"Under the Buzz"?

In my most recent old life (I've had a few), I was a voracious consumer of information on the software industry. One person whose writings and teachings I put to good professional use was Geoffrey Moore, author of Crossing the Chasm. What a book... what a concept.

When I was studying Moore and considering engaging him for a project for our firm (we should have hired him or one of his associates - they'd have helped double our multiple on the acquisition), I came across a publication he's involved with called "Under the Buzz".

Under the Buzz is a monthly e-mail newsletter of sorts put out by The Chasm Group, or more specifically one of Moore's partners, Philip Lay. Here's the blurb:

Back to Basics in e-Business Markets by Philip Lay
Under the Buzz is a monthly publication that seeks to enable individuals who drive e-business strategy in their organizations to make sound business decisions. Philip Lay's stock-in-trade is to examine the basic value propositions of B2B and other high-tech companies, in order to understand how they can grow and thrive in the business-to-business e-marketplace.

If you're an executive in the software industry, read this thing - its free - if only for juicy articles like the one on the changing nature of the business for mid-sized players that's in this month's edition. You can sign up here. The writing style is simple, but the ideas powerful. In this article's case, I think 75% of the observations and recommendations could apply to the company I'm with today. Especially the parts about embracing change... highly applicable.

The only criticism I have here is that the package The Chasm Group delivers this little gem in sort of... sucks dirty pond water, to be blunt. As in no design. At all. None.



The website is beautifully simple and functional, but I've always felt a disconnect between the quality of the content and the quality of the presentation. Someone needs a corporate identity guideline and an e-newsletter makeover. Geoffrey, if you're reading - get your graphic designers to spruce this baby up! Or let me know... I'll do it for you.