It's All In The Name: ASCII SMB IT Success Summits
By Gennifer Biggs, security, storage, and managed services editor
I'm getting ready to jump into the current of the 2011 industry events stream, so I thought I'd check in on the events I'll be hitting early. One of the first trips this year for Business Solutions is the April 28 ASCII SMB IT Success Summit in Washington, D.C. As usual, ASCII has shaken up its offering in an attempt to add value for its member, and guests (who can score free passes via referral from an ASCII vendor or member).
Jerry Koutavas, executive director of ASCII Group, says while some old favorites, such as the in-event instant polls about topics such as cloud strategy, are still on the agenda, this year's events have new offerings. "The biggest thing that our members may notice this year is that we're pushing on to the next level, and really working to pull new vendors and new technologies into the event," says Koutavas. Among those vendors you might be a bit surprised to see: Microsoft, Cisco, and several vendors from adjacent spaces such as digital signage.
Members will also walk away from this year's events with a business execution guide, template style guide to the information presented through panels at the summits. For example, the cloud panel's guide will include specific strategies for selecting the right cloud vendor partners and analyzing your customer base in terms of their cloud needs. "We are always focusing on providing content and contacts that help our members grow their business," says Koutavas.
Other new elements to the summits in 2011 include training by the Varvid crew, who will be teaching members what to do (and not to do) when they create a business video. Professional headshots will also be on the slate of offerings at the summits (as a member of the media, I am begging you, please go get a pro headshot taken!!)
Other draws at the summit are the presentations, which include topics such as:
- Securing The Last Mile Of IT
- Managed Services Revenue Strategies That Providers Miss (I'm partial to this one since I'll be moderating this panel in D.C.)
- Capitalizing On The Cloud
- All BDR Solutions Are Not Created Equal
- SMB Compliance Opportunities And Security Concerns
- Growing Your Business Into New Markets
- Controlling The Client And The Cloud Opportunity
- Making Services Stick Long-Term
The ASCII SMB IT Success Summits are scheduled throughout the year and the U.S., including D.C. on April 28, Chicago on June 23, Orlando on July 21, Boston on Sept. 22, and NY/NJ on Oct. 27. Hope to see you there!