February 2009 - Posts
It was great seeeing you all again! Thank you for all the feedback you provided.
I wanted to confirm that the Exam Voucher Site is now up and running, so please email me directly if you are having any trouble accessing it.
I have also received a number of emails asking where exactly the Power Point slide decks were located....
If you go to www.microsoftts2.com, you will see a link to "Content Decks" under the Resources section. There you will find all of the Slides we have used since 2006.
If you look through the deck and feel like there is some information that you are missing, please send me an email and I'll do my best to try to locate a slide. At times I will add a slide or two specifically for the audience that I'm speaking to, and it may not make it into the Main deck.
Unfortunately, I will not be there this time, but wanted you to know that you are in good hands with my teammate Sharjeel! We'll actually be switching coasts this week :) I'll be in Southern California (where he is from) and he'll be in South Florida :)
In addition to the TS2 event, there will also be an SB2 System Builder event that afternoon that will be delivered by my teammate, Ron!
To read more about and the register for the SB2 event, go here:
http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032399948&culture=en-US
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Calling all System Builders! Looking for customer solutions? Want to give feedback to Microsoft? These half-day events were created just for you!
Join us to learn first-hand the solution building features of Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows Essential Server Solutions with technical demos, tools and resources.
Expect to:
- Learn more about and see demos of the business value of Windows Vista
- Learn how to sell Windows Vista with a “solution selling” approach and address your customers’ objections
- Learn about Windows Essential Server Solutions and how the new Small Business Server 2008 and Essentials Business Server 2008 can bring you new business opportunities
- Discover current technical resources and other support for system builders
All attendees will have a chance to win fabulous prizes such as a copy of Windows Vista Ultimate, an Arc Mouse and more!
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Until next time! Thanks for your support!
I know I've already mentioned that we will be having a TS2 event in Orlando on 2/17... and the response has been great. In fact we maxed out our registration numbers!
But we still have space in the afternoon for the Microsoft Online BPOS seminar with my teammate Woody!
Here's what you're missing if you don't attend:
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BPOS Deep Dive
Join us for an expanded workshop on Microsoft Online Services and the Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS). This event will provide Partners with an overview of the Quickstart for Online Services Program, details on the licensing and customer purchase experience, and educate partners on how to position and sell services within the current market conditions.
Agenda includes:
• Introduction to Microsoft Online Services
• Quickstart for Online Services
• Licensing 101 – How to try/buy
• MOCP experience – How your customers order
• Solution selling – How to position Services given current market conditions
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Follow this link to register: http://msevents.microsoft.com/cui/EventDetail.aspx?culture=en-US&EventID=1032399952
See you there!
With all the buzz around Virtualization, Online Services, and Windows 7, your customers may not be hearing the Sharepoint message....
Last night I delivered a presentation to a group of TDM's in Lakeland, FL around the merits of Microsoft Office Sharepoint Server 2007.
At the beginning of my presentation I polled the audience of TDM's asking for those who were already implementing Sharepoint to raise their hands... I only got two or three. Only about a quarter of the audience was even familiar with Sharepoint technologies.
What does that tell me? That tells that there is still alot of opportunity for Microsoft Partners to go out there make money selling Sharepoint!
When I concluded my presentation, I asked for a show of hands as to who believes Sharepoint could help his or her business and every hand in the room shot up. Tremendous opportunity!
And there are many ways to get your foot in the door.... WSS is free... Sharepoint Online doesn't require a huge infrastructure investment.....
Please make sure you have that Sharepoint coversation!
As I was sitting on the train, a guy plopped down next to me holding a white 30-gig zune.... I'll admit that whenever I see a Zune in the "wild," I get a little tingly inside :)
The first thought that came to my mind was, "I wonder if he has a Zune Pass?"
I didn't ask him though.
I really only listen to music when I'm driving... and when I do, it's usually the radio.... but I think my Zune Pass is going to change all of that.
Over the next three months I will be doing alot of flying and wanted to load up my Zune with some new tunes, so yesterday I decided to finally go for the Zune Pass... and I'm glad I did!
It gives me the flexibility to listen to just about any song I want and even PERMANENTLY keep 10 songs every month for just $14.99.
I have both an 8 gig and 30 gig zune, and I can sync both devices.
I know that Apple has done a great job marketing the iPod and there are other alternatives out there... but don't discount the ZUNE!
For under a hundred bucks you can get a BRAND NEW Zune and try out the Zune Pass for two weeks FREE of charge! And you get Sudoku and Texas Hold 'em for FREE as well ;)
Enjoy!
www.zune.net
It's that time again! And I look forward to seeing you all again!
Our current content is similar to the last round, but we'll be approaching that content from a different angle. Here's the agenda:
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Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS)
Software + Services is the way the industry is moving. Did you know that 25% of new business software is expected to be hosted as a service by 2011? Learn how you can be part of this paradigm shift with Microsoft. We’ll explore Microsoft’s new online services offering, the Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS), including:
• A detailed overview of BPOS
• The BPOS revenue model
• How to gauge your potential profitability
• How to save your customers money and lower TCO
• How to migrate to BPOS from on-premises services
Windows Essential Business Server 2008 and Small Business Server 2008
Built on Windows Server 2008, these two new integrated solutions offer a significant cost savings to customers and provide great value. Learn both what these solutions offer and what partners need to know about migrating customers to these new platforms.
Virtualization
Virtualization can offer your customers cost savings, improved business continuity, and the flexibility necessary to meet their business needs. Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V is one of many virtualization tools from Microsoft at your disposal. Learn more about virtualization and the business value of Hyper-V to your small and medium business customers.
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The event is being held at the New Horizons over on Lee Road between Edgewater and I-4 (closer to Edgewater if I remember correctly)
To register, go here: http://msevents.microsoft.com/cui/EventDetail.aspx?culture=en-US&EventID=1032399934
This was was told to me by a couple of people I was having lunch with.....
Then they proceeded to explain why...
"BECAUSE WINDOWS 7 ROCKS!!!"
They went on to say how they loved the new OS and were excited not just about Windows 7, but Sky Drive, Mesh, Home Server, and Media Center.. Exciting stuff!
Admittedly, I have not yet installed any Windows 7 versions as of yet (I'm currently in the process of migrating data between laptops), but I have been keeping a close eye on a number of end user blogs that have typically been Apple or Linux advocates, and alot of the comments there seem to agree!
Partners, what have your experiences been like? Are your customers excited as well?
Today at IT Expo East 2009, we announced the immediate release of our latest upgrade, Response Point Service Pack 2 (SP2) for our small business VoIP-enabled phone solution. The product is available today, Monday, February 2, as a free download at http://www.microsoft.com/responsepoint
Responding to customer and partner feedback -and quickly implementing those suggestions-is the main priority for the Response Point team. Coming just seven months after the previous upgrade, the new SP2 release adds many important enhancements including: improved communication options through support for intercom and paging capabilities; support for analog phones; and greater deployment flexibility via new support for VPN, multi-subnets and additional trunk devices.As a recipient of InfoWorld's "2009 Technology of the Year Award," we'll continue to provide small businesses with a cost effective phone system that is easy to use and manage, offering the ability to grow and evolve with their needs.
Also of note is our growing list of Response Point partners, with the recent addition of two internet telephony service providers (ITSP):Covista/TotalTel and SMB Phone Inc.
Please visit us online to learn more about Response Point SP2 and how it can help small businesses succeed.
Regards,
The Response Point Team
Send us your questions and feedback! rpoint@microsoft.com Learn more! Microsoft Response Point SP2 Features and Benefits Response Point Town Hall Meeting #2: SP2 Question and Answer
Response Point is a product built by a small team within Microsoft that runs itself like the small business customers we serve. We're a team of fewer than 50 employees, and we listen carefully to feedback collected from our users, partners and potential customers regarding what's working with our products, and what improvements people would like to see in future versions. We also try to be nimble, responding as quickly as we can to implement as many suggestions as possible.
Microsoft will spend the first part of the Town Hall Meeting meeting going over the new information and updating partners on what SP2 is all about. As we did in the first town hall meeting, we will open up the floor for marketing and technical questions. This is a great chance to find out what you need to know about SP2 and an opportunity to get straight answers from the team who is building the product. We have also invited all the OEMs and Solution providers to be online to answer your questions and listen to your concerns and comments.
Cost: FREE
Date: Wednesday, February 11th, 2009
Time: 1:00 - 2:30pm PDT
Location: Office Live Meeting Webcast
Attendee Registration:https://training.partner.microsoft.com/plc/details.aspx?publisher=12&delivery=262104 Register now to make sure you get into this webcast!!