An effective channel partner marketing community can broaden the reach of your brand through selling, marketing and supporting specific geographical regions. Partners are the ones who have established relationships with their local markets and have insight that your company may not have access to. This allows them to make recommendations based on the known needs of their clients. That type of knowledge allows partners to offer products that will truly be of use to their clients, thus ensuring customer satisfaction. As a vendor, it is important that you contribute towards these efforts so the relationship remains mutually beneficial.

Enablement

Helping your partners to quickly develop the knowledge and skills necessary to market and sell your product is essential in creating a loyal community. This allows them to gain a competitive edge over rival companies, as product knowledge is one of the most essential pieces of creating a quality sales force. You will also want to create a framework for rewards that allows partners to participate in multiple programs and promotions. Short-term initiatives to encourage a boost in sales are very effective, however, creating programs that provide on-going benefits are the best way to establish long-term growth.

Alignment

You will want to target companies that already possess a strong customer base with a need for your solutions. There should also be an opportunity for them to expand into your target market and provide you with networking opportunities to further increase your reach. Ensure there is no conflict of interest with your partner such as competing products or partnerships with rival companies. It is also important to seek out a partner that shares the same vision as your company and is committed to working with you into the future. Make sure your partners become experts in your offerings to ensure a consistent message.

Incentives

It’s important to realize that many companies will have multiple channel partners and also their own products and services they’re trying to sell. In order to remain a priority and keep the focus of your partners you will need to create a competitive incentive program. While bringing in revenue is the goal of your partnership you need to ensure the relationship is mutually beneficial. The opportunity to obtain rewards and incentives has a dramatic influence on sales efforts. These benefits are what will motivate your partners to use their best resources to sell your products and will also encourage them to continue to sell on your behalf.

Product Training

While sales and marketing are the main reason to provide comprehensive product training, it’s important to note that many partners are going to want to offer additional services that related to these products. Ensuring that your partners are also properly trained to support your product is a great way to establish loyal partnerships.

Sales Calls

When one of your partners is attempting to sell a large account it’s a good idea to sit in and provide input during their sales calls. This will ensure the meeting doesn’t conclude with questions unanswered or a potential client unimpressed with your product. While you may not be leading the meeting, important details and insights can mean the difference between making a sale and losing potential revenue.

Company Visits

Visiting your partners periodically can provide many benefits to both parties involved. It allows you to get face time with the team that is responsible for selling your products or services. It also provides you an opportunity to dive into your partner’s sales process so that you can provide insights on how to better present your goods.

Management

Each partner relationship should be nurtured with the same attention you show to your highest profile clients. Assigning a partner manager and champion will ensure each account is being supported properly. Having a point of contact that holds weekly meetings with their assigned partner and is available for any requests or questions can have a dramatic impact on sales. It also allows for better communication, which will lead to a long lasting relationship.

Founded in 1990, Winn Technology Group is a leading provider of global, multi-channel marketing solutions for the technology industry. Winn supports demand creation, account-based marketing, channel management, digital marketing, social media, teleprospecting, lead nurturing, event marketing, database services, and inbound response management for both direct and channel sales.