I love a good list. Nothing helps make a point more salient than seeing it neatly broken down. The only thing I like more than a good list is a fantastic in-person conference. The world has been doing virtual for over a year now and it’s time to figure out how we can safely get back out there and truly interact, network, connect, and learn. It’s time folks.
I have been organizing the North American Collaboration Summit (NACS) for 12 years now. We started as SharePoint Saturday Ozarks and have grown into a multi-day conference with deep-dive workshops and expert speakers from all over the world. I drag my MVP and Microsoft friends right into the middle of the country and everyone is blown away by the great time they had.
So, here are my top 5 reasons why you should come join us in Branson, Missouri on August 9-11 for the North American Collaboration Summit (NACS).
5. NACS has the same speakers as Microsoft Ignite and other major conferences
When you look at attending a conference or sending employees to a conference you may not immediately think to send them to a smaller non-profit community event. I mean, if it’s not in a major city with tens of thousands of people can it be as good? Ummmm… absolutely yes it can. NACS has the same speakers that you see at major events like Microsoft Ignite with many Microsoft Employees and Microsoft MVP’s presenting the latest and greatest content. What’s more, because you are not surrounded by tens of thousands of people, you can actually hang out and talk to the speakers and get to know them. Most of them don’t bite!
4. NACS has fresh content that you can’t find anywhere else
We’ve been stuck in virtual for the past year with online event after online event. It seems like now every session has been recorded and replayed over and over again. Where’s the new content? Where’s the interaction??? At NACS we are thrilled to present you with the latest and greatest sessions and deep-dive full-day workshops, much of which is not currently available online. We even have many workshops and sessions on the latest from Microsoft including Microsoft Viva.
3. NACS is absolutely the best value for your training budget
The one thing I’ve learned over the past 12 years of organizing NACS is that people seem to equate the cost of an event with the quality of the event. How can an event with registration starting at only $50 be as good as an event that costs $3000?? It’s actually quite simple. NACS is a community non-profit event. The AMAZING speakers make the trek to Branson largely on their own dime and by hosting NACS in a smaller city like Branson, MO the venue costs are lower. All of this with the help of our incredible sponsors allow us to charge attendees a fraction of what a major conference charges but still provide the same quality. You simply cannot find a better value for your training budget.
2. NACS has the best conference venue you will ever experience
I hear it EVERY year. Branson? really??? Yes! Branson. Branson, Missouri is a major tourist destination right in the middle of the country. I like to say it’s equally difficult for everyone to get to. You may look at a map and see that the closest airport (SGF) is about a 45-minute drive away but I LOVE to point out to people that when you attended Microsoft Ignite in Chicago it probably took you over an hour to get from the airport to the convention center.
NACS is held at the Hilton Convention Center on Branson Landing. Once you arrive at the event you never have to get in your car again until you leave. The convention center itself is as nice and modern as any convention center you’ve been in before and directly across the street is the world-famous Branson Landing. Branson Landing is a foot-traffic-only open-air shopping district with many restaurants from world-renowned chefs like Guy Fieri and Paula Deen. We love Branson Landing so much that instead of giving our attendees stuffy conference food like cold sandwiches or a stale buffet, we send them out to Branson Landing for a 90-minute lunch break each day so they can experience the amazing location.
Finally, at NACS we love to show our attendees, speakers, and sponsors how much we appreciate them by throwing the best party possible. This year our attendee party will take place on Tuesday night at Andy B’s. Whether you want to play VR games, arcade games, go bowling, play pool, experience an escape room, sing karaoke, or simply relax with a cold beverage outside, you will have a great time.
1. NACS is the PERFECT post COVID outing
It’s time to get out and start living folks. It’s time to get back to in-person events and NACS is the perfect choice. Avoid the major cities, huge crowds, and say goodbye to virtual. Learn from the experts, network with the greatest community in the world, and come away energized and ready for what’s next for your organization. Same speakers, better content, best value, and an ideal location.
It’s going to be AWESOME and I can’t wait to see you there!
Register today at https://nacs.ticketspice.com/nacs2021 and we’ll see you soon!