Tag Archives: identity
Communicating Benefits Over Features, Revisited and Repurposed
In 2021, I wrote a series of posts on the topic of communicating benefits, not features, to identity customers. The first post in the series is here; click at the top of the post to view the other three parts. (And yes, it was originally supposed to be a three-part series, until I wrote a fourth part on a company’s distinct voice.)
But if you don’t want to wade through four Bredemarket posts, just wade through the following two words:
So what?
But if that’s too short for you, I plunged into the Google NotebookLM world and repurposed the four posts as three separate pieces of content: an infographic, a podcast, and a video.
The benefits over features infographic, “Winning the Identity Customer”
I’ve never created a NotebookLM infographic before, so I was interested in seeing how this would turn out.
It’s busy, but ALL infographics are busy. And I like how it visualizes the response-time differences between rapid DNA, biometrics, and computer aided dispatch, where “real time” can mean very different things.
We on the AFIS side learned this the hard way when we introduced ourselves to our new colleagues.
“Hi, SCC folks, welcome to Printrak. You’re joining a company that sells REAL TIME AFIS that delivers results within one minute! Aren’t you impressed?”
The ex-SCC people responded, gently disabusing us of our pretensions to speed.
“Hello, new corporate overlords. We provide computer aided dispatch systems that send police, fire, and medical personnel to crime scenes and emergency sites as soon as possible. If our CAD systems took AN ENTIRE MINUTE to dispatch personnel, PEOPLE WOULD DIE. We use really powerful computers to get personnel dispatched in a second. Enjoy your real time AFIS…amateurs.”
So the company Printrak learned that it needed separate benefit statements, depending upon the product line the company was promoting at any given time. The CAD customers received one set of benefit statements, while the AFIS customers received a separate set.
Because there are different benefits for different “hungry people.”
The benefits over features podcast, “Sell the Outcome, Not the Math”
Unlike infographics, I’ve created multiple NotebookLM podcasts over the years. If you’re not familiar with NotebookLM podcasts, they have two distinct…um…features.
- The podcasts feature a male and female speaker chatting with each other about the subject matter.
- The podcasts are relentlessly positive. If you are feeling down in the dumps, upload your resume to NotebookLM and have the two speakers talking about how wonderful you are.
Anyway, here’s how the two speakers treated my source material.
The benefits over features video, “Stop Selling Features”
Again, I’ve created multiple NotebookLM videos, such as this one on avoiding false differentiators.
Despite the fact that I haven’t been able to customize the video so it doesn’t have the NotebookLM “look.” One identity/biometric company is sharing these videos, and I can tell immediately that it’s NotebookLM content.
Nevertheless I wanted to see the video that I got.
And I finally figured out that if I explicitly upload specific pictures into NotebookLM, they can appear in the final video. Look for this one at the three and a half minute mark.
Other formats
Perhaps I’ll experiment with some of the other output available in NotebookLM, although there are some formats that I will probably never use.
- If I’m going to create a slide deck, I’m going to create it myself.
- I don’t really have a use for flash cards, mind maps, or quizzes. Unless you, my readers, REALLY REALLY REALLY want to be quizzed on benefits and features.
But I now have these three pieces of content. And perhaps the next time I discuss this topic, I can drag the infographic out of my WordPress media library.
And I now have more content to add to Bredemarket’s YouTube channel.
“Accept Without Posting” Issue Resolved…Even Though I Appeared To Be Very Evil
Here’s the resolution to the “Accept Without Posting” issue that I discussed on Saturday.
You’ll recall that I initiated a Zelle transfer to my account at “the blue bank,” but the blue bank “placed this transfer on hold so they can conduct further review.”
With no word on what the blue bank was reviewing. And the “blue bank” representative whom I spoke with on Saturday didn’t know either.
- I had already ruled out the simple explanations, such as either the sending Zelle account or the receiving Zelle account didn’t exist.
- I figured that perhaps my use of Zelle was the issue. The day before I sent the “on hold” transaction, I had sent another transaction. I figured that two transactions in two days tripped up some odd alert of possible account draining.
Neither of these turned out to be the issue.
On Monday (just after I had rated the “blue bank” 5 out of 10 for its handling of the issue; coincidence, or no?) I received a call from someone at my local “blue bank” branch.
Turns out that the issue was the COMMENT that I attached to the Zelle transfer.
My comment referenced another individual. Without revealing this person’s personally identifiable information (PII), I will state that his first name begins with a K, his last name begins with a P, and he is a “Junior.” So because acronyms are wonderful, I referred to this person as “KP2” in the Zelle transfer field.
Which was an extremely evil thing to do, because that tripped up an anti-money laundering check.
Basically, anti-money laundering checks verify that a person isn’t transferring money for a sanctioned person.
And I didn’t trip up just ANY anti-money laundering check.
This one was bad.
Really bad.
How bad?
- Let’s look at ISO 3166 country codes. The alpha 2-digit country code for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) is…KP. KP-02 is the specific administrative code for South Pyongan Province (Pyeonganbuk-do).
- And the Korean People’s Army includes a II Corps that is sometimes abbreviated as…KPA II Corps or KPA 2nd Corps.
Back to the call I received from my local “blue bank” branch. The representative didn’t go into all that, but just said that my comment about “KP2” looked like a reference to North Korea.
I burst out laughing.
I gave the “blue bank” representative the full name of K[REDACTED] P[REDACTED] Junior, explained that there were five “KP”s, and that I used numbers to tell them apart.
Ironically, both “KP2” and “KP4” are veterans. I wonder if they realize their initials associate them with this guy.
Anyway, my answer satisfied the banker, the hold was removed from the Zelle transfer, and I received the money within minutes.
And I know to be careful when using acronyms beginning with the letter “K” in financial transactions.
It’s Time
My day gig can be an EARLY day gig.
Take advantage of Bredemarket’s product marketing expertise.
Just give me a few minutes.
Presenting the Koala Identification Factors Video
A world premiere video.
Don’t forget the book.
Wallets for Non-Human Identities?
Let me start this post by stating that I am human. Well, so far. I might be changing into a wildebeest.
But assuming that I remain human, I have multiple digital wallets—two of which support decentralized storage of my California driver’s license.
But the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) doesn’t just issue driver’s licenses. It also issues car registrations.
As does the Arizona Department of Transportation, which brings me to this Identity Week story.
“Arizona is among the first states in the country to transition beyond the digital driver licence (mDL) into full-fledged mobile vehicle documentation, officially updating its proprietary Arizona Wallet app. They have allowed residents to upload and store their official vehicle registration, title information, and insurance details directly onto their smartphones.”
But there’s a philosophical problem here.
- As I’ve noted previously, title (and registration) are primarily associated with a non-person entity (the vehicle), not a person.
- Yes, a person may hold the title to a vehicle. Or the title may be held by two people, in the case of spouses.
- But the title belongs to the vehicle.
- Yet the aforementioned Arizona Wallet app is held by people.
Shouldn’t a vehicle have its own wallet, and then grant access to elements in the wallet to one or more person wallets?
And how would the vehicle manage its own attributed-based access controls?
And what if the car gets mad at its human owner(s) for boring driving habits and not taking it to the car wash every week, and therefore decides to change its registered owner to someone else who is more exciting and car-loving?
I’ll admit that this is a flight of fancy, but it raises governance issues about maintaining non-human identities.
What If BREDEMARKET Put Out YOUR Identity/Biometric Firm’s Fires?
Two weeks ago, I thought it was a mistake to prioritize daily fires over long-term strategic planning. But blog posts are ephemeral (like AI agents) and a conversation with Google Gemini made me realize I had it backward.
Before, sprinkler systems outranked firefighting
On May 12 I wrote a post entitled “Is Your Identity/Biometric Firm Too Busy Putting Out Fires to Install a Sprinkler System?” Its thesis:
“Your identity/biometric firm needs experienced product marketing contract help because you are drowning in work. But because you’re drowning in work you can’t take the time to set up that contract.”
I won’t get into the resolution of the post, but note the inherent value judgment contained within the content.
- Manually putting out fires (NEVER with gasoline) is reactive, displays a lack of planning, and is therefore denigrated.
- Installing a sprinkler system is proactive, displays a bias toward strategic long-term planning, and is therefore elevated.
So if the prospect takes the time to sign that contract with Bredemarket, I will ensure that the process is as frictionless as possible. I already know the identity/biometric terminology, and Bredemarket’s “seven questions” process removes the need for you to develop a briefing book for me.
Nice and stable, like installing a sprinkler system.
Something that a sage would write.
Let’s look at it again
But then I began asking questions—in this case, with Google Gemini. Not with the distinctive Bredebot persona, but with Gemini’s natural voice. And as I engaged in a messaging and positioning dialogue, Gemini hit me between the eyes with this observation.
“[Bredehoft] notes that many biometric firms are “too busy putting out fires to install a sprinkler system.”
“The “Fire” is an immediate, looming RFP deadline….A consultant like Bredehoft is brought in as an emergency firefighter to secure that short-term win.
“The “Sprinkler System” is long-term product marketing (building consistent messaging, positioning products, and writing educational white papers)….
“[C]onsulting clients are notoriously reactive. They are far more likely to open their wallets for immediate help with an active proposal than for long-term strategic brand-building.”
Then it hit me.
The firefighter is the GOOD guy.
After, firefighting outranks sprinkler systems
Prospects call in a consultant because they want something yesterday and, as my home page phrases it, “don’t have the time to craft their own content.”
And not just proposal content with money on the line as Gemini explained. Maybe the prospects need a blog post right now; no immediate contract, but invaluable positioning. Or maybe they even need an emergency analysis. (Hey, it could happen.)
When you’re in the middle of a fire, you don’t have time to train a rookie. I already know the identity world, so we can get straight to bailing out your firm.
I will fight your fire, and then maybe later on we can discuss more strategic topics.
But first we need that pesky contract, or the equivalent. (“John, we’ll pay you $500 net 15 for that blog post.”)
But first let’s put out the fire. Contact Bredemarket today to get it done.
And here is a postscript for the kids who don’t know why I was talking about gasoline earlier.
Or why right now.
No “Neutral Expression” When Free Lyria Songs Go Full Length
My latest Google Lyria song experiment surprised me.
I was playing back the song I had created when I noticed that the new song was longer than the standard 30 seconds. In fact, it was a full length three minute song, something only previously possible with paid versions of Lyria.
So I adjusted my prompt to take advantage of the length.
It’s probably no surprise that my latest Lyria song doesn’t touch on a couple who is never ever ever getting back together. Instead, I focused on the ICAO Doc 9303 “neutral expression” requirements I discussed in passing in this October 2025 post.
“But in one of those oddities that fill the biometric world, you can have TOO MUCH expression. Part 3 of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Document 9303, which governs machine readable travel documents, mandates that faces on travel documents must maintain a neutral expression without smiling. At the time (2003) it was believed that the facial recognition algorithms would work best if the subject were expressionless. I don’t know if that holds true today.”
That should make for a catchy song, shouldn’t it? Judge for yourself in the song “Neutral Expression.”
Wonder if the woman liked it.
She did!
The Two-Way Door Decision
In business there’s something called a “Type 2 decision.” Because of my biometric background I shy away from the term (which means “false positive” in biometrics) and prefer to use the term “two-way door decision.”
If you’ve been through an airport security checkpoint, either entering or leaving a security area, you know that you can only go one way.
Amazon and the two-way door decision
But other entrances and exits DO allow you to change your mind.
“The [two-way door decision] concept was introduced by Jeff Bezos in his Amazon shareholder letters, using the metaphor of walking through a door. With a two-way door decision, you can walk through the door, see what’s on the other side, and if you don’t like it, you can easily turn around and come back through. If you make a suboptimal two-way door decision, you don’t have to live with the consequences for long—you can reopen the door and go back through.”
Amazon Fresh is not a good example.
While in the end the original decision was reversible, the reversal was not without pain. The rise and fall of Amazon Fresh took years. (Technically less than a year in Upland, if you don’t count the years of planning, but still a long time.)
But what about trying a new product marketing idea? While some ideas, such as pricing a luxury car at one dollar, can cause permanent damage, others can easily be reversed.
I’ll use Bredemarket as an example. Back in 2020 I was heavily pushing my Bredemarket 404 Web/Social Media Checkup. While it remains on my website, I haven’t promoted it in years. I could certainly still do it (and did it for one client), but while it parallels my analysis strengths, I find other areas (such as market and competitive analysis in the biometric industry) much more satisfying and financially rewarding.
On the other hand, I DID pull my editing services from the Bredemarket website. That’s not rewarding at all.
Enough about me…what about you?
But what if YOU want to try a new product marketing idea and see if it resonates with your prospects?
Now you could go through an entire tiered go-to-market launch,
Or alternatively, you could send up a trial balloon such as a blog post, a social media post, or a data sheet.
Then measure the results.
- If the content resonates with your prospects, double down.
- If your prospects are indifferent, never mention the idea again.
- If your prospects hate it, delete it.
Because of my “I ask, then I act” bias, I gravitate toward these trial balloons. As long as the idea doesn’t kill your company, why not try it quickly, rather than paralyzing yourself by repeated inaction?
Your trial balloon
Are you ready to launch a trial balloon, but need some help with the helium? Set up a meeting with Bredemarket and we can discuss your options.
Speaking of the Good Old Days…
“What’s this? My phone number? My Social Security number? My driver’s license?”
Bredemarket 