While many people are more than happy to pay their own way for The Next Web Conference Europe‘s inimitable mix of tech luminaries, startups, VCs and blue chip companies, for others the expense of travel, accommodation and general life away from home can be a little too much to ask without some assistance from the boss.
But how exactly do you convince your boss to foot the bill (or part of it, at least) for travelling to Amsterdam? Not to mention justifying a few days away out of the office.
Luckily for you, we’ve taken it upon ourselves to do some of the work on your behalf and write a letter to your boss spelling out all the reasons it makes sense to come along. It’s OK, we’re nice like that.
We didn’t just pluck reasons out of thin air, either. We asked previous attendees what it was that made our conference so special for them, and then we made it into a letter. So, here you have it, straight from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.
Now all you need to do is fill in the blanks, print it out and make sure it gets the seal of approval by delivering it in person. Accompanying the letter with a cup of coffee is always advised, too.
Dear [insert boss name/title]
The Next Web Conference 2014 is taking place from April 24-25 in Amsterdam. As a leading tech event, it gathers some of the brightest names from around the globe and provides a unique opportunity for me to hear stories and get face-to-face advice from business leaders at companies like Google and Microsoft.
Invaluable as this obviously is, the event would also give me access to some of the most promising startups looking to claw their way to success.
I truly feel that attending TNW Conference will help me to grow not only personally but also as an integral part of [insert company name]. As you know, continuing education is an important part of any employee’s career and there’s nowhere else in the world that I will have access to so many levels of information in one place.
More specifically, I wanted to point out the benefits that both I and [company name] will receive if we attend:
- It will increase my productivity — While I will certainly be attending TNW Conference in order to learn, a short work trip away from the office will re-energize me and allow me to work better when I return.
- It will be inspiring — TNW Conference specifically chooses speakers that talk not only about how they succeeded, but also how they failed and what they learned along the way.
- It will make me better at my job — Learning from the pitfalls as well as the successes of distinguished business leaders at TNW Conference will help me to find areas in which I can improve.
- I will learn more about our industry — My employment with [company name] is not just a job to me. I joined [company name] as a career decision and what I learn at TNW Conference can only serve to bolster my knowledge and fuel my continued drive for success.
- You will learn too! — I’ll prepare a memo upon my return outlining everything that I learned at the conference and all key contacts, along with any actionable items relevant to the rest of the company.
As you can see, attending TNW Conference will not only benefit me personally and professionally, but there is a fantastic opportunity for our business to grow as a result of what I experience. I genuinely appreciate you taking the time to read these points, and I thank you for your consideration.
Sincerely,
[your name]
That’s the hard part out of the way, now all you have to do is print it out and deliver it. If your boss acts quickly, there’s also currently €325 off the regular €900 ticket price, making it a bargain at just €575. Bosses love a bargain. See you in Amsterdam!
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