Security Industry Expert Richard Stiennon has just launched IT-Harvest Press. Molouk Y. Ba-Isa Saudi Gazette Technology experts tend to be very focused on what they do. They are obsessed with their area of specialization and they have to be, due to the rapid pace of technology transformation. A new venture, IT-Harvest Press (www.it-harvest.com), has the goal of helping technology experts, many with large followings, to easily get their thoughts out to the interested public. “IT-Harvest Press is a response to the frustration a lot of authors have with traditional publishing," said Richard Stiennon, security industry expert and founder of the new publishing house. “Most first time authors are expected by publishers to do all the marketing. Part of the submission process for a title is to provide a marketing plan for the book that identifies key markets, target audience, retail price, etc. A technology writer or expert in some field can be overwhelmed by such a task. The publisher should take on the role of marketing expert for the book – but they don't." Steinnon hopes to attract subject experts who will simply focus on producing a draft copy of their manuscript. The team at IT-Harvest Press will handle the rest. Both print and e-book formats will be published with the aim to distribute through every channel possible in order to reach the widest global audience. Once a title is selling well in English, Steinnon plans to provide translation into as many languages as feasible. IT-Harvest Press will have a focus on technology titles, but Steinnon stated that any non-fiction book would be considered for publication. Authors will receive royalties higher than what would be expected from the average publisher and the goal is to sell a minimum of 5,000 copies of any title. “The very first book in our catalog is UP and to the RIGHT: Strategy and Tactics of Analyst Influence," said Steinnon. “I wrote this book to address the anxiety I witness from technology vendors as they struggle with their Gartner relationship. The Gartner analysts, as you know, have remarkable power over the success or failure of vendors that sell to large enterprises. Their primary tool is the Magic Quadrant. My book lays out a plan for getting the most accurate representation of your product or company in the Magic Quadrant." Stiennon has received a lot of feedback since the book went out last week. “Much of the feedback is from people in the tech world who are violently against the Gartner Magic Quadrant," Stiennon noted. “Their thoughts are that only big vendors progress up and to the right because they pay a lot to Gartner. I recognize that perspective because it certainly feels that way when you are a small vendor. My approach is that regardless of whether the Magic Quadrant is a good thing to have around or not, this is the way the world is today. As a vendor or an investor in a tech start up, you have to understand how the world works and how to leverage it to your advantage." The Magic Quadrant reports are so successful because there are so many product choices in the IT field. The experts at Gartner speak with hundreds if not thousands of IT departments when evaluating products in various areas. Those products from the most dominant players, which address the most issues that companies have, are positioned in the upper right-hand quadrant of the evaluation diagram in Gartner's report. The reports are filters at best and give IT buyers a place to start reaserching technologies. “I encourage all technology buyers to consider if they are the typical Gartner client. If you are in a large organization, then the Gartner leaders are the ones to look at. Even for large companies there can be regional differences particularly when it comes to support or service to specific industries," Stiennon advised. “Also, give more weight to the vendors who have a local presence and search out the resellers and integrators who are specialized in your industry in your region. They are really the ones who will come and see you and support your business, so support them, too."
