Evaluating New Technology for Publishers: Streamlining Operations Without Breaking the Bank

How do you best approach, evaluate, and implement new technologies for your publishing business?

Experts David Marlin and Joshua Tallent share both a framework for considering technology options and a checklist for evaluating technology vendors.

This session is designed to empower small to mid-sized publishers with the strategies and knowledge needed to make high-impact, budget-conscious technology investments. It will guide attendees through the essential considerations for evaluating and implementing new technology, from assessing potential ROI to navigating the implementation process smoothly.

The session will emphasize approaches to achieve meaningful results even with limited resources, focusing on the technology categories that offer the most value to publishers and practical steps for decision-making.

As well as insights into high-value technology categories and implementation best practices, attendees will leave with a framework for considering technology options and a checklist for evaluating technology vendors.

Featured Speakers

DAVID MARLIN is the President and Co-Founder of MetaComet® Systems, a prominent provider of royalty automation tools. Since founding the company in 2000, David has spearheaded the development of a suite of best-in-class systems that effectively facilitate royalty processes for nearly 200 publishers. David has also served as the chair for the Book Industry Study Group’s Rights Committee and Digital Sales Committee. Before establishing MetaComet Systems, David served as a technology consultant for renowned publishers, collaborating with notable companies such as Random House, Penguin, HarperCollins, Holtzbrinck, Macmillan, Scholastic, Time Warner, and many others. David holds both an MBA and a BA from Columbia University in New York.

JOSHUA TALLENT is the Director of Sales and Education at Firebrand Technologies, where his focus is on helping publishers of all sizes learn about, and find solutions to, their workflow and metadata problems. Joshua serves as the Immediate Past Chair of the BISG Board of Directors and is the host of the BookSmarts Podcast, which features practical discussions and interviews about publishing data and technologies. In his spare time, Joshua enjoys teaching Bible studies, playing complex board games, and fiddling with his home automation system.