Random Amtower Musings

The Amtower Report #363, 12/16/19

A few random thoughts:

1)   Last week an email was sent around the GovCon IT marketing community. It took issue with the recent Federal Media and Marketing Study from Market Connections - #FMMS. The email stated that people were "scratching their heads" and were confused because the study had no value to the GovCon IT community. It went on to hype its own, totally self-serving “research.”

Point of fact, head scratcher: #FMMS is not an IT study. It is a study regarding the overall information grazing habits of the GovCon community, and it does this quite well.

It is borderline pathetic when someone tries to promote themselves by misrepresenting something else.

Quality information in our market finds a way to shine through the muck, which is why #FMMS is always well-attended.

Enough said...

2)    Ever hear of Podfade?

In this age of instant gratification, there are some, perhaps many, who expect an audience to spontaneously generate when they create their first piece of content, be it a blog or LinkedIn post, video, podcast or some other form of content.

Apparently some, perhaps many, start podcasts only to let them slide into oblivion when an audience does not develop overnight, within weeks, or perhaps a few months. Podcasts are not the only content formats that are abandoned when an audience does not spontaneously appear.

Mindshare, like marketshare, takes time to develop. Success in content marketing demands producing quality content, sharing it in the right venues, and patience.

3)   In case you weren’t there, the final Washington Technology Power Breakfast for 2019 was great. No earth shattering information, but good discussions about the value and performance of GWACs and IDIQs.

I like these breakfasts for a couple reasons. First, the networking is always great - I often see Bob Lohfeld at these. I also got to sit next to my buddy Patty Bortz of Red River and saw my AFECA friend David Pak, president of USxax. I got to hear Kevin Plexico’s analysis of the topic, then we heard from Armando Gavino (GSA), Wayne Sok (Army PEO office), Glynis Fisher (NITAAC), Joanne Woytek (SEWP), and Cheryl Thornton (GSA). And of course, Nick Wakeman of Washington Technology.

Events like these allow segments of the GovCon community with shared interests to get together with some regularity without taking a large chunk out of the working day.

Second, even if the information is not earth shattering, some of the statistics are quite revealing.

Bottom line- more people need to get out to more events like the Power Breakfast and FMMS!

Have a great week and thanks for reading!

Mark Amtower

PS- If item 2 was of interest, read more here:

https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/who-reads-your-content-mark-amtower/