The Amtower Report

(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)

In this issue:
Amtower Off-Center Observations
The Good, The Bad and the Ugly:
Events Worth Attending
Amtower on the Radio- WFED

AMTOWER OFF-CENTER OBSERVATIONS

Item: The first Government Marketing Forum on June 19 attracted over 90 people. Over 105 registered and there were a few no-shows. The next Government Marketing Forum will be in September.

Item: The SmartPay micropurchase threshold has been raised to $3,000. The Amtower Off Center show on SmartPay featuring David Shea (GSA) Eva Robinson (MasterCard) and Wade Tetsuka (DiamondMind Inc) will be repeated on July 6– this was a very good show.

Item: On Independence Day, please remember the troops. They are out there so we can celebrate and live peacefully here. Remember them with a prayer and a donation to the USO – www.USO.org .

THE GOOD, THE BAD, and THE UGLY: SUMMER READING RECOMMENDATIONS

I read about 75 books a year, and every now and then I need to tell people about a few of them.

The best business book I have read this year is Kiss Theory Goodbye by Bob Prosen. This is a management book that actually tells you how to get things done. The really cool thing about this book is that it applies to companies of any size, in almost any market. It is a practical, real-world information book written in a very easy to read style. Each chapter ends with a list of actions you can take immediately. Get this book – actually, buy several copies and share it with your managers.

Words That Work is another book that could be useful to everyone. Frank Luntz presents valuable information on the science and art of being able to convey your thoughts effectively. This translates into getting the audience to understand the intent and direction of what you are saying. Know your audience and adjust your phrasing accordingly. A good read.

Anything by Rick Page (Hope is Not a Strategy or Make Winning a Habit) should be on the desk of every sales manager. Period.

My friend Bob Davis of Accenture introduced me to the concepts of competitive advantage and sustainable competitive advantage. He discusses these at some length in his interview with me on the Ultimate Government Sales Jumpstart Program CD series ( http://governmentexpress.com/govmarketpress.html ).  Although I am not finished reading the book, Value Acceleration by Mitchell Gooze and Ralph Mroz deals exclusively with the concept of developing a competitive advantage for your company. This is a very good book for small businesses that still find themselves in the We Can Do It All syndrome.  A good example of competitive advantage is the Reliable integration web site home page: Design Implement, Mange Nothing But Networks. I do disagree with their assertion that this means pushing the envelope to the cutting edge. A competitive advantage can be carved out of established technologies.

For those struggling with blogs, podcasting, viral marketing and other web-based activity, I find The New Rules of Marketing and PR by David M Scott to be extremely helpful. If you just want information on blogging, The Corporate Blogging Book by Debbie Weil will help, but New Rules covers the other aspects of making sure your information gets out on the web are far and as fast as possible. There is a lot of practical advice in this book.

Two books that look promising but that I have yet to read: Email Marketing By The Numbers by Chris Baggott and Beyond Buzz by Lois Kelly.

And for those who simply want to listen instead of read, the interviews I have with both Max Peterson on sales and Bob Davis on business development are excellent; go to http://governmentexpress.com/govmarketpress.html. 

 
EVENTS WORTH ATTENDING

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.

July 12, Online Marketing Summit, Westin Hotel, Tysons Corner Virginia; one whole day on social media, web site usability and analytics, content management and more. http://regional.onlinemarketingsummit.com/agenda/dc/default.html

July 13 New Media Nouveaux Conference, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
(includes 2 meals) Tower Club in Tysons Corner. Blogging, podcasting, and other social networking will be discussed by local and national experts.. http://www.newmedianouveaux.com/

July 18, APMP Roundtable of The Art and Science of Capture Management,  5:30-8:30 PM, Fairview Park Marriott. Tap Bob Lohfeld’s vast knowledge and proven track record in capture management and proposal development. http://apmpnca.org/announcements/062807/

August 1-2,  Federal Information Security Conference, Colorado Springs, Co. Antlers Hilton Colorado Springs. http://www.fbcinc.com/fisc/

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 ON THE RADIO - WFED

Amtower Off-Center airs Friday at 2:05 PM on WFED 1050 AM in Washington, DC and is simulcast on  www.FederalNewsRadio.com.

Upcoming show/guests Upcoming show/guests -  July 13 - EMC ….Stay tuned!

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As always, your comments, questions and suggestions are welcome.

Thanks
Mark Amtower

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