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Business Growth
Evolve your strategy to attract customers, sell more to the ones you already have, and position yourself as the thought leader you vie to be in the channel. Explore the new ways to navigate the next normal in channel sales and marketing.
Cloud Conventions 2021
Live May 12-14
Explore the On Demand Sessions
Navigate the "Next Normal"
Business Growth Sessions
Making "Rain" in the Next Normal
Last year the "Rainmakers" shared their secrets for sales success in the channel. What do the Rainmakers think a year later?
How to Build a Million Dollar Microsoft Business in 12 Months
MSPs will learn the secrets to leverage the Microsoft relationship and get on a path to build a million-dollar business in only a year.
Is anyone out there? The secrets of getting on the radar of the selling partner
Join Cardi Prinzi, as he uncovers strategies to capture the attention of those agents who can and should be selling your services.
Network & Connect
Meet the Experts
Speakers and panelists joined the Meet the Expert lounges, available after sessions for attendees to take a deeper dive and join the conversation.
The Networking Lounge
The Cloud Coffee Corner opened each morning and the day ended with a casual lounge & Comedy Night on Thursday.
The Latest from Cloud Conventions 2021:
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Is there a pathway to Channel Harmony?...
Is there a pathway to Channel Harmony?...
For years, organizations have wanted to accelerate their route to the marketplace through both a direct and channel sales effort. But ...
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05/14/2021
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For years, organizations have wanted to accelerate their route to the marketplace through both a direct and channel sales effort. But inevitably that route has been paved with potholes when competing interests, channel conflict and confusion makes it difficult to get the result needed from both sales organizations. Cardi Prinzihas helped organizations navigate through the obstacles in the way of achieving channel harmony as a sales leader for large organizations like Telstra, Pacnet and Earthlink Business. Join Cardi and his panel of experts as they deep dive into how to achieve "channel harmony" with a direct and channel sales team.Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events?Visit Cloud Conventions »Want to learn about Convey Services Partner Portals?Visit Convey Services »
Is there a pathway to Channel Harmony? Discovering the secrets to the perfect marriage between a direct and channel sales organization.
On Demand Sessions
For years, organizations have wanted to accelerate their route to the marketplace through both a direct and channel sales effort. But inevitably that ...
How to reach decision makers at the exact moment...
How to reach decision makers at the exact moment...
People only buy when they're ready to buy. Yet the MSP sales cycle is so long... how do you know when that is? Join MSP marketing expert ...
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jplist-topic-business jplist-topic-msp jplist-topic-marketing
05/14/2021
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How to reach decision makers at the exact moment they're ready to switch MSPs
On Demand Sessions
People only buy when they're ready to buy. Yet the MSP sales cycle is so long... how do you know when that is? Join MSP marketing expert Paul Green ...
Direct your intuition from what you think you...
Direct your intuition from what you think you...
You've built a base of customers that you've sold services to and now it's time to grow revenue by going back to the base and selling more. ...
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jplist-topic-business jplist-topic-EagleTEQ jplist-topic-Cloud-Optik jplist-topic-msp jplist-topic-VAR jplist-topic-it
05/13/2021
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You've built a base of customers that you've sold services to and now it's time to grow revenue by going back to the base and selling more. You think you know what they'll be interested in, but how valuable would it be to accurately predict their next purchases will be? Join Curt Allen from EagleTEQ Advisors and Michael Sterl from Periscope Equity to learn how any agent, MSP, VAR or IT Services provider can create a data-driven view over their customer base to identify the best new sales opportunities that are most likely to close.Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events?Visit Cloud Conventions »Want to learn about Convey Services Partner Portals?Visit Convey Services »
Direct your intuition from what you think you should sell into what your customers are actually ready to purchase next
On Demand Sessions
You've built a base of customers that you've sold services to and now it's time to grow revenue by going back to the base and selling more. You think ...
Selling More with Less: Is it time to Makeover...
Selling More with Less: Is it time to Makeover...
Over the past year, we've seen the need to redefine our selling processes to compensate for our inability to meet face to face with ...
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jplist-topic-business jplist-topic-sales jplist-topic-digital
05/13/2021
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Over the past year, we've seen the need to redefine our selling processes to compensate for our inability to meet face to face with high-value prospects. Sales organizations had to do a hard pivot to adjust to this all-digital selling environment, but now that we've had a year to see how it worked, it's time to take the lessons we have learned and apply them to a "makeover" of how our sales organizations function. Join the conversation to learn how sales organizations and implementing lower cost sales roles that help drive market awareness, generate and manage leads, or handle sales operations tasks to empower their high performers to accelerate revenue.Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events?Visit Cloud Conventions »Want to learn about Convey Services Partner Portals?Visit Convey Services »
Selling More with Less: Is it time to Makeover Your Sales Organization?'
On Demand Sessions
Over the past year, we've seen the need to redefine our selling processes to compensate for our inability to meet face to face with high-value ...
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jplist-topic-business jplist-topic-sales jplist-topic-revenue jplist-topic-growth jplist-topic-partner
05/13/2021
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Is anyone out there? The secrets of getting on your selling partner's radar
On Demand Sessions
It's time to "rip off the Band-Aid" and transform...
It's time to "rip off the Band-Aid" and transform...
The channel has had a comfortable sales process that has served the industry well over the years by assessing the services companies use, ...
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jplist-topic-business jplist-topic-sales jplist-topic-digital jplist-topic-revenue jplist-topic-growth
05/12/2021
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The channel has had a comfortable sales process that has served the industry well over the years by assessing the services companies use, striving to reduce cost and increase efficiency. However, as companies need to come up with a strategy to blend a remote and office-based workforce, channel sellers must be able to pivot to a more consultative sales process to help companies develop the right technology strategy for this next normal. Join MetTel and a panel of sales partners that have unlocked the secret to "ripping off the band aid" by transforming how they engage with prospects and customers in our next normal business environment.Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events?Visit Cloud Conventions »Want to learn about Convey Services Partner Portals?Visit Convey Services »
It's time to "rip off the Band-Aid" and transform your selling process
On Demand Sessions
The channel has had a comfortable sales process that has served the industry well over the years by assessing the services companies use, striving to ...
Going beyond the "time of crisis"
Going beyond the "time of crisis"
How to keep your business growing in 2021 and beyond
A year ago businesses went into crisis mode as we locked down and quarantined with what nobody could have predicted as a long-term business ...
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jplist-topic-business jplist-topic-sales jplist-topic-digital jplist-topic-revenue jplist-topic-growth
05/12/2021
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A year ago businesses went into crisis mode as we locked down and quarantined with what nobody could have predicted as a long-term business shift to a mostly virtual environment. The managed services provider needed to implement new sales and marketing strategies to keep business on track during 2020, but what lessons did we learn that worked well for the MSP to keep their business not only on track, but growing and thriving in the "next business normal".Interested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events?Visit Cloud Conventions »Want to learn about Convey Services Partner Portals?Visit Convey Services »
Going beyond the "time of crisis"
On Demand Sessions
A year ago businesses went into crisis mode as we locked down and quarantined with what nobody could have predicted as a long-term business shift to ...
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jplist-topic-business jplist-topic-sales jplist-topic-digital jplist-topic-mojo-marketing jplist-topic-revenue jplist-topic-growth
05/12/2021
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Growing Your Business through Partnerships
Growing Your Business through Partnerships
Sherman Crancer, the Crancer Group and Helane Cohen, Microsoft
Microsoft brings great products, support and marketing development funds to the table, but it's up to the MSP to create a strategy to ...
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jplist-topic-business jplist-topic-sales jplist-topic-revenue jplist-topic-growth jplist-topic-microsoft
05/13/2021
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Microsoft brings great products, support and marketing development funds to the table, but it's up to the MSP to create a strategy to capitalize on those resources to build their business. Join Sherman Crancer from the Crancer Group and Helane Cohen from Microsoft to learn the secrets of how to leverage the Microsoft relationship, bring focus to the MSP practice and get on a path to build a million dollar business in only a yearInterested in learning more about Cloud Conventions Virtual Events?Visit Cloud Conventions »Want to learn about Convey Services Partner Portals?Visit Convey Services »
Growing Your Business through Partnerships
On Demand Sessions
Microsoft brings great products, support and marketing development funds to the table, but it's up to the MSP to create a strategy to capitalize on ...
How to reach decision makers at the exact moment...
How to reach decision makers at the exact moment...
People only buy when they're ready to buy. Yet the MSP sales cycle is so long... how do you know when that is? Join MSP marketing expert ...
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jplist-topic-marketing jplist-topic-Paul-Green
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How to reach decision makers at the exact moment they're ready to switch MSPs
On Demand Sessions
People only buy when they're ready to buy. Yet the MSP sales cycle is so long... how do you know when that is? Join MSP marketing expert Paul Green ...
Melissa Daly
Melissa Daly
Career Development Manager at Katalyst Network Group
Click here to request a meeting Melissa Daly is Career Development Manager at Katalyst Network Group, a boutique IT engineering and ...
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Click here to request a meeting
Melissa Daly is Career Development Manager at Katalyst Network Group, a boutique IT engineering and professional services organization based in the Carolinas. Melissa focuses on hiring, developing, and retaining great sales and technical talent. She targets game-changing talent in other industries, then puts them on a success track for top achievement in the technology sales world. Prior to Katalyst, Melissa spent four years working in Internal Talent Acquisition for Randstadt, the World's largest HR Services Provider. In her free time, Melissa enjoys getting outdoors, reading, and traveling.
Melissa Daly
Speaker Profile
Click here to request a meeting Melissa Daly is Career Development Manager at Katalyst Network Group, a boutique IT engineering and professional ...
Jim Gossett
Jim Gossett
Comedian
Click here to request a meetingWhile other comedians recycle "stock" jokes, Jim takes his inspiration from the events of the day, adds his ...
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Click here to request a meetingWhile other comedians recycle "stock" jokes, Jim takes his inspiration from the events of the day, adds his special brand of magic, and delivers a performance so up-to-the-minute, it's no wonder his material often appears in the monologues of The Tonight Show and The Late Show with David Letterman. Jim's unique perspective on the news will captivate you!
A performer who does his homework, Jim wins rave reviews for incorporating the names of attendees and "insider" information into his customized routines. One of the most popular features of his presentations, Jim's humorous commentaries are so on-target, he'll have you believing he's been hiding out at the office water cooler. Every performance is truly one of a kind.
No stranger to the concert stage, Jim has opened for such celebrities as Paul Anka, Barbara Mandrell, Jay Leno, Crystal Gayle, Louise Mandrell, and Frankie Valli. He also appears regularly in comedy clubs and college campuses across the country, earning him a substantial following. When not performing, Jim can be heard on a variety of national and regional commercials for Pizza Hut, Ford Trucks, McDonald's, GMC, Kroger, and Wendy's.
Jim Gossett
Speaker Profile
Click here to request a meetingWhile other comedians recycle "stock" jokes, Jim takes his inspiration from the events of the day, adds his special ...
Frank Lusko
Frank Lusko
VP of Managed Services Sales, Red River
Click here to request a meeting Red River brings together the ideal combination of talent, partners and products to disrupt the status quo ...
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Click here to request a meeting
Red River brings together the ideal combination of talent, partners and products to disrupt the status quo in technology and drive success for business and government in ways previously unattainable. Red River serves organizations well beyond traditional technology integration, bringing more than 20 years of experience and mission-critical expertise in security, networking, analytics, collaboration, mobility and cloud solutions.
Frank is an experienced sales and marketing leader for CWPS, Inc./Red River a leading IT managed services provider out of Chantilly, VA. Over the past decade, he has led the sales organization of CWPS through a number of market transitions to include executing on their cloud and managed services strategy. Through this period, the company experienced exponential growth in these practices, successfully transitioning from a project-based business model to a predominantly recurring revenue-based model.
Frank is a strong believer in a highly specialized sales organizational structure, leveraging an advanced sales technology stack to maximize and measure the performance of his sales and marketing teams. Frank graduated from the Ohio Institute of Technology and has been a Washington DC resident since 2006 where he lives with his wife Elaina.
Frank Lusko
Speaker Profile
Click here to request a meeting Red River brings together the ideal combination of talent, partners and products to disrupt the status quo in ...
Dave Dyson
Dave Dyson
CEO & Chief Strategist, Eclipse Telecom
Click here to request a meeting Eclipse provides network strategy, vendor selection, contract negotiation, implementation and ongoing ...
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Click here to request a meeting
Eclipse provides network strategy, vendor selection, contract negotiation, implementation and ongoing management (MACD, Help Desk) for voice, data and mobile networks.
The Eclipse mission is to ensure clients have the right communication strategy, the right technology, the right vendor partners at the right time. Telecom does not exist in an ideal state today for the mid-market and enterprise client. Cost, customer service, and the pace of technology change are out of alignment with client expectations and goals.
Dave Dyson
Speaker Profile
Click here to request a meeting Eclipse provides network strategy, vendor selection, contract negotiation, implementation and ongoing management ...
Angela Leavitt
Angela Leavitt
Founder, Mojo Marketing
Click here to request a meetingWith nearly 20 years of experience in sales and marketing, Angela creates targeted and effective marketing ...
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Click here to request a meetingWith nearly 20 years of experience in sales and marketing, Angela creates targeted and effective marketing strategies for telecom/IT industry giants and agents alike. An accomplished entrepreneur and speaker, Angela founded Mojo Marketing in 2010 and has been a regular presenter at ITExpo, COMPTEL, Channel Partners, and Cloud Partners conferences. In May 2009, Angela was a top 3 finalist for the Tempe Chamber's Business Woman of the Year Award. Angela is an experienced Marketing Director at Telesphere (during her three-year tenure there, she completely built the marketing plan and department from the ground floor, and witnessed more than 5x company revenue growth); Sales & Marketing Director at For Rent Media Solutions; Marketing Analyst at RGU Group. She received her B.A. from Brigham Young University.
Angela Leavitt
Speaker Profile
Click here to request a meetingWith nearly 20 years of experience in sales and marketing, Angela creates targeted and effective marketing strategies ...
Keith Hatley, Partner, Cloud Communications Group
Keith Hatley, Partner, Cloud Communications Group
Click here to request a meetingKeith Hatley, Partner, Cloud Communications GroupKeith Hatley co-founded Cloud Communications Group in 2009 ...
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Click here to request a meetingKeith Hatley, Partner, Cloud Communications GroupKeith Hatley co-founded Cloud Communications Group in 2009 and recently rejoined the company to lead the company's sales and marketing organization. He leads the company's vision and strategy execution and has a track record of building high-performing teams that have successfully delivered profitable growth to public and private equity shareholders.Prior to Cloud Communications Group, Keith served as Senior Vice President of North American Sales at Masergy. Before Masergy, he served in several senior sales leadership roles at McLeodUSA, PAETEC, airBand, as well as Senior Vice President of Sales at Allegiance Telecom.
Keith Hatley, Partner, Cloud Communications Group
Speaker Profile
Click here to request a meetingKeith Hatley, Partner, Cloud Communications GroupKeith Hatley co-founded Cloud Communications Group in 2009 and ...
Paul Green
Paul Green
Founder, MSP Marketing
Click here to request a meetingMarketing expert Paul Green is the founder of MSP Marketing, a UK organization that exists to help the ...
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Paul Green
Speaker Profile
Click here to request a meetingMarketing expert Paul Green is the founder of MSP Marketing, a UK organization that exists to help the owners of MSPs ...
Michelle Hyde
Michelle Hyde
President and Founder, Hyde Group
Click here to request a meeting Michelle Hyde, president and founder of Hyde Group, has been serving Pacific Northwest enterprises with ...
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Michelle Hyde
Speaker Profile
Click here to request a meeting Michelle Hyde, president and founder of Hyde Group, has been serving Pacific Northwest enterprises with excellence ...
Michael Sterl
Michael Sterl
Cofounder, Cloud Optik
Click here to request a meetingMichael Sterl is the co-founder of Cloud Optik, a platform provider focused on helping service providers and ...
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Michael Sterl
Speaker Profile
Click here to request a meetingMichael Sterl is the co-founder of Cloud Optik, a platform provider focused on helping service providers and indirect ...
Mike Schmidtmann
Mike Schmidtmann
Founder, Trans4mers
Click here to request a meetingMike Schmidtmann has led Information Technology Sales Teams for more than 20 years. He works with ...
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Mike Schmidtmann
Speaker Profile
Click here to request a meetingMike Schmidtmann has led Information Technology Sales Teams for more than 20 years. He works with organizations ...
Max Silber
Max Silber
Max Silber, Vice President of Mobility & IoT at MetTel
Click here to request a meeting Max Silber is an international sales and business development executive with more than 18 years of ...
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Click here to request a meeting
Max Silber is an international sales and business development executive with more than 18 years of experience in the telecommunications, mobility and IT industries. Currently, Max runs the mobility and IoT division at MetTel, a leading global provider of integrated digital communications solutions for enterprise customers.
MetTel provides forward-thinking control over a company's phones and mobile devices with managed mobility solutions designed to reduce the IT burden and lower cost. MetTel provides all staging, kitting and procurement plus total mobile device management and better, wider coverage.
MetTel partners with the most trusted wireless carriers in the U.S. providing a reliable network to keep the mobile workforce connected. MetTel's Deploy plan provides complete, end-to-end management of corporate phones, the Protect Program offers fully-managed protection and replacement for all corporate mobile devices and Mobile Control provides better protection and compliance with network-based security and controls.
Max Silber
Speaker Profile
Click here to request a meeting Max Silber is an international sales and business development executive with more than 18 years of experience in the ...
Matt Milliron
Matt Milliron
Chief Revenue Officer for Dobson Fiber
Click here to request a meeting Matt serves as Chief Revenue Officer for Dobson Fiber. He is responsible for the overall ...
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jplist-topic-Matt-Milliron jplist-topic-Dobson-Fiber
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Click here to request a meeting
Matt serves as Chief Revenue Officer for Dobson Fiber. He is responsible for the overall leadership of the sales organization including direct sales, indirect sales and wholesale. Matt has extensive executive sales management experience within the telecommunications industry developing high-impact sales distribution models. In his most recent position before joining Dobson, he was responsible for strategic channels nationally for Windstream. Before Windstream, he served as Chief Revenue Officer at Ntegrated Communications, and prior to that, he was Executive Vice President of Sales at Alpheus Communications.
Matt Milliron
Speaker Profile
Click here to request a meeting Matt serves as Chief Revenue Officer for Dobson Fiber. He is responsible for the overall leadership of ...
Sherman Crancer
Sherman Crancer
President & Founder, The Crancer Group
Click here to request a meetingSherman Crancer is the President of the Crancer Group. As a high energy, fiscally conscious, and goal-driven ...
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Click here to request a meetingSherman Crancer is the President of the Crancer Group. As a high energy, fiscally conscious, and goal-driven technology executive, Sherman Crancer approaches each new business challenge with his intrinsic flair for innovation, creative problem-solving, and measured risk-taking to drive consistent bottom-line improvement. The selective set of partners Sherman Crancer works with grow on average 40% year over year. Focusing on business risk, profitability, differentiation and creative marketing techniques as the pillars of his business practice.
Sherman Crancer
Speaker Profile
Click here to request a meetingSherman Crancer is the President of the Crancer Group. As a high energy, fiscally conscious, and goal-driven ...
Allan Jaffe
Allan Jaffe
Vice President Technology, Top Speed Data Communications
Click here to request a meetingAllan Jaffe joined Top Speed Data Communications in 2002 as a Network Design Consultant, bringing more than ...
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Click here to request a meetingAllan Jaffe joined Top Speed Data Communications in 2002 as a Network Design Consultant, bringing more than 30 years of telecommunications knowledge and expertise. Allan began his career at Pacific Telephone and held positions in Installation & Maintenance, Special Services, and Sales. His last position at SBC was Vice President of Industry Markets. Before joining Top Speed Data Communications, Allan served in executive positions at NorthPoint Communications and New Edge Networks.
Allan Jaffe
Speaker Profile
Click here to request a meetingAllan Jaffe joined Top Speed Data Communications in 2002 as a Network Design Consultant, bringing more than 30 years ...
Terry Hedden
Terry Hedden
Founder and CEO, Marketopia
Click here to request a meetingTerry Hedden's professional career started at the age of 14 when I followed the encouragement of his father ...
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Click here to request a meetingTerry Hedden's professional career started at the age of 14 when I followed the encouragement of his father to start his first venture. While enrolled full-time in college, Terry worked in sales for AT&T and as an IT consultant with EDS. After graduation from UF with a bachelor's degree, he joined the Management Consulting practice of Ernst & Young LLP, now Cap Gemini, leading projects in IT Project Management, Post Merger Integration and ERP Implementations worldwide. He then moved to E.piphany, now Infor, as an executive in their Consulting organization leading CRM implementations for Fortune 100 firms before joining Lectra Systems as the CIO and Director of their North America and Caribbean Consulting Organization.In 2003, Terry left Lectra to start Infinity Business Systems, later renamed Infinity Technology Solutions, a leading IT service provider with operations throughout Florida and Georgia. Infinity provided a complete technology offering for hundreds of businesses, including hardware and software solutions, outsourcing, Managed IT Services, Cloud Solutions, VoIP Telephony, website and software development services. Infinity received numerous awards, including recognition as a Best Place to Work in Florida, 7 time winner of Inc. Magazine's Inc. 500/5000, a 5 time winner of the 50 Fastest Growing Firms in Tampa, 3 time winner of Best Computer Support organization in Tampa Bay, Orlando Chamber's Most Outstanding Small Business and Greater Tampa Chamber's Business of the Year. He led Infinity to successfully transforming a $24,500 investment into one of the nation's fastest-growing and most successful Managed IT firms before selling Infinity to Zeno Office Solutions in 2012. Terry is currently the CEO of Marketopia. Marketopia has grown from 0 to 130 professionals in 6.5 years and has been ranked as one of the fastest-growing privately held firms in the USA three times according to Inc. Magazine ranking #232 at 2,040% 3-year growth rate.
Terry Hedden
Speaker Profile
Click here to request a meetingTerry Hedden's professional career started at the age of 14 when I followed the encouragement of his father to start ...
Helane Cohen
Helane Cohen
US OCP Partner to Partner (P2P) Program & Strategy Lead at Microsoft
Click here to request a meeting Helane Cohen enables partners to build and expand their businesses by utilizing modern ...
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Helane Cohen
Speaker Profile
Click here to request a meeting Helane Cohen enables partners to build and expand their businesses by utilizing modern marketing ...
Cardi Prinzi
Cardi Prinzi
Partner, EagleTEQ Advisors
In a career spanning four decades, Cardi has gained a wealth of experience as a sales and marketing leader for telecommunications and ...
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In a career spanning four decades, Cardi has gained a wealth of experience as a sales and marketing leader for telecommunications and technology companies focused on the B2B market from SMB to Enterprise. He has had success throughout the US and Internationally in large corporations through early-stage start-ups - both public & private, and has been involved in multiple mergers, acquisitions, and integrations. Recognized as a thought leader, he excels in "connecting-the-dots" between product, marketing, and sales. His opinions on sales and marketing strategies are sought out by large service providers and technology distributors. His areas of focus at EagleTEQ are Go-to-Market strategies and tactics, international sales and marketing, accentuating unique value propositions, and organizational structure.
Cardi Prinzi
Speaker Profile
In a career spanning four decades, Cardi has gained a wealth of experience as a sales and marketing leader for telecommunications and technology ...
Curt Allen
Curt Allen
Managing Partner, EagleTEQ
Curt has deep experience on both the provider and partner side of the technology space with roles as global channel leader for multi ...
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Curt has deep experience on both the provider and partner side of the technology space with roles as global channel leader for multi billion dollar public companies as well as leading one of the premier master agencies for 12 years. Curt also has a background in resale, wholesale, and whitelabel business in network, collaboration, UCaaS and CCaaS. Known as a dynamic channel leader and talented speaker, Allen excels at delivering data driven GTM strategies with specific and actionable tactics to execute that are supported and understood from the boardroom to the street. Allen's areas of specialization at EagleTEQ are GTM, sales process, partner compensation, partner programs, routes to market, revenue and profitability growth, and team building/ development.
Curt Allen
Speaker Profile
Curt has deep experience on both the provider and partner side of the technology space with roles as global channel leader for multi billion dollar ...
Ken Bisnoff
Ken Bisnoff
Founding Partner, EagleTEQ
Ken has over 30 years of experience leading high-performing organizations through periods of rapid organizational growth, industry change ...
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Ken has over 30 years of experience leading high-performing organizations through periods of rapid organizational growth, industry change and sales-driven expansion. Ken was a Founding Member of the TPx Communications (formerly TelePacific) executive team and played an integral part in that company's explosive growth and evolution from small startup regional CLEC to billion-dollar national managed services powerhouse. Repeatedly honored and recognized for his accomplishments and expertise in B2B sales, channel partner & marketing leadership, his ability to drive strong growth, profitability and process improvement was a key element in the growth and profitability of an industry-leader in the managed services and telecommunications arenas.
Ken Bisnoff
Speaker Profile
Ken has over 30 years of experience leading high-performing organizations through periods of rapid organizational growth, industry change and ...
20 Step Social Media Marketing Strategy for...
20 Step Social Media Marketing Strategy for...
March 15, 2021
Article last updated March 15, 2021 on Influencer Marketing Hub's website. 1. Select Relevant and Realistic Social Media Marketing ...
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20 Step Social Media Marketing Strategy for Businesses in 2021
Social Media
Article last updated March 15, 2021 on Influencer Marketing Hub's website. 1. Select Relevant and Realistic Social Media Marketing Goals One of the ...
The only social media strategy you'll need in 2021
The only social media strategy you'll need in 2021
November 11, 2020 by Amy Thorne on Nov 11, 2020
Blog posted by Amy Thorne. With half of the world's population now on social media, it's rare you'll find a brand or business not using it ...
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The only social media strategy you'll need in 2021
Social Media
Blog posted by Amy Thorne. With half of the world's population now on social media, it's rare you'll find a brand or business not using it to grow ...
Social Media for Small Business: A Guide for 2021...
Social Media for Small Business: A Guide for 2021...
by Ash Read, Editorial @ Buffer
Blog posted by Ash Read, Editorial @ Buffer.Around the world, 47% of internet users ages 16 to 64 have spent more time on social media in ...
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How to Create a Social Media Marketing Strategy
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Get the 6-Step 2021 Social Media Strategy...
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Get the 6-Step 2021 Social Media Strategy Framework + Examples
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From the guest blog written by Jeff Matan
If you work for a company that sells through The Channel, you know the importance of Channel sales strategy and you've likely heard this phrase before. It was said by one of your executives on an analyst call, at your Partner conference, or in a sales kick-off:
"Our Channel Partners are an extension of our sales force."
That's old thinking. Things have changed.
Yes, Partners have the geographic reach you need. Yes, they learn about and sell your products and many describe themselves as a dealer of yours. However, looking at Partners as an extension of your sales force sells your partnership short. It puts a ceiling on your potential to be successful together.
To me, this is a fundamental disconnect between Vendors and Partners.
Why that Channel sales strategy doesn't work:
You aren't the only Vendor they work with. You're one of many. Hopefully, you're one of two or three core to their business. If not, they can still be successful without you.
The Partner owns the customer. Unless you sell a pure cloud service on your contract, customers typically sign the Partner's contract and call them (not you) when something goes wrong or they're ready to buy.
Partners are experts on multiple technologies. They have to be in order to integrate, optimize, and manage them, but as Vendors, you're an expert on one technology - yours.
Your products or services aren't the Partners' main source of revenue and profits. They integrate yours (and other Vendor's offerings) into their own and/or add services to make money.
The Partners of yesteryear are gone. They don't think of themselves as an extension of your sales force. They think and act bigger. That's why they call themselves Solution Providers - not VARs.
Why is this important? If one side of a partnership views the relationship differently, it won't work. Worse, the partnership might not ever realize its potential and QBR after QBR will show the same thing-wasted opportunity.
What can Vendors do?
To fix your Channel sales strategy, start by changing how you view your Channel Partners. For starters, embrace the fact that as a Vendor, you are actually an extension of their sales force, not the other way around.
Use your resources to help develop Partners' value propositions, help write their business plans, or execute their first "real" marketing campaigns. You'll gain insights about where you add value to their solutions as well as the challenges they face in the market.
Focus on profit. How does your solution help sell more services? How does it allow them to sell custom work done by their SEs or Pro Services teams? How does it integrate into their products or services and fit into the business plan you helped them write? If you don't know, ask - right now!
View Partners as customers because that's what they are. How will you change your approach to communicating with them and what can you do to win their business - every day?
If you agree you're an overlay to Partners and an extension of their sales force, change your approach and follow through and become the Vendor that's truly "easy to do business with."
It's a mindset shift. Stop thinking of Partners as an extension of your sales force and start thinking of yourself as an extension of theirs. It's not easy - you've got quota to hit and it takes time to talk to every Partner - but when you work to understand and improve their business, they notice. It's how you stay top of mind and it's why they'll find ways to sell more of your solutions. Welcome to the new Channel sales strategy!
Channel Sales Strategy: 5 Ways to Change your Thinking
Sales Trends
From the guest blog written by Jeff Matan If you work for a company that sells through The Channel, you know the importance of Channel sales strategy ...
6 Disciplines of Channel Sales Management
6 Disciplines of Channel Sales Management
Article from the Spur Group, written by Richard Flynn
From the May 2020 article, "6 Disciplines of Successful Channel Management" Written by Richard Flynn. Are your partner investments ...
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From the May 2020 article, "6 Disciplines of Successful Channel Management" Written by Richard Flynn.
Are your partner investments delivering a competitive advantage? How you go-to-marketRedirects to external site. often defines your advantage in the marketplace. As more companies today leverage partners as a vital component of a go-to-market strategy, having world-class channel management is more critical than ever. Channel management (also called channel partnership) is when two companies form an agreement where one firm markets and sells a product, service or technology for the other firm, often co-branded.Sadly, many companies fail to achieve breakthrough success with their partners. By some estimates, as many as 70% of alliances fall short of expectations for both the partners and the vendor. How do you know if your strategy is falling short?Here are a few telltale signs that a company's go-to-market plan is under-performing:Poor alignment between how sales, product teams, and the partner program define "best" partnersWeak performance by significant number of top-tier partnersUnclear ROI due to a lack of understanding of how partners deliver valueWeak commitment by partners to key behaviors through existing partner relationshipsPassive execution that reacts to, rather than fuels, business outcomesThe strength of your channel ecosystem is directly correlated to driving results and winning over new customers. In this blog, we'll outline six different strategies that many business leaders miss when building and managing a channel ecosystem.Often, the root cause of a company's problems is not its people or its positioning, but its approach. Your channel efforts need to focus on how you will win with partners in a competitive context. Run your channel management like a compete program and not an operations program. With the right partner approach, you will drive performance that's aligned with company objectives through the right partnerships, in a manner that guides behaviors, creates value, and it strengthens the company.The six disciplines of channel managementIf your sales channels aren't performing at their true potential, we suggest adopting the following six disciplines:Create a unified partner planRedirects to external site.. Manage your partner planning to align on precise business results. This provides the foundation for your success.Build a partner road-mapRedirects to external site.. Manage a capacity planning model and use partner scoring to maintain the right mix of partners. This road-map lays out the path and measures for all your activities.Conduct value proposition assessmentsRedirects to external site.. Manage your value proposition messaging to partners to gain a competitive advantage. This drives competitive effectiveness and partner mind-share with your channel messaging.Embrace the new partnership modelRedirects to external site.. Manage your partner program to deliver different value under the new model of partnership. This shifts the efforts to better align with the new needs of partners and customers.Architect incentives to drive behaviorRedirects to external site.. Manage your channel incentives and partner investment model to drive specific ecosystem performance and outcomes. This creates predictability and returns while enabling agility and responsiveness.Define a channel operations modelRedirects to external site.. Manage your team to drive execution excellence. This defines the company's management system and establishes rigor applied to execution excellence.Discipline #1: Create a unified partner planMost channel leaders understand the inherent benefits of partner planningRedirects to external site.. At the fundamental level, partner planning is setting your channel strategy - who is your ideal partner, and which partner tactics will help you best serve your customers. The second level often includes a plan from channel leaders as to the best distribution strategy to scale or maintain market coverage with an optimal level of company resources. This plan is usually rolled out as a set of targets for the local field offices to execute.Creating a robust plan provides the foundation for success, and has five areas of focus:Identify which company objectives rely on channel managementAssess your current route-to-market strengthUnderstand your ability (and need) to scale across multiple dimensionsDefine your growth strategies for each desired business outcomeCascade accountability throughout your organizationWithin your plan, you'll have one or all these four channel strategies for growth:Recruit - Add partners to an existing route-to-market.Develop - Establish a new route-to-market, either through new or existing partners.Grow - Expand and extend the capabilities of existing partners and resources to expand into additional product offerings or target markets.Prune - Increase efficiency and effectiveness of channel partnerships by redirecting resources from low-performing elements to higher-performing ones.Your challenge is that you will likely need a different strategy for each geographic market, customer segment, and product offering. You then need to prioritize your efforts by your internal goals (examples could include long-term growth via a new product line or short-term key performance indicators like yearly revenue targets).Why go through all this work? The big payoff for your channel planning effort is team alignment. Channel planning is your blueprint and answers important questions. Is everyone aligned on shared goals? Is there clear accountability? Do team members see how their efforts are essential to overall success? The highest purpose of your partner plan is to eliminate ambiguity.Discipline #2: Build a partner road-map to the ideal ecosystemThe ideal end goal of the channel development process is a partner ecosystem that is both comprehensive and effective. A partner ecosystem is a record or map of all partnerships within your company and represents the extended reach of your firm. Channel managers need to fully understand their ecosystem and how to adjust it for optimal performance.You'll start with a partner road-map that focuses on capacity planningRedirects to external site. (how many partners should I have?) and partner scoringRedirects to external site. (which partners are the best fit for my needs?).Capacity planning and partner scoring are the two sides of the same partner performance coin. Capacity planning looks at the aggregate number of partners a company has and models whether gaps exist that will hinder the company's ability to meet its goals. On the other hand, partner scoring examines each the individual partner firm, assesses its unique potential, and determines whether that partner is delivering.You may subscribe to the more partners are always better philosophy, but it often crashes into the reality of scarce resources. Every decision to work with one partner is also the opportunity cost of not working with another.In order to determine your individual company road-map, you'll need to examine the five Cs of partner performance:Contribution: What is the sales velocity of each partner? Sales velocity refers to how quickly the company converts leads to sales and the value of each of those closed deals over a set period. Almost everyone measures sales velocity, and you likely have data to calculate the rate for each partner.Consumption: How effective is the partner at driving customer adoption and usage? If contribution represents revenue, then consumption is the increase in the average customer's lifetime value through affiliation with the product or service.Coverage: What markets does the partner cover? Your ecosystem capacity is influenced by the mix of partner types and the number of partners in each segment, as well as partner attributes such as customer served, business models, and solutions offered. You have an opportunity to expand into new markets with the right partner coverage.Capability: How aligned with strategic products is the partner? Capability is a combination of the partner's knowledge and its effectiveness at bringing it to bear with targeted customers. Every revenue dollar is not equal when it comes to building a growth engine, and a partner's capability is critical.Commitment: How predictable and consistent are the partner's results? Most partners work with multiple vendors, so partner loyalty is a crucial determinant of channel revenue. A partner's commitment will affect how it contributes to your growth curve.Once you've developed your road-map and ecosystem, you'll want to use the following tactics:Create actionable, data-driven targeting models for partner recruitmentRedirects to external site. and developmentEnsure balanced engagement based on business models, partner motivations and different performance requirementsMap necessary credential programs for full ecosystem training and enablementCreate a predictive model for program investmentValidate partner business propositions across necessary partner segmentsDiscipline #3: Conduct a business value proposition assessmentYour value proposition to partners shows the quantitative and qualitative boost a partner receives from selling and servicing your company's products and solutions. Partners use these value proposition statements as competitive filters when determining which vendor, they will sell and support with their customers.A compelling partner value proposition consists of three main elements:Market Momentum - Partners naturally migrate to products and services that are in high demand by their customers. A company's market momentum is composed of customer demand, market share, and leadership position.Relationship Alignment - Partners align with vendors when they see long-term value in the relationship. Partners assess alignment based on vendor fit against their strategic objectives; the reputation, either real or perceived, of the vendor; and satisfaction with past engagements.Partner Economics - Partner economics is the financial return a partner can gain from the vendor relationship, which factors in the profits from the partnership, initial investment costs, and qualitative benefits from the relationship.It is unusual for a single company to have strength in every area. All companies will have soft areas within their partner business propositionRedirects to external site. with some partner segments. However, it's crucial to understand your company's weaknesses and strengths.You must also understand the business value proposition of each of your competitors. A genuinely effective partner business value proposition assessment benchmarks a company's business proposition relative to its key competitors with each targeted partner segment.After you conduct an assessment and identify weak areas, consider the following actions to improve your perceived value:If you have weak market momentum then you should either reposition your core offering in the marketplace or improve the potential financial or strategic gain for a potential partnerIf you are recruiting partners that don't understand your value, your targeting or messaging are missing the mark, and you'll need to re-evaluate one or both of those areaIf you are not driving as much value to your partners as competitors, consider ways to improve the partner economics while still maintaining the margins you need to run your business. This could include reducing the initial set-up costs, altering profit sharing agreements or providing sales and marketing support.Discipline #4: Embrace the new partnership modelDespite industry changes in recent years, the basic structure of a partner program hasn't changed for many companies. Partner agreements are often structured into three or four tiers based on partners earning a set of capability certifications and producing a consistent level of revenue for the vendor. Vendors provide a different set of benefits based on partners attaining different levels of results. This fundamental structure has remained in place for multiple decades.But industry norms have changed significantly in recent years:The cloud solutions model changed the customer buying dynamic. Customers shifted from buying solutions as capital expenditures to operating expenses. Huge budgets have vanished for custom solutions, one-off implementation models, and large-scale proof-of-concept models.A different set of buyers redefined the value model. Several years ago, Gartner reported a watershed event - for the first time, CMOs directed more technology spending than CIOs, which was just the tip of the iceberg. Increasingly, the buyer for company technology is outside of IT and seeks a different set of business expertise from partners. Non-IT buyers have opened the door to a new set of partners not easily defined as "technology" partners.Partner business models evolved. For many years, most partner business models tightly aligned to their preferred vendor's strategic goals, as resellers or service providers. Not anymore. Most partners now deliver core value to their customers independent of a single vendor, and vendor solutions have become a secondary (or even tertiary) element of the sale.For vendors, this means you need to evolve your partner engagement. We recommend you think about this in three ways:Your partner program needs to provide a foundational structure that supports your relationship with the partnerPartner enablementRedirects to external site. is the "motion" you should seek to deliver through your partner programPartner management is the accelerant that helps define the speed of that motion.All are critical. When coordinated, they magnify each other's results. In order to make all three work together, follow these seven best practices: Simple, gated delivery - Partners understand a vendor's need to protect and limit the availability of information, tools, and resources. But they also get quickly frustrated when a vendor imposes barriers that hinder a partner's ability to sell, support, and develop within a vendor's platform. You will improve your ease of doing business and set your company apart from the competition by creating open access to information and resources, with gated, low-but-reasonable thresholds.Data-driven insights - Your program design should include the careful consideration of how you use data. Gone are the days when vendor data on partners was limited to the number of certifications and revenue generated. Vendors now have visibility into unprecedented levels of data on partner service/product lines, the customer base, and levels of engagement. You can use this data to generate useful insights for your company.Flexible benchmarks - Partners are multi-faceted and constantly evolve, and they can no longer be neatly placed into simple categories. Your program requirements need to have that same flexibility. Break free from the need to silo different partner business models into tracks. Instead, construct a model that rewards the partner based on the value they deliver to customers.Joint business planning - We want you to take your business planning to the next level with your partners. You can't simply create an annual plan with your partners that gets posted on your internal drive and is rarely revisited until renewal. We recommend you tie your planning to incentives, partner development, and partner management efforts. And your systems and processes need to allow rudimentary, programmatic business planning even with your breadth partners.IP development support - This is often the hardest area for a vendor to embrace because a partner's primary goal is to create customer value within the partner's offerings, not the vendor's. A partner is looking for a true partner who enables mutual success., not simply a vendorCo-selling approach - Leadership within vendors often think their channel sales model has two parts: direct sales and partner sales. In truth, the most prevalent option is the co-selling model, where both partner and the vendor sales resources are critical. Rules of engagement are unambiguous, compensation is balanced, and roles and responsibilities for different players are clearly defined.Lead management structure - Fundamentally, partners and vendors both want to manage their cost-of-sales, improve the sales pipeline, and increase customer lifetime value. Creating value for these three areas is important because they are all core business drivers for your partner's go-to-market efforts.Discipline #5: Architect incentives to drive behaviorAs you make decisions about channel incentivesRedirects to external site. consider what partner behavior you want to encourage or hinder. As you measure the success of each investment, consider how it was able to drive desired behavior and the economic return on investment (ROI).Partner behavior is the results can be grouped into the following buckets:Focus: Are partners concentrating on the customers and solutions you want?Activity: Are partners meeting your requirements and receiving enough rewards to stay satisfied?Performance: Are partners driving the business results you require?Retention: Are you securing your best partners with benefits that keep them and their customers loyal?The architectural and operating elements of a partner investment framework, such as incentive structures and performance measures, should result in desired partner behaviors. A company needs to engineer its partner program to drive these behaviors in a consistent, predictable, and measurable fashion. Yet, the program must also be flexible and responsive to changing market conditions. Developing this structure can be challenging, as partners want a program that is stable and constant, and changing underlying systems is time consuming.Consider adding the following tools in your partner program:Partner segmentation - Develop criteria for your ideal partner to make them easier to identify and contact, which will improve your communicationsCreating Expertise - Document the training of partner sales staff on your product or service, also known as partner enablement, which helps identify those partners who are most competent and passionate about your solutionMeasurement - Track performance against specific goals, which helps maintain alignment among leadership on partner goals.Rewards - Establishing and providing clear rewards when partners reach the established goals, which helps with partner retention.Discipline #6: Define a channel operations modelStrategy defines the right things to do, while effective execution sets apart effective companies. Most senior managers have an intuitive sense of how effective their channel operationsRedirects to external site. are, but without an objective scale, a hunch is meaningless.There are five distinct levels of execution excellence for all operational processes:Unstructured Execution - There are few formal processes in place.Ad-Hoc Execution - There may be some successes and some losses. The approach is relatively haphazard and often dependent on the strengths of individuals. There are few, if any, standard processes. Organizational intelligence is poorly documented and erodes as individuals leave.Structured Execution - There is a consistent operational structure in place. Regular meetings and communications occur but are not always effective. The staff generally follows a defined process, but not always. Knowledge is compartmentalized within teams. When companies reach this level of performance, they generally see a marked improvement in execution excellence.Advanced Execution - Standard processes are identified and followed. There is a regular rhythm of the business. Structured corporate planning exists but is often disconnected from individual or team commitment setting.Robust Execution - Processes are followed and documented. A culture of learning is pervasive, with in-depth feedback collected along with essential processes. The focus of execution excellence has shifted from "Are we able to execute?" to one of continuous improvement. Strong alignment exists between goals, investments, and commitments. Organizations also see a step-level of improvement when they reach this phase.The bottom lineUnfortunately, the traditional approach to channel management has been to run it as an operations program. "Cost-to-serve" and "how-to-scale" become important mantras. While operational elements remain relevant, companies cannot afford to continue with this approach. As dependencies on partners and alliances increase, winning with partners becomes the key to winning with customers.With the right partners, these six disciplines will help align channel strategy with company objectives. A well-engineered channel management system provides a stable framework that can intelligently respond to changing market conditions.With the right approach, channel management is not only an asset, but it can also be a key driver for go-to-market strategy success.
6 Disciplines of Channel Sales Management
Sales Trends
From the May 2020 article, "6 Disciplines of Successful Channel Management" Written by Richard Flynn. Are your partner investments delivering a ...
5 Ways to Build Your SaaS Channel Partner...
5 Ways to Build Your SaaS Channel Partner...
February, 26 2020 by Andrew Gazdecki.
"5 Ways to Build your SaaS Channel Partner Strategy in 2020," by Andrew Gazdecki.Today's digital marketplace is a vast and wild place. It ...
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"5 Ways to Build your SaaS Channel Partner Strategy in 2020," by Andrew Gazdecki.Today's digital marketplace is a vast and wild place. It can get a little lonely out there. So to combat this feeling (but, really, to maximize resources for greater ROIRedirects to external site.), companies sometimes turn to a partner for help with the heavy lifting. These partners shoulder some of the burden of sales, creating separate selling "channels" that expand a product's reach. As such, these partnership systems are known as "channel partner programs," and can involve:
One company allowing another to sell its product in conjunction with other services;One organization joining forces with another to sell their respective products side by side (for increased exposure); or A company outsourcing some of their sales to another similar organization in order to leverage extra manpower and expertise
And here's the best part: There can be many advantages to channel partner programs, no matter the type of partnership in play. (All channel partnerships welcome!)
But don't get too ahead of yourself.
The potential benefits to channel partner programs can be incredibly excitingOpens in new window and redirects to external site., but a strong partnership takes a ton of effort--not to mention a lot of research and a seemingly endless amount of planning--if it's going to have any hope of succeeding.
Want to learn more about harnessing the power of channel partner programs to boost your business, but confused about how to begin? We've got you.
The following are our picks for the top five ways to get your channel partner strategy off the ground in 2020...and to keep it going well into the next decade. Note that this list caters mostly to businesses in search of partners that will sell for them (rather than with them), but the advice should still be applicable when dealing with any kind of channel partnership.
1. PRACTICE SELF-AWARENESS.
If you're a new company, you may have the urge to start looking for partners the minute your business goes live. Resist this urge. Instead, hit pause, take a step back, and get a sense of how your business is faring at this exact moment.
Consider this: A business that's best suited to a channel partner program is a business that's already dealing with a full deck (read: already well established). Don't entrust your product to a third-party representative unless your current business model can stand on its own two feet all by itself and, perhaps more importantly, can prove its own viabilityOpens in new window and redirects to external site..
Consider too, that, once you embark on a channel partnership, you'll be required to train your partner in the best techniques for presenting your product to consumers. Plus, you'll also be obliged to bring your entire team on board by encouraging your colleagues to roll out the welcome mat and adopt some partner-friendly best practices. Think of how difficult the process of supporting and sustaining a partnership would be if your own internal business was suffering from structural inconsistencies. You'd come across as unprepared at best, and incompetent at worst. Effectively, you'd be setting up the partnership to fail before it even began.
Rather than running before you walk, conduct an honest appraisal of the current state of your company. Got some details that need smoothing out? Break out the iron and then begin your preliminary research on potential partners. Still haven't found your niche in the market? Take a cold, hard your marketing and sales strategies. Is there room for improvement? Cool.
Make those improvements and be sure they deliver results before investigating a channel partner program. Remind yourself that you're playing the long game here--and short-term satisfaction isn't worth any long-term risk.
2. DO YOUR HOMEWORK.
Got your business infrastructure in order? Awesome. Are sales humming along without cause for alarm? Even awesomer.
Now the real channel partner work begins.
Channel partner programs are just like any other major business venture in that they require an immense amount of research if you're going to get them right. But don't worry--we can help you jumpstart the process.
Begin by conjuring up an image of your ideal channel partner. Ask yourself:
"What kind of company (or product/service) would work best alongside my business?" "What sort of organization can benefit from my company's strengths?""What kind of partner can help my company with its current challenges?"
Got a perfect partner mapped out? Great. Next step is to get out into the real world and evaluate real-life partners to see if they'd be a good fit.
Customer success expert Lincoln Murphy advisesOpens in new window and redirects to external site. that top-of-list candidates should include companies "ready, willing, and able" to join your ranks. (He also suggests an ideal partner should reflect your organization's value system and company culture.)
Using this blueprint as your guide, make sure to evaluate each candidate and determine their overarching goals, market value, potential weaknesses, etc. Practice a bit of hypothetical role play and imagine how a partnership with you and your candidate might feel. Will the current market landscape make space for your collaboration? Are both companies able to create and sustain a business alliance? Will one of you end up doing more than half the work...and will both parties be okay with this arrangement? Try and answer these questions for yourself with some internet sleuthing, in-depth market research, and even a few one-on-one interviews with candidate representatives.
When you find a possible partner who meets all of your necessary requirements, you can get the ball rolling on a formal channel partnership.
3. DON'T BE AFRAID TO DIVIDE AND CONQUER.
Here's a (not-so-secret) secret about partnerships: It's possible to have more than just one.
Hear us out.
If a bunch of different candidates look great on paper and you're finding it hard to choose a single partner, it's perfectly acceptable to build an "ecosystem" by partnering with all of them. Picture it: Instead of just one partner going to bat for your product, you'd have a whole lineup of batters dedicated to dispersing your product and spreading the good word about your company (go, team!).
Still, an advanced network of channel partners takes lots of planning and compartmentalizing.
If you're interested in this kind of expanded ecosystem, it might be best to implement a tiered partnership structure, in which you'd onboard a selection of partners while simultaneously making sure each partner is only assigned responsibilities appropriate to their size, experience, and inherent value. In a tiered system, large "headliner" partners might demand the bulk of your time and effort, while smaller businesses may only call for mini collaborations such as guest posts or link exchanges.
The takeaway here is to learn how to scale your activities for maximum "divide-and-conquer" capability. Feel free to spread your partnerships across a far-reaching network of businesses, just remember to distribute your energies accordingly (i.e., don't kill yourself over a partner that can only offer minimal returns).
4. ESTABLISH A PLAY-BY-PLAY.
Once you've landed a partner (or partners!) that suits your needs, your next move is to create a definitive game plan. Sound a little overwhelming? Lucky for you, we've compiled a list of some of the things you'll need to get started...
Open lines of communication: Your channel partnership will only be as good as your ability both to convey your ideas and listen to your partner's feedback. To help keep the lines of communication open, you may want to designate a "partner program manager" who can facilitate talks between you and your partners and help address any minor frustrations. SaaS platforms such as file-sharing sites, Skype, sales enablement solutions, and internal messenger software, can likewise help ensure all parties feel heard and appreciated.
A comprehensive "to do" list: This holds true for both sides of a partnership. Before you let your partner take the reins on selling activities, be sure to set up a meeting and make some definitive decisions regarding things like target demographics, allocation of resources, delegation of tasks, and how you plan to tackle any problems, technical updates, etc.
Proven techniques for training: Onboarding a new partner means you'll effectively be onboarding an adjunct sales team. Don't leave these new colleagues out in the cold. Instead, be sure to provide them with all the training, tips, and contentOpens in new window and redirects to external site. they'll require in order to champion your product. A few of these new "team members" may be unfamiliar with the average sales funnel or the archetypal buyer's journey. That's okay. Play the part of teacher for a while and offer up as much information as possible on how to make sales materials more impactful and how to optimize your brand messaging for maximum ROI.
An eye for what's trending: "Who needs knowledge?" said no one ever. Keeping your partnership afloat will depend on whether or not you keep up with industry events. Stay up to date on buyer trends, market news, and competitor hits and misses. It's never a bad idea to be just a bit more informed than your partner, particularly if they should hit you up with questions and/or concerns about sales tactics in today's market space.
Eyes getting tired? Hang in there, we're almost finished...
5. DON'T EXPECT TOO MUCH, TOO SOON.
Remember when we said channel partner programs were about playing the long game? We weren't kidding.
We've saved the most important point for last (we're smart like that), so here goes:
Sit tight. The concrete benefits of a channel partnership will take time to come into effect.
And this applies not only to the amount of time it will take to bring your partnership online and get things fully operational but also to the amount of time that will pass before you start reaping any rewards.
If you're thinking this seems a bit unfair, we don't blame you. But remember that implementing a channel partner program actually means a few extra steps in the buyer's journey. A partnership offers you enhanced visibility and extended reach, but this kind of expanded development means your products or services will take longer to get to your customers, which, in turn, means that feedback will take a while to gather and analyze...and upticks in revenue make take a little longer to appear.
Don't let the timeline get you down, however. Use the time instead to strengthen and cultivate your partnership while you wait. Have your partner program manager serve as go-between for you and your partner, and create a schedule for regular check-ins. Secure as much face-time with your partner as you can so that you and your product stay fresh in their mind.
Salesforce notesOpens in new window and redirects to external site. that partnerships are designed to "drive growth"--and, as you know, growth requires lots of nurturing as well as some good, old-fashioned grunt work. So grab some coffee, get comfortable, and let your partners know you're here and you're all about long-term commitment. We're pretty sure we've heard somewhere that patience is a virtue, and we're guessing all this effort and determination won't go unnoticed by your partner or your customers. In the race for real, lasting, and impactful gains, we say it's better to be the tortoise and not the hare.
5 Ways to Build Your SaaS Channel Partner Strategy in 2020
Sales Trends
"5 Ways to Build your SaaS Channel Partner Strategy in 2020," by Andrew Gazdecki.Today's digital marketplace is a vast and wild place. It can get a ...
Top Challenges for Tech Channel Sales in 2021(And...
Top Challenges for Tech Channel Sales in 2021(And...
December 3, 2020 by Jodi Cachey
Mediafly blog from December 2020. "Top Challenges for Tech Channel Sales in 2021 (And how to solve them)" by Jodi Cachey. 2020 is ...
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Mediafly blog from December 2020. "Top Challenges for Tech Channel Sales in 2021 (And how to solve them)" by Jodi Cachey.
2020 is (thankfully) almost over. And while just about every industry has been turned on its head this year, the tech industry, in particular, is experiencing a major transformation in how companies go-to-market. Structural changes in our economy (both pre- and post-COVID), new buying journeys, subscription models, marketplaces, and emerging technologies have all contributed to the need for more modern channel programs that prioritize ecosystems over traditional, indirect channel partnerships.
How do ecosystems differ from traditional, indirect channels?
For roughly 30 years, traditional, indirect channels have been responsible for transactional sales. Meaning, they sell a vendor's technology to their customers in exchange for a specified margin of profit. Ecosystems, on the other hand, are untethered to the financial transaction. They focus instead on creating value, access and attachment to external networks, and partner co-innovation.
Why do I need to build a channel ecosystem in 2021?
In 2021 and beyond, ecosystems will become a critical component of any successful channel program. Here's why:
We live in a subscription economy.
Cloud computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), and connected and mobile devices have all created the opportunity for us to offer products as services. And while we've been trending toward subscriptions for nearly a decade, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift. According to AccentureOpens in new window and redirects to external site., companies on a former three-year trajectory toward a cloud-based subscription model are now compressing it into three months. Why? In addition to enabling companies to forge deeper, data-driven relationships with customers, subscription models also offer businesses more resiliency.
"Other companies are seeing 50%, 60%, 80% drops in revenue. That's just not possible in our business model...most of the SaaS companies I talk to are saying 'Yes, our growth might slow this year, but we're still growing versus non-subscription companies,'" says Tien Tzuo, CEO of Zuora, an enterprise software company that helps businesses launch and manage their subscription-based services.
But subscription models also present new challenges. Instead of a one-time purchase, we now have to ensure we can add enough value to win our customers' business back every 30-days. And with more products being offered as services, the number of software companies in the world is expected to skyrocket in the coming years. Few of these companies will offer all-in-one solutions, which means customers will buy and deploy multiple solutions to solve a single problem. To get a piece of the action, we need to ensure our technology plays nice with others. Therefore, having a strategic community of companies to partner or integrate with becomes integral to our ability to close and repeatedly renew business.
Indirect sales are shrinking.
For the last 20 years, 75% of global salesOpens in new window and redirects to external site. have been indirect. But that's about to change. According to Jay McBain, Principal Analyst at ForresterOpens in new window and redirects to external site., indirect sales will shrink every year for the next decade. McBain explains, "Consumer trends, such as direct to consumer, are starting to shift into business. Brands are developing the capability to sell and fulfill directly to consumers, and this will extend to their B2B buyers, as well."
Marketplaces are also becoming increasingly popular among today's B2B buyers. With 73% of B2B buyersOpens in new window and redirects to external site. saying buying through marketplaces is very convenient, McBain predicts 17% of the $13 trillionOpens in new window and redirects to external site. in B2B spend will flow to marketplaces by 2023.
Because of this, we really need to rethink the role our traditional partners play in helping us win business. If we're not relying on our partners for co-marketing, co-selling, and order fulfillment, how should we be leveraging our channel to help us drive revenue? And what does that channel even look like? Forrester reports a 571% increaseOpens in new window and redirects to external site. in incentivizing non-transactional referral partners, while also noting a 23% decline in the inclusion of volume resellers in channel incentive programs.
Rather than fostering a traditional, transactional partner channel, successful companies are cultivating ecosystems of influential brand advocates and giving them the tools to effectively quantify and communicate the business valueOpens in new window and redirects to external site. of purchasing their solutions. This includes business consultants, professional services firms, and influencers with large networks.
How do I Transform my Traditional Channel into an Ecosystem?
Want to dive deeper into the top challenges for channel sales in 2021 and how to build a channel ecosystem to solve them? Download our pre-recorded webinar 'The Future of Channel: 2021 Predictions'Opens in new window and redirects to external site. featuring guest speaker Jay McBain, Principal Analyst, Partnerships & Alliances at Forrester, to learn:
The key capabilities channel partners need now to succeed with new business modelsThe importance of renewals and retention in a world with continuous transactionsThe immediate changes you need to make in your marketing and enablement programs to power channel successThe critical capabilities you need to scale and capture the 10x opportunity presented by the new channel fabric
Top Challenges for Tech Channel Sales in 2021(And how to solve them)
Sales Trends
Mediafly blog from December 2020. "Top Challenges for Tech Channel Sales in 2021 (And how to solve them)" by Jodi Cachey. 2020 is (thankfully) almost ...
Partner Program - The 14 Steps to Build Your...
Partner Program - The 14 Steps to Build Your...
January 9, 2021 by Daniel Nilsson
From the January 2021 article, "Partner Program- The 14 Steps to Build Your Reseller Channel Program." Written by Daniel Nilsson. How can a ...
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From the January 2021 article, "Partner Program- The 14 Steps to Build Your Reseller Channel Program." Written by Daniel Nilsson.
How can a reseller channel partner programRedirects to external site. help you?Katrina Razavi, a business development professional, helped a B2B startup increase annual revenue by 1,983% and increase user base by 1,000% within six months...without any upfront costs.Personally, I have helped a small startup in Sweden acquire 100 of the world's biggest telecom operators as its customers.How did we do this?Yes, you guessed right. We attained success by developing a well-designed Channel Partner Reseller Program.Channel Partner programs are so powerful that even multi-billion tech companies including MicrosoftOpens in new window and redirects to external site., VMWareOpens in new window and redirects to external site., OracleOpens in new window and redirects to external site., eBayOpens in new window and redirects to external site., MailchimpOpens in new window and redirects to external site., Shopify,Opens in new window and redirects to external site. CitrixOpens in new window and redirects to external site. and thousands of others use it.Despite its huge success, creating successful partner programsRedirects to external site. isn't a piece of cake. It takes time, effort, and most importantly, strategic planning. I have tried to make it simpler for you by introducing this 14-step process.A well-designed partner program, is the formula to power your sales to Legendary levels.Opens in new window and redirects to external site.Like my other blog posts and presentations, this article is also based on my personal experiences and reviews from industry experts. I am sharing my conclusions here so that you don't have to reinvent the wheel.What is a Channel Partner Program? The definition of a channel partner program is: "A Channel Partner Program is a strategy to motivate and engage channel partners to create more value for customers."Before you start...Business goals, vision, and executive supportBefore you start developing your own Channel Partner Program, there are a few important factors you need to keep in mind: business goals, vision, and executive support.Creating a professional reseller channel partner program is a big investment of time, effort, and resources. This is why it is essential that the partner program you want to create is aligned with the company strategy and business goals. This is also why it is essential to have executive support before you kick-off the process.Now that you know what you need to take care of before you start, let's go on to learn how to create your very own professional partner program.The Creation is Not a Straight LineThe creation of a Partner Program and Channel Sales is not a straight line. It's a lovely mess that gets more clear and straight the more you study and develop it. If the world or your business changes suddenly, you may have to start over.Step 1: Define a value propositionA solid value proposition automatically gives you an edge. It's the number one thing to define because it will determine whether people will bother learning more about your solution, services, or product.Defining a value proposition is about letting people know clearly what they will get out of using your product or service. You can use some tools to define customer gains, pain points, and rank what is more important for them. The next step is always to compare your value proposition with that of your competitors, what the market wants, and available alternatives. Once you have this data, you can define a solid base value proposition.When you and your prospect customers understand the value proposition clearly, it will be much easier for your channel partners to pitch your product or service to people.Step 2: Create a customer-centric sales processCustomers now know about your solution. So now what? There's still so much to do.You need to understand the entire buyer journey for the customer and design a sales process. What steps are involved in the sales process? How many steps are there? What needs to be done at each stage of the sales process? All these questions need to be answered in detail.But when you create the sales process, it is important that it is from the customer's perspective. It should be customer-centric.Step 3: Benchmark competitorsEver heard of the phrase, "Keep your friends close, and enemies closer." You must apply it to yourself. Essentially, you need to understand what your competitors are doing.Try to get a deeper understanding of your competitors' partner programs. What is their target audience? How have they organized it? What benefits are they offering customers? What kind of relationships are they developing with their channel partners? How well is their channel program turning out? What is their structure for channel sales and channel partners?This data will give you a lot of insights before you even begin offering your partner program and developing your channel sales. You will know what is working and what is not.
Step 4: Define the type of partnersThe success of a partnership and channel sales lies in the value each party gets out of it. So your channel partnership largely depends on what value you are building for your customers.For that, you need to identify and define the type of partners that may be relevant to your business and choose the best among them.Do remember that a partner is any company or organization that can help you deliver more value to your customers.Here are a few examples of channel partner types who might be relevant for your business:Value-added Resellers (VAR): A company that resells software, hardware, and/or networking products and provides value beyond order fulfilment.Managed service providers (MSP): A company that remotely manages a customer's IT infrastructure and/or end-user systems, typically on a proactive basis and under a subscription model.Consultants: An experienced individual who is trained to analyze and advise a client in order to help the client make the best possible choices.System Integrators (SI): An individual or business that builds computing systems for clients by combining hardware and software products from multiple vendors.Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM): A broad term whose meaning has evolved over time. In the past, OEM referred to the company that originally built a given product, which was then sold to other companies to rebrand and resell. Over time, however, the term is more frequently used to describe those companies in the business of rebranding a manufacturer's products and selling them to end customers.Independent Software Vendors (ISV): Makes and sells software products that run on one or more computer hardware or operating system platforms.Distributors: A distributor is an intermediary entity between the producer of a product and another entity in the distribution channel or supply chains, such as a retailer, a value-added reseller (VAR) or a system integrator (SI).Agencies: This could be design agencies, marketing agencies etc. They are good channel partners for platform providers of web hosting, web sites and e-commerce sites.Step 5: Success factorsYou now understand the kind of sales process you must design and what type of channel partners will be the most suitable for your business. It is now important for you to understand what are the critical success factors that will enable your channel partners to close deals.What are these critical factors? Is it a proof of concept? Good support? Pricing structure? Or efficient project management?Make sure to list all success factors and then rank them in order of importance. Create a plan for each success factor. For example: If proof of concept is important, you must create a plan for how you will provide this to your channel partners. You will need to create instructions and processes and will also have to educate and train your partners on the subject.In short, you need to create a framework that will ensure your channel partners understand what you have defined as critical success factors and are equipped to achieve them.Step 6: Define motivational driversEverything looks good. You have the right value proposition, sales process, channel partners and have defined critical success factors. But what will drive your channel partners to act on these success factors?This is probably one of the most creative parts of all the 14 steps. Here, you need to think out of the box. Define what elements can motivate your channel partners and determine what actions you will need to take to help your channel partners become better at delivering key success factors.Let's say you have determined that 'proof of concept' is your key success factor. You will then need to educate and motivate your channel partners to convincingly demonstrate the proof of concept to customers. You could also show them how they can reap huge benefits if they do so.From my experience, there are several motivators for channel partners. Below I list the six most important ones.Money: Many people think this is the primary motivator for channel partners. While this is a common motivator - after all, which company doesn't want to make money - it is just one of many. You need to make sure that the effort your partner puts in corresponds to the revenue you offer them.Happy customers: When your customers are happy with your product or solution, they are likely to become repeat customers or recommend it to others. This is a great motivating factor for your channel partner (and you).Education programs: We all like it when people invest in us - be it in terms of money or resources. Many businesses develop really useful education programs for their partners, which act as great motivators. But do remember, developing good education programs requires a considerable investment of resources. So if you are taking the trouble to design these programs, make sure they are really good.Amazing sales tools: Giving your partners high quality sales tools of the kind you would give your own internal team is a sure shot way to motivate them because very few channel sales and partner programs offer great tools.Leads: Often, businesses get leads that they pass on to their channel partners. This acts as a great motivating factor too.Certifications: A badly implemented or maintained product or solution is terrible for the business - both for you and your partner. This is why you must ensure that your partner understands your product in and out and has the ability to problem-solve when required. Several businesses motivate their partners by offering them hardware and software certifications. Partners see this as proof that you are invested in their growth. Additionally, customers tend to trust partners who are 'certified' by the company (think Apple and Microsoft partners). This is a win-win for you and your partners.There can be other secondary drivers as well. For example, pushed sales process focusing on extensive follow-up, lead nurturing, and closing deals. Or inspiration by delivering consistent marketing content focusing on inspiring partners.Step 7: Define the Motivation & Engagement programmatic elementsMotivation & Engagement elements refer to the effort and values you will deliver to channel partners to help them become successful. It also encompasses how you choose to deliver it.The purpose of constructing Motivation & Engagement elements is also to create a culture of partnership and understanding. It signals that you care about your channel partners and their success.Here are a few examples of Motivation & Engagement elements.1) Education platformIf you're into inbound marketing, you are likely to have heard of HubSpotOpens in new window and redirects to external site., a developer and marketer of software products for inbound marketing, sales and customer service. HubSpot has implemented this strategy perfectly.You can create an education platform that delivers education and knowledge to your channel partners in the form of text, video, papers, and certifications. Some businesses require their channel partners to complete partner certification to certify their knowledge level. Such certifications may also be important for partners to reach the next level in partnership hierarchy.Having an education platform for channel partners is great for business because it ensures that your partners are as good as you are in selling your product or solution. When your partners reach out to leads, they will project a good image of your brand and your customers will experience a professionally-delivered sales process.2) Development forumFor integration partners, it is important to have full access to a technology platform to create new solutions, improve, and manage current solutions. The development forum consists of manuals, APIs, technical documentation, support, and a forum where issues can be discussed in the open. ShopifyRedirects to external site. is an example of a company that does this well. It has great resources for its tech partners.3) Lead generation platformThe idea here is to distribute the leads generated among the channel partners.Sometimes, small deals are better handled by channel partners that have efficient sales processes to handle small deals. At other times, some other channel partners may be better placed to deliver value to certain potential customers, increasing the likelihood of them closing the deal.A lead generation platform allows you to manage all this without you having to put in much effort.4) Support platforms for channel partnersChannel partners need to have full access to support manuals, instructions, videos, forums, etc. Customer support is identified as a key factor for success. It is important that the customer experiences excellent support during the proof of concept phase and after-sales phase to make sure that deals are not lost.Step 8: Define responsibilities and expectationsYou and your partners are a team. Now it is time to decide who is responsible for what. Focus on customer experience and define all activities and categorize them. The idea is to define roles clearly so everyone is on the same page and understands what part they will be playing in the sales process.The first step is to define activities that need to be done. Try to make all these activities granular enough so they can all be assigned to either you or the partner. Also, make sure that you define expectations. What do you expect from channel partners and what can they expect from you?Now when everything is clear, you can assign responsibilities to your channel partners as well as your own team.Here are a few things that your partners can expect from you.Deliver pre-qualified leadsDeliver professional & knowledgeable support during pre- and post-sales process.Deliver education programs that help the partner to understand the possibilities.Provide a certification program.Provide a best of breed solutions.Create events & programs that help partners to connect and start to build better solutions that provide more value for customers.And here are a few things that you may expect from your partners.Channel partners will help you grow your business through sales and marketing activities.They must focus on the customer and deliver excellent solutions that deliver true value to the customer.They must be knowledgeable and constantly evolve with the market.They must attend events and connect with other partners with the intention to build improved and new solutions.Step 9: Define a frameworkImagine how you categorize your friends - some are close, some are casual, then there are those whom you meet occasionally. Defining a framework is like that. It is about organizing your partner relationships.Partner framework for SMBIf you are small organization and are about to create your first partner program, I strongly suggest you do not create official levels such as "bronze", "silver" and "gold" channel partners. This is because: 1. It's complicated to create and manage. 2. It costs time, money and resources. 3. It is complicated to explain. 4. For some SMBs, I have seen it creates sales issues.Even if you have the capacity and resources to create such a complex framework, sometimes your channel partners may not have the internal resources to handle the various differentiations that being a "bronze", "silver" or "gold" partner entails. So just don't.What you should do instead is to have an internal understanding about: 1. Who is your ideal partner 2. How do you understand and measure if your partner is performing.This will help you to determine what channel partners you should focus on.Partner framework for large organizationsLarger organizations have the resources and time to create a more complex partner framework. They can organise the framework in many different ways. It all depends on what works for them.A good way to start is by defining partner program levels such as "bronze", "silver" and "gold". This framework helps organisations identify which partners are more involved in the partner program. These partners can then be given incentives. Some software companies, for instance, give their "gold"partners a lot of free software as a return on their investment in the partner program.The different partner levels also work as motivation. By joining the education program and getting certified, the channel partner can achieve higher partner status and consequently, get more benefits.Step 10: Build internal capacities and systemsNow that you have everything strategized and planned for your reseller channel partner program, it is time to make it a reality. Start by creating a list of all those tasks and infrastructure you need in order to build and start executing your partner program.Create all marketing materials ready including sales presentations,Opens in new window and redirects to external site. brochures, videos, and educational material. Also, implement IT systems that will give technical support to your partner program. This step is essential because it will help you in the long run when your partner list grows.Here is a list of needs you might have in each aspect of your partner program.1) About the program-general documentationPartner Program Operation Plan - Resources, time, organization chart, systems, sales.Legal agreements.Internal PowerPoint explaining the program.Account manager expectations on partners.Internal manual for the partner program.Information on how a channel partner can get pre-sales help and support.Information on how to manage leads and what is expected by channel partners.Partner selection matrix.Partner program roadmap presentation.Co-op fund structure.2) MarketingSales presentations that partners can use to sell your solution. If you want to learn how to create a sales presentation for channel partners click here.Opens in new window and redirects to external site.External sales PowerPoint to explain the program.Partner certificate.Training certificate.A two-page brochure explaining the partner program.Webpage where the partner program is explained and marketed.All marketing material that will enable partners to sell the solutions.Write specifications, select and implement IT-system for a partner portal were partners. can log in to get access to all material.3) Education platformCreate a specification for an IT-system that can host the education platform.Select IT-system and implement it.Establish training and certification curricula.Produce training material in the form of videos, presentations and text.Create tests so partners can certify their knowledge level.4) Development forumWrite specifications, select and implement a development forum in the partner portal.Make APIs available in the forum.Add manuals and instructions in the forum for how to use the API.Add examples of how to use the API in the forum.Add "Get Started" videos to the forum.Apart from this, as mentioned earlier, you may need IT-systems to manage your channel partners. The best way, however, to do this is to integrate it into your current CRM system. And the best solution for this would be SalesforceOpens in new window and redirects to external site. and Microsoft Dynamics CRMOpens in new window and redirects to external site..For IT-systems to enable education management, I would recommend that you use Citrix GoToTrainingOpens in new window and redirects to external site., WebexOpens in new window and redirects to external site., or NetexamOpens in new window and redirects to external site.. There are other good solutions as well such as MindflashOpens in new window and redirects to external site., ArticulateOpens in new window and redirects to external site., and CoursioOpens in new window and redirects to external site.. For support systems, I often recommend ZendeskOpens in new window and redirects to external site. but you can also use SalesforceOpens in new window and redirects to external site. and SatisfactionOpens in new window and redirects to external site..
Step 11: Define how to measure successWhenever you have objectives, it is important to define the parameters that will decide whether you have achieved your objectives or not. Define the parameters of KPI (Key Performance Indicators) to measure your success.Make sure what you define as KPIs are from the perspective of the success factors you had defined for your channel partners. Once you have decided what they are, make sure your IT support system calculates KPIs automatically.Step 12: Develop a marketing strategyThis marketing strategy is for your partners. Use the SOSTAC model for this. You can find its template hereOpens in new window and redirects to external site.. It is clear and easy to follow.Create a clear target audience because that's one of the most important things your channel partners need to understand. Use frameworks like RACEOpens in new window and redirects to external site. (Reach, Act, Convert, and Engage), 5SOpens in new window and redirects to external site. (Sell, Speak, Serve, Save, and Sizzle), and 7POpens in new window and redirects to external site. (Product, People, Place, Price, and Promotion).Step 13: Create a partner selection strategyYou should have a clear idea about who your target audience is for partners, just as you are clear about who you want as your customers. If you are not clear about this, you will waste time, money and effort on partners who cannot bring value to you or to your customers.Each new relationship is an investment and it is important that you define characteristics or attributes of the ideal channel partner required to address a particular market segment. This will help you to decide what channel partners you would like to invest in and build a deeper relationship with. Define how many partners you should recruit and set a target.Step 14: Build a focused channel partner organizationBeyond systems, there is the human element to building a successful partner program. It is important that the structure of any partner organization is rooted in the philosophy that members of the partner team remain connected to many different internal organizations in order to deliver desired results.Building, maintaining and growing a healthy channel ecosystem requires input from all parts of an organization.9 success factors for your reseller channel partner programRemember to keep the customer front and center: Every investment you make should, in the end, benefit the customer.Match your solution to the proper channel: This includes all your marketing material and information.Communicate often: Make sure that channel partners have all the information they need to become successful.Monitor and measure the program: There is always room for improvements.Resist making frequent changes: It takes at least 90 days after a contract is signed before you can expect to see any sales at all. Don't change your program too often. Instead, focus on your program elements and how to deliver them even better.Be clear about what the channel partner should do: Make sure that your expectations are clear and that they are aligned with your partner's business model.Support channel partners before, during and after the sale: You can do this with technical and sales assistance to help them grow their business.Monitor your competitors: Your competitors will often be pitching to the same customers. So make sure you keep your partners educated & informed about anything your competitors may say about your product or solution and train them to rebut it.Launch and work with a partner council: This council will represent a cross-section of your channel partners and will help you to keep a finger on the pulse of your channel's satisfaction levels.6 potential failure pointsOnce you have created your program you stop improving it: A successful partner program demands constant engagement and improvements.Lack of clarity: Make sure that you have truly defined what you want your channel partners to do, and that they are motivated enough to do it.Geographic diversity: Beyond the obvious differences between mature and emerging markets, there lie governmental, financial and cultural differences. Consider these when designing a first-time channel program.Investment in systems and resources: Without the appropriate allocation of resources, even the best program can't come to life. While you can outsource some parts of the program, internal resources are still required.Diverse channel ecosystem: Each channel partner type has unique requirements, expectations, and perspectives. Be flexible with systems, programs & sales initiatives to maximize investments across a greater partner base.You have not signed up the right channel partners: The partner you have signed up fails because there is a mismatch between expectations and the partner's business model.Example of how I built a hugely successful channel partner programRead my article - How I built a hugely successful channel partner program and you can too (In-depth).Opens in new window and redirects to external site. It's a concrete example of how I built a partner program from scratch in 2015. The partner program was so successful that over three-and-a-half years, we recruited over 30 partners from all over the world who were instrumental in signing on over 100 of the world's biggest mobile operators as customers.Creating a partner program is not a journey from A to Z. It is a continuous process. You must update your program from time-to-time so that it is in tune with market trends. The essence, however, lies in all the 14 steps that we have discussed. Keep coming back to each of them periodically and I am sure you will never be lost.ConclusionSo, there you have it...14 steps to create a professional channel partner program. Please remember, an amazing partner program doesn't stop after these 14 steps. You need to continue to improve and innovate your channel program every quarter. The market, your competitors, your offering, and partners continuously innovate, and you need to make sure you keep up.
Partner Program - The 14 Steps to Build Your Reseller Channel Program
Sales Trends
From the January 2021 article, "Partner Program- The 14 Steps to Build Your Reseller Channel Program." Written by Daniel Nilsson. How can a reseller ...
Four keys to a revenue-focused channel partner...
Four keys to a revenue-focused channel partner...
April 8, 2021 by Jeff Laue, Senior Managing Director - Accenture Digital ...
"Four keys to a revenue-focused channel partner strategy," by Jeff Laue. Published to Accenture.com on April 8, 2021. You want your channel ...
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"Four keys to a revenue-focused channel partner strategy," by Jeff Laue. Published to Accenture.com on April 8, 2021. You want your channel partners to succeed because you know that an increasing share of your business comes through your partner ecosystems. But are you doing enough to enable partners to succeed? Are you both keeping a relentless focus on revenue?
According to a recent study, more than 90% of company executives and channel leaders expect to increase revenue directly attributed to their partner ecosystems this year [1]. But with those growth expectations, you need to make sure you are positioned for success.
Based on more than 15 years of experience helping companies optimize their partner networks, I have found that there are four key components to ensuring your channel partner strategy is revenue focused.
1. CHOOSE YOUR PARTNERS CAREFULLY
A solid channel strategy is based on quality not quantity. And while you can have a tiered approach to partners, you should ensure you have a partner recruitment strategy that is based on analysis and alignment, not volume. Adopting a scorecard approach to evaluating partners allows you to understand the pros and cons of each partner and identify those that are most aligned to your revenue strategy. Every partner has, of course, its own strengths and weaknesses, but you need to evaluate how each partner is successfully leveraging the former and improving upon the latter.
2. NURTURE YOUR CHANNEL RELATIONSHIPS
Many companies simply don't invest enough in their partners, and tend to get back what they put in. Adopt a "partner first" attitude internally, just as you would a "customer first" attitude externally. Set up regular forums to update your partners on channel progress and collect their feedback on obstacles that need to be cleared. Offer plenty of opportunities for partners to learn from each other and build institutional best practices. At Accenture, we help our clients develop a concierge-style approach that provides their partners with always-on resources to answer questions, equips them with branded content and enablement materials, and helps them leverage partner funding in the most effective ways. Partners that have this information are prepared to offer real value to organization...and providing value drives revenue.
3. PROVIDE TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT
Marketing technology has become extremely sophisticated and is continuously evolving. To compete in the digital marketplace, partners must be able to identify qualified prospects to target and deliver thoughtful content that effectively communicates the value proposition of the offering. This may be difficult for partners to execute, especially if they don't have a modern sales and marketing tech stack. We have found that our clients with strong partner programs provide their partners with access to the latest data, technologies, and insights to support their go-to-market approach. Many of our clients leverage AI and machine learning to accelerate opportunities, providing partners with access to full prospect and client history, next-best offer recommendations and optimized messaging based on predictive analysis. Partners who can leverage technology for customer insights are equipped with the information to facilitate more meaningful connections which leads to higher conversions.
4. KEEP YOUR PARTNERS CONNECTED
A foundational component to any successful relationship is good communication. This is no different for your channel partners. Offer them educational opportunities like webinars and sales enablement materials like playbooks and battlecards that they can access instantly and share across their teams. Think beyond product information to things like guidance on social selling. Then provide them with opportunities to give feedback and input into your programs and be prepared to implement changes, when appropriate. Empowering and connecting partners will build strong relationships for your business while becoming more valuable to customers, which directly impact revenues.
Four keys to a revenue-focused channel partner strategy
Sales Trends
"Four keys to a revenue-focused channel partner strategy," by Jeff Laue. Published to Accenture.com on April 8, 2021. You want your channel partners ...
Scaling Up International B2B Sales With Channel...
Scaling Up International B2B Sales With Channel...
January 11, 2021 by Oscar Torres. Forbes.com
Article from January 11, 2021 by Oscar Torres. Published by Forbes.com Oscar Torres is the director of the B2B Management Program at Esade ...
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Article from January 11, 2021 by Oscar Torres. Published by Forbes.com
Oscar Torres is the director of the B2B Management Program at Esade Executive Education.
The software industry is probably one of the most competitive sectors as there is practically no room for players to become category standards. Given that a sense of urgency to achieve market share is critical for software firms, companies in other industries can learn from them when they're considering scaling up internationally.
I have often been asked the following question during my lectures at Esade: Why and when should B2B companies leverage channel partners to scale up their sales internationally? The answer is simple: The main reason for using channel partners is to deliver local value to clients and to accelerate coverage and revenue growth. And, what's more: All of this without having to increase fixed costs by hiring thousands of new employees. Instead, companies can use their resources to innovate and offer best-in-class solutions.
This is the upside. The downside is that it requires a clear channel mindset to recruit, develop, and properly manage those partners. The right moment to recruit channel partners is when your business model is fully proven. Otherwise, it will be hard to find the right partners if you are incapable of recognizing what drives your success.
So, how does a company build the right B2B channel partners network at the international level?
First of all, it is important to be certain that candidates can provide local added value as future resellers of your solutions. This added value starts with the market knowledge you need, the companies' local recognition, their access to your target clients, and a shared vision of your business values concerning sales, marketing, services, etc.
Understanding your partners' CEOs and C-level profiles (and their coachability) is also critical as they will have to commit to your business model and values, share a passion for your mission, and align themselves with your strategy, as well as share a common understanding of how to do business with integrity and honesty.
Cultural fit is key. If you recruit channel partners looking to grow, their culture will have to be performance-driven with a sense of urgency to hit your targets in a specific market. Here the challenge will be developing a real partnership, which comes from both sides, yours and the partners'. A real partnership means commitment to a long-term view. We can sum this up in one magic word: mindshare. How much are they going to think about you compared to others?
Once you recruit them, another big question arises: How do you onboard and develop your international B2B channel partners network?
First of all, you should build a "field channel team" that has an in-depth understanding of and shares the local culture, while being field-oriented at the same time. The team's key mission is scaling up your business by finding partners or value-added resellers (VARs).
Your field team will learn little through internal meetings and Excel spreadsheets. Instead, it has to learn about your channel partners' skills by being with them in the field. In turn, channel partners will learn by doing, while the field team leads by example. Being field-oriented helps to develop a B2B culture that will enable your business strategy.
Developing the channel partners' and their managers' knowledge of strategy, business planning, sales and marketing management, talent management, data, finance, etc. is also fundamental. The objective is to achieve a holistic alignment between your strategy and your channel partners' strategy and execution.
A solid channel management culture is probably the most important aspect to be able to lead an international channel partner network successfully. When it comes to the governance model, words like consistency, coherence, transparency, and simplicity are the foundations of a good channel management approach. It also requires clear upfront contracts, by which clear and common goals are shared. Always respecting the agreed-on rules and promoting fair competition with appropriate rewards and profits for both will be the basis of a true win-win relationship.
You need to develop channel partners that are accountable and loyal. You can achieve this by creating a sense of urgency and by celebrating shared successes that inspire everyone. The goal is to finally develop a common culture that will increase your partners' mindshare with respect to your strategy.
But, what can go wrong? If you don't pay attention to these previous considerations, here are some of the mistakes that I've seen across various industries and geographies. One of the most common is believing that a complex contract is a way to guarantee success, instead of creating a trustworthy relationship. Similarly, recruiting channel partners before you understand your own business model and its success factors is a problem. The same holds true for recruiting partners in a hurry, with a short pipeline of candidates, without involving the field team to consider the local culture, and without measuring the candidates' local added value or checking for client references.
Another very common error is fantasizing that, if partners haven't worked well with your competitors, they will work great with you. Similar mistakes include believing that, once you contract them, no onboarding will be needed for them to adopt your vision and culture or that you do not need to spend time with them in the field.
Last, but not least, never change the rules when they do not benefit you and do not be transactional with channel partners, expecting that they will not be transactional with you. Of course, if you make any of these mistakes, you know what the outcome will be. And let me tell you: These partners will not meet your expectations.
This article is inspired by my experience in creating, leading and developing B2B software channels, although, after being in contact with over four hundred B2B companies in the last few years, I've come to realize that these concepts are perfectly suited to many other industries that want to scale up internationally.
In sum, B2B companies that want to expand their presence in local and global markets and accelerate their international sales have a great opportunity to do so by building channel partner networks. But this requires a detailed analysis of when and how to do it to be truly effective.
Scaling Up International B2B Sales With Channel Partners: Why, When And How
Sales Trends
Article from January 11, 2021 by Oscar Torres. Published by Forbes.com Oscar Torres is the director of the B2B Management Program at Esade Executive ...
How the Pandemic Will Influence Channel Partner...
How the Pandemic Will Influence Channel Partner...
Written by Geeman Yip January 19, 2021
Article published January 19, 2021 by Geeman Yip. How the Pandemic Will Influence Channel Partner Businesses in 2021 From reshaping ...
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Article published January 19, 2021 by Geeman Yip.
How the Pandemic Will Influence Channel Partner Businesses in 2021
From reshaping workspaces to doing more with less, four trends will dominate operations and sales.
Businesses around the world are conducting their typical annual planning this year amid atypical circumstances. Impacts from the extraordinary events of 2020 are expected to be long lasting and companies must simply forge ahead despite lingering uncertainty about direction.Fortunately, we've navigated enough roadOpens in new window and redirects to external site. during the pandemic to have some idea about what the next year will be like. Here are four trends I anticipate will influence how channel partners sell their products and services, as well as how they operate their businesses.Reinvention of the WorkplaceRisk of exposure to the coronavirus will continue well into 2021 as we wait for distribution of the new vaccines. Even after this pandemic, the way in which we interact will fundamentally change. This will lead companies to make significant changesOpens in new window and redirects to external site. to their workplace environments. With many employees continuing to work from home, offices will feature fewer individual desks. We will see increased use of "hot desks" and more large conference rooms providing space to spread out. The shift toward more shared open space, similar to a WeWork scenario, will enable socially-distanced collaboration in an office setting. Even companies that already have large communal spaces in their offices will need to actively reshape employee behaviors in these areas so there's an emphasis on getting work done instead of socializing.Increase Productivity, Decrease CostsCompanies will look to conserve cash and do more with less in the coming year as a response to the economic volatility brought on by the pandemic and lingering uncertainty about the future. Investments will still be made in software and tools that enable employees to be as effective and productive as possible, while companies also identify areas for cost savings.For example, we will continue to see a rise in cloud-based productivity applications, including Microsoft Teams, Slack and Google Workspace. Solutions that help IT manage, assess and report on software usage and adoption will help companies increase optimization of technologies purchased. This will ensure the correct licensing levels are in place and highlight when software licenses can be discontinued.Expected productivity gains will also be realized as these IT solutions identify opportunities to ensure employees are using new technology effectively. These same IT solutions can also help bring about cost savings by automating labor-intensive IT workRedirects to external site.. Channel partners will not only assist their customers with this important profit-protecting work, but also similarly invest in doing more with less in their own companies.Cloud Expansion, Optimization ContinuesRemote operations continue to be essential for business continuity during the pandemic, and so, too, will expanded use of cloud-based services. Companies that were already migrating to the cloud when the pandemic began will continue this work in the new year. Those that scrambled to the cloud in response to the pandemic will look for ways to optimize their cloud footprintRedirects to external site., knowing that this will not be a temporary shift in business operations, but a long-term strategy.As more workloads are moved to the cloud, and companies invest in cloud applications, there will be a need to keep technology and data sprawl in check. This is not only for efficiency and cost control, but also to ensure proper data governance, regulatory compliance and monitoring of technology useRedirects to external site. throughout the company. The adoption of automation will be important as it allows organizations to keep up with the increase in technology without having to increase their workforce at the same pace. Automation will allow organizations to reduce manual work, deliver reports in a timely manner, detect system anomalies in real time and more. Channel partners will continue to play a pivotal role in assisting companies with migration, optimization and governance in the cloud.Social Selling Gains FavorTraditional sales and marketing tactics are likely to become less effective, after a year of nonstop digital interactionOpens in new window and redirects to external site. and the resulting spike in email volume. As people look for ways to have meaningful connections with people they trust, we will see more social selling and connecting in 2021. Individuals with expertise in products, solutions and industry trends will increasingly turn to their social channels to share their expertise. In turn, people with a mutual interest in this information or a need for advice will seek out these experts directly and follow their social feeds. In the same way companies have used email marketing and websites as a tool to sell on a one-to-many basis, social selling and connectingOpens in new window and redirects to external site. enables a more personal one-to-one experience that will be increasingly popular in the coming year.
How the Pandemic Will Influence Channel Partner Businesses in 2021
Sales Trends
Article published January 19, 2021 by Geeman Yip. How the Pandemic Will Influence Channel Partner Businesses in 2021 From reshaping workspaces to ...
Five Tips For Getting 2021 Channel Sales Off To A...
Five Tips For Getting 2021 Channel Sales Off To A...
October 6, 2020 by Stephanie Sissler
Article published October 6, 2020 by Stephanie Sissler, VP, Principal Analyst, Sales Executive Services.Even in the best of times, starting ...
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Five Tips For Getting 2021 Channel Sales Off To A Fast Start
Sales Trends
Article published October 6, 2020 by Stephanie Sissler, VP, Principal Analyst, Sales Executive Services.Even in the best of times, starting the new ...
Partner marketing in 2020: trends and strategies
Partner marketing in 2020: trends and strategies
Published by uniqodo
From the article: Partner marketing in 2020: trends and strategies published by uniqodoThe world of partner or affiliate marketing ...
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Partner marketing in 2020: trends and strategies
Channel Marketing
From the article: Partner marketing in 2020: trends and strategies published by uniqodoThe world of partner or affiliate marketing represents a ...
7 B2B Content Marketing Trends for 2021
7 B2B Content Marketing Trends for 2021
Published by Altitude Marketing
From the article: 7 B2B Content Marketing Trends for 2021 published by Altitude Marketing Content marketing is broadening our horizon as ...
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From the article: 7 B2B Content Marketing Trends for 2021 published by Altitude Marketing
Content marketing is broadening our horizon as marketers. It's not enough anymore to simply just write. When we write, we have to write for a purpose. But "writing" alone isn't enough. Why? Because the way people consume content has changed dramatically over the last few years - and it will continue to evolve in 2021.
With these changing times and content-hungry consumers, it's not easy to keep up. Us marketing folk often have bandwidth constraints and can't produce as much as we should. So finding other ways to produce quality content that consumers are looking for is key.
Here are 7 B2B content marketing trends to look out for in 2021:
Trend #1: Video Content
A whopping 70% of researchers watch some sort of video through their buying journey - and video content marketing is here to stay in 2021.
If you think about it from the buyer's perspective, they get to watch an informative video that tells them everything they need to know in 2-3 minutes. It certainly beats scrolling through article after article to find the solution they're looking for.
After all, time is money, folks.
When creating these videos, they don't necessarily have to be the highest quality. You don't have to worry about someone giving you a 0% on Rotten Tomatoes with this. The key is, your video should be a little bit better than you walking around and talking into your phone, but not that much better.
In the old days, you'd have to spend $3,000 or more to make an explainer video every time you wanted to get something across. Now, you can use a ScreenFlow such as Loom to make it easier to get your message across. In many cases, if you're going to write a blog post or a Linkedin post, it simply makes sense to make a video - because people consume that in great quantity. (Exhibit A: TikTok, which you should not use for B2B marketing).
Trend #2: Webinars
Webinars are awesome, but it doesn't necessarily mean you'll get a thousand people showing up at 2 p.m. next Tuesday when you're running your webinar. The good thing is, the format is increasingly accepted - with 75% of B2B buyers having consumed webinars in 2019. Not too shabby, and a clear indicator of a B2B content marketing trend for 2021.
Webinars are intensely useful, and if you have a talented salesperson talking through a slide deck during a webinar, you're golden.
Trend #3: Podcasts
What is a podcast but a conversation?
Just like we mentioned with videos, audio content doesn't have to be highly produced. As long as you have something to say, you can do this. You don't have to edit your podcast heavily, and these usually result in hours instead of days of work. It's the difference between spending dozens of dollars instead of thousands. Definitely worth the time.
It's even easy to put your podcast up on podcast networks - often for free. How can you say no to that?
Those are three things that, frankly, you're kind of already doing when you're on a conference call.
Every conference call is a video.Every sales call is a webinar.Every good conversation is a podcast.
Y'all can do that stuff real quick. It's a 2021 content marketing trend for a reason.
Trend #4: Featured Snippets
You know that large box that shows up after you do a Google search that has the answer to your question? That's called a featured snippet. It's an answer box. It's a coveted position for every company to land on because, well, it's usually the first thing the users' eyes fall on.
That type of brand exposure never hurts, but the only way to land a featured snippet is to give Google exactly what they believe their customers are looking for. This could include how-to lists, summary paragraphs, and even an information table that Google could pull and show in the featured snippet.
At the end of the day, Google exists to answer people's questions. If you answer the question best, you get to be in the trophy box.
So don't sleep on your SEO and content production. Make your content as clear as possible, and be sure to structure it in a logical way.
Trend #5: User-Generated Content
This may not necessarily be something you have now, but we live in a world of content producers. Every 15 year old is a content producer. Every one of your buyers is kind of a content producer. People are used to creating things - which is where user-generated content comes in.
You don't have to do it yourself as long as you offer an incentive for users to create something on their own. Now, we're not saying it has to be the guy on the skateboard with the Ocean Spray juice, but it should be someone that makes sense for you.
Whether it's reviews and testimonials or some photos and a hashtag, if you give people the means, they are willing to create content for you. Just like with videos, webinars and podcasts, this is a content marketing strategy that can surely expand your bandwidth.
Trend #6: Focus on Search Intent
Search intent is what folks want to find when they Google something. So you have to think about that when looking at your B2B content marketing for 2021. Search what terms you're looking to rank for and see what shows up - you've got to match that.
As we know, Google increasingly wants to show information without people having to constantly click - that includes how-to lists, creating a summary of your argument high up on your landing page and even putting a table of critical information high up on your page. All of these things might get you a position on Google a lot better than you would otherwise.
And keep you one rank ahead of the competition.
Trend #7: Partner Operations
This answers the No. 1 question: Why?
Why are you creating this content? It's for cross-promotion and relationship building.
Every tech company now has a partner team tasked with creating sales channels and relationships throughout the industry. Even the largest of companies, from Zapier to Unbounce, are willing to work with you to help get their name out - that's literally their job.
They will shock you in terms of the openness they have to work with you and the introductions they bring to you. Plus, they're willing to help you create content. At the end of the day, they are looking to get their name out there. And you're their key to making that happen.
Moral of the story is: Build partners and build relationships - because they're willing to promote you.
And promotion means exposure. Which means more leads. Which means more moolah.
It's a win-win. And that means it's a great content marketing trend.
7 B2B Content Marketing Trends for 2021
Channel Marketing
From the article: 7 B2B Content Marketing Trends for 2021 published by Altitude Marketing Content marketing is broadening our horizon as marketers. ...
To Ensure MDF Remainders Aren't Left On Table,...
To Ensure MDF Remainders Aren't Left On Table,...
Published by Channel Marketer Report on February 9, 2021
From the article: To Ensure MDF Remainders Aren't Left On Table, Encourage/Enable Compact Digital Projects by Channel Marketer ReportThe ...
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From the article: To Ensure MDF Remainders Aren't Left On Table, Encourage/Enable Compact Digital Projects by Channel Marketer ReportThe fact that the channel-focused digital publication CRN continues to ask in its annual partner program survey what percentage of MDF/co-op goes unspent on a quarterly basis is a good indication that many partners continue to leave money on the table.
A spot check of responses to the 2020 Partner Program Guide revealed that a number of respondents said the question was not applicable, which may reflect different MDF budgeting and allocation strategies. Still, other responses included ranges of 1 to 10% and higher. At least one respondent said that 50% of its MDF allocation remained unspent each quarter.The reasons why many partners don't take advantage of the MDF offered them are many. Channel experts site overly restrictive guidelines as a major problem. Programs that require partners to invest matching funds or are slow to approve and then reimburse expenditures are important challenges.
In many cases, the available funds may be considered too small to support an effective activity. At many partner organizations, especially smaller companies, there are no staff in place to use MDF efficiently or effectively.
Just how much money individual partners are not utilizing is difficult to determine. Claudio Ayub, SVP - Technology, Media, Telecom Practice, at 360Insights, told CMR that it's likely that 30% to 40% of MDF overall is typically left on the table. He ballparked that smaller partners often leave as much as $2,000 unspent. Partners at the SMB level will fail to utilize as much as $5,000.
While these funds may be insufficient to cover the costs of average partner-conducted efforts, they could be invested in no- or low-effort activities that represent a reasonable return on investment.
Vendors that have ongoing relationships with digital marketing agencies may be well positioned to ensure optimal use of their MDF allocations. Heather K. Margolis, Founder and Chairperson of Channel Maven Consulting, a channel consulting firm, recommended several affordable activities that can be supported with limited MDF.
Raise Partners' Social Profiles
"One of the things we feel very strongly about is that before a partner does any demand gen activity, they really need to connect with their prospects on LinkedIn first. So that whatever that demand gen activity, it's not only going out via email or to the people that they're already connected with. It's also going out to a broader audience."
Channel Maven recommends prioritizing the LinkedIn profiles of partner executives. "Do they have the right picture? Do they have the right tagline? Are they saying the right things in their summary?" Channel Maven then help executives connect with prospects, customizing messages for short lists of prioritized customers.
Margolis suggested that vendors could permit partners to use MDF to cover the cost of a social media training session for a partner's sales and marketing staff. "When you use MDF to show a partner that it's worthwhile to be on LinkedIn, then they spend more time on LinkedIn. Then they get more deals. Then they get more opportunities then they close more revenue. It's a very positive cycle," she said.
Small increments of MDF can also be invested to support inbound efforts, such as search engine optimization. While there not be sufficient funds for an agency to actually manage a partner's SEO program, it may be able to perform an assessment and make recommendations on improvements. Margolis suggested that an agency could perform an assessment and deliver a checklist to partners on improving their search results.
Support Multi-Partner Programs
A more ambitious effort on the part of the vendors - but one that would benefit multiple partners - would be to aggregate the funds of like-minded partners to support a larger campaign. "If you have five partners who don't actually compete with each other, who may be in different regions but serve the same vertical, a vendor could combine MDF for an activity such as an online seminar or webinar," said Margolis.
To promote wider use of MDF overall, Ayub suggested that channel leaders need to reset programs to be better aligned with more digital activities. As the pandemic shut down in-person events - the preferred marketing tactic for more partners - digitally-savvy brands that were ready to fully-fund modern marketing activities were advantaged.
"Disruptive vendors came up with very different offers," said Ayub, "and they weren't just the big guys." They recognized that partners were no longer going to spend MDF to hold in-person events. "So now let's do this, they said," Ayub continued, offering digital packages supported by supported by multiple agencies, "supported by an infrastructure that empowers that vendor to deliver on behalf of the partner digital demand generation. A lot of the gates were opened to let partners consume MDF in other ways."
Overall, MDF allocations may not have changes "but the budget that was there was consumed," said Ayub.
To Ensure MDF Remainders Aren't Left On Table, Encourage/Enable Compact Digital Projects
Channel Marketing
From the article: To Ensure MDF Remainders Aren't Left On Table, Encourage/Enable Compact Digital Projects by Channel Marketer ReportThe fact that ...
7 Marketing Channels to Focus On In 2021
7 Marketing Channels to Focus On In 2021
Published by HubSpot
From the article: 7 Marketing Channels to Focus On In 2021 published by HubSpotEven though Field of Dreams is one of my favorite movies, ...
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7 Marketing Channels to Focus On In 2021
Channel Marketing
From the article: 7 Marketing Channels to Focus On In 2021 published by HubSpotEven though Field of Dreams is one of my favorite movies, the saying ...
Make Channel Managers Your Partner Marketing...
Make Channel Managers Your Partner Marketing...
Published by Channel Marketer Report on March 23, 2021
From the article: Make Channel Managers Your Partner Marketing Program Evangelists by Channel Marketer ReportThere are any number of ways ...
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Make Channel Managers Your Partner Marketing Program Evangelists
Channel Marketing
From the article: Make Channel Managers Your Partner Marketing Program Evangelists by Channel Marketer ReportThere are any number of ways that the ...
Precision Partnering Boosts Through-Channel...
Precision Partnering Boosts Through-Channel...
Published by Channel Marketer Report on March 24, 2021
From the article: Precision Partnering Boosts Through-Channel Marketing Performance by Channel Marketer ReportThe disappointing level of ...
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Precision Partnering Boosts Through-Channel Marketing Performance
Channel Marketing
From the article: Precision Partnering Boosts Through-Channel Marketing Performance by Channel Marketer ReportThe disappointing level of partner ...
What Should Channel Marketers Get Right? Provide...
What Should Channel Marketers Get Right? Provide...
Published by Channel Marketer Report on January 11, 2021
From the article: What Should Channel Marketers Get Right? Provide Better, Actionable Data by Channel Marketer ReportCisco's acquisition of ...
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From the article: What Should Channel Marketers Get Right? Provide Better, Actionable Data by Channel Marketer ReportCisco's acquisition of Slido and IMImobile prompted Andrew Gilman, Head of Marketing and Alliances for NWN, a Cisco partner and a service provider specializing in unified communications, collaboration and contact centers, to share his thoughts on the news. In an email, he wrote:"These acquisitions are all about driving engagement and making it easy to adopt innovation in this environment. With customers looking to adopt more cloud business communications and collaboration (away from legacy on-premise based platforms) we're seeing an explosion in the number of new apps/tools, like Slido and IMImobile that can help support employee and customer experiences.
"In today's environment with IT departments stretched to the max (physically distributed and taxed from a resource perspective) - it's really critical for OEMs like Cisco and next-gen cloud communications providers like NWN to integrate innovative tools to help customers deliver better outcomes faster."
Channel Marketer Report took the opportunity to reach out to Gilman and ask for his thoughts on a number of channel marketing topics.
CMR - While some vendors support their partners with high-quality through-channel marketing programs, some miss the mark with their initiatives. What are some of the things that effective channel marketing teams are getting right?
Andrew Gilman - Today it's all about the data. Who is 'in-market' now and researching projects that you can service. Today's best programs are helping to put the data together better and make it actionable. We then use marketing automation to help.
CMR - What are some of the most critical mistakes that vendor channel marketing teams continue to make?Andrew Gilman - Focusing too much on speeds and feeds and OEM brand versus business outcomes for customers. Today is all about results and references, so it's critical to put your customers first and tell their stories. This is especially true with trying to market digitally versus in-person events.
CMR - Vendors are rethinking the way they allocate MDF, many transitioning funds to proposal-based allocations. Are NWN's vendors inviting you to submit proposals for MDF? How open have they been to your requests? How would describe the approval process?
Andrew Gilman - We've moved to a more strategic funding model, where our partners are very tightly aligned with our strategy to drive growth and have made big bets on NWN to run our proven playbook.
CMR - Vendors are investing in a variety of tools and technologies to support their partners' marketing efforts, but having difficulty driving adoption. Is the problem with the tools - too many tools, maybe - or the investment that vendors are making in training and creation of marketing materials these tools help to disseminate?
Andrew Gilman - That problem sounds like tools for tools sake versus looking at the outcome you want to drive. Is it more meetings, more engagement, more leads? You need to make sure the tools are focused on delivering a specific sales objective/KPI. More tools are not always good, but a few good tools can really help. We implemented an AI tool into Salesforce.com that helps deliver more appointments with our sales team. It has over a 60% conversion ratio of "send" to "meetings".
CMR - What are some of the investments that you're making at NWN to make better use of the materials/support/MDF that your vendors are offering?
Andrew Gilman - We're focused on delivering more aircover, collateral, and programs that help our sellers engage our customer base (remotely) and deliver value. These include launching new solutions into the market like our Experience Management Platform, and new webinars that help educate customers about how to maximize their investments throughout its lifecycle.
CMR - What are some of the emerging B2B marketing challenges that vendors can help companies like yours address?
Andrew Gilman - Breaking into new logos/accounts remotely is much harder than ever before. We've developed a great program for achieving it through digital marketing, analytics, AI and BDRs...anything that can help deliver buyers to engage with is the name of the game!
What Should Channel Marketers Get Right? Provide Better, Actionable Data
Channel Marketing
From the article: What Should Channel Marketers Get Right? Provide Better, Actionable Data by Channel Marketer ReportCisco's acquisition of Slido and ...
Marketing Experts Share Their 2021 Trends
Marketing Experts Share Their 2021 Trends
Published by CMS Wire on January 14, 2021
From article: Marketing Experts Share Their 2021 Trends published by CMS WireEvery marketer and their mother wants to know: What will the ...
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From article: Marketing Experts Share Their 2021 Trends published by CMS WireEvery marketer and their mother wants to know: What will the industry look like in 2021?
As the pandemic drags on, some bets are safe: Digital channels will be crowded. Most marketing events will continue to be held virtually. But other marketing trends aren't so obvious.
So what do marketing experts see coming? Here's what I'm hearing from my network:1. Personalization Will Put Buyers in Control
Until recently, marketing personalization has been a bit gimmicky. In 2021, companies will use personalization not just to craft better email subject lines, but to make the buyer's journey more individualized. "This change in dynamic requires a highly personalized customer experience that aligns to how buyers now want to do business," explained observeIQ CMO Carol Volk.
Volk pointed to product delivery as a hotspot for personalization. Customers want access to digital products wherever they have an internet connection. For physical products, they want to choose not just between in-store and online shopping, but between curbside pickup and delivery. And they want every option at a time that works for them.
2. Alignment Will Require all Hands on Deck
Pipeline challenges will continue well into 2021. To keep demand high, marketers will need to keep lines of communication strong with their sales and customer service teams. Collaboration and transparency will be key.
"Pipeline comes from many sources, and marketing can never provide 100% of the needed demand generation," warned Terminus CMO Daniel Incandela. "Without these relationships, you don't stand a chance."
Incandela suggests prioritizing trust. Build bridges that make it possible to hold yourself and your colleagues accountable.3. Content Will Continue to Focus on Current Events
Relevant content gets clicks. In 2020, many marketers pivoted from their regularly scheduled programming to the year's crises.
"Great marketers have always been flexible," said TripleLift CMO Jordan Bitterman. "It's far more effective to communicate with messages related to current events than it is to stay rigid with the going-in plan."
Never be afraid to scrap an intro, topic, or even an entire marketing strategy if current events call for it. You probably did it in 2020. You can do it again in 2021.
4. Conferences Will Remain Remote
Conferences are big in the marketing industry. The events of 2020 drove almost all of them online, and the same is likely to be true in 2021.
Don't forget altogether about continuing education, but don't expect to spend a lot of money on it, either. Choose a few online conferences, and sign each member of your marketing team up for at least one of them.
"Unfortunately, it seems clear that in-person events and meetings will still be risky in 2021," said Sue Childs, CMO of ComplySci. "Even with a vaccine, I think a return to large gatherings is unlikely until late 2021 at best."5. Consumer Spending Will Explode
Consumer spending dried up in 2020 as many Americans lost jobs and others prioritized saving. As the economy recovers, some marketing experts foresee an explosion in consumer spending.
"We think there will be a huge burst in spending," said MoneyLion CMO Bill Davaris. "Luxury items, travel, clothes, gifts, homes, tech, and cars - consumers are going to splurge on all the things they put on hold in 2020."
Don't count your chickens before they hatch. Do realize, however, that getting consumers to open their wallets will likely be easier in 2021 than it was in 2020.
6. Streaming Will Take Center Stage
"We will see brands shift their media investments to streaming and gaming platforms in a more meaningful way," predicted Brad Wilson, WarnerMedia executive vice president of growth and media.
Many brands dipped their toes in platforms like Twitch in 2020. Next year, they're likely to double down on streaming campaigns. Wilson also predicts partnerships with gaming influencers will become common.7. The Emergence of Nostalgia for In-Store Shopping
As consumers spend more time and money online, some experts foresee a snapback to in-store shopping. Consumers who don't feel safe in stores will try to relive the experience digitally.
"The consumer will be hyper-focused on trying to emulate the cross-shopping brick-and-mortar experience they really miss, believe it or not," said Bruce Hershey, Digital Hands CMO and former CMO of Men's Wearhouse. "They will be more likely to use apps that create an experience that they miss and want."
8. Brands Will Cater to Consumers' Anxieties
If there's one thing we can all agree on, it's that 2020 has been stressful. Brands will continue to speak to that common experience in 2021.
"Consumers are exhausted, anxious, and shaken to their core," said Alma Derricks, REV founder and managing partner. "In 2021, brands should continue to focus on practical features and benefits, personal well being, and healing while avoiding cruel and insensitive displays of privilege."
Although some consumers made it through 2020 just fine, many others lost jobs and even family members. Marketers must be sensitive to those losses.9. Brand-to-Brand Collaborations Will Be Big
Brands are accustomed to competing with each other. In 2021, some marketing experts predict they'll give collaboration a go.
In a recent AdWeek article, SkyZone CMO Josh Cole pointed to McDonald's wildly successful partnership with Travis Scott and Adidas' partnerships with Lego and Allbirds. "Unexpected partnerships between corporate brands capture media attention, generate buzz and allow for cross marketing to customer bases," Cole noted, "without celebrity endorsement fees, all of which plays well in an era of hard-to-capture consumer attention and tightened budgets."
10. Political Divides Will Create Ongoing Challenges
The divisive political climate of 2020 isn't going away in 2021, marketing experts warn. "I predict an ever-increasing divide across the US as a number of brands continue to take very public positions on controversial political issues and push specific social and cultural agendas," said Kent Huffman, Fractional CMO.
Marketers are likely to find themselves walking increasingly fine political lines. When in doubt, don't drag your brand into hot-button issues.11. All-Remote Marketing Teams Will Become Common
"Believe it or not, even more marketers will be working from home in 2021," said Michele Barbone, former CMO of Lenox. The result will be ongoing workflow and alignment challenges.
Don't wait until a miscommunication blows up to address it, Barbone continued. The better team members understand each other and the team's wider goals, the better.
12. Sales-Marketing Alignment Will Be Mission-Critical
Friction between the sales and marketing teams is nothing new. But as revenue becomes more difficult to come by and remote work more common, aligning the two teams will be more important than ever.
"Marketing will have to fully jump the chasm and embrace the responsibility to service sales and directly affect revenue," argued former Oracle CCO Jeb Dasteel. "Don't get me wrong - sales has to adapt as well - but it's really up to marketing to figure out how to create and nurture that critical connection between the CMO's team and sales function."
13. Zoom Burnout Will Be Universal
Are you sick of videoconferencing yet? If not, you will be by the end of 2021, marketing experts predict.
"Zoom isn't new but has never been used to the degree it is today," said Pearle Vision CMO Doug Zarkin. "As for the future, I think it'll become increasingly clear that people are burned out. They long for phone calls and face-to-face conversations."
Zoom isn't going away, to be sure. But other communication channels may come back into vogue as marketers move away from videoconferencing.
14. Thought Leadership Is the New Demand Gen
Alexandria Symos, Vice President, Go-To-Market Center of Excellence at Edison Partners acknowledges that companies have always bought in to the importance of thought leadership in building of a successful brand.
But she believes there is a clear difference between those who just provide lip service versus those who deliver on the promise of true thought leadership. "Those that are most knowledgeable about their markets and buyers will invest more in content creation as a means to communicate advice and expertise to their customers," she said. "Up front delivery of value-based information will become greens fees for securing meetings and mindshare with buyers."
Marketing Experts Share Their 2021 Trends
Channel Marketing
From article: Marketing Experts Share Their 2021 Trends published by CMS WireEvery marketer and their mother wants to know: What will the industry ...
Channel Marketing Trends and Priorities for 2021
Channel Marketing Trends and Priorities for 2021
Published by brandmuscle on November 23, 2020
From the article: Channel Marketing Trends and Priorities for 2021 published by brandmuscleChannel Marketing Trends and Priorities for ...
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Channel Marketing Trends and Priorities for 2021
Channel Marketing
From the article: Channel Marketing Trends and Priorities for 2021 published by brandmuscleChannel Marketing Trends and Priorities for 2021Between a ...
6 Trends to Guide Your 2021 Multichannel...
6 Trends to Guide Your 2021 Multichannel...
Published by PFL on December 9, 2020
From article: 6 Trends to Guide Your 2021 Multichannel Marketing Strategy published on PFLAs we come to the end of another year, it's ...
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From article: 6 Trends to Guide Your 2021 Multichannel Marketing Strategy published on PFLAs we come to the end of another year, it's natural to look ahead. As marketers, we start to plan for the coming year and map out our strategy. We analyze marketing trends and look for patterns to inform that strategy. But after a year like 2020, how can we possibly know what's coming next?
By looking at data.
Back in July, PFL released the 2020 State of Multichannel Marketing report in partnership with Demand Metric. To develop this report, we spoke to nearly 600 marketers about their multichannel marketing strategies, experiences, and results. We also looked at how things changed from 2019 to 2020 - and how they stayed the same - which can help us understand what lies ahead in 2021.
Following are some tips based on the key trends we anticipate for the coming year. Keep these ideas in mind as you plan your 2021 multichannel marketing strategy.
1. Leverage data to create true personalization.
Notice I said true personalization. That's because marketers often confuse "automation" with "personalization." Inserting the contact's first name in a campaign doesn't count.
Today's customers and prospects demand more. They expect brands to understand their unique needs and preferences and to customize their experience accordingly. The best way to introduce real personalization into your marketing mix is by using intent data, data-based insights, and trigger-driven campaigns.
Intent data - typically collected through direct interactions and online browsing behavior - can help you understand your prospects' plans to purchase a given product or service. Applying this unique data to your marketing campaigns through Tactile Marketing Automation can increase your brand's impact and improve audience engagement.
Imagine a shopper browsing a retailer's website. They place an item in their cart but don't immediately make a purchase. Their online activity triggers a direct mail piece promoting their selected item along with a 20% discount coupon. That's true personalization. And that's just the beginning.
Our 2020 State of Multichannel Marketing research validates these ideas. When asked to name the most important factors in multichannel marketing success, survey respondents put "data accuracy" and "understanding audience needs" at the top of the list.
2. Coordinate online and offline channels to elevate your campaigns.
Finding the right mix is among the biggest challenges of any multichannel marketing strategy. Too few channels, and you risk oversaturation and missing out on large swaths of potential buyers. Too many channels, and you're likely to overextend your resources, leading to a disjointed customer experience.
According to the 2020 State of Multichannel Marketing report, marketers achieve their best results when their campaigns use a combination of four to six channels.
Of course, true success depends on more than just having the right number of channels. You need to use those channels to create a relevant, meaningful customer experience that's reinforced at every touchpoint.
For example, say you engage with a prospect at an event. The interaction triggers a direct mail follow-up, including some branded swag and collateral related to the conversation you had. When the package is delivered, the delivery notification triggers both an email to the prospect and an alert to the sales rep with all the context they need for a meaningful phone conversation. You can even loop in some targeted display and social ads to round out the experience. That's four to six channels, tightly orchestrated, to deliver a remarkable brand experience.
3. Take a fresh look at direct mail in today's remote world.
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted a massive shift to remote work for employees across the US, and surveys indicate this trend is here to stay. Regardless of whether employees are located at home or in a physical office, direct mail is one of the most effective channels for reaching target audiences.
What's more, direct mail saw a significant year-over-year gain in reported effectiveness (82% in 2020 vs. 78% in 2019), despite this year's shift to remote work.
As the lines between work and home continue to blur, we need to find ways to meet our customers and prospects where they are. Marketers may be hesitant to send direct mail to a home address, because it isn't something they're used to doing. The truth is, B2B customers and prospects are receptive to receiving direct mail at home - and many actually prefer it.
Finding home addresses may seem like a tall task, but it doesn't have to be. You can use simple, effective tactics to collect and confirm a contact's address, and our Preferred Address Capture solution makes it easy to engage your contacts with a remarkable brand experience.
4. Use tactile experiences to create human connections
While working from home has its advantages, it has also increased isolation and created a sense of digital fatigue. Digital overload is real.
Smart marketers have long understood the importance of making real connections with their audience. In today's world, that means cutting through the digital clutter and bringing customers and prospects back into the physical world.
Tangible, tactile materials create a sensory experience that digital touchpoints simply can't match. Studies have shown that physical touch leaves a deeper footprint on the brain and triggers a greater emotional response.
Including direct mail in your multichannel marketing mix can help to create immersive brand experiences across every stage of the customer journey. In fact, the vast majority of respondents in our 2020 State of Multichannel Marketing study report that direct mail improves multichannel campaign performance.
How well does direct mail complement the other channels that you use by improving overall multichannel campaign performance?
5. Don't miss the boat on ABM.
Account-based marketing (or ABM) has quickly become one of the leading strategies for engaging audiences and driving business results. A 2020 Demandbase study found that ABM budgets have grown 40% year-over-year, and more than 90% of large companies have adopted ABM to some degree.
The fact is, if you're not on board with ABM, you're likely to be left behind. And one key component of great ABM is direct mail.
That's because ABM focuses on connecting with prospects through personalized, targeted, and impactful experiences - just like good direct mail strategy. Don't forget, direct mail is the #1 most effective channel for audience engagement! So as you build out your ABM strategy, incorporating direct mail is a smart move.
Need more convincing? The same Demandbase research found that, among companies with strong ROI from ABM, direct mail is the top channel for increasing investment.
6. Make sure you stand out from the crowd.
One last thing to think about...if you're trying to reach the C-Suite with your 2021 campaigns, you're not alone. According to our research, company executives are the most sought-after audience for multichannel campaigns. A full 55% of survey respondents named this group as their top target.
So how can you stand out from the competition and catch the attention of these busy decision makers? Direct mail is the best place to start.
Whether you're trying to book a meeting or simply getting a foot in the door, direct mail can deliver memorable moments that are personalized, timely, and relevant. (And if you need some ideas to get you started, check out our Tactile Marketing Automation Idea Book.)
As marketers, we know the only constant is change - we're used to adapting to new challenges and making adjustments on the fly. But that doesn't eliminate the need to plan ahead. And relying on data to make sound, strategic marketing decisions is always a smart play.
I hope these tips, along with our 2020 State of Multichannel Marketing report, can help to equip you for success in 2021!
6 Trends to Guide Your 2021 Multichannel Marketing Strategy
Channel Marketing
From article: 6 Trends to Guide Your 2021 Multichannel Marketing Strategy published on PFLAs we come to the end of another year, it's natural to look ...
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