Prepare for the Upcoming Launch of Microsoft Online Services

dianeja — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 02:39:00 GMT

A significant announcement at our Worldwide Partner Conference at the beginning of July was the business model and pricing for the Microsoft Online Services Business Productivity Online Suite (BPOS) that we will launch in October (find out more at the Quickstart for Microsoft Online Services, including how to enroll to sell these Microsoft-hosted services).

In preparation for this launch, we are offering four one-hour online sessions from our May roadshow, viewable on demand at no cost. Developed with the Institute for Partner Education and Development (IPED), these sessions take you through market dynamics and opportunity, how to prepare your business for a managed services practice, and how to build and manage relationships with your software and services customers. We invite you to view these sessions.

•	Session 1: The Market Dynamics of SaaS
•	Session 2: Building a SaaS Business Practice
•	Session 3: Selling Software & Services
•	Session 4: Managing SaaS Customer Relationships

Exchange Online and SharePoint Online - How to Sell?

dianeja — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 02:14:00 GMT

Recently I received feedback via our "Rate This Page" function on the partner portal about the Microsoft Exchange Online page. "I want to know how to sell this," the partner wrote, "and all you're telling me on this page is about a stupid video and roadshow." Having been part of the team that reviewed and gave feedback on this page, I was kind of disappointed that it had missed the mark for this partner. So I wanted to take this opportunity to remind you that the products Bill Gates announced at the SharePoint Conference on March 3, Microsoft-hosted Exchange Online and SharePoint Online, will be generally available later this year (I encourage you to read the PressPass story, if you're not familiar with this announcement and I've piqued your interest). We will be adding more information about how to offer these services to your customers over the coming months. We think they will be a great opportunity for our partners to offer choice and flexibility to their customers, and help bring our software-plus-services strategy to life.

As for the video and roadshow that are referred to on the page, the video is a great testimonial from Evolve Partners about their take on the software plus services opportunity. The roadshow presentation was developed with the Institute for Partner Education and Development (IPED), and will offer a "state of the industry" take on Software as a Service (SaaS) as well as an assessment of software plus services and the Microsoft Online Services products.

Cheers,

Diane Golshan, Sr. Marketing Manager - US Partner Group

Launch Central for U.S. Partners : SaaS

Prepare for the Upcoming Launch of Microsoft Online Services

Exchange Online and SharePoint Online - How to Sell?