Can VARs Profit By Giving Away $5,000?

Here’s a quick riddle from The VAR Guy: How does Stuart Crawford, a solutions provider in Alberta, Canada, plan to make money by giving away $5,000? Here’s the answer.

First, a little disclosure: Crawford blogs from time to time for TheVARguy.com. He’s a serial entrepreneur, Microsoft loyalist and profitable VAR who obsesses about customer service. So, The VAR Guy tends to watch closely when Crawford’s company (Bulletproof InfoTech) tries something new.

Bulletproof InfoTech’s latest move involves a contest that will reward two Alberta, Canada, small businesses with $5,000 worth of IT services and solutions. VARs across North America are taking similar steps — offering free technology makeovers to customers, and generating new business sales leads along the way.

In Bulletproof’s case, the free IT solutions will include hardware, software and services contributions from DELL Canada, Microsoft, SonicWALL, Research in Motion, OperiTel Corporation, Scorpion Software, eKzact Solutions, and Wi-Band Communications. The contest closes July 17, with winners chosen in late 2009.

Alas, The VAR Guy could use an IT makeover. But he doesn’t maintain an office in Alberta…

Follow The VAR Guy via RSS; Facebook; Identi.ca; Twitter; and via his Newsletter; Webcasts and Resource Center.