It is with great joy I can tell you that Brad Kowerchuk has accepted our request to join the HTG advisory council. Brad brings a vast array of experiences from his business in Canada to our council. Beside the wonderful success and growth he has achieved in his company since joining HTG, his facilitation and hard work as an HTG4 member and advocate make him an obvious selection to help direct our program for the coming years. I am excited he has decided to join our team and look forward to introducing him to everyone face to face in Dallas. Brad joins other council members Brad Schow, Dan Hay, Lyf Wildenberg and Robert Lindley who provide the HTG team strategic direction and feedback.
With Brad's appointment, we bid farewell to Stuart Crawford who has served on the advisory council since its inception a few years ago. Stuart was part of HTG3 before moving to help us begin our first international group in Canada, where he facilitated HTG10 for a year and a half. Stuart has a passion to help people, and caught the Go Giver bug in ways that became contagious. He leaves us to pursue his passion around social media and the web. He is consulting for businesses in his hometown of Calgary and around the globe as he serves people and their desire to learn how to leverage the communication tools of the 21st century. Thank you Stuart for your hard work and contributions to helping HTG become what it is today.
As always, I am grateful for each of you and your passion to serve. That is what makes HTG what it is today – Go Givers who keep on giving. The measure of our receive is based on how well we give. Let’s keep it up – Brad will be a great addition to that cause!
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference Awards
Have you delivered innovative customer solutions built on Microsoft technologies? Submit your company’s nomination for the annual Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2010 Awards program today! http://www.digitalwpc.com/awards Deadline is April 2.
Why not tell the world about the great things you are doing with Microsoft technologies in serving your client's needs. Not only can you submit an application for these awards, you can also create a case study around your nomination and use it for marketing to your current and prospective clients.
Every partner has delivered value that is worth writing about. Far too many never tell a soul, and miss one of the greatest tools you have in your arsenal, customer success stories. Take some time and apply for these awards and then repurpose your efforts and create a valuable marketing resource you can use for your clients.
Don't wait - do it today. Time goes quickly. http://digitalwpc.com/awards
Why not tell the world about the great things you are doing with Microsoft technologies in serving your client's needs. Not only can you submit an application for these awards, you can also create a case study around your nomination and use it for marketing to your current and prospective clients.
Every partner has delivered value that is worth writing about. Far too many never tell a soul, and miss one of the greatest tools you have in your arsenal, customer success stories. Take some time and apply for these awards and then repurpose your efforts and create a valuable marketing resource you can use for your clients.
Don't wait - do it today. Time goes quickly. http://digitalwpc.com/awards
Sunday, February 21, 2010
The Next Three Years For HTG
I was blessed to spend a couple days this week with the HTG team and advisory council in a strategic planning session in Phoenix. Our mission was to step back and take another look at our course and make sure we were on track. It was a great exercise as we turned over every aspect of the HTG program and took a look at where we were, and more importantly, where we were going to be in 3 years.
After all, we continually press our members to do strategic planning. That has to drive every part of our businesses. It comes down to answering the "why" question. Why do we do what we do? What is the driving force - the end game - the desired outcome? Far too many businesses and organizations go through their lifecycle without ever really knowing why. They get up, go to work, take on risk, hire people, go through the motions day after day without ever really answering the question of "why". That is not the case for HTG.
HTG has a very clear answer to that question. It is the same answer we have had for a number of years: "HTG exists to help our members experience business and personal growth driven by execution". That is our mantra - our ONE GOAL - our castle on the hill. We will have succeeded if we are able to get ALL our members into a continual cycle of growth that aligns with their plans. That growth happens in many ways, at different speeds, across many different facets of our members. But the key is to identify where you want to go, to pursue it with passion, and to reach that goal only to set the next one that will define how you live and lead for the next period of time.
HTG identifies the need for that growth to happen in four areas: business, leadership, life and legacy. That is why our FOUR PLANS will continue to be central to helping us achieve our mission. We are not content to help members drive EBITDA alone. We want people to not only succeed in business, but to also have success in their relationships, in their personal lives, and in creating the future impact of their life driven by their legacy. This differentiates us from most other peer programs who focus on driving bottom line income. We don't ignore that need - it is primary in our mission - but to have a fantastic business without a balance - to lose the important relationships in life because of a single focus - well to us that does not define success and certainly will not produce happiness. Without life/work balance the money really is unfulfillng over time.
HTG will continue to drive our groups and members to leverage their peer relationships. The most important part of HTG is the peer group meetings each quarter. The QBR format (quarterly board review) with deep feedback from fellow peers is key to helping our members really grow. It is that accountability that keeps every member on course. We all face plateaus in our growth process. It is a lifecycle when running a successful business and to be able to lay it on the table and allow others to provide their guidance and share their wisdom is very valuable in driving growth. Benchmarking our financials through our partnership with Service Leadership, and building deep profiles and scorecards will take us to the next level in our reporting and feedback focus.
HTG will work more strategically with vendors and our distribution partner (Ingram Micro) to drive business and member success. We have had some great progress with a few of our vendor partners - notably ConnectWise, IBM, Microsoft, SonicWALL and HP - and we will be focusing on finding ways to work hand in hand to build methods to drive business for all. The good news about this environment is that it is very much a shared goal and in everyone's interest to drive more business. This becomes critical as we begin to deal with the transition that cloud computing will bring to our industry. We need deep partnerships and the ability to leverage the intelligence, data and direction of those who define what our industry becomes. Our partnership with Ingram Micro and CompTIA will be a key part of guiding us through the transition ahead.
There are many more details that will be shared in Dallas in April at our HTGALL lunch on Monday, and in the peer group meetings that will happen that week. But the reality is that our direction remains the same. We have more clarity about the details than ever before, and we will review those as we lay the plan out for our members in Dallas. HTG will remain focused on one thing: business and personal growth driven by execution. We are about helping our members go from good to great - to removing the roadblocks to their growth - and providing an environment through our program that allows us to build the premier set of business leaders in this industry. We are well on our way. Our pursuit of that goal will continue and our team is passionate about getting us there. As Edison said, "Vision without execution is hallucination". We are not hallucinating - we are on course and heading for the end zone. We are looking for a few good partners who want to join the journey. Only those with a passion to grow need apply. http://www.htgpeergroups.com/ for the application.
After all, we continually press our members to do strategic planning. That has to drive every part of our businesses. It comes down to answering the "why" question. Why do we do what we do? What is the driving force - the end game - the desired outcome? Far too many businesses and organizations go through their lifecycle without ever really knowing why. They get up, go to work, take on risk, hire people, go through the motions day after day without ever really answering the question of "why". That is not the case for HTG.
HTG has a very clear answer to that question. It is the same answer we have had for a number of years: "HTG exists to help our members experience business and personal growth driven by execution". That is our mantra - our ONE GOAL - our castle on the hill. We will have succeeded if we are able to get ALL our members into a continual cycle of growth that aligns with their plans. That growth happens in many ways, at different speeds, across many different facets of our members. But the key is to identify where you want to go, to pursue it with passion, and to reach that goal only to set the next one that will define how you live and lead for the next period of time.
HTG identifies the need for that growth to happen in four areas: business, leadership, life and legacy. That is why our FOUR PLANS will continue to be central to helping us achieve our mission. We are not content to help members drive EBITDA alone. We want people to not only succeed in business, but to also have success in their relationships, in their personal lives, and in creating the future impact of their life driven by their legacy. This differentiates us from most other peer programs who focus on driving bottom line income. We don't ignore that need - it is primary in our mission - but to have a fantastic business without a balance - to lose the important relationships in life because of a single focus - well to us that does not define success and certainly will not produce happiness. Without life/work balance the money really is unfulfillng over time.
HTG will continue to drive our groups and members to leverage their peer relationships. The most important part of HTG is the peer group meetings each quarter. The QBR format (quarterly board review) with deep feedback from fellow peers is key to helping our members really grow. It is that accountability that keeps every member on course. We all face plateaus in our growth process. It is a lifecycle when running a successful business and to be able to lay it on the table and allow others to provide their guidance and share their wisdom is very valuable in driving growth. Benchmarking our financials through our partnership with Service Leadership, and building deep profiles and scorecards will take us to the next level in our reporting and feedback focus.
HTG will work more strategically with vendors and our distribution partner (Ingram Micro) to drive business and member success. We have had some great progress with a few of our vendor partners - notably ConnectWise, IBM, Microsoft, SonicWALL and HP - and we will be focusing on finding ways to work hand in hand to build methods to drive business for all. The good news about this environment is that it is very much a shared goal and in everyone's interest to drive more business. This becomes critical as we begin to deal with the transition that cloud computing will bring to our industry. We need deep partnerships and the ability to leverage the intelligence, data and direction of those who define what our industry becomes. Our partnership with Ingram Micro and CompTIA will be a key part of guiding us through the transition ahead.
There are many more details that will be shared in Dallas in April at our HTGALL lunch on Monday, and in the peer group meetings that will happen that week. But the reality is that our direction remains the same. We have more clarity about the details than ever before, and we will review those as we lay the plan out for our members in Dallas. HTG will remain focused on one thing: business and personal growth driven by execution. We are about helping our members go from good to great - to removing the roadblocks to their growth - and providing an environment through our program that allows us to build the premier set of business leaders in this industry. We are well on our way. Our pursuit of that goal will continue and our team is passionate about getting us there. As Edison said, "Vision without execution is hallucination". We are not hallucinating - we are on course and heading for the end zone. We are looking for a few good partners who want to join the journey. Only those with a passion to grow need apply. http://www.htgpeergroups.com/ for the application.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Beyond Facebook - Where the rubber hits the road with Social Media
IT Professional turned Social Media and Online Marketing consultant, Stuart Crawford is hosting a special Microsoft 5W25 seminar on Feb 24th at Noon Eastern/9 AM Pacific. Register today at http://www.mssmallbiz.com/training/.
Stuart promises this to be an action filed 60 minute webinar and will not be a "death by PowerPoint" type of webinar. He promises to get down and dirty about why many of us in the IT industry need to start looking seriously at the role social media plays in our overall communications strategy. Yes, that is right, once just thought as a marketing activity, online services is now critical to our overall corporate communications. How we communicate with clients, prospects, the community and even our staff.
Check it out on Feb 24th.
Stuart promises this to be an action filed 60 minute webinar and will not be a "death by PowerPoint" type of webinar. He promises to get down and dirty about why many of us in the IT industry need to start looking seriously at the role social media plays in our overall communications strategy. Yes, that is right, once just thought as a marketing activity, online services is now critical to our overall corporate communications. How we communicate with clients, prospects, the community and even our staff.
Check it out on Feb 24th.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Do You Have a Newsletter?
Microsoft currently has two sources of funds for select partners to spend on RTG (Ready to Go campaign) Marketing Services:
For “Managed Partners” only ( i.e. those who have a Partner Account Manager or Tele-Partner Account Manager)
$1,000 rebate offer, expires March 31, 2010
Promotion code: 2010
Please note terms and conditions page at: www.mspartnerdirect.com/2010
For Small Business Specialists (SBSC) Partners only ( i.e. those who have the Microsoft SBSC Certification )
$1,000 rebate offer, expires March 31, 2010
Promotion code: SBSC
Please note terms and conditions page at: www.mspartnerdirect.com/sbsc
HTS' popular e-newsletter service is one of the options for partners to use these funds toward. There are rules - see the links to the t's and c's - but it is really very painless to participate and get your newsletter service under way. Feel free to call Mary Petersen at our Harlan Office - 712-744-3619 - and ask any questions you may have. To get details on the Microsoft partner portal about the e-newsletter service - go here.
For “Managed Partners” only ( i.e. those who have a Partner Account Manager or Tele-Partner Account Manager)
$1,000 rebate offer, expires March 31, 2010
Promotion code: 2010
Please note terms and conditions page at: www.mspartnerdirect.com/2010
For Small Business Specialists (SBSC) Partners only ( i.e. those who have the Microsoft SBSC Certification )
$1,000 rebate offer, expires March 31, 2010
Promotion code: SBSC
Please note terms and conditions page at: www.mspartnerdirect.com/sbsc
HTS' popular e-newsletter service is one of the options for partners to use these funds toward. There are rules - see the links to the t's and c's - but it is really very painless to participate and get your newsletter service under way. Feel free to call Mary Petersen at our Harlan Office - 712-744-3619 - and ask any questions you may have. To get details on the Microsoft partner portal about the e-newsletter service - go here.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Do You Have Your Plans Ready?
I will be hosting a live meeting on March 24th for Microsoft as part of the 5W50 series on the four plans that we use in HTG to provide a well rounded look at life and business. The plans we will discuss are:
- Business plan
- Leadership plan
- Life plan
- Legacy plan
The event is code WES36PAL and it will be held at 9:00 AM Pacific that day. Register at www.mssmallbiz.com/training. The session is titled Four Plans That Can Change Everything and that is exactly the potential outcome from the session. If you learn to use these plans, you can change the result of your life and business. Without planning, you leave things up to chance and quite honestly have far less opportunity to achieve your dreams or succeed. Invest an hour and join me for this webcast. To register go to www.mssmallbiz.com/training and select the appropriate session. There are many other great sessions available as well. Hope to meet with you online that day!
- Business plan
- Leadership plan
- Life plan
- Legacy plan
The event is code WES36PAL and it will be held at 9:00 AM Pacific that day. Register at www.mssmallbiz.com/training. The session is titled Four Plans That Can Change Everything and that is exactly the potential outcome from the session. If you learn to use these plans, you can change the result of your life and business. Without planning, you leave things up to chance and quite honestly have far less opportunity to achieve your dreams or succeed. Invest an hour and join me for this webcast. To register go to www.mssmallbiz.com/training and select the appropriate session. There are many other great sessions available as well. Hope to meet with you online that day!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Microsoft Offers That Are Too Good To Be True
Get a FREE Microsoft Office 2010 "Launch-in-a-Box" Kit!
This spring, Microsoft is releasing the next version of the Microsoft Office suites. Get in on the excitement! The Office 2010 Sneak Peek campaign is here to help you give your customers and prospects a special preview of the upcoming release. Be one of the first 500 partners to host an event using MicrosoftPartnerEvents between January 25 and June 1, 2010, to win a Launch-in-a-box gift. You can show the attendees all the exciting new features, tricks, and cost savings they can have with Office 2010. For complete terms and conditions, click here.
The kit includes:
• One Office 2010 2x8-foot banner
• 30 Office 2010 notebooks
• 30 Office 2010 logo pens
• 30 Office 2010 T-shirts
• 30 Office 2010 product datasheets
• 30 event evaluation forms
Windows 7 Event Marketing Campaign
The Local Engagement Team can help you drive attendance through local partnerships, and support your event with giveaways. Contact your Local Engagement BDM with the details of your event.
This spring, Microsoft is releasing the next version of the Microsoft Office suites. Get in on the excitement! The Office 2010 Sneak Peek campaign is here to help you give your customers and prospects a special preview of the upcoming release. Be one of the first 500 partners to host an event using MicrosoftPartnerEvents between January 25 and June 1, 2010, to win a Launch-in-a-box gift. You can show the attendees all the exciting new features, tricks, and cost savings they can have with Office 2010. For complete terms and conditions, click here.
The kit includes:
• One Office 2010 2x8-foot banner
• 30 Office 2010 notebooks
• 30 Office 2010 logo pens
• 30 Office 2010 T-shirts
• 30 Office 2010 product datasheets
• 30 event evaluation forms
Windows 7 Event Marketing Campaign
The Local Engagement Team can help you drive attendance through local partnerships, and support your event with giveaways. Contact your Local Engagement BDM with the details of your event.
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