Capturing and storing digital assets for your organization with an ECM or DM solution is only the first step. Now you need to leverage those digital assets to drive revenue and cut costs further. So here is your checklist for making technology choices to complement and future-proof your ECM or DM implementation. [Note: Our e-books are free. Check them out HERE. Have you registered for our free Fall ECM Seminars?] 8 Criteria to Consider in Selecting Your ECM/DM Solution 1 — Metadata Maintenance (Automation). If your long term problem has been the categorization and organization of digital assets then you must address this long term maintenance issue. And do not forget that the meaning and importance of metadata will change over time and quality of tagging will depend on perspective of each end user. Not to say folksonomies or allowing end users to contribute tags is not useful, it is; but have no doubt that automation is the only scalable solution. Do not leave tagging to the end users. The end user is overwhelmed already, so you need to reduce the metadata maintenance requirements on their time. To automate metadata maintenance tasks, you will need a solution that supports entity…

Writing proposals is like a love hate relationship, without the love. Many companies do not give proposal writing its due in the organization. Many companies believe that it is the salesman’s personal relationship with the customer that will win the deal, many companies respond to any and all RFPs by throwing together a “boilerplate” proposal with pricing. This is because many companies do not see the value in spending time and resources on proposal writing. This is where your company can be a winner by putting together a well written sales proposal that responds to the RFP requirements. This by itself will guarantee you a spot on the short list. [Note: Our e-books are free. Check them out HERE. Have you registered for our free Fall ECM Seminars?] 8 Things to Consider When Writing an ECM Proposal1 — Read the RFP from cover to cover and annotate it with a highlighter and pen. If it is available in Word or PDF, use the highlight and comments tools. And you are saying, “Gee Bud, I never thought of that.” And if you were on my end, as someone who writes RFPs, I would say that I can’t count the number of…

Here’s a complete list of all our 8 things guest posts… Enjoy. And don’t forget our e-books, located HERE. Many thanks to all the contributors on this project. I appreciate your involvement and insights. For those of you unfamiliar with AIIM, we are a non-profit organization focused on helping organizations find, control, and manage their information. Whether you are a user, a hardware or software vendor, or part of the content channel, AIIM is the leading voice for the document, content, and records space. We do market research, provide training and education, and help those on the sell side of the industry connect with prospective customers. 8 Benefits to Gain by Outsourcing a Document Management Provider 8 Things to Consider When Writing an ECM Request for Proposal (RFP) 8 Major Trends That Will Change ECM in the Coming Years 8 Tips for Converting Your SEO Operation into a Key Online Marketing Channel 8 Things You Should Know About Your Digital Images 8 Things You Need to Know About Managing Your Personal Electronic Information — Too Much Paper, Too Little Time 8 Things You Need to Know about Devising an Information Governance Strategy 8 Ways to Advance Your ECM Project 8…

Outsourcing is an unparalleled strategy that enables businesses to focus on their core business needs and better serve their customers. It’s also an effective way to build a culture capable of adapting to change at a moment’s notice. Today, many companies are reviewing their operations in depth to understand their true core competencies and determine what processes to outsource to become more efficient. [Sidebar from JM -- If you are a Document Management reseller or integrator or service bureau, you should plan RIGHT NOW to attend our annual Document Management Service Providers Executive Forum in Nashville. It is THE event and slots are going fast. Click on the above link for details.]Outsourcing with a document management provider for non-core services such as document shredding, storage and imaging can free up your business processes in a cost-effective manner; letting you focus on your main business goals. Some signs your business should look into outsourcing include: high volume of transactions, complex process requirements, and/or dynamic growth. This may also be ideal if your business is under pressure to reduce costs. Any chance of decreasing transaction-processing costs frees up capital that can then be applied to more strategic initiatives. Below are eight strategic…

Back to School with AIIM and EDSF Discounted Online Certificate Courses www.aiim.org/training EDSF Code: EDSF9HB This is the time of year when parents and students are frantically getting ready for school. Whether it’s the first day of kindergarten or the first day of college, it can be an exciting time. Just as it’s important for our children to continue their education, it’s also critical that we keep our skills up-to-date, and this is the opportune time for us to consider “going back to school”. To help make continuing education fit easily within busy schedules, EDSF is pleased to partner with AIIM to offer their online Certificate Programs to EDSF supporters. EDSF supporters can take these courses at the AIIM Professional member price of $600 instead of the usual rate of $750—a $150 savings. A portion of the registration fee goes directly to EDSF’s Document Management and Graphic Communications Industry Scholarships, which support the industry’s future generation. Registration is available at www.aiim.org/training. Use EDSF discount code EDSF9HB. Everyone that registers prior to September 30 will have their name placed in a raffle for a prize to be announced on October 5, at EDSF’s Scholarship Night at Graph Expo. The Certificate Programs…

If you haven’t already done so, a reminder that our SharePoint e-book is now available and it’s free and there is no registration required. In addition, it is published under Creative Commons, so if you want to post it on you web site and use it for SEO, lead gen, etc., feel free. Just note where you got it from. Contact me if you have any questions what you can do and what you can’t. Download SharePoint e-book Also, here’s a link to all the “8 things” e-books.