Cloud computing, managed services, mobility, and new hardware opportunities will be the main topics of discussion at the ChannelPro Network’s latest SMB Forum, a full-day, live event set for April 10th in Long Beach, Calif.
Hosted by ChannelPro Network Vice President and Publisher Michael Siggins and Executive Editor Cecilia Galvin, the SMB Forum will offer practical, concrete guidance on how resellers, managed service providers, and other IT professionals can capitalize on today’s leading IT trends. Sessions will explore profiting from the rise of mobility, selling and marketing managed services more effectively, building a thriving cloud computing practice, and tapping into the latest and hottest new hardware offerings.
Unlike other IT industry conferences, the SMB Forum’s unique format puts channel pros squarely in the center of the conversation. “The sessions at most conferences are a one-way presentation of information to a mostly passive audience,” Siggins says. “At our event, sessions are highly interactive exchanges between our panelists and attendees.”
Most of those panelists, moreover, are themselves well-known present or former channel pros. Among those scheduled to speak at the SMB Forum are Luis Alvarez of Alvarez Technology Group Inc., Ed Correia of Sagacent Technologies Inc., and Dave Seibert of IT Innovators Inc. and the SMB Technology Network, as well as author and blogger Karl Palachuk and mobility analyst Chris Jones of Canalys.
“VARs and MSPs rarely get to engage so directly with experts of this caliber – not to mention a room full of their peers – on such an extended basis,” Galvin says. “It’s a great chance for attendees to get actionable insights on growing their businesses that they can start putting to work the very next day.” Exclusive, in-depth white papers, strategy guides, and other resources will offer attendees additional how-to advice.
Further contributing to the conversation are the SMB Forum’s more than 30 sponsors. This year’s Gold-level sponsors are Epson America Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co., Ingram Micro Inc., LogMeIn Inc., ViewSonic Corp., and Zenith Infotech Ltd.
“Technology vendors are constantly looking for ways to engage with the channel more closely,” Siggins says. “Our sponsors view the SMB Forum as an exciting venue for achieving that deeper level of dialogue and interaction.”
As an added bonus for attendees, IT membership organization and Silver-level sponsor CompTIA will be offering a free workshop on its MSP Partners Trustmark, a business credential that helps MSPs differentiate their companies and demonstrate their commitment to delivering quality services. Drawing on instruction provided during the workshop, attendees can complete the remaining requirements for earning the trustmark after the conference.
Live updates from the SMB Forum will be available throughout the day on Twitter via the hashtag “#SMBForum2013“. In addition, the ChannelPro Network website will publish recaps of SMB Forum sessions in the days following the conference. Registered website users will also have access to the same in-depth white papers, strategy guides, and other materials handed out to attendees.
