Business Marketing Group -- BMG -- Marks 1998 with Substantial Growth, Benchmark Strategic Relationship Successes.

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 20, 1999--

Two Year Old Strategic Business Development Firm to Leverage

New Versions of Its Proven FusionPlan(TM) Methodology to

Expand Into New Markets and Broaden Its Reach in 1999

Business Marketing Group, Inc. (BMG), the high-technology industry's premier independent strategic partnership development firm, today laid out plans for expanded reach into specialized markets such including retail/franchising, industry organizations and multinational groups with versions of its FusionPlan(TM) methodology for building business relationships.

The two year old company, headed by entrepreneur Sarah Gerdes, completed its second full year of triple-digit growth in 1998, signing five new partners and closing a variety of multi-million dollar agreements on behalf of clients.

BMG forges strategic relationships between high tech corporations and their clients, helping both firms effectively gain market presence and leadership. BMG's unique methodology achieves economies of scale through partnerships, ultimately resulting in business growth and increased shareholder value. BMG has expanded its FusionPlan program to support the building of product development, marketing and field sales programs.

BMG programs are technology and partner independent, enabling the development of flexible partnering programs for organizations. The BMG FusionPlan program can be customized to meet the specific needs of a client's size, their stage of product maturity and business or specific industry need. FusionPlan is based on an innovative approach to understanding specific client needs called AllianceMap(TM) profiling.

"In our first two years, we have been successful in developing and fine tuning a methodology for outsourced strategic business development. In 1998, that methodology -- FusionPlan -- has proven instrumental in the development of several comprehensive, mutually beneficial business partnerships between technology leaders and smaller companies and industry associations," said Sarah Gerdes, BMG president and CEO.

"1999 represents an opportunity for us to make our program available to a wider variety of clients who desire different types of partnerships."

FusionPlan in 1999

In 1999, BMG will leverage its FusionPlan methodology in several important ways to facilitate industry growth.

-0-

--   FusionPlan -- The foundation of the BMG methodology, FusionPlan
     is a unique business development structure designed to deliver
     strategic, multifaceted business relationships quickly and
     economically. FusionPlan dramatically reduces time to partnership
     resulting in cost and resource savings and higher return on
     partnership investment.

--   FusionPlan Program Offerings -- FusionPlan programs are now
     available based on client need. FusionPlan for Product
     Integration is optimized for firms in early development cycles
     and require industry expertise and leverage. FusionPlan for
     Marketing Integration is specialized for firms that are ready to
     drive industry awareness and generate product demand. Finally,
     FusionPlan for Field Integration is designed to result in direct
     field engagement, building a sales infrastructure and revenue
     funnel. Strategic Integration FusionPlan, BMG's original program
     will continue to be offered for firms desiring all three elements
     with a strategy partner.

--   FusionPlan for Industry Associations -- BMG will extend a version
     of its FusionPlan to Industry Associations, facilitating
     relationships between this large economic segment and the
     technology companies that are essential to their business.

-0-

"Creating and maintaining a relationship is more than knowing the right person," continued Gerdes. "It's about knowing the business drivers, market opportunities, competitive landscape predictable outcomes and risk associated with target partners.

"BMG's unique relationships ensure that our clients have pre-qualified engagement scenarios dramatically reducing the guesswork typically associated with partner development. This approach sets BMG apart from other consultants, and enables us to maintain a solid track record in achieving client objectives."

About BMG

BMG is a San Francisco based marketing consultancy specializing in the development of strategic partnerships for technology-based clients and other complementary organizations. BMG is the first organization to successfully create, implement and promote a methodology for the development of partnerships. This program -- FusionPlan -- was originally introduced in March of 1996.

Since that time, FusionPlan(TM) has been used by BMG to create relationships between technology-based product/services companies including Microsoft, SAP, KPMG, PricewaterhouseCoopers, IBM, Intel, and Tivoli, among others. For more information, visit the BMG Web site at www.bmginc.com.