So you recently learned about the Business Innovation Technology Summit that is being held May 18th in Springfield, Missouri. Excited about the prospect of attending the largest business technology conference the area has ever known, you hop online and head to bizinnovationtechsummit.com to sign up. Only, once you’re there, you see something that gives you pause. Something that makes you wonder if attending this summit is worth your precious time. A strange thing that would not make you hesitate in any other circumstance…
The price. You see that the early bird ticket price is only $49, and you start to wonder. Why are they practically giving tickets away? If that’s the true value of the ticket, then they must not be putting a lot into this event, right? This must be more of a sales pitch type event, and the “included breakfast and lunch” is a euphemism for “stale Danish and dry chicken salad croissant.” Who’s got time for that type of nonsense?
We’re right there with you. Nobody has time for that type of nonsense! So let us explain, candidly and straightforwardly, why we’ve priced this event so low, and why that makes it even more worth your time.
JMARK is putting on the Business Innovation Technology Summit as part of our celebration of 30 years in business. As much as this is an event designed to explore the intersection of business and technology and share information and insight with business leaders, this is also an event designed to give something back to this area that has been our home for the last three decades. JMARK has deep roots in the Midwest, and we’re appreciative of the friendships, partnerships, and support that have given us the opportunity to grow into a leading I.T. services provider. Keeping the price low so that everyone with an interest in attending this Summit has the chance to do so is just one small way that we can say thanks to the business community.
So is fifty bucks the true value of the ticket? Nope, not by a long shot. (Especially since that’s the early bird rate and is set to increase in just a few days on April 15th.) And the truth is, we debated that rate quite a bit before we set it. We have all kinds of amazing things planned for the day, and we know that price, value, and perception go hand-in-hand. We worried that you might wonder about the value of the conference. We’ve been there ourselves. So we initially started with a rate of $695 per ticket, which seemed about right considering the content and presenters. But then we took into account that whole 30th Anniversary thing and decided that we should lower the price as a gesture of gratitude. So we dropped it to $395, which we figured was fair and reasonable to both us and attendees. But then something flat out awesome happened: a whole bunch of amazing companies got wind of this Summit and decided to come aboard as sponsors! This gave us a unique opportunity to lower the price enormously, passing on significant savings to the fellow members of our business communities—bringing us full circle around to celebrating our anniversary by giving back.
The next question you have is if this will be a sales-oriented event full of thinly disguised pitches masquerading as educational breakout sessions. No. Not at all. The Business Innovation Technology Summit is not about selling; it’s about sharing. It’s about leaders, innovators, and experts in business and technology coming together to give and receive practical wisdom that will help us all be more profitable, efficient, and dynamic. At JMARK, we believe in a “rising tide lifts all boats” philosophy, knowing that the more we help each other to grow and succeed, the more success we will all have.
As for the breakfast and lunch that are included (not to mention snacks throughout the day and drinks at day’s end), banish any thought of cheap sandwiches and tasteless pastries! These meals will be prepared by the talented chef and crew of the University Plaza Hotel—fully delectable entrees that your taste buds are guaranteed to consider the highlight of the day!*
*Just a quick note regarding what your taste buds think: Your taste buds will be mistaken. Now, don’t get me wrong, the meals at the Summit are going to be outstanding. But the highlight of the day? That is guaranteed to be one of the two keynote addresses. We’ve got two fantastic, in-demand speakers lined up. In the morning, CEO Thomas Douglas will speak on how strategic planning and I.T. maturity are keys that will allow companies to harness the power of technology to take the lead in their markets. After lunch, futurist Daniel Burrus will address how businesses can drive growth, overcome obstacles, and realize new opportunities with the help of strategic foresight and action. So yeah, depending on your specific interests, one of those two will definitely be the highlight of your day!
Let me finish my work here by paraphrasing your final question: Who’s got time for all that? You do. You need to. Because in 2018, technology already permeates every aspect of business operations. It’s a part of how we communicate, plan, execute our vision, and serve our clients. And in the coming years, the overlap of business and technology is only going to increase. Those organizations that learn how to capitalize on I.T. and put it to work for their company are going to thrive, and those who get ahead of the curve and do this first are going to lead their markets while everyone else scrambles for second place. We’ve subtitled the Business Innovation Technology Summit “The Now and the Next.” Technology is now; join us May 18th to learn what’s next. It will be the best $49 you spend this year. (And if you still really wish you could have paid $695, give back to your own community by taking the difference ($646) and donating it to your favorite local charity! Go ahead and write #JBITS18 on the memo line of the check!)