How to Convince Your Boss to Send you to Tech·Ed 2011 in Atlanta

In a tough economic climate, it can be difficult for managers and HR teams to understand the business value of sending staff to the Tech·Ed conference because of the upfront costs.  Here are some talking points to help you make the case for Tech·Ed to your management.  There is also a custom email template for you here:

Convince Your Boss 

Topics that are relevant to our business—today

Tech·Ed beats other conferences in number and depth of topics with over 915 different in-depth sessions about Microsoft technology including:

• Information Security
• Database Platforms and Microsoft SQL Server
• Windows 7
• Microsoft SharePoint® 2010 and Office 2010
• Windows Server  2008 R2
• Virtualization
• Web Platforms

Learn what’s new and what’s next for Microsoft that will help improve productivity and drive down costs. Technologists need to be ready to advise bsiness decision makers on future technology investments:

• Microsoft Office 365, cloud-based versions of our trusted collaboration and communication products
• Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011

• Microsoft Lync™, our new communications server

The benefits of in-person attendance.

• Microsoft experts and partners are available to discuss what’s coming and why it’s important.
• You’ll be able to talk with experts about your specific issues and get answers to your questions in real-time.
  While Tech·Ed offers a rich virtual experience online, there’s no replacement for face time.
  • You can represent your company and team, so the investment of sending one person benefits everyone.
  • Dedicated time away from the desk to focus on education and advancing your expertise, minus distractions.

Add to your skill set.

• Take a deep dive into the latest technologies with approximately 200 self-paced labs—all created by product experts.
• Get unlimited access to the Technical Learning Center.

Network with peers, industry influencers, and Microsoft experts.

• Networking opportunities including Birds-of-a-Feather sessions, Women in Technology, and more.
• Get the hard questions answered with everyday access to industry experts and Microsoft product teams.
• Learn about available services from representatives of Microsoft Learning, MSDN, TechNet, and more.
• Make contacts and share best practices with peers that have the same interests and concerns.
• Over 400 speakers and 200 exhibitors in attendance, plus access to over 100 demo stations.

Walk away with tools you can use.

• TechNet subscriptions that give you access to the latest bits, like Windows 7.
• Access to all Breakout Session presentations and videos when you get back to the office.
• Microsoft Certification discounts.

Tech·Ed attendance will help you make the most of your company’s tech investments.

• Tech·Ed is a technical education conference with learning tracks about diverse technologies at a level of detail unmatched in the industry. Sending staff to Tech·Ed will improve the efficiency of your enterprise. It’ll also boost your bottom line by increasing your organization’s ability to understand, deploy, and manage technologies.
• Technical Tracks on application platforms show how to use software and tools to build better solutions.
• Technical Tracks on business productivity show how to make business information work harder for decision makers, and how IT can focus on strategic business innovation.

We can get the $200 Last Chance Savings until February 28, 2011.

Plus, group discounts are available, making it less expensive for teams to attend