Announcing the Fall 2006
Customer Reference Forum

THE Event for Customer Reference Professionals

Since 2005, our events have drawn more than 200 customer reference professionals from many of the top programs in the world, including SAP, Hewlett-Packard, Microsoft, SAS EMEA, Intel, Sun Microsystems, IBM, Research in Motion, EDS, VeriSign, Novell, and dozens of other top firms. Please click here to see testimonials and pics.

The Fall 2006 Customer Reference Forum: What you can expect

Case studies from programs we haven't heard from before, by leading reference professionals such as Rhett Livengood, Director, Worldwide Marketing, Intel Solution Services; Rhonda Morgan, Director, Customer Reference Program, PTC; and Theresa McClure, Director, Customer Success Network, EMC. For more information on our presenters, please click here.

Deep dives, more specifics to help you execute. We're planning longer, 90-minute breakout sessions on issues like reference acquisition, uncovering customer ROI, and leveraging partners to rapidly expand your reference program. You'll have plenty of time to engage presenters in dialogue, get greater detail and have your questions fully answered. And "Deep Dive" presenters will provide you with more than Power Points and flow charts, but also schedules, templates, scripts, and forms - specific tools so that you won't have to reinvent the wheel. When you leave, you'll not only know what to do, you'll have tools to help you do it.

Results from the Special Interest Group on Metrics. T his is the first of three Special Interest Groups (SIGs) we've formed to do ongoing research into critical issues facing reference professionals. The Metrics SIG is made up of bright reference professionals who bring substantial experience on developing and tracking metrics. They include Barbara Krasner, Director of Customer Advocacy Marketing at Lucent Technologies who chairs the SIG, Gayle McClary, Senior Director, Global Customer References, Oracle Corporation, and Rhonda Morgan, Director, Customer Reference Program, PTC. In Dallas, they'll report their latest findings on questions such as, What should you measure? What shouldn't you measure? How do you track results? How do you gain executive buy-in and support? How do you communicate results?, and more.

Enjoy a great, historic hotel. We'll be staying at the Adolphus in Dallas and I think you're going to love it. Built in 1912 by beer baron Adolphus Busch and known today for hosting royalty and celebrities who come to Dallas, it combines Southern charm, Old-World elegance, and complimentary in-room and public-areas wireless high-speed Internet access. Its famed French Room restaurant was rated #1 hotel restaurant in the US by the prestigious Zagat Survey 2006. And we've negotiated a great room rate of just over $200 ($209 plus applicable taxes) for your stay. And don't tell anyone, but it's just down the street from the original Neiman Marcus.

Get validation from leading reference programs in the world. For new initiatives you're doing, or considering, learn whether and how the top reference programs in the world are doing it.

Collaborate with and gain a support network of peers you can call for knowledgeable advice. Our events have drawn more than 120 reference professionals from around the world, many of whom stay in contact and continue to exchange ideas, offer help and provide each other support.

Acquire tools that can make you more effective and your job easier. Our events include nuts-and-bolts tips and tools you can apply right away when you get back home.

Establish your program's business value to the toughest executive. You'll get dozens of tips on how to establish the business value of your reference program to the toughest executive.

Get help if you're starting a program. We'll have plenty of people there who've built reference programs from the ground up, and who can provide invaluable insights in how to do so.

Please click here to register.

Please Note:
The Fall 2006 Customer Reference Forum is open by invitation only to reference program professionals and other marketing, sales, and delivery people. For information on vendor participation, please click here.