We are working diligently to deliver you the content that will help grow your business in 2009. Please check this page regularly for updates or subscribe to our Twitter feed.

Track 1: Business Management

Managing Key Performance Indicators in your Business

Managing Cash and Credit

Are your clients paying slower than normal? Have your vendors tightened up your credit lines? Learn what you can do to avoid issues with cash flow and better manage your company finances as a whole.
 

Customer Financing Solutions

While there are some incentives for technology purchases, most of your clients won't be the beneficiaries of government bailout packages. Learn about programs and financing options available to your clients that will allow them to purchase needed equipment during the economic recovery.
 

Documenting your Business

There is no time like the present to document your business processes with procedures and checklists. Documentation ensures that business is done the way you want it done and lays the foundation for your business as a whole. Get the tools and tips you need to get started with this process today.
 

Track 2: Sales & Marketing

Digital Marketing for your Business

Learn how to improve your marketing and business communications processes by leveraging low-cost, Web 2.0 technologies like blogging, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and e-mail newsletters.
 

Opportunities in Digital Signage

Opportunities in Environmental Monitoring

Going Green

Integrating Cloud Computing in your Business

Cloud computing has only just begun to impact the industry. Learn how partners are integrating cloud computing into their business strategy today so they will be prepared for the future.
 

Opportunities in Document Management

Selling Business Surveillance Solutions

Selling Voice-over-IP Solutions

Voice-over-IP solutions are being rapidly adopted by small-to-medium sized businesses. Learn about the options available, profit potential and the issues involved with implementing VOIP phone systems.
 

The Changing Face of Managed Services

Using Publicity to Grow Your Business

Session 7B:

9:00am – 10:15am Selling IT Solutions and Managed Services – 1st Appointment Warm-Up, Qualifying and Needs Analysis

This session focuses on 2 of the most important steps in any sales process – warming up the prospect and properly qualifying them for your products and services. If your prospect is not warmed up properly, you will fail to make the all-too important connection with them, without which you will have difficulty closing them. Without proper qualification, you run the risk of wasting both your and your prospect’s valuable time attempting to sell them something they may not be qualified to purchase, creating false expectations and inaccurate sales forecasts. Attendees will learn how to accomplish both of these critical processes successfully during this session, helping to distinguish between unqualified leads and real prospects, and shorten your sales cycles through proper warm-up and qualification techniques.

MSP University tools used during this session:

• MSP University Best Practices Guide: Closing the Managed Services Deal in 3 Appointments or Less
• MSP University Warm-Up Topics Reference
• MSP University Qualifying Questions Reference

MSP University Instructors:
Erick Simpson, Rafael Sanguily

Session 8B:

10:45am – 12:00pm Selling IT Solutions and Managed Services – 1st Appointment Warm-Up, Qualifying and Needs Analysis Role-Play

Attendees are separated into groups during this warm-up and qualifying role-play session, with teams of 2 attendees each role-playing the all-important warm-up and qualification process with each other, as their peers and instructors judge them by providing constructive feedback.

MSP University Instructors:
Erick Simpson, Rafael Sanguily

Session 9B:

1:00pm – 2:15pm Selling IT Solutions and Managed Services – 2nd Appointment ROI Analysis and the Value-Based Sales Presentation

The benefits of Value Pricing in maximizing service profits and promoting the consultative, Trusted Advisor role critical to developing deep client relationships cannot be understated. This session will demonstrate the effective utilization of a value-based ROI approach to closing IT Solutions and Managed Services opportunities, along with the proper design and delivery of a Managed Services PowerPoint presentation to prospects and clients that shortens sales cycles by keeping you on point in delivering your value-added message, generates interest and trust in your prospect, and reveals your services as an investment in reducing the prospect’s overall costs, increasing efficiencies and productivity and mitigating business pain and risk – equaling increased profitability.
 
MSP University tools used during this session:

• MSP University Managed Services Pricing/ROI Calculator
• MSP University Managed Services Client PowerPoint Slide Deck

MSP University Instructors:
Erick Simpson, Rafael Sanguily

Session 10B:

3:00pm – 4:15pm Selling IT Solutions and Managed Services – 3rd Appointment Presenting the Agreement and Proposal

This session covers the importance of a professionally-prepared proposal and agreement in shortening sales cycles for I.T. Solutions, Infrastructure Upgrades and Managed Services, as well as an overview of an  effective Managed Services Agreement, including specifics on important areas to cover with the prospect, such as what is included and excluded, the term of the Agreement and the prioritization and response and resolution process for effective SLA management. Common objections will also be presented during this session, along with effective ways to overcome them and close the opportunity.

A sample Infrastructure Upgrade Proposal and Managed Services Agreement will be utilized to illustrate core components and layout of these documents.

MSP University tools used during this session:

• MSP University Best Practices Guide: Creating an Infrastructure and Managed Services Proposal
• MSP University Sample Infrastructure Upgrade Proposal
• MSP University Sample Managed Service Agreement
• MSP University Sales Closing Handbook

MSP University Instructor:
Erick Simpson, Rafael Sanguily

Track 3: Service & Technical

Best Practices for SBS Migration

Learn the most up-to-date best practices for performing an SBS 2008 migration.
 

Session 5 (Hands-on): SBS Migration