The Amtower B2G Market Report

The Amtower B2G Market Report
Volume 3, #08, February 23, 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)

1) Amtower Off-Center Observations
2) The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Verbal Communications
3) Government Marketing Best Practices Spring 2004 Road Show
4) SmartPay Update
5) One Minute Marketing Clinic: Working the Press

Amtower Off-Center Observations

I will address two crucial marketing functions in this issue: verbal communication and press relations. These are often overlooked, or at best under-emphasized by many companies.

These two skills are part of Government Marketing Best Practices and should be part of your arsenal.

This is also my long-term lead-in for the next installment of VAR Wars, which will be out in March. And believe me when I tell you the landscape is about to change again.

And, can anyone out there tell me who the hell Alvarez & Marsal are and what experience they have in the Federal market? I am just a poor country boy, and their unexpected entrance confuses me. More to come.

I am confining my sharper remarks, once again to The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY: VERBAL COMMUNICATION

The most important form of communication for all of us is verbal, our ability to speak and write clearly. We have the unique opportunity to convey our knowledge and enthusiasm for our respective companies, and amply display our expertise. It is incumbent on each of us to receive training (formal and informal) and real feedback (also formal and informal) on this skill, preferably from someone who will be brutally honest. The more honest the feedback, the faster the development of the skill.

Without this feedback, we will wander around in clouds of self-delusion thinking we present astute, cogent arguments, when in reality, our audience thinks we are babbling idiots.

Often times it is difficult to tell the boss that he/she should not be allowed in front of a crowd, microphone, or conference call. This is more difficult if you are a public company and your CEO feels it necessary to represent your company at all public functions.

Look at it this way. The ability to articulate key concepts and communicate succinctly to investors, press, partners, prospects and customers is key to corporate (or personal) growth. Those unable to communicate will facilitate the marketshare erosion process, they make the company vulnerable to anyone capable of presenting a cogent argument.

I have seen this too often, and too recently. It has occurred in recent conference and earnings calls, in companies where techies are CEOs, in briefings and other semi-formal settings, and in many situations where answers to questions do NOT necessitate the relating of arcane minutiae, self-deprecating asides, or other distracting non-answers to direct questions. I have had clients who keynoted major events (FOSE, eGov and others) where the preparation of the keynoter was minimal and their ability to speak publicly non-existent. The result is potential partners rethinking alliances, customers flocking to the doors during the speech, and reporters thinking, “I will never interview THIS bozo.”

The concept of the “word per idea ratio” was introduced to me when I was a telemarketer in graduate school. The idea is simple: the larger the ratio, the less likely that real communication occurs. The narrower the ratio, the more likely that action will occur.

Someone has to tell the emperor he or she is not wearing clothes. Not to do so will result in eroded marketshare, irreplaceable opportunities, and employee migration, forced or otherwise.

Not that I have an opinion.

GOVERNMENT MARKETING BEST PRACTICES SPRING 2004 ROAD SHOW

Government Marketing Best Practices will be in
Vienna, Virginia, April 14
San Jose April 20
San Antonio April 22
Denver April 28
Chicago April 29.

This 3-hour seminar covers proven tactics that work in the government marketplace. Once again, this will include new material (version 4.1). Our sponsors are DM News, the Federal Business Council, Federal Computer Week, Government Security News, Carroll Publishing and the Public Sector Institute.

Information is available at http://www.federaldirect.net/bestpractices2004.html

SMARTPAY UPDATE

First quarter FY 2004 results are in for the government SmartPay purchase card, and through the first three months usage of the card is about $340 million ahead of last year, at $3.94 billion for Q1 2004. There have been about 230,000 more transactions for the same period, with 60,000 fewer cardholders. The growth is still there, though we may suffer some setbacks if DOD forces cardholders to use Emall of some GSA Advantage-like web site.

ONE MINUTE MARKETING CLINIC: WORKING THE PRESS

Regardless of the industry you are in, your most valuable allies are the reporters who write for your target audience. Being written about lends credibility that space advertising cannot buy. Most people, though, are intimidated at the thought of calling or writing a reporter to comment on an article.

Reporters generally like feedback, and most like new sources of information. With the exception of some prima donnas, they are generally nice people who enjoy relationships with information providers who do not abuse the relationship.

When you call or email reporters, do so with a real idea. You can simply send a message saying “Great story”. This is real simple, and the feedback is often truly appreciated. If you have caveats (“great story, but…”), do so with one or two quick points. Do NOT go into some detailed critique. Even if this one is read, the next communication will be jettisoned.

Look at the editorial calendars and see what the upcoming topics are. Find out from the editors who will be assigned, and offer help, background information or case studies well before deadlines approach. Do not offer these after the fact. Simply say you would be happy to assist if they are to re-visit this topic.

If you wonder why your competitors get more press, you can assume they have a good PR firm, good personal relationships with reporters, or a combination of these two. Getting professional help here is a good idea. But so is having real relationships with key editors and reporters.

**

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

Thanks
Mark Amtower

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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