Internal audit and compliance folks tend to be control freaks. They pretty much have to be. Approva has decided that trait is one way to define its key audience. To get in touch with them, it has released its "Official Control Freak e-Handbook," designed to be a fun, fact-filled look at the benefits of continuous controls monitoring.

"Because our world is full of circumstances crying out for a good old-fashioned Control Freak not just to monitor financial anomalies and track down fraud at the office but in relationships and in line at the coffee shop too," said Approva.

In a field populated by very serious and linear-thinking people, it's unclear if humor will work. The company has seen fit to bend over backwards to make clear it intended to be funny as well as informative, for "Freaks and non-Freaks alike."

According to one executive, "We've been called Control Freaks once or twice and we're OK with that. We just call it good business." You've got to give the company credit for trying to stand out with its marketing. 

For more:
- here's the e-handbook
- here's the release

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