The importance of establishing loyal channel partners cannot be understated.  The time and cost it takes to onboard partners makes it crucial for these relationships to last.  The ability to work seamlessly with partners depends greatly on longevity and familiarity.  Having long term partners that are loyal to your brand can make for easier product releases and more profitable campaigns.  Partners tend to be most loyal to the brands that their customers prefer.  Once you’ve identified a quality channel partner, you want to do everything possible to ensure their success.  There are many factors that drive loyalty in a channel marketing community, here are a few tips on establishing lasting partnerships.

Mutual Benefits

Channel partners increase the reach of their vendors.  This is done through selling, marketing and supporting specific geographical regions.  Partners are the ones who have established relationships with their local markets and have insight that the vendors 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.  This can be done by providing quality marketing materials to drive leads towards their partners.  Creating premium content that your partners can use on their websites not only helps to make sales and develop a consistent message, it also helps to save time and resources for them as well. 

Strengthening Partnerships

It is important to recognize and nurture the needs of your partners.  Providing training on the uses of your products as well as how to sell them is extremely important in building a strong partnership.  You will also want to give them any necessary demos and delivery methodologies to increase their chances of success.  Another way to build a strong channel community is to promote information sharing between your different channel partners.  The more your partners work together, the more likely you are to establish a consistent set of partners.  Not only will this help all of your partners to increase their sales, it will also create a consistent message across all channels.  This will help to establish brand consistency and provide a foundation for long term growth.

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 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 of establish long term growth.  Developing proper value incentive programs is a key to maintaining long term partnerships.

Communication

It’s important to realize that your goals may not be exactly the same as your partner’s.  You will need to allow for a difference of opinion while still maintaining the same agenda and overall monetary  goals.  Communication is a key in any successful business partnership.  You’ll want to make sure the lines of communication are always open.  This will make it much easier to have successful product launches and ensure everyone is happy and on the same page.

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 long term partners. 

Winn Technology Group has decades of experience working with vendors and their channel partners.  From recruitment to marketing for your partners, Winntech has the staff and experience necessary to increase your chances of establishing a successful, loyal channel community.