My Thoughts !

Two days back, I got an email from someone called Shakuntala ([email protected]) for the details about their Top 25 Emerging Technology Companies program. The mail said:

Dear Sir.,

Greetings from TheSmarttechie - Silicon India.

Hope your doing good.

The May 2009 edition of The SmartTechie will be on the Top 25 Emerging technology companies. We are looking at what exciting technologies companies are working for and prodigy of leadership team and investors of private companies. A few of these companies will be profiled in the magazine. We are talking to several startups to see who are the Best 25 we can feature in the magazine. A panel of analysts, Venture Capitalists and our editorial team will select the companies.

It will be good idea to be part of this issue along with the 25 Emerging Companies.  We are offering you to advertise in this Special issue and will be part of great branding and visibility among the  95000 readers and subscribers.

Option 1 : Only Advertisement.

Amount : 20,000/-.

   1. One Page Advertisment in the issue of Top 25 Emerging Technology Companies.
   2. Online banner ad on :  www.thesmarttechie.com/magazine

Option 2 : To be listed Among Top 25 StartUps.

Amount : Rs.30,000/-

        1.     Inclusion in the Top 25 Emerging Technology Companies list.
        2.     One page of Company Profile along with the pic of the concern person
        3.     One full page ad in the SmartTechie.
       4.     The company Profile will be displayed on the online magazine page too:  www.thesmarttechie.com/magazine

Please do let me know how we can take this forward. It will be nice to close this loop asap so that we get things rolling.

We can look at a mutual relationship so that your company gets more visibility. Let me know what you think.

If you have anything else on your mind, I shall be open for ideas.

Thanks

Shakuntala
______________________________

Shakuntala
Manager-Marketing
siliconindia
The Smart Techie
Ph: 91.80. 43402004
C: 9916972235

http://www.siliconindia.com
http://www.thesmarttechie.com/
________________________________

siliconindia is a business and technology magazine published from Fremont, California, which covers business, technology and entrepreneurship. Our current circulation exceeds 70,000 and our readership builds from CIOs, CTOs, CEOs and market influencers like fund capitalists, technology  adopters and analysts.

The Smart Techie empowers technology leaders for tomorrow. Its mission is to update its readers on the latest developments in technology and how these developments will impact them. The magazine aims to capture insights from the experiences of senior technology professionals and experts from across the globe. The Smart Techie magazine reaches out to 95000 experienced IT professionals.

________________________________

I was surprised. First I didn't get what they meant by Option 2. Is it that if I pay 30k, my company will be in the Top 25 list? Or is it an entry fees for the program? I sent my questions and the answer was clear:

Its only 25 participants & only 25 rankings not more than that currently we
have 19 clinets confirmed clients till now.

 Ah! Great. But isn't 30k too much for getting awarded as the Top 25 Emerging Technology Companies in the country? I know I also get a full page age, interview, website ad etc, but still, my company is so small you see?

Sure We shall offer you 25k for the same.

Excellent. So looks like the entire event is just a bullshit. Last year there were hoardings all over Bangalore about this. I thought it was a genuine program and the companies were "awarded" through the program and not "bought" that. Now I know the truth. So if you see the list of companies this year, you should be knowing that they are not really the Top 25 emerging companies, but the 25 companies that opted to pay 30k (minus whatever discount they got) Considering it would be the average monthly salary of a developer, its a good thing for a company to pay for it. And these guys get more than 6 Lakhs. So its a win-win situation for both the companies and the magazine. Only we think its all genuine and get fooled :-)