This week I'm in Orlando at EMC World. It's an annual conference for EMC customers and partners that connects them with EMC experts for software, hardware, solutions and services. Thousands of people came together to learn from each other in a way that you just can't do strictly through online activities.
Live Keynotes and Sessions
You can read about hot information technology topics like virtualization and cloud computing, but there's nothing like hearing about it from Joe Tucci, EMC Chairman, President & CEO or Paul Maritz, VMware President & CEO live and in person. And, let's say you're running Oracle applications on EMC storage, can you find a better way learn more about how Oracle Databases run on the new EMC Symmmetrix V-Max than from subject matter experts who are available to answer all of the questions you have in person?
Online Activities for the Offline Crowd
This year's conference features ways for online communities who collaborate through out the year to network with each other live. For example, there is a Proven Professional community of certified EMC professionals who stay up to date through webcasts and online training events. At EMC World, there is a special track of events for the Proven Professionals and a day where all Proven Professionals wear a special shirt with the EMC Proven Professional logo on it to identify themselves. And, naturally the EMC Proven Professionals are on Twitter.
There's a super popular blogger's lounge onsite for all EMC bloggers and tweeters to relax in while they post content. There's even a special Twitter area - #emcworld - for EMC World on Twitter and there have been thousands of Tweets every day from the show! I tweeted live on topics like the Gin Blossoms concert and the activities in the EMC pavillion.
Live Events Are Key
In an era, where many organizations are cutting back on big live events, I recommend stopping to think that decision through. Your customers are everything to your organization. Recognizing and rewarding customers at an event like EMC World is more important than ever. Communicating online is great and you need to be doing that, but nothing replaces face to face time with the subject matter experts for learning and networking.
I'm happy to have the opportunity to be here to chat with customers, partners, and the EMC folks who before today, I only knew through e-mail and concalls! Now, when we communicate with each other on line, we've got the shared experience of meeting up at EMC World 2009 in common.
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