NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Alan Shulman, DCI Media Relations
(508) 470-3870

Release Date: June 3, 1997

Newest Sales and Marketing Tools To Be Unveiled at
DCI’s Sales Force Automation Conference in New York

World-Renowned Authors Tom Peters and Al Ries Will Head Speaker Lineup

Andover, MA -- Business is becoming increasingly more technology driven, especially in sales and marketing, and companies throughout the world are finding that their very survival is dependent on their ability to implement the new technologies and tools that will facilitate profitable growth into the 21st century. The newest solutions and the technical and sales management skills required to implement these technologies will be featured at DCI's Sales Force Automation Conference and Exposition at the Jacob Javits Center in New York, July 29-31, 1997.

According to conference Co-Chair Barton Goldenberg, technology changes are occurring at a phenomenal rate, existing sales systems and techniques are rapidly becoming obsolete, and are being replaced by exciting new tools like performance and productivity applications software, the Internet, and enterprise-wide computing.

"Businesses today are turning to new sales force automation strategies and technologies to leverage their sales teams’ competitive advantage and guarantee their long-term survival," Mr. Goldenberg said.

The DCI conference will feature a total of more than 100 educational sessions and presentations by the world’s foremost experts addressing the key sales and marketing automation issues facing businesses today. Featured conference topics will include Sales Automation Results Tracking; Internet Connectivity; Lead Management Systems; Wireless and Remote Access; Enterprise Technology Planning; Java and its Role in Sales and Marketing; and Leveraging Data Warehousing and Sales Force Automation Tools.

The DCI event will also feature demonstrations of more than 300 leading-edge products, solutions, and services by the world’s leading sales force automation companies. From the newest hand-held Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) to Push Technology to world-wide connectivity, all of the newest tools and trends will be showcased.

The conference program will feature two new tracks dedicated to the importance of the Internet as a strategic sales and marketing tool. The Net: A One-to-One Selling Vehicle and Internet Technologies That Empower Marketing and Sales will feature leading experts discussing the current and future roles of the Internet in all aspects of sales and marketing. Also offered is a three-day intensive Internet Marketing Masters Certification program that will provide working knowledge required to create, enhance, or renew business relationships via the Internet. Attendees will receive one continuing education unit (CEU) for completing this program.

Highlighting the conference will be special presentations by best-selling authors Tom Peters (In Search of Excellence) and Al Ries (Focus: The Future of Your Company Depends on It). Mr. Peters’ presentation, The Pursuit of Wow, at 9:45 a.m. on Wednesday, July 30, will provide insight into how to succeed in today’s constantly changing business world. Al Ries, Chairman, Ries & Ries, will discuss the importance of focusing a company or brand to the point of owning a word in the prospect’s mind. He will speak at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, July 30.

Running concurrently will be DCI’s Data Warehouse World, the world’s premier data warehouse conference and exposition, featuring more than 100 educational sessions and demonstrations of the latest technologies and tools for data warehouse professionals, including intranets, client/server, OLAP/DSS/EIS, query/report writers, data access and retrieval tools, and middleware, among others.

DCI is the largest U.S.-based producer of information technology conferences, trade shows and expositions, and a leading worldwide provider of high-technology education and management consulting.