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The Amtower B2G Market Report Volume 3, #05, February 2, 2004 (Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.FederalDirect.net and if you like this, please pass this along to your colleagues. To unsubscribe, email me at amtower@erols.com). Past issues available at http://www.federaldirect.net/newsletterarchives.html) Amtower Off-Center Observations "In almost everything, experience is more valuable than precept." Item: Regarding my reference to signs of economic recovery, Larry Konefal writes "Many use employment stats as barometer of economic recovery but an interesting article in the Washington Post (last week) suggests use of consultants versus FTE's shrouding that barometer in a frozen mist." Great imagery - "barometer in a frozen mist." The use of non-permanent staff is intriguing to me, being a consultant and a member of the Board of Advisors for the American Consultants League. I would hope and recommend that these non-permanent workers charge more than an adequate fee, as they now have to fund their own benefit packages. They have no guarantee of continuing work, so they have to spend time looking for new opportunities. Item: in the current BtoB (very good magazine for business marketers), there was a tabloid size insert (poly-bagged) with the publication. Although I recommend this (poly-bagging) as a way to reach targeted audiences, the ad piece was over the front cover of the magazine. Consequently, I almost tossed the whole thing, thinking it was advertising. Attention publishers: the inserted item should be at the back of the publication, not covering your front page. Attention advertisers: this works better for you too, as likelihood of being read increases in the piece is not tossed before opened. Item: Once again it has been brought to my attention that I spend lots of time pointing out some really silly, bad and just plain stupid stuff. This is true, and here is the simple reason. Some people out there are silly enough to spend time and money with some of the companies purveying trash. Although some of these purveyors aspire to become players (and if persistent enough, a few may make it), some of the others seem to be in it for the quick hit, and truly do not possess the bandwidth to be even insignificant players. So I point out this simple fact, maybe too often. But these things keep showing up in my „in‰ box. And as I am something of a bird-watcher, I will keep pointing out the dodo&Mac226;s and duck-billed platitudes whenever and wherever I see them. Maybe we can add some of these to the endangered species list. Not that I have an opinion. The same issue of Government Computer News has the cover-wrap for FOSE. I like the US map motif used, and it has something I find amusing. Insight Public Sector (obviously paying for the exposure) is "on the map", but I have been watching and waiting and have yet to see any significant sign of intelligent life from the Arizona-based reseller in the Federal market. Maybe we should send one of those NASA space rovers to the Tempe HQ and see look for signs of life. CDWG was poly-bagged into the 1/26/04 issue of GCN as well. This remains a great way to reach targeted audiences, and is a theme I will be returning throughout the year (See Marketing Clinic, below). The CDWG piece was at the back of the publication, not covering the front page. Current (Feb, 2004) Government Executive magazine has a full-page ad from Siemens with a young blond comfortably sitting on a deck overlooking a lakeside setting, leaning on a rail with her laptop. "Spacious corner office, redefined" is the headline, and one that would make many federal managers think twice about the benefits of telework. Telework should sell productivity, not vacation time. A Northrop Grumman advertisement in the same issue of Government Executive has two-thirds of the page in dark blue with a photo of the top of a fence covered with razor-wire. The headline reads, "Turn your network into a fortress." While many might identify the picture for what it is, many will not. Images should support the advertisement, not (potentially) confuse. In my email box Sunday (2/1/04) another Market Access conference date change: "February 25, 2004* (*please note date has changed from Feb 5.)". I have no idea as to the value, pro or con, of these events, but please use pencil in your planners for these guys, as many of their events are postponed. And they are now using a tag line of "Government Best Practices Training Conference". These guys use so many ideas from other people it is hard to keep track. And yes, you still have to "call our information line at 703-807-2027 to obtain instructions on how to access our web page". What was I saying about bird watching? Our 2004 sponsors are DM News (www.DMNews.com), the Federal Business Council (www.FBCinc.com) , Federal Computer Week (www.FCW.com), Government Security News (http://www.gsnmagazine.com) and MeritDirect (www.MeritDirect.com). There will be limited seating at each venue, so reserve your seats at http://www.federaldirect.net/bestpractices2004.html. ONE-MINUTE MARKETING CLINIC: VENUE SELECTION Selecting the proper venue for ad placement, event participation, or association and special interest group membership is critical. Each of us has limited time and money, and we all require a strong return on our time and money investment. This was driven home when I opened the Sunday Washington Post. While looking for the comics (the truly important portion of the Sunday paper in our house) I came across an insert advertisement for The Economist, an offer for "4 free trial issues without obligation." The placement of this advertisement struck me as odd, not because Washington Post readers would not be interested in The Economist, but because I do not think many would find it stuck in the mass of Sunday sales ads that surround the comics, the television magazine and Parade magazine. When I am looking though this section of the paper, I am usually myopic and want only those comics. Wrong venue. About eleven years ago, when there were more government trade shows, and before the Washington Post owned FOSE, Government Computer News and Washington Technology, the Post tried a quarterly supplement to attract computer trade show advertising dollars. The supplement was timed to support a more robust government trade show market, and was going to come out in time for Comnet, FOSE, FedMicro and the Federal Computer Conference. The supplement was also placed in the Sunday insert section, and according to my unscientific sampling (Amtower calling 15-20 people), almost no one saw it. Although this was a planned quarterly, I do not believe it got to the third edition. Wrong venue. More research and a more targeted venue should lead to reduced costs and higher returns. Inside that same Sunday insert section is the Washington Post Magazine, the one with restaurant reviews and well-written articles on DC. I would argue that The Economist ad, placed as an insert inside the Post Magazine, would attract more attention and a more targeted audience. As sales and marketing executives, you all get calls every week, some every day, offering new venues, the same old venues and the same old venues with new twists. Here are a few questions you should ask each time these calls come in: What is the total cost? Venue decisions, publication or space ads, are not easy on their own merits, nor are they made easier with so many choices. As always, your comments, questions and suggestions are welcome. Thanks The Amtower B2G Market Report is published and copyrighted by Amtower & Company. It combines our former newsletters into a single, bi-weekly newsletter for companies targeting the government marketplace. Contact us at Amtower & Company, PO Box 339, Ashton, MD 20861-0339 (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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