Some HTG Firsts

The next few days I want to review some of the exciting firsts that happened at SMB Summit for HTG members. Those of you who are not involved, well you can read and be amazed. HTG consists of over 100 partner companies who get it - who are connected through community and committed to making a difference in each others businesses. Here are the first of our firsts:

1. Our first broad joint meetings. Five HTG groups met simultaneously ahead of SMB Summit and one group following. It was good to be able to mingle and share lunches yet keep our meetings focused on our own groups. We were able to share some joint resources and leverage the power of numbers to our benefit. Expect to see more of that in the future where we will centralize and align meetings to help keep facilitator travel to a minimum and costs down while connecting partners across groups where there is a fit.
2. Our first conference joint sponsorship. This was our first foray into being on the hook for a conference at any level. We have helped with content at some events, but never had to sign contracts and send money. Thankfully we had a good turnout as our average attendee fee payment was over $130 less than our cost of food per person alone. With that scenario, volume isn’t all that good and it is hard to make up for a price miscalculation with volume. Some of you have learned that selling more of something that is losing money doesn’t make for a good bottom line. So our tail was saved by the vendors paying to be in the vendor fair. Otherwise this would probably have been our first and last event.
3. Our first HTG ALL vendor relationships. We announced the special agreements we have in place with Agility Disaster Recovery Services (thanks to Jeff Wood and HTG2) and Cymphonix. Both have come forward with special HTG pricing and opportunities. You will learn much more in the coming months and can expect to see much more from them as they engage to help partners succeed.

Check again tomorrow to see the next set of great things that is happening with HTG.