The Buying & Selling eContent conference was this week, and, as in the past, it provided a glimpse into the future of the information profession and industry. More specifically, it focused on many of the current and emerging technologies content providers are seeking to harness for the benefit of their customers.
I had the good fortune of moderating a panel featuring three outstanding representatives of SLA; Carol Ginsburg, senior consultant, BST America; Anne Lonergan, manager, strategy, research and innovation, Deloitte Services, and Barbara Hirsh, director, information resources, NERA Economic Consulting. They each belong to the newly formed Content Buying Section of SLA, which already has more than 100 members.
The session, titled After the Deal Is Done, focused on the relationship between buyers and sellers of online content once an agreement is reached. Barbara, Anne, and Carol provided unique perspectives on this relationship from their companies' points of view.
In my opening remarks, I reminded those who provide content that the relationship between buyers and sellers should begin well before any agreement is reached. I encouraged them to include SLA members as partners in the development of future products and services. After all, who has a better idea of what you want than you? I emphasized, of course, that this would not be a one-way relationship. As partners in this process, I underscored the fact that you would work to protect their intellectual property and licensing rights and could be the strongest advocates inside your organizations for their products and services. This, I told them, is a classic "win-win," or as that fellow in those radio commercials says, "This is the biggest no-brainer in the history of earth."
Collaboration has been one of the key drivers in the success of Business 2.0 and social networking. Isn't it about time for the users of content to have a bigger say in what future content offerings will look like?
I would like very much to hear your comments, ideas, and opinions on this subject. Please add a comment below or send me an email.
