PASS – A Business Case for Attendance

[read this post on Mr. Fox SQL blog]

For those tech professionals who play in the SQL Server and Business Intelligence world (and let me say that’s a huge number!) the PASS Summit provides one of the most fantastic and focused learning and networking experiences available.

I simply cannot think of any other SQL/BI event that brings together such a range of deep expertise and learning, open networking opportunities, knowledge sharing and community involvement than that of PASS. In fact I know of several of my Aussie counterparts whom attend no other training throughout the year except for the complete 5 day immersion that only PASS can offer.

For those new to PASS – see here http://www.sqlpass.org/summit/2016/Welcome.aspx

I have attended a few PASS events now (and have been lucky enough to present in 2015!) and each event has been better than the last. With the Call For Speakers now closed I can see that this year’s PASS 2016 in Seattle (Oct 25-28) is shaping up to be yet another fire cracker!

Will I be presenting this year? Well, I actually didn’t submit any extracts. I started a job with Microsoft (Azure) and needed to focus on the ever expanding learning curve!

Anyway – I have blogged about my experiences submitting and attending PASS many times…

Submitting – https://mrfoxsql.wordpress.com/2015/09/01/experiences-of-submitting-a-pass-2015-session/
Attending (one of many) – https://mrfoxsql.wordpress.com/2015/10/29/pass-2015-session-report-keynote-and-sql-server-on-azure-virtual-machines-features-best-practices-roadmap/

Unfortunately such amazing resources don’t always come free and these uncertain financial times can create an uncertain training budget for many organisations and individuals alike.

As such for those attendees whom find themselves in this position I have prepared a brief below which can hopefully help you prepare a convincing business case for attendance. This is one I wrote a few years back after presenting at a few SQL Saturday and PASS virtual chapter sessions and helped me position the key benefits of PASS.

Take from this what you will – and be sure to update this with the most recent content and also to reflect your personal and business circumstances.

GOOD LUCK! And I hope to see you at PASS !

A Business Case for PASS Attendance

Executive Summary

PASS Summit is the only conference that brings together thousands of SQL Server MVP’s, Microsoft team members, authors, experts, and peers for 3-5+ days of intense training. Network and share best practices with your peers and grow both your knowledge and expert contacts.

There are over 200 expert-led technical sessions – plus full-day, deep-dive pre-conference sessions – covering all aspects of SQL Server. All for the same cost as a week-long training course on one single topic.

What is this Submission About

This submission covers information about PASS Summit (2016) which is held in the USA in October and a request for acceptance to attend the conference.

What is PASS

The Professional Association of SQL Server (PASS), is an independent, not-for-profit organization run by and for the broader SQL Server and database community. With membership of more than 120,000 (and growing) PASS supports data professionals throughout the world who use the Microsoft data platform.

PASS holds a number of events annually both in the USA and globally;

PASS Summit (USA) : the world’s largest and most intensive technical training conference for Microsoft SQL Server and BI professionals. Since 1999, PASS Summit has delivered the most technical sessions, the largest number of attendees, the best networking, and the highest-rated sessions and speakers of any SQL Server event in the world.
24 Hours of PASS (webinar) : delivers free SQL Server and BI/BA training directly to your computer in live webcasts by some of the most knowledgeable and top-rated speakers in the world
PASS SQL Rally (USA) : regional events throughout the year between the various PASS SQL Saturday events and the annual PASS Summit event free. At SQLRally, you’ll meet with industry experts, authors, Microsoft MVPs, and other people just like you to learn about best practices, effective troubleshooting, and how to prevent issues, save money, and build a better SQL Server environment for your company or clients.
PASS BA Conference (USA) : an annual event for professional, community-oriented gathering for business analytics professionals. Established to meet the needs of a growing Business Analytics community affiliated with Microsoft technologies such as Excel, SharePoint, SQL Server, Parallel Data Warehouse, Azure, Hadoop and more
PASS SQL Saturday * (local/global) : free 1-day local training events for SQL Server professionals that focus on local speakers, providing a variety of high-quality technical sessions, making it all happen through volunteer efforts.
PASS Virtual Chapter * (webinar) : are interest-based forums that unite the SQL Server community through live webcasts with top SQL Server experts, online forums and resources – including an archive of past presentations, and special training events

* This year I have been lucky enough to have had the opportunity to present technical SQL content at both a local SQL Saturday chapter and also on the PASS Virtual Chapter. Both times with branded business content to promote our skills, capability and corporate branding.

When is PASS Summit Held and What is the Schedule

PASS Summit is held between <DATE> and <DATE> (5 business days) in Seattle, USA.

The PASS schedule is;

DATE	AGENDA
<DATE>	Pre-Conference Sessions
<DATE>	Pre-Conference Sessions (Official Summit Commencement Evening)
<DATE>	Conference Sessions
<DATE>	Conference Sessions
<DATE>	Conference Sessions

Who Attends and Presents at PASS Summit

More than 5,000 professionals attend PASS yearly. The breakdown of the attendees is as follows. The conference session presenters are both Microsoft experts, independent experts (such as SQL Masters, or MVP’s), partners and selected sponsors.

PASS_WhoAttendsFromWhere

What are the Costs to Attend PASS Summit

The costs can be broken down in the following table;

Cost Component	Count	AUD ($) EST. TOTAL
Return Flight (Mel – LA – Seattle)	1	$#,###
Hotel (<DATE> – <DATE>) (6 nights) #	6	$#,###
Airport Transfers	4	$#,###
Pre-Conference Sessions – Ticket	2	$#,###
Conference Ticket *	1	$#,###
Meals (Daily) ^	7	$#,###
AUD ($) EST. TOTAL		$#,###

* on <DATE> the conference fees will increase by 15% (to $#,###). A second increase of 10% will be applied from <DATE> (to $#,###).

^ daily meals are provided as part of the conference ticket. Costs will be well under this amount.

# these are negotiated discounted conference rates

What are the Business Benefits for Attending PASS Summit

The benefits of attending PASS and wide and varied, and cover both technical, personal and business wide benefits. The top 5 key benefits are;

Networking and building business and technical relationships with like-minded technical professionals from Microsoft, and independent consultants. This will help build <BUSINESS NAME> brand recognition.
High-quality, timely, technical content for in-depth learning and professional development and new ideas/directions for growing the <BUSINESS NAME> business locally
Practical hands on knowledge on the latest SQL Server & BI technologies, how they are deployed, how they work and the client benefits they can bring. Using this knowledge to advise on <BUSINESS NAME> projects and build go to market strategies.
Learn strategies and skills that help improve the ROI of SQL Server deployments such as <virtualization technologies, performance tuning and scaling, better hardware utilization, simplified management, effective business intelligence>, and more. This will reduce <BUSINESS NAME> project risks, speed up scope development and assist to protect project margins.
Connect with conference alumni, sharpen skills through networking workshops

PASS Summit is all about meeting and talking with people, sharing issues and solutions, and gaining knowledge that will make you a better SQL Server professional.

Next Steps

The following next steps are recommended;

Review provided information/content
Provide feedback/recommendations and discuss with me as required
Decide on acceptance by <DATE> (on <DATE> the conference fees will increase by 15% to AUD$#,###. A second increase of 10% will be applied from <DATE> to AUD$#,###)

AND of course, as I always say, please review and update this document yourself as your requirements and outcomes may vary!

Disclaimer: all content on Mr. Fox SQL blog is subject to the disclaimer found here