Item: Absolutely no one wrote in about the GTSI advertisement. Item: I reprint, below, an anonymous letter that discusses the Contracting 101 issue I wrote about. One thing I would like to say in reference to the letter. The author says I want everyone to attend my seminars and no others. This is only partly true. Everyone who needs marketing ideas should attend my seminars (and read the book and join the member site…) – but there are plenty of other events that cover business development (Lohfeld Consulting does a great seminar on this and capture management), selling to the government (Immix does the best one), bid and proposal (OCI does a good one), and on and on. I cover one aspect – marketing tactics. And yes, my seminar (I only offer one) is among the best. Two weeks ago I published an Item on the ENC marketing seminar, which I sponsor. My argument was not that the article was not about me (although I would not have objected), but that it offered bad advice from a usually reliable source – Gov Exec.
Not that I have an opinion. THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE UGLY: LETTER FROM A READER In my quest for truth, justice and the American way, I am writing one more piece regarding the Government Executive Contracting 101 snafu (read this if you do not know what I am talking about http://www.govexec.com/features/0406-15/0406-15na1.htm). To that end, here is the copy of a letter I received about the article, me and my motives, and Gov Exec. The envelope, with no return address, had only Amtower, Box 314, Highland MD 20777 and on the bottom RE: Contracting 101. Here is the letter, verbatim, with my comments in {}: May 15, 2006 Re: Contracting 101 article in Gov Exec Mark: Yes, the article was bad. A more precise term is incredibly naïve. Well, wouldn’t you go to someone who rents furniture to the government for sage advice on how to sell services or IT hardware? We love you, fella {here I think she refers to me}, but we can’t help but think you would hate any course given by anyone but—you. We all love reading your warning against schlockers. And you are right, almost all such courses aren’t worth diddly. And you, thank the lord, make no claim for being objective or free of conflicts of interest. Instead, you use your wits and power of expression to put across what you know. And the writer’s {now we are back to Gov Exec} next article, in the May 1 issue, is similarly naïve, suggesting all you need to get a contract is the ear of a congressman or senator. She gives no weight to smart planning and strategy and tactical execution, not to mention having really good, competitive products and services. It is all who you know, according to her. Among other things, she lets you infer that all feds are doormats. What garbage. Gov Exec is on thin ice when it tries to capture the thinking and activities of vendors. No one there gets it, which is typical of the paid, CCA trade press, which most of us read avidly just the same. GE is on a lot sounder ground, but usually a major cheerleader for the feds. You should really pursue Sullivan (John Fox Sullivan, president of National Journal, Gov Exec parent) or Clark (Tim Clark, Editor and president of Gov Exec) on this. They need to withdraw the article before it ruins a deserved good reputation in areas where they know something. Very truly yours, {Amtower comment: Thanks, Momma, whoever you are. Does this mean you approve of my role as media critic?} EVENTS WORTH ATTENDING Beware of the schlock vendors, producing minimal value events, 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. June 6-7, 2006 NSA SIGINT Technology Exposition and Conference, Fort Meade, Maryland June 6, 2006: Coalition for Government Procurement Spring Conference, McLean Hilton, www.thecgp.org June 15, Government Leaders at the Helm, Women in Technology, www.womenintechnology.org June 20, GovCon, McLean Hilton, (all day) Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce www.gconseries.com June 21-22, 2006, FISC 2006, Colorado Springs, Colorado http://www.fbcinc.com//fisc June 26-28, 2006, RIO Symposium (formerly U.S. ACE DIM/CIM), Miami, Florida http://www.fbcinc.com/event.asp?eventid=Q6UJ9A00B8U6 June 28, 2006, U.S. Department of Transportation/FAA IA Training and Workshop Washington, District of Columbia June 29, 2006, U.S. Department of Transportation/FAA IA Training and Workshop Washington, District of Columbia July 6, GSA Federal Technology Day – NY, Javits Bldg, http://www.fbcinc.com/event.asp?eventid=Q6UJ9A00B4Q7 July 18-19 FBI Information Security Officer Training Symposium http://www.fbcinc.com/event.asp?eventid=Q6UJ9A00AKHH
The Amtower Marketing Report Monday 5-6 PM on WBIS 1190 AM (Annapolis Md, simulcast on www.WBIS1190.com ): Upcoming guests include… May 22, Tom Cunningham, CEO of Alabanza: Guy Timberlake, The American Small Business Coalition May 29, Alec Dann, Sr VP, Internet, PostNewsweekTech Media
May 30, at 7:40 AM on The Bob Cudmore Show, WVTL 1570 AM, Amsterdam, NY. June 15, 5:20 PM, on the Greenberg News Show with Brian Greenberg, WNJC, 1360 AM, Philadelphia.
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 |
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