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--- Andrea Brundt <andrea_w_brundt -at- hotmail -dot- com> wrote:
>
> Hi there,
>
> My company is starting to talk about hosting our
> application and/or our data
> for clients. (Our clients are publicly-funded,
> cash-strapped, and don't have
> strong IT departments, so an ASP is an attractive
> alternative to buying
> servers, databases and IT skills).
>
> Anyway, in an effort to liven up my window-jumpingly
> boring gig, I want to
> approach the company's partners with a proposal for
> a white paper and other
> technical sales tools that might support their
> efforts. Can anyone make any
> suggestions for how to proceed with the proposal?
> It's been a while since I
> pitched a new "genre" of documentation to a
> decisionmaker, so I'm a bit
> rusty. I'm not looking for a pep-talk as much as I'm
> looking for your ideas
> about what the obstacles might be...
>
Before you do anything, make the business case for
yourself. If you can show an effect in the bottom line
then you may very well have the project sealed. If you
cannot make a business case, then you will be selling
a vision. In the present economic climate, you may not
stand a great chance of success.
Assuming that the business case can be proven. Decide
who the person (decision maker) is. Most likely the
Directory of Marketing. Usually profiled as a very
strong willed person. Incredibly astute when it comes
to matters political. So see if you can muster some
support from other camps within the org, before you
approach. If they buy-in then you stand a good chance.
If they don't you will be able to draw-back and
re-think your strategy. This way you will not have
burnt the bridge with the decision maker.
Good luck.
Sean Wheller
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