How to Build Your Case for Attending

Synergy Berlin
Guide to Selling the Value of Synergy

CONTENTS

Building the case for attending Synergy Page 2

Letter to Management Page 4
Travel Justification Page 5
Worksheets Pages 6 - 11

Page 1
 Building the case for attending Synergy Berlin

Making your case:

 Think about the top goals that your organisation has for the coming year. What are some of the
key initiatives where Citrix technologies for virtualisation, networking or cloud computing might
have impact?
 Review the conference agenda to determine what speakers and sessions are likely to have
information that aligns with those key initiatives you identified. Review the lists of Hands-on
Learning Labs and Synergy exhibitors in the same fashion.
 Build a sample agenda using the Session Planning forms to begin identifying what you expect
to gain from each session or lab, and how that information will improve your organisation.
 Calculate the return on your investment using the following equivalents:

 Three free Hands-on Learning Labs = 1 day of technical training costing up to €600
 One free Citrix certification exam = same test costing from €128 to € 200.
 15% discount on a Citrix Education course = as much as € 200 in savings

Include hotel discounts and special offers on registration in your calculations.

 Use the template letter as a base to write your own request for approval to attend the
conference. Attach the sample agenda prepared in the last step to provide supporting
information regarding the benefits your organisation will get from Synergy.
 Meet face-to-face with your manager to review the conference and how your plans line up with
your organisation’s top goals. Explain how the many extra value activities at Synergy can
offset the investment in conference participation.

When you register:

 Be sure to sign up for the Learning Labs of your choice right away, as they are expected to fill
up fast, and enrollment is limited.

While at the conference:

 Use the Breakout Session Notes sheets and the Meeting Notes sheets to record the key
information obtained and your ideas about relevance to your organisation and potential cost
and efficiency benefits.
 While networking with your peers, write down their contact information on the Meeting Notes
so that you can follow up as necessary.

Page 2
  Spend time at the Solutions Expo so that you will have direct experience – including live
demos -- with the latest Citrix and partner technologies.
 Visit the Synergy Testing Center to take a Citrix exam of your choice at no cost and pursue
your Citrix certification for free!

When you get home:

 Review the conference materials. Compare them with your notes to refresh your memory
regarding the most relevant and important sessions.
 Write a brief summary of the key messages, any action items and possible benefits you
gleaned from each session and meeting. Share that summary with your manager and your
peers. Hold an informal session to review these details with your team.
 Share presentations and videos from Synergy with your peers to increase the value of the
event.
 Identify and act upon one or two of the most relevant things you learned from the conference.
 Demonstrate the value by documenting the impact these actions are having on your
organisation.
 Validate your expertise and provide your organisation with a unique competitive advantage in
improved productivity and cost savings with your Citrix certification.

Page 3
 Letter to Management

Dear

I’m writing to request your approval to attend Synergy Berlin on 6-8 October 2010. Synergy is the definitive
virtual computing event and the first Citrix global conference to be held in Europe. You can get details at
www.citrixsynergy.com.

I believe Synergy will provide important benefits to our organisation, and that the costs will be more than offset
by new information and skills that can simplify and strengthen our IT environment.

Synergy focuses on three technologies – virtualisation, networking and cloud computing -- that are already
impacting us today and will play an even larger role in the future. The agenda combines highly technical
content and practical training with strategic guidance that will be invaluable as we consider implementing these
technologies.

Unlike many conferences, Synergy is an open event that encourages input from many vendors – not just Citrix
– so I will get a balanced view of desktop virtualisation, public and private cloud services and other emerging
technologies. Presenters will include opinion leaders, Citrix customers and technology experts from leading IT
companies.

I’ll be able to choose from more than 100 hours of content, including 45 breakout sessions and a dozen Hands-
on Learning Labs that provide in-depth instruction on Citrix products such as XenDesktop, XenClient and
XenApp. I’m attaching my proposed agenda showing the sessions and labs I plan to attend. You can see how
closely these topics track to our IT initiatives.

With all the educational activities included in the conference fee, Synergy is a great value:

 Three free Hands-on Learning Labs = 1 day of technical training costing up to €600
 One free Citrix certification exam = same test costing from €128 up to € 200.
 15% discount on a Citrix Education course = as much as € 200 in savings

There are special offers on conference registration and discounted rates on nearby hotels. The conference is
being held at the Estrel Hotel and Convention Centre near the train station so I won’t need a rental car. All of
these factors will bring down the conference cost.

Finally, I plan to multiply the value of the conference by sharing presentations, videos and other information
from Synergy with my team when I return.

Thanks for considering my request. I’m confident the benefits we will receive will far outweigh the relatively
modest cost of Synergy Berlin.

Page 4
 Travel Justification
“Berlin: Where technology leaders meet”

The top reasons to travel to Synergy in Berlin:

1. Room discounts. The Synergy team has negotiated special room rates for attendees at the
Estrel Hotel and one other nearby hotel, the andel’s.
2. Convenient location. Berlin, Germany's capital and largest metropolis, is centrally and
conveniently located for travel within Europe, with a choice of two major airports – Tegel and
Schönefeld.
3. Ride public transportation. The Estrel Hotel and Convention Centre is located minutes from the
Sonnenallee train station (on the Circle Line), which is a convenient and more environmentally
friendly to get to downtown Berlin.
4. A thriving, modern and exciting city. Berlin is home to world-renowned universities, research
institutes, orchestras, theatres and museums, and is recognised for its festivals, sporting events
and cultural life.

 
 

Page 5
 WORKSHEETS

1) Session Planning

Use these forms to record information about the breakout sessions and keynote addresses you plan
to attend. You can use these notes to help justify your attendance.

Session Title
Speaker
Key messages
from abstracts

Knowledge and
benefits you think
you may obtain

Estimated return

Session Title
Speaker
Key messages
from abstracts

Page 6
Knowledge and
benefits you think
you may obtain

Estimated return

Page 7
 2) Breakout Session Notes

Use these forms to record key information from the breakout sessions you attend. You can use
these notes to show your managers and colleagues how valuable the sessions were.

Session Title
Speaker
Key messages

Follow up actions

Areas of impact

Estimated return

Session Title
Speaker
Key messages

Follow up actions

Areas of impact

Page 8
 Estimated return

3) Meeting Notes

Use these forms to discussions with exhibitors or other Synergy attendees you meet. You can use
these notes to inform others about the key information, action items and estimated impact.

Page 9
Person/Company
Topic
Key messages

Follow up Actions

Areas of impact

Estimated return

Person/Company
Topic
Key messages

Follow up Actions

Areas of impact

Page 10
Estimated return

Page 11