ITEX 2012: Your Business Depends on it!

Be it in the trenches or on the horizon to unearth, elevate and present precision tools to transform your business, the annual ITEX Expo and Conference remains an impressive source for providing quality solutions and networking opportunities to dealers, resellers, distributors, manufacturers, VARs and vendors. Each year those “in the channel” and out depend on ITEX to bring them the most credible strategies and methodologies through credible education tracks, and a quality exhibit hall to find products or partners, meant to revamp their business. With the economy still challenging today’s and future business models, the need for new information to thrive and build on becomes paramount. And - when you can find it housed at one large venue for the taking, all the better.

Back in Las Vegas for its 12th show, the ITEX 2012 agenda is on target with its hard-hitting specialty forums, workshops and sessions with education led by the most experienced leaders in the office trade; each armed with viable “business building” strategies.  With so many providers seeking to add new revenue streams, meet new vendors, grow or begin MPS and Managed Services programs, ITEX’s vast menu of “provisions” will satiate attendees that are office technology-hungry.

Today’s providers of office technology that are grounded in delivering reliable product, services and solutions, including IT, are still finding an environment that has shifted due to the economy, global and political concerns. The gap is growing wider and dealers and businesses’ that address this space need to stay ahead - to stay on top of their business. Good trade shows, consultants, industry publications, researchers, and vendors who support them are part of the established infrastructure to supply the information to build upon.

Once again, the ITEX agenda will deliver mega-watt information to light the way for organizations who want to widen their scope of knowledge on the newest found products, programs, service and supplies, such as on understanding the Cloud, the opportunities in Managed Services /IT, where MPS is headed, how the latest software programs and document management methods are shaping up, and of course, how to sell, market, and promote it all to help providers reposition their business models, magnifying profits.

What to Expect

ITEX is the most affordable industry trade show you’ll find for easily accessible, high quality learning. The value is there and then some.

Over a jam-packed 3-day period that includes a half day of Pre-conference workshops, the all-encompassing expo presents a storehouse of key exhibitors and a cadre of tools from industry resources whose Power Hours “tactical” educational content has been thoroughly reviewed by the ITEX Advisory Council to help ensure quality and appropriateness of topics. The Council is comprised of leading vendors, dealers, manufacturers, analysts, consultants and dealer association executives wanting to assist in the advancement of the channel - the industry - as best they can.

The education sessions spotlight five categorical tracks, seven sessions each, on a variety of office-related topics of interest. Tracks on Document Solutions to Hybrid and Beyond, Service & Supplies; Interactive IT, and Sales & Marketing, are paired with two specialty forums on MPS and Managed Services, along with “Live Theatre” to bring info directly onto the show floor for added interest. New in 2012 are dedicated show hours for exhibitors-only traffic vs. education sessions to allow a non-compete (time-wise) atmosphere giving attendees the opportunity to easily schedule their classroom vs. exhibitors visits accordingly.

Tool Packed Power Hours

Devoted Power Hours education tracks will offer the power tools, latest ideas and training on how to implement strategies based on the topic of each session. From essential sessions like “MPS start up” to comprehensive dealer panels on print profitability, the classes give viable direction on a variety of topics.

Want to learn how to reposition your company or what market to best grow your business? Register for: Want to Grow Yet Unsure Where to Invest? Copier Market, MPS, MNS? Or if you’re hesitant to enter the IT space, sign up for: Dive into IT Services without Getting Wet, or MNS: Entry to the Cloud. How about learning more from a panel of peers on: Pricing Print for Profitability, or get the scoop on: Is Anyone Guarding Your Color Profitability? If it’s service you’re after, how about getting informed on: Should Service Technicians Sell? Or the latest on why Quality Consumables are the Linchpin to Any Successful Print Program.

Don’t forget to check out Hybrid Document Management or How to Create and Market to Green Buyers, among other intriguing topics. And of course you’ll want to lean more on how to employ sales and technology to help market your company so: Grow Your Business Through Social Networking and/or Solution Selling Made Easy-and Fun! are Power Hour sessions not to be missed!

Overall, find what you need within 35 sessions that address all things office. If you want to turn your business around or, from a strategy and new business development point of view, wish to elevate your efforts to new heights in order to drive business forward, you need to attend well-planned education classes for the available “big take away” value.

Pre-Conference Workshops

Kicking off the day before the general show, for attendees who want to thoroughly deep dive into selected topics, ITEX provides the opportunity. These 4-hour workshops deliver in three critical areas:

1. How to Sell & Market Cloud Solutions: CompTIA Cloud Workshop

The Cloud is everywhere and your clients are getting bombarded with ads and information daily. It’s no longer a matter of IF they will move to the Cloud, but WHEN. This Cloud Channel Training Workshop, led by CompTIA, is intended to help solution providers take advantage of the substantial business opportunities in delivering Cloud solutions.

2. 12 Critical Steps to Evolve Your Sales Model to Meet Today’s Business Climate

Do you have the people, processes and plans in place to move your business and sales organization to the next level for 2012 and beyond? This half-day sales workshop is intended for dealers, sales and business professionals who are ready to take a deep dive to identify the best processes to move your business forward.

3. New Trends in Technology: Moving Beyond MPS

This workshop looks at these new changes taking place, how we need to view MPS as a pathway to new solutions and services, and the mobility market, and how we need to think differently and embrace these new technologies and opportunities that will become the new future of our industry.

MPS Strategy Forum

When it comes to managed print services, launching or reinforcing a good MPS program requires commitment, training, and credible education to assist you in identifying and applying the best resources to accelerate this growth initiative. In the MPS Strategy Forum, today’s leading print experts share actionable formulas and strategies that not only help you close print management contracts, but give you the roadmap on how to identify, sell, monitor, measure, train, apply, service, finance and leverage MPS for higher profits.

Managed Services Pavilion

Always ahead of its time, ITEX began a push to provide managed services information within its general sessions throughout its past shows and now spotlights a Managed Services Pavilion for additional impact. The managed services opportunity represents for many, the “right time, right place” opportunity to expand their business further as several market factors have come together to make the timing a natural next-step for them. Quality presenters will offer key information on this market opportunity.

Keynote

The office technology industry, especially small to medium size solution providers (SMBs), are now dealing with a growing groundswell between the converging worlds of print and IT, causing a shift in the way providers address business today. Our Keynote Panel of industry experts and innovators will shed light on how the industry is moving to a “Managed Services” perspective – as the converging worlds of IT providers and copier dealers collide – and more importantly, how there are options that will work to your advantage, and that are profitable. Don’t miss the opportunity to hear how.

Dealer Perfect Image Awards

While at ITEX, join in the fun when imageSource magazine announces the Perfect Image Awards (PIA) for dealers in the open Live Theater on the show floor on day one of the show. imageSource will award eight dealerships that were chosen categorically to provide “best-in-class” office solutions. For details or extended entry information (Feb. 29, 2012 deadline to enter) visit the PIA awards page at www.imagesourcemag.com/pia.

As companies face the challenges of maintaining profit levels, it takes commitment to re-learn and implement new methods, adjusting to new market demands, even learning new benchmarks. Those dealers and providers that take the time and effort to do so will get the best advantages over their competitors. Attending a quality-led trade show such as ITEX, can change the course of your business for the better. The golden key lies with how you differentiate yourself and your company’s services this year, in order to retain customers & lead prospects to your business.

For the complete ITEX 2012 agenda visit www.itexshow.com.