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Publishing Opportunities

Bill Inmon and his content partners and friends can offer you an abundant supply of creative ideas to produce relevant documents on many aspects of data warehousing and the Corporate Information Factory. Collaborate with Bill Inmon and/or our associates on a topic that will enhance and complement your sales and marketing collateral, and bring attention to your company's capabilities.

White Papers

White papers are usually 10 to 20 pages in length, interspersed with diagrams and line drawings that address one aspect of technology and the market place. The topic of the white paper is agreed upon between you and Inmon Data Systems before the writing commences. The topic is of general interest and makes the white paper interesting reading regardless of any marketing message.

If the white paper is less than 10 pages, then it is too short to cover the subject in depth. If the white paper is more than 20 pages then it is too long to be read. The ideal length of a white paper is between 10 and 20 pages.

The white paper focuses on only one aspect of technology or the marketplace. If a white paper attempts to address more than one topic, it becomes unfocused. There are two ways you can put a marketing message inside a white paper:

  • Simply put your logo on the white paper
  • Take the white paper and add marketing material at the end of the document.

If you choose to add your own marketing content, you are responsible for creating the marketing message -and maintaining/updating that message over time.

Generally one or two rounds of edits are needed in the creation of the white paper. You will receive the white paper in electronic form in both Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat format. You can then print the white paper, reformat it, or prepare it for publication; it is yours to do with as you see fit. You may put it on your Web site and/or ours, use it as collateral or use it as direct mail fulfillment. One client even sold the white paper for $10 per copy. The only restriction is that you cannot rewrite the white paper in whole or in part and then present it as a white paper from Inmon Data Systems. If you want to rewrite some or all of the white paper you may do so, but you must remove any association with Inmon Data Systems. You may use quotes from the white paper in other marketing material.

Unless you say otherwise, the white paper will be added to the collection of white papers available at www.inmoncif.com This is a good way to get additional exposure on our Web site. However, if you do not wish the white paper to appear on our Web site, then we will honor that request. It normally takes one month for the first draft of a white paper to be created. If there are travel complications or scheduling complications, you will be advised prior to the commencement of the writing of the white paper. Unless otherwise specified, the white paper will be written by Bill Inmon. If Bill Inmon does not write the white paper, he will edit it before publication and the language -"edited by Bill Inmon" - will appear on the white paper along with the original author.

Under normal circumstances, travel is not warranted in the creation and completion of the white paper. If travel is necessary, then travel expenses will be added to the cost of the white paper.

White papers are written on a customized basis or as part of a seminar or Web seminar series. If the white paper is produced on a customized basis, the rights to the publication and usage of the work are exclusive. If the white paper is created as part of the seminars produced by Inmon Data Systems, then the rights to the white paper will be shared by all of the vendors participating in the seminar and Inmon Data Systems.

Product Positioning Paper

Product positioning papers address the placement of your product in the market place. These papers are written for internal use only, not for external publication. The aspects of positioning include:

  • Where the product fits in terms of the Corporate Information Factory
  • Who is the competition
  • Pricing
  • Who partners should be
  • Barriers to partnership
  • History of company doing partnership
  • Other market factors
  • Sales strategies
  • Marketing strategies: getting the most for the marketing dollar
  • New technology assessments
  • What the immediate future releases of the product need to contain
  • Packaging considerations

The paper will be written after a one or two day visit to your site. These visits require travel and will be done by one of Bill Inmon's associates and/or Bill Inmon. The report will run from two pages to ten pages depending on the size and complexity of the product. Note - Analysis of product lines takes more resources than analysis of a single product.

Articles

Bill Inmon and his associates are some of the most widely read and prolific article writers in the industry, having published in almost every major trade journal. Bill Inmon and associates will undertake the writing of an article for you. Topics can be anything that you want which is newsworthy, for example:

  • Case studies - customer success stories
  • New product analysis
  • New alliances
  • New feature analysis
  • Value proposition articulation
  • Major issue commentary and so on

Inmon Data Systems will be happy to write an article for you. In addition, we will do our best to get the article placed however we cannot guarantee placement due to editorial policies and calendars. Failing to get the article placed, you can use the article as part of your standard promotion and market messaging.

The fee structure varies on the availability of writers and on the length and complexity of the article.

Magazine Wall Chart Inserts

Over the years, Bill Inmon and his associates have designed and developed content for many magazine centerfolds. These centerfolds are designed to be removed and placed on walls as reference documents for technicians and managers. The centerfolds are normally six to eight times the size of a regular magazine page and have messaging space on both the front and the back of the centerfold. These inserts have covered a variety of topics such as:

  • The physical view of the Corporate Information Factory
  • The logical view of the Corporate Information Factory
  • The DSS community, and so forth

The centerfold goes to the complete circulation of the magazine, ensuring broad industry exposure. And given that the centerfold is removable, there is a very long shelf life for these productions. The back of the centerfold is available for marketing messages. You can put case studies, technical descriptions, your value proposition, and so forth on the back of the centerfold. Really, you are limited only by your imagination. We will design the content of the centerfold. If there is a copyright consideration, we will take care of that issue as part of our services. In short, all you have to plan for is the back of the centerfold where you will place your marketing messages. In addition, you can place your logo and a limited amount of marketing message on the cover of the centerfold.

We have relationships with many magazines and can work with the magazine on placement, production and timetable. The lead-time for a centerfold can be significant, as only so many can be done in a years time. You should plan on no less than six months. Inmon Data Systems will be happy to facilitate the creation and placement of a centerfold. Note that there are other costs to the centerfold that will not be included in the Inmon Data Systems fee. The magazine publisher will have publication and production fees in excess of the fees charged by Inmon Data Systems.

Inmon Data Systems is happy to pool different vendors to sponsor a centerfold, should that be of interest.