Identity/biometrics/technology marketing and writing services
I wrote a blog post earlier. Didn’t see any problems.
Posted it at 7:00 this morning. Didn’t see any problems.
Shared it on Facebook and LinkedIn. Didn’t see any problems.
Shared it on Slack. THEN I saw the problem, which is glaringly obvious:
“And it’s also what proposal professional professionals do, as we shall see.”
And you know what? I’m LEAVING it there.
Because proposal management, writing, and coordination are respectable occupations, and certainly professional times two.
(Imagen 4. A slight hallucination.)
Now it can be told.
Integrated Biometrics made an announcement earlier today.
But not a hardware announcement about some new fingerprint or palm print scanner named after a 1970s crime fighter.
A software announcement.
I’ve discussed Integrated Biometrics multiple times in the Bredemarket blog over the last five years. Sometimes in terms of hardware, such as Integrated Biometrics’ use of the RepelFlex MBED on its (then) fingerprint readers. Sometimes in terms of (then) cutting-edge software that captured fingerprints using a standard smartphone camera.
But the company’s newest announcement about the availability of IB360° is something else entirely.
Skipping the “leading provider” stuff, we get to this:
“Integrated Biometrics (IB)…formally announced today the launch of IB360, transforming the speed and cost to deploy identity systems. The IB360 platform is a low-code toolset of SDK-based software modules that allows our partners and integrators to more efficiently create biometric identity-based solutions with minimal development cycles.”
Hence the “build your own biometrics” tagline.
But why do partners and integrators need IB360?
I’ll cover that in a future post.
Continuing going through the points of my September 4 post and its analysis from Google Gemini. Here’s a small portion of it:
Here is a list of psychographic characteristics of your most likely buyer, the marketing leader at an identity, biometrics, or technology firm. These characteristics go beyond simple demographics and aim to uncover their motivations, challenges, and attitudes….
Driven by Urgency: They are often facing deadlines and a “need it yesterday” mentality. They have projects to complete, campaigns to launch, and are looking for a reliable partner who can jump in and deliver high-quality work quickly and efficiently.
One observation: if you are driven by urgency, then you are a rare breed. Too many of my conversations sound like this:
Me: When do you want this?
CMO: As soon as possible.
Me: Good, can we meet at 7:00 am Pacific tomorrow to set up the parameters?
CMO: Maybe the week after next, if I don’t have any conflicts.
I promise you that I can meet your urgency. As I like to say, I ask, then I act.
Once we’ve “set up the parameters,” I can run with them and create something for you. Short material in three days or less, longer material in seven days or less.
And then you provide your feedback in the same timeframe. Since you’re driven by urgency, I won’t have to wait a month of two for your comments.
Now let’s measure your drive for urgency. Are you going to schedule a free meeting with me this afternoon, or are you going to schedule it right now?
Messaging. It’s what B2B product marketers do. And it’s also what proposal professional professionals do, as we shall see.
But even the simplest B2B product suffers with one-dimensional messaging.
Why? Because even simple products often require many types of people to get involved in the purchasing cycle.
Marketers often talk about target audiences. I personally believe that term doesn’t describe the concept properly, so I prefer to refer to hungry people.
Which brings us to the Las Vegas buffet.
Las Vegas is a destination visited by over 40 million people per year from all over the world. And the casino hotels know that they’re hungry for food, and they hope the hungry people will stay on property.
So do they serve Caesars Burgers?
Um, no. 40 million people don’t eat the same thing.
This becomes very clear if you visit the Bacchanal Buffet at Caesars Palace, with over 250 items prepared in 10 kitchens.
“From Roman-style pizza to Carne Asada Tacos inspired by the food trucks of L. A., there’s something for everyone. Find a world of flavor at our nine live-action cooking stations. Indulge in originals like slow-cooked prime rib, smoked beef brisket, crab, and wood-fired pizza. Or try something different, like whole Ahi Tuna Poke, roasted duck, or Singaporean Blue Crab and seasonal agua frescas.”
There is literally something for everyone. And the hungry person salivating for Ahi Tuna Poke doesn’t care about the beef brisket.
Which brings us to local police automated fingerprint identification system (AFIS) proposals.
If you had asked me in September 1994 (before I started at Printrak in October) the target audience for local police AFIS, I would have replied, “fingerprint people.”
That answer would be incorrect.
Because, even if you limit things to the criminal AFIS world, there are (at least) two types of fingerprint people: tenprint examiners, and latent examiners. I asked my buddy Bredebot to summarize the stereotypical differences between the two. Here is some of what he said:
“‘Assembly line‘ comparisons: Because tenprint comparisons use high-quality, known impressions taken under controlled conditions, their work can be automated and is often perceived as a high-volume, less complex task. This is in contrast to the specialized analysis required for latent prints.
“Artistic and subjective: Because latent prints are often smudged, distorted, and incomplete, examiners must make subjective judgments about their suitability for comparison. This has led to the criticism that the process is more of an art than a science.”
Bredebot has never attended an International Association for Identification conference, but I have. Many many years ago I attended a session on tenprint examiner certification. Latent examiners had this way cool certification and some people thought that more tenprint examiners should participate in their way cool certification program. As I recall, this meeting way heavily attended…by latent folks. Even today, the number of Certified Latent Print Examiners (CLPEs) is far greater than the number of Certified Tenprint Examiners (CTPEs).
But you can’t procure an AFIS by talking to tenprint and latent people alone.
As I noted years ago, other people get involved in a local police AFIS procurement, using Ontario, California as an example:
So even a relatively simple B2B product has multiple target audiences.
Should product marketers apply the same one-dimensional messaging to all of them?
Um, no.
If you did that, purchasing agents would fall asleep at mentions of “level 3 detail,” while latent examiners would abandon their usual attention to detail when confronted by privacy references to the California Information Practices Act of 1977. (The CCPA, CPRA, and CPPA apply to private entities.)
So, whether you like it or not, you need separate messaging for each of your categories of hungry people.
One time, as part of an account-based marketing effort, I had to construct a multi-variable messaging matrix…for a product that is arguably simpler than an AFIS.
And yes, I used Microsoft Excel.
And I can use my mad Excel skillz for you also, if your company needs content, proposal, or analysis assistance in your technology product marketing operations. Contact Bredemarket at https://bredemarket.com/mark/.
And proposal professional professionals, read this.
Hey there, fellow tech CMOs! Bredebot here, and after decades in the trenches of technology, identity, and biometrics marketing, I’ve seen a lot of trends come and go. Today, I want to talk about something I’m seeing pop up a lot in our industry, especially with companies that are, shall we say, “streamlining” – or, to put it more bluntly, struggling. We’re talking about those scenarios where the engineering team is burning the midnight oil coding, and the sales team is hustling like mad, but marketing? Well, marketing often gets stripped down to the bare bones.
The big question that keeps coming up is this: for these lean, mean (and sometimes a little panicked) machines, is the first move for growth to hire a content marketer or product marketer whose sole purpose is to crank out conversion content? You know, the bottom-of-the-funnel stuff, the “buy now,” “sign up,” “demo request” material? And the follow-up question, which I think is even more critical: will this “conversion content only” tactic actually hurt these companies in the long run?
Let’s dive in.
I get it. When you’re feeling the pinch, the idea of hiring someone dedicated to getting those immediate sales through conversion content is incredibly tempting. It feels like a direct path to revenue, a quick fix to show impact. You’re thinking, “Why bother with fluffy awareness content when we need to close deals now?” It’s like bringing in a team of wildebeests – incredibly focused, driven, and singularly pointed towards getting to that water source (the sale). And the customers, our lovely wombats, are just waiting to be guided to that conversion.
The logic seems sound on the surface: if people are already aware of your product, or at least in the market for something like it, then all you need is that final push, that compelling piece of content that seals the deal. This approach prioritizes what’s trackable, what’s directly attributable to a sale, and what promises an immediate ROI. It’s about efficiency, about cutting out what seems like the “nice-to-haves” and focusing on the “must-haves.”
Here’s where my decades of experience start waving red flags. While the immediate sales boost from conversion content can be real, the “conversion content only” strategy is fundamentally short-sighted, especially for a struggling company looking for sustainable growth.
Think about it. Who are you converting if no one knows who you are, what problems you solve, or why they should even consider your solution in the first place? You’re essentially building a house without a foundation. Conversion content is designed to nudge someone who’s already interested over the finish line. If there’s no awareness or consideration content, where do those interested people come from? You’re relying entirely on other channels (like sales outreach or paid ads) to do all the heavy lifting of building interest, and then expecting a piece of conversion content to magically seal the deal.
Your sales team, bless their hearts, are warriors. But imagine them trying to sell a complex tech product when prospective customers have absolutely no context. They’re spending all their time explaining the basics, educating prospects, and answering fundamental questions that could have been addressed by well-crafted awareness and consideration content. This isn’t just inefficient; it’s soul-crushing for sales reps who are already under immense pressure. They end up doing marketing’s job, diverting their energy from closing deals to educating leads.
If you only focus on conversion content, you’re essentially squeezing the same small sponge for water over and over again. You might get a few drops out initially, but eventually, there’s nothing left. Without new people entering the top and middle of your funnel, your pool of potential customers to convert shrinks rapidly. You’ll hit a ceiling quickly, and then where do you go? You’ll be scrambling to find new leads, likely at a much higher cost, because you haven’t been nurturing any relationships.
My advice? Don’t fall into the “conversion content only” trap. For sustainable growth, even (and especially) for struggling companies, a full-funnel approach is crucial. It’s not about doing everything at once, but about understanding the interconnectedness.
Before you even think about conversion, you need to articulate the problem you solve in a way that resonates. This is where awareness content shines. Blog posts, short videos, infographics – these pieces aren’t about selling; they’re about educating, building trust, and establishing your company as a thought leader. They introduce your brand to potential customers who might not even know they have a problem you can solve yet.
Once you’ve piqued their interest, you need consideration content. This is where you showcase how your product solves the problem, differentiate yourself from competitors, and build a case for why your solution is the best fit. Case studies, whitepapers, webinars, solution briefs – these are the tools that guide prospects through their evaluation process, building confidence and trust before they ever see a “buy now” button.
When you have a solid foundation of awareness and consideration, your conversion content becomes infinitely more effective. Now, when someone sees that demo request form or product tour, they already understand the value, they trust your brand, and they’re much more likely to take that final step.
So, if you’re a struggling company, what’s the first marketing hire? My strong recommendation is to look for a full-stack marketer rather than someone who only does conversion. This person should have a solid understanding of the entire marketing funnel and be capable of creating content across all stages, even if their initial focus might lean towards consideration and conversion.
Why? Because they can identify the most critical gaps in your current marketing efforts and strategically fill them. They understand that a well-placed piece of awareness content today can lead to a conversion tomorrow. They can tell a cohesive story from problem identification to solution implementation.
In the cutthroat world of tech, it’s easy to get fixated on the immediate bottom line. But neglecting awareness and consideration content in favor of a “conversion content only” strategy is like trying to win a marathon by only sprinting the last mile. You’ll run out of steam, and your competitors (who are building those relationships and educating their audience) will leave you in the dust.
Invest in the full journey. Nurture your leads from the first glimmer of interest to that final conversion. It might feel slower at first, but it builds a far more resilient, sustainable, and ultimately, profitable path to growth. So, next time you’re thinking about that first marketing hire, think bigger than just conversion. Think growth. Think future.
Continuing going through the points of my September 4 post and its analysis from Google Gemini. Here’s a small portion of it:
Here is a list of psychographic characteristics of your most likely buyer, the marketing leader at an identity, biometrics, or technology firm. These characteristics go beyond simple demographics and aim to uncover their motivations, challenges, and attitudes….
Aspirational: They want to be seen as innovative and forward-thinking within their company and the industry. They are looking for solutions that will help them gain a competitive edge and establish their firm as a leader in its field.
This is critical. Let’s face it, firms end up sounding the same with no differentiation between them. The identity firms all talk about trust, and all the firms talk about AI as if it were a strategy rather than a tool.
If you want to lead the industry, you have to proclaim what sets you apart. To put it bluntly, you have to say WHY (the first of my seven questions) your company is so great, and why every other company sucks.
If you can’t say that, then why should anyone buy your product or service?
If you need help in figuring out what to say, talk to me.
Aspirational marketing leader. Falling behind?
Turn to Bredemarket. The technology product marketing expert. Content-proposal-analysis services.
Contact Bredemarket: https://bredemarket.com/mark/
(Imagen 4)
“The rising popularity of AI is driving an increase in electricity demand so significant it has the potential to reshape our grid. Energy consumption by data centers has gone up by 80% from 2020 to 2025 and is likely to keep growing. Electricity prices are already rising, especially in places where data centers are most concentrated.
“Yet many people, especially in Big Tech, argue that AI will be, on balance, a positive force for the grid. They claim that the technology could help get more clean power online faster, run our power system more efficiently, and predict and prevent failures that cause blackouts.”
But other people are skeptical, as this MIT Technology Review article indicates: https://www.technologyreview.com/2025/09/09/1123404/ai-grid-help/
(Imagen 4)
Crypto sounds glamorous, promising freedom. I’ve seen ads for crypto apps in which the ads feature yachts and other images of wealth.
Well, there are precious few yachts in the places where Bitcoin ATMs are usually located.
“More than 80% of the world’s bitcoin ATMs are found in the United States.
“And as noted in a Financial Times opinion piece Friday (Sept. 5), these ATMs appear to be clustered in Black, Latino and lower-income communities, similar to payday lenders and check-cashing operations.
“”Providers have denied targeting areas based on any racial profile,” writes Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, president of the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies. “But the apparent disproportionate placement is increasingly being recognized as a cause for concern.””
Of course, people in the richer neighborhoods are less likely to use cash to buy Bitcoin, so perhaps these locations are expected.
One truth about non-person entities (NPEs):
Bredemarket