Join a SIG

Wouldn't it be great to know how top reference programs address the critical issues you face in running your reference program and gaining respect for it?

No one has all the answers on these issues. But I know that some programs run by some very bright people are cracking the code -- some of them will be presenting in Dallas and London this Fall. Wouldn't it be great to bring these professionals together in ongoing groups that would meet regularly, exchange ideas from their own experience and seek new sources of information with a goal of establishing "best practices" in the full sense of the term? And then share these best practices with the reference community? While growing professionally in the process?

Well, we're going to do just that. In fact, we already have our first SIG on Metrics up and running, chaired by Barb Krasner at Lucent. If you'd like to participate in one of the SIGs we're forming -- if you have substantial experience in one of the following areas of interest and have made significant strides in your own program, and are interested in making even more progress as well as sharing what you learn with the reference community, then please contact me as follows:

- If you're interested in joining the Metrics SIG, please reply to this email with "I'm interested in the Metrics SIG" in the subject line.

- If you're interested in the Reference Acquisition SIG, please reply to this email with "I'm interested in the Reference Acquisition SIG" in the subject line.

- If you're interested in the Scaling a Reference Program SIG, please reply to this email with "I'm interested in the Scaling a Reference Program SIG" in the subject line.

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REMINDERS

-- Fall US Customer Reference Forum in Dallas, November 8-10.
I'll send a general announcement out in a few days but I wanted to let you know about one of the exciting things we're planning. We're going to have "deeper dive" breakout sessions, which will respond to many requests I've had to provide more detail and specifics at our events. The deep dive sessions in Dallas will be longer than the usual presentation (90 minutes vs. 60 minutes), provide more time for audience Q&A and exchange of ideas, and will include forms, templates, schedules, demos and other such tools so that you'll come away not only with tips on what to do, but actual tools to help you do it. Deep dive topics will include BMC's process for acquiring references, PTC's process for establishing and publicizing customer ROI, and SAP's processes that rapidly expanded its reference program through partners. Stay tuned for more info on the Fall US Customer Reference Forum in the next few days.

-- Fall Customer Reference Forum Europe in London, October 23-24.
I just sent a reminder about this, so no need to repeat here except to say that early registration will expire in just a few days, so if you or one of your EMEA colleagues plan to come, please don't delay. For more information and to register, please click here.

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