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Storage Channel

Dinner Seminar

Top 10 Channel Challenges

1- Learn new technologies

2- Win new business

3- Keep customers

4- Recruit skilled professionals

5- Effective sales/marketing pitches

6- ID managed services opportunities

7- Troubleshoot tech problems

8- Maintain margins

9- Evaluate vendor partners

10- Talk tech in business terms(Source: April 2008 Channel Media Group Readership Survey)

Tonight’s agenda

5:30pm-5:45pm – The Profitable Edge: Keynote Heather Clancy

5:45pm-6:15pm – Top Storage Trends: Storage Expert Greg Schulz

6:15pm-6:45pm – Vendor Showcase – Nexsan, Intronis

6:45pm-7:15pm – Meet the Experts; Networking break; Dessert!

7:15pm-7:45pm – Data Growth Opportunities: Analyst Mark Peters

7:45pm-8:30pm – Q&A: Greg Schulz, Mark Peters, Heather Clancy

8:30pm-8:45pm – Raffle; Closing remarks; Receive Survey Results!

Keynote: Heather Clancy

The Profitable Edge

The Profitable Edge

May 12, 2008

Heather ClancyVice President, Strategic Communications

Planning for successful growth

Reading Today’s Market For Tomorrow’s Opportunity …

Game-Changing Trends

• Wireless/Mobility• Web 2.0• Software as a Service• 3-D Computing• Environmentalism

Applying New Business Discipline …

Talk Solutions, Not Products

• Develop strategic, business-side relationships

• Start dialogue outside the IT department• Inspire larger transactions• Realize higher customer retention rates• Experience higher services mix, gross

margins and operating margins

Listen to Your Engineers

• Use your closest ongoing link to true customer pain points wisely

• Seek a real-world perspective on appropriate architectural designs that can be deployed, again and again

• Reward insight and advice about how ongoing maintenance costs be turned into new budgets

Select Vendors Selectively

• Examine their communications strategy

• What is your resource commitment and what’s the quid pro quo?

• Field compensation strategy• Tiering policies • Value vs. volume philosophy• Is the margin worth the effort?

Partner Strategically

• Test before you invest: Bring new technologies, products to services to customers in conjunction with another VAR or application developer

• Set ground rules for collaboration, especially when it comes to customer touch points

Brand Thyself, Not Just Suppliers

• Engage in two-way dialogue with customers and influencers

• Create a marketing message for your company’s entire value proposition

• Explore the worlds of Web 2.0, esp. blogs and social networks

Conclusion: Think Long Term

• Understand key performance indicators and how much they can bend

• Take focused, phased risks• Create a business plan — so you

know where and when you should diverge

• Require (and recognize) staff buy-in