3 Ways to Improve the Channel Partner Journey

Channel sales and marketing are evolving as fast as the digital transformation they support. These rapid changes impact the way we do everything from Channel enablement and programs to recruiting and onboarding to training and engaging with Partners along their Partner journey.

Vendors once had the opportunity to cherry pick Partners. Not anymore; it’s a synergy. Self-serve content and research available at the tap of an app make today’s Partners less dependent on Channel Managers to keep them informed. It’s now the Vendors with the best solutions for end-users, who are easy to work with from a sales and support perspective, and help Partners drive demand that win their dream Partners’ mindshare.

B2B is notorious for lagging behind B2C when it comes to adoption of new sales and marketing concepts. The Channel is typically even slower at adopting new practices due to the extra layers of complexity involved in Partner enablement, education, and communications.

How can Vendors help their Partners understand and react to fast moving changes in sales and marketing as the Channel continues to evolve at the speed of technology?

Here are a few blogs to help Vendors address the needs of their Partners along three important aspects of the Partner journey:

Communication: effectively communicate throughout the Partner Journey

With digital transformation comes information overload. Today’s Partners work with anywhere from 5 to 25 Vendors. Information overload isn’t a stretch – it’s the norm. Partners working with multiple Vendors live and work in a world full of chatter. How can you break through the noise to win trust and mindshare?

Learn how to:

• Communicate to Partners without bombarding them
• Have stronger communications with your Partners
• Engage digital platforms for Channel enablement

Education: teaching is key to a positive Partner Journey

Vendors invest a significant amount of time and money in Partner education. From training to events to marketing programs and enablement, the list of tools, sessions, workshops, and training take many forms and are abundant in the Channel. Understanding how to provide the resources your Partners need is key when mapping an enablement strategy.

Learn:

• 4 tips to educating Partners on marketing
• How to be the Vendor that Partners want to work with
• Why a Partner blog matters and how to give Partners the information they want

Demand gen: help Partners generate revenue

Partners want to work with Vendors that help them sell solutions and drive more demand for their joint offerings. Tactics for helping Partners include providing programs, portals, collateral, content, and digital amplification to help them build their digital footprint into a thought leadership-based demand generation machine!

Find out:

• Why blogging is key for Partner marketing strategy
• How to help Channel Partners understand their buyer’s journey
• Tactics that drive demand for Partners while engaging on social media

Channel Maven Consulting:

Looking for more resources on Channel marketing solutions or have questions about your Channel enablement and Partner journey programs?

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