SMB Summit™ is a unique business and technology summit with five innovative programs for the sponsors and partners in which to participate. Each program offers sponsors a powerful way to reach partners and provide the partners with a way to analyze business issues and the technology to solve them.
- SMB Summit™ Conference: Focused business and technical content from experienced partners, sponsors and experts.
- SMB Summit™ Town Hall: Thought provoking townhall discussions between partners, sponsors, Microsoft and analysts.
- SMB Marketplace: An exhibit area where you can meet vendors and create relationships that will grow your business and give you the breadth and depth of the solutions your customers need.
- CommunityNet: A secure community site that provides partners and sponsors with a way to keep developing customer relationships before, during, and after the event.
- SMB Summit™ morning and evening workshops: For those partners who want more technical and deep dive information and are willing to lose sleep to get it, we have deep dive sessions in the morning before the conference and late into the night - Carpe Diem.
The fourth annual SMB Summit™ Conference is the one investment you should make for your company to get the strategic business and technical knowledge and build valuable peer relationships with other successful partners and vendors. Partners will get first hand information and knowledge on new products and services that supplement your customers' solution.
Philosophy
- Build an event where Microsoft partners can make long lasting relationships and network with other partners, vendors, and Microsoft.
- Focused and relevant content and training for SMB partners; primarily on Windows Server and its related technologies.
- Work with partners who want to aggressively grow their businesses.
- Deliver an experience that helps each partner get out of the conference what they need to grow their business by introducing them to peer groups and mentoring.
Audience
- 300+ SMB Global SMB Partners
- 70% Business Focus
- 30% Technical Focus
A stable of trusted brands and experts
SMB Summit™ was developed and produced by real world partners and experts who specialize in working in the SMB Market.
Objectives
Each sponsor will receive a customized program that helps them meet their unique goals and deliver on four core objectives using a leveraged thru-partner marketing approach.
- Provide sponsors with a way to increase brand awareness, preference and partner satisfaction
- Accelerate the buying process of the sponsor's most desirable customers
- Help technology companies reach the powerful $56.9 billion SMB market
- Help technology companies achieve their SMB market customer acquisition objectives and leveraging the SMB partner channel
Benefits
- Tap into the powerful small and midmarket segment– a $59.6 billion market.
- Build your brand and communicate key messages with infinite 1:1 marketing, branding and PR opportunities.
- Garner exclusive access to information on customer purchase plans including time frame, budget ranges, authority and areas of interest.
- Extend the life and effectiveness of the event by participating in the SMB Summit CommunityNet that willhelp build customer relationships long after the event is over.
- Lower your event marketing spending and better focus on your objectives with a new pricing model that enables you to scale up or down depending on your companies marketing initiatives.
- Turnkey exhibit solutions place companies on an even playing field where content & customer rather than logistics can be your focus (2 complimentary conference passes per vendor).
- Get to know the SMB partners, gather critical customer intelligence and help your product planning teams.
Michael Iem
Conference Director
The Ziem Group Inc.
mikeiem@ziemgroup.com
425-445-6006 Cell
Michael Iem is currently the president of The Ziem Group Inc, an IT consulting company since 2004. In 1996, Michael joined Microsoft Consulting Services Advanced Technology Group (MCSAT) for Microsoft Corporation. His first project at MCSAT was to project manage Microsoft’s Internet banking server solution with Chase Manhattan Bank. Later, Michael moved to the BackOffice Group where he was product manager of BackOffice Server and author of the BackOffice Server Performance Characterization and Reliability white papers. He was recruited to the developer division to design and market Microsoft’s most ambitious product to date for the developer community, Visual Studio .NET. He moved back to his roots in IT infrastructure by taking a Senior Product Manager for Windows Server 2003. Michael helped put the final touches on Microsoft’s new Windows Server product and launched this product with Steve Ballmer on stage in April 2003.
Michael graduated from Purdue University in 1987 where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering. Prior to joining Microsoft, Michael spent nine years at Tandem Computers as a Senior Consultant specializing in Client Server traveling the world helping customers move to client server. A Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer, Michael is a regular speaker at industry events such as Microsoft TechEd. Michael was featured in the cover story of Fortune magazine titled "How to Get Ahead in America". He lives in Redmond, Washington with his wife and two children. He is an avid photographer and mountain climber and spends a lot of time on Mt. Rainier.
Arlin Sorensen
President and CEO
Heartland Technology Solutions
Arlin Sorensen began his adventure into the computer world in 1982 with an Apple II+ computer. He founded The Computer Connection in 1985 to sell farm accounting packages and served as a single proprietor for the first 5 years. In 1990, along with his brother, they decided to form Sorensen's Computer Connection Inc. (SCCI). At that point he hired his first employee. During the 90's SCCI grew from one person to 36 as the company transitioned to commercial business and the PC platform. In late 2002, SCCI merged with Connecting Point Joplin and began operating under the name of Heartland Technology Solutions (HTS). Mid 2003 brought the acquisition of another major reseller in Ames, Iowa, along with several other small companies. In 2006, HTS merged with Business Computer Center with offices in Wichita, Newton and Hutchinson Ks and Muskogee Oklahoma.
About HTS
HTS is a regional technology solution provider headquartered in Harlan, Iowa. There are currently 80 employees in 8 offices across 5 states. Core practice areas include network infrastructure, unified communications and VoIP, business continuity and managed services, document imaging, precision agriculture, and VAR marketing services. 2007 revenues for HTS were $17M.
HTS also hosts peer groups for partner companies under the name Heartland Tech Groups. There currently are 9 groups with 108 total partner companies that meet quarterly to share best practices and set goals for achievement. HTS also facilitates the Microsoft-HTG Online Peer Groups with over 125 companies involved.
The fourth annual SMB Summit™ conference will help you learn the success practices of top SMB partners. It is the one investment you should make in your company to gain strategic business and technical knowledge and build valuable peer relationships with other successful partners and vendors. Partners will get first hand information and knowledge on new products and services that supplement your customers’ solution. The investments and directions you make today will determine your future, validate your direction and insure your continued success.