In March, CMP Technology's ChannelWeb Network was launched as "the online home" of CRN, CRNTech, GovernmentVAR, TechBuilder and VARBusiness. All these titles serve IT resellers, systems integrators, consultants and other independent technology solution providers. Collectively, this audience "represents 80% of the projected $466 billion that U.S. companies will spend [on IT] in 2007," according to Dataquest statistics quoted in a CMP brochure.
Larry Hooper, editor of the ChannelWeb Network, explained that a key distinction of the new ChannelWeb is that it is a single site, not a number of separate sites that are interlinked. He describes ChannelWeb as a one-stop destination for solution providers that combines news, analysis and strategic content with tools to help the audience get the job done, as well as opportunities for community members to share intelligence with one another.
ChannelWeb is designed to distinguish itself in the marketplace by delivering software applications customized for its audience of solution providers—as well as tools other CMP IT audiences can use to get closer to these influential value-added resellers.
One tool, Lead Generator, enables VARs to send marketing e-mails to a targeted list of IT end-users from the audiences of CMP's InformationWeek and Network Computing. Another tool, the Solution Provider Locator, allows IT end- users from other CMP titles to find providers from ChannelWeb. A third tool, launched in May, automates the difficult and time-consuming task of providing VAR customers with price quotes that require multiple vendors.
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