HOWTO: Convince your boss to send you to the Dell Storage Forum

Can you believe there are only NINETEEN DAYS until we all meet up in Orlando for the Dell Storage Forum? We’re starting to get things ready. To help get in the spirit, be sure to come vote in the Caption Contest on the Dell Storage Forum Facebook page – you have until this Friday at midnight (central time) to help someone win a free trip to #DellSF11!

Also, we’ll be playing Dell Storage Forum Trivia Tuesday two more times! This gives you two more chances to win a limited edition Dell Storage Forum shirt – details are here.

If you are registered for DSF – make sure to get a ticket to the TweetUp we’ll be having at Downtown Disney. It is going to be a blast!
Maybe you haven’t registered yet because you don’t think you can convince your boss to send you. Well, we’ve got you covered. Download this zipped up word doc, and copy and paste the contents into an email. (If you are a partner, grab this version). Personalize/Customize it as you see fit. Send it to your boss, and we’ll see you in Orlando!

Here’s what the letter says:

Dear Boss,

I’d really like to advance my professional development by attending the upcoming Dell Storage Forum conference. The event takes place June 5-11 in Orlando, Florida, including optional pre- or post-conference training courses. The core conference, which features keynotes, breakouts and hands-on labs, is June 7-9.

At this year’s conference, Dell experts will dive deep into the latest products and solutions integration across the entire Dell Storage portfolio – EqualLogic, Compellent, PowerVault and DX Object Storage. I checked out the agenda and think I’d take away a lot of insight for making the most of our storage investment.
As a conference, Dell Storage Forum is a really good value for all the learning offered. In three days, I’ll have access to:

  • 110+ hours of technical breakouts, many with demos, delivered by Dell experts
  • 4+ hours of executive keynotes from Michael Dell and other high-level executives
  • 36+ hours of networking and sharing best practices with Dell experts and other end users
  • 8+ hours of product demos and one-on-one discussions in the Solutions Expo
  • 21+ hours of optional self-paced, hands-on labs with Dell experts

The price to attend Dell Storage Forum is only US$745, which is very reasonable for a 3-day technical user conference. Or I could take a 2-day technical training course for US$995, which includes a full-conference pass.

Here’s a breakdown of the conference costs, with and without the optional training:
Conference registration                  US$745
Instructor-led training                       US$995 (includes conference registration)
Airfare                                                 US$ (you have to figure this out)
Transportation                                   US$60
Hotel (US$125/night)                       US$375 (conference only)
US $625 (with training course)
Meals                                                  Included

I could easily pass on what I learn to the rest of the team. In fact, I’ll plan on presenting what I learned, including recommendations, once I’m back in the office.

Thanks for your considerideration,

Your name here

About the Author: Gina Rosenthal