SBSC-Central Region-Midwest Area

$500 Ready-to-Go Marketing Promotion exclusively for Microsoft SBSC partners       

Kick-start your marketing engines with the SBSC $500 Ready-to-Go Promotion! Marketing reimbursement funds are available until December 31^st, 2010 or until supplies last. The funds are available for you to drive demand generation efforts through Ready-to-Go Marketing (includes Events, Campaigns, and various Marketing Services). We want to make it easy for you to grow your business! To take advantage of the offer, go to the link above, complete the required fields and then submit third-party receipts for reimbursement.   Not yet an SBSC? Find more info here.

4-1-1 Webcast series launches this Friday – September 24^th at 1:00pm (Central time)

Join us for the all new Microsoft Partner 4-1-1 Webcast series, an easy way to get marketing information that can help effectively reach potential new small and midsized customers, with a focus on event marketing strategy and leveraging Ready To Go Campaigns.  This Friday, September 24^th – don’t miss the kick off call, where we will preview the 4 new Ready -To- Go Campaigns launching in October and share some great Local Engagement Team event marketing resources that you can immediately plug into.

Register today to reserve your seat! 

Register for the event here:

https://training.partner.microsoft.com/learning/app/management/LMS_ActDetails.aspx?UserMode=0&ActivityId=709065

What to expect:
Academy Live webcasts are 1 hour online events for Partners and Microsoft employees using Microsoft Office Live Meeting. Connect with Microsoft and other partners; listen to Microsoft subject matter experts as they discuss their areas of expertise related to Microsoft’s sales and competitive strategy.  Learn more about Microsoft’s products (including insight into products on the launch horizon); positioning of business value to customers; sharing wins from the field and how the account team won; world class selling skills and best practice; and leveraging Microsoft resources to maximize your productivity. Webcasts for partners caters to all depths of knowledge. 

Before the Webcast:

To attend our upcoming Webcast please ensure your computer meets the following requirements for Microsoft Office Live Meeting by clicking here.

I notices Eric Ligman’s Tweet on Linkedin this morning.  I know that many of you have been anxiously awaiting the Aurora release.  We’re not quite there yet, but it will be cool to get a look at the preview.

If your in the Chicago area, I’ll be presenting to the SBS User group and the topic will be Aurora.  Contact me or one of the folks from the SBSUG for details.

Eric Ligman Aurora Preview available now & Windows Small Business Server 7 beta coming: http://bit.ly/bWN2zc #mspartner via Twitter

I was recently quoted in an industry magazine and after reading the article, I felt like a little more information may be required.  I don’t know how many of you have ever been interviewed or had that interview published, but normally the process goes something like this.  The reporter either meets with you in person or they set up a phone call and they begin asking you a number of questions that they have prepared in advance.  Keep in mind, THEY already have the idea for the article in their mind, they are just  looking for you to fill in the blanks.  The interview can be somewhat conversational, but more often then not, they are question – answer, question – answer, and so it goes.

It would appear in this published article, that I was chosen to be the “contrarian.”  Actually I am OK with that role as I play it often.  However, in this case I want to be very clear about how I REALLY feel about “Partnering with Microsoft.  I’m not going to re-hash the points made in the article.  If you read it, fine.  If you don’t that is OK too.

What I will say is that I am Proud that Microsoft is our #1, most strategic partner.  It would be safe to say, that without Microsoft, my business, http://www.qualitysystemssolutions.com/ would not exist.  Their products and solutions are the foundation of nearly all we do.  However, has our relationship with Microsoft always been Happy! Happy! Happy!?  No.  But the same could be said about my relationships with my wife and children.  NO relationship is filled with unrequited Joy.  It just doesn’t work that way.  What I want to make abundantly clear is that Quality Systems Solutions, Inc. has had a long and rewarding relationship with Microsoft, and I have every reason to believe that is will continued for years to com.

I believe that one of the reasons I was invited to serve a second term on both the U.S. SBSC Advisory Board as well as the the global PAL SBSC board is because I am honest and open with my opinions, sometimes brutally so.  I also believe that my friends and associates at Microsoft want that un-varnished input.  They want to know what is working and what isn’t.  They genuinely want to engage their partners to the mutually benefit of all.  If I didn’t believe ALL of that, I would have bowed out and let someone else step up.

The reality is that I think that FY11 is going to be a banner year for Microsoft and its partners.  There has been a shuffling of people and positions and I can’t help but think the current combinations are going to do some great things!

Last week I had a chance to meet with Arnie Mondloch, Director – Partner Programs and Tina Hanson, Channel Development Manager.  They were in Chicago doing a “Deep Dive” with dozen other industry leaders, all focus on improving their engagement with Partners.  I was one of 4 VARS invited to sit on a panel, composed to interact with these leaders.  I can tell you, Microsoft, as well as the other leaders are “All In!” when it comes to wanting of figure out how to work well with their Partners.

Later this month, Steve Measelle, Senior Manager, SMB Strategic VAR Initiatives and my “boss” on the SBSC Board with be joining me via Live Meeting to address the Chicago SBS User Group.  Steve is new to the position of leading the SBSC Advisory Board, but he brings a palpable sense of enthusiasm and commitment to support the group in its efforts to produce the best SBSC program yet.

So in conclusion, if I had to do it all over again, would I Partner with Microsoft? Yes! End of Story…