APPROVAL FOR APPFORUM 2014: GETTING YOUR MANAGER TO SAY YES

Ritesh Gupta - August 20, 2014

AppForum 2014 is back by popular demand, and of course you and your team want to attend. But standing between you and an all out appfest with the industry’s crème de la crème is the bane of your existence, that ever-growing hurdle that can stop an excellent idea before it even gets off the white board: Manager Approval.

Since AppForum 2014 is rapidly approaching, we’re offering a way to make it easy for you to get the A-OK on attending. Below is a ready-made conference request template for your cutting and pasting pleasure. It highlights the not-to-be-missed aspects of AppForum 2014 so that the power behind the corporate purse can easily see the value that your company will receive in exchange for letting the app developers loose from the office for three days.

Go ahead and revise the following email template as you deem necessary . . .

"Oh Exalted One,

The company’s application developers are hearing good things about AppForum 2014 and seek your permission to attend this event in Schaumburg, Illinois. First off,AppForum 2014 is FREE. There is no cost at all to register and attend. Plus, if we register now, we can enter for a chance to win two nights FREE at the Renaissance Schaumburg conference hotel, plus paid travel expenses up to $350. We are talking about a truly minimal financial outlay for the entire team to attend.

AppForum 2014 also offers incredible learning opportunities. You know how critical it is for the team to keep current on the most recent innovations. At AppForum 2014 industry-renowned app developers will lead sessions about the latest game-changing technologies, especially Android and RhoMobile. There is no better way for our team to explore the direction that industry trends are taking and determine the next best thing we should all be thinking about.

The team is also champing at the bit to enter the overnight HackaThon. Those so-called app developers over at [INSERT THE NAME OF YOUR RIVAL COMPETITOR HERE] have thrown down the gauntlet, and we are keen to teach them all a well-earned lesson about superior brain power and teamwork. HackaThon winners get a Parrott AR.Drone 2.0 Elite Edition, which is a totally sweet grand prize. We’d love the chance to win the drone as we beat the socks off our competitors.

In addition to a slew of learning sessions on a variety of topics, AppForum 2014 is also offering a Boot Camp for app developers. All of us could use a refresher on the basics, and the team n00bs can gain a deeper understanding of Android, RhoMobile and Microsoft development.

AppForum 2014 will also give the team a chance to connect with the developer community outside the four walls of the office. It lets us get out from behind the screen to hear about other developer’s tips and tricks, and about the tools and technologies that they use. We also hear that Bruce Willins, Joe White, Mark Kirstein, and Chuck Bolen will all be at App Forum 2014; we’d all benefit from even five minutes with any one of these industry thought leaders.

Since AppForum 2014 is right around the corner (Sept. 8-10), we would appreciate receiving approval at your earliest opportunity.

Many thanks for your consideration,

[INSERT YOUR NAME/TEAM HERE]”

Do yourself a favor—use this letter template and secure permission to attend AppForum 2014 so you can register today. Perhaps the boss will even decide to join you . . .