Peer 1 Hosting Driving more Business Through the Channel

April 25, 2010

With three quarters of the world’s IT products and services being sold through the channel many companies are shifting from a direct only model to pushing more business through their partners.  Anyone who has been through this knows it’s not an easy transition.  The most important thing is to keep partner interests top of mind. [...]

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Partner to Partner Networking

April 14, 2010

As technologies evolve and offerings increase exponentially, solution providers are still challenged to be their customers “one-stop-shop” and trusted adviser.  No one could be defined as an expert on all of these technologies but there is a way solution providers have started expanding their expertise. Partner to partner networking is not only between solution providers, [...]

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CRM for Everyone…even me.

April 5, 2010

Having worked at several enterprise companies and a 60 person start-up I’ve had plenty of experience with CRM systems.  I wouldn’t say any of them have been particularly bad experiences but none have been off the charts fantastic either.  It’s become a necessary evil that if we want to track not just our customers and [...]

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Listen, Respond, Repeat…how to deal with disgruntled partners or customers.

March 24, 2010

It used to be that when someone didn’t like your product or service they would complain to three people.  Now if someone doesn’t like your product, service, or the way they were treated they are telling the entire Twitterverse, posting it on their blog, and commenting on your site.  If they’re super difficult they are [...]

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Here a Twitter, There a Twitter, Everywhere a…

March 13, 2010

I just returned from Everything Channel’s XChange Solution Provider 2010 in LA where I had the pleasure of speaking to Solution Providers and Vendors.  For those of you not familiar XSP brings together vendors with their top solution providers to network, train and hear about the year’s initiatives. At XSP10 I spoke to Solution Providers [...]

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Social Media Skeptics heckle away, 5 take-aways from presenting Channel Conference

March 5, 2010

Had a great time at the PHONE+ The Channel Partners Conference in Las Vegas and met some very cool people.  I ran a session on Social Media in the Channel and was really impressed with the reception. There are three groups people usually fall into when it comes to social media: Totally get-it, are drinking [...]

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Can I get a Channel Manager? Please?

January 30, 2010

I’m not sure if the economy truly is turning around but if the increased number of job openings for the channel is an indication, we are certainly on the road to recovery.  In the past month, I’ve been asked for a valuable channel professional to fill an opportunity by at least a dozen companies.  Is [...]

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A look BACK at 2010…yup 2010.

January 4, 2010

Influence Insiders 2010 – A Look Back If you’ve heard the Influence Insiders BlogTalkRadio show you know that it is comprised of a group of industry professionals who get together and talk about trends and best practices as they effect different industries.  The list of “Insiders” is below and we’d love to hear from all [...]

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All I want for (enter preferred holiday) are my two front teeth…

December 23, 2009

…and a partner program solution providers and vendors alike can derive value from. More marketing assistance, the right kind of marketing assistance, free training…what else to solution providers want from their vendors for a holiday gift? //

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4 Keys to Getting out of your Bubble

November 30, 2009

As Channel Professionals we have a lot of responsibility.  It seems as if the work will never been done and partners will never have everything they need.  For that reason, we tend to fall into a way of doing things that can be detrimental to our channel program and more importantly, our partners. As a [...]

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