When electronic security industry leaders are ready to buy, they turn to the Security Industry Marketplace to cut through the clutter of traditional search engine results. Imagine blending Google with the Yellow Pages. Now imagine a green alternative to printed directories. It’s all there with these online guides.

Within the Security Industry Marketplace, online searchers easily locate products and services unique to our industry without the clutter of a general Internet search engine. Users have the option of performing keyword-driven searches, or a category-specific search. Both methods produce the most industry relevant results on the Web. The electronic Security Industry Marketplace is updated continuously, unlike a printed directory that is often outdated by the time it is printed. And the way leaders have to multi-task these days, it is more convenient to toggle from the online guide to spreadsheets and other web data than it is to refer back to print directories.

The Security Industry Marketplace includes Request for Information (RFI) functionality. This feature allows users to contact participating suppliers with a click of their mouse.

A new Firefox search application, which is now an integral part of the Security Industry Marketplace, allows industry professionals to incorporate the guide’s search engine into their browser’s tool bar. This makes the guide accessible anytime the Firefox browser is open, regardless of what Web site the user may be visiting.

Online Supplier Directories (OSDs) are emerging as the preferred method of searching within the business sector. Unlike traditional search engines, OSDs focus on a small niche of products and services, producing extremely relevant search results for the end user. By nature, OSDs service a specific industry and are usually maintained by seasoned veterans in the industry, such as associations like NBFAA.

“General search engines are leaving business professionals with much to be desired,” said Dan Maitland, president of Irving, Texas-based MultiView Inc., a technology company that partnered with NBFAA to develop the Security Industry Marketplace “The obstacles created by these search engines result in failure to find critical content and information needs. These obstacles are overcome by the association’s vendor search, ultimately increasing productivity in businesses that rely on this type of search.”

If you are an industry supplier not currently listed in the Security Industry Marketplace, our members will miss your company as they research the suppliers prominently displayed in this one of a kind, industry-specific search environment. A completed listing will make your company stand out from the competition. Packages start at just $395 for an entire year. If you’d like more information on advertising options, visit www.alarm.org to download the media kit.

The days of spending hours on the phone comparing prices are over! In this tight – and getting tighter – market, NBFAA has created a one-stop shop for our industry. As you begin to reevaluate contracts and review who offers the most for your purchasing dollars, visit NBFAA’s Security Industry Marketplace to search the largest online listing of suppliers. The Security Industry Marketplace lists thousands of suppliers allowing you to quickly and easily compare prices and get the most value possible.

The Security Industry Marketplace has been created specifically for serious buyers of industry products or services. The directory has implemented Request for Information (RFI) functionality, allowing visitors to contact multiple suppliers – at the same time and with blind copies – with the click of a button. This feature is becoming increasingly popular among users who expect information quickly and with little effort.

Visit the Security Industry Marketplace today at www.alarm.org to start your search for products and services or to make a listing that will bring the world to your desktop.