That's Da BOM!!!

In Microsoft parlance, a BOM (Bill of Materials) is a set of documents/presentations/demos that we deliver to our partners to help them execute marketing campaigns.

Typically, these are a combination of Word docs, PowerPoints, and PDF's that are all encompassing in the information they provide.

I know the folks who create these BOM's and I know they are smart. I also know the partners who consume them and I know they are smart.

And to just make myself feel like I know it all, I know there's often a disconnect between the two.

Why?

The raw quantity of information and HOW it is presented.

When you get 8 files, you can quickly lose the contact and the high-level message that is intended, because you feel inundated and you lose context.

So, yesterday was a huge breath of fresh air.

I'll admit, I was a bit skeptical when I was approached by the Windows Client Group about a BOM for partners that leverages MDOP (Microsoft Desktop Optimization Package) as a front-end sales technique.

The corporate marketing folks want partners to pick it up and execute and they want me to be the traffic cop to make that happen.

However, I was extremely and pleasantly surprised when I saw that the vendor who had put together the BOM (The Arnold Group) had taken a different approach.

They'd broken the paradigm and used OneNote to relay the information.

I found it easy to maintain context and navigation was simpler.

Great example of how you can have the same content, but if the wrapping is different, you'll get a different response.