We recognize the hard work and dedication you have put forth over the past year to achieve your competency status in the Microsoft Partner Network. Your competency investment not only creates distinction for your business in the marketplace, iimaget entitles you to valuable benefits that can help you achieve your business goals. As you prepare for your next membership and competency renewal, we want to make sure you are taking full advantage of the benefits you have earned, some of which will be useful for your renewal, too.

The recommendations below come from my teammate, Sharon Collins, the U.S. Partner Team lead for the Microsoft Partner Network. Starting January 2012, look for her new blog series about achieving, maintaining, and maximizing Microsoft competencies.

  1. Purchase discounted Competency Exam Packs before December 31 and take advantage of our Practice Exam offers before January 31, 2012.
  2. Use Partner Exam Academy to find training that can help you pass the certification exams required to meet competency requirements for Business Intelligence, Communications, CRM, Data Platform, Desktop, Messaging, Portals and Collaboration, and Virtualization.
  3. Download and deploy your internal-use software in your own IT environment to get firsthand knowledge of features and capabilities of the latest Microsoft software. Get Current services are available to help you.
  4. Utilize your Advisory Hours to close more deals, take advantage of deployment and development expertise, understand the market opportunity, and build product knowledge.
  5. Activate additional cloud benefits by participating in a Microsoft Cloud Partner Program.
  6. Manage your Microsoft Pinpoint profile to ensure it accurately reflects your business and capabilities, and invite your customers to add a review to your listing—increasing your likelihood for attracting new customer prospects.
  7. Use Ready-to-Go Marketing as your toolbox to create customer demand through your website, events, and customer-ready materials, plus get help from marketing service providers.

Warm wishes for the holidays, and here’s to a great New Year!

Cheers,

Diane Golshan
Sr. Marketing Manager, U.S. Partner Team
Learn more about what I do at Microsoft.