Channel programs have undergone a bit of a face lift.  If you've been following the recent channel news you'll see there is a lot of launching and specializing and re-launching going on.  But what does this mean for solution providers?

In most cases this truly means more support, better resources, and the ability to grow their business.  That's great but with all of these changes, how are partners keeping track of the different programs they are part of and all the different iterations of the same program?

How can you as a manufacturer make your programs stand out and get partners more involved?

1.  Keep your Partners Business in Mind: If a financial adviser told you how great their business was and talked about all the great things they had accomplished professionally, would you be more likely to invest your nest egg with them?  Or would you rather they acknowledge that they understand your goals and are going to help you get there?  The same is true with your partners.  Acknowledge that you want to help them build their businesses.  That you will provide the program and the resources that allows them to do that more successfully.

2.  Simplify: If you can't understand your program or the different elements of your business units (BUs), how do you expect partners to understand them?  I know it sounds like a foreign concept but get together across business units and talk about streamlining your offering.  I'm not saying that you should provide the same program across solutions, but partners should at least know what is expected of them from one BU to another.

3.  Consolidate Communications: Count on your fingers how many times your team emails your partners in a month.  Now add how many times other teams within your company are probably emailing your partners.  Now multiple that by the other vendors your partners are selling (5 on average).  Run out of fingers yet?  Your channel communications need to be streamlined by one team within each vendor and there needs to be one centralized location partners can get the information when they actually want to get it.  Whether it's a portal, a community, a landing page, or a pubic microsite there needs to be one place where partners can get every piece of information about your company, all BUs, all channels, all content.

4.  Help them Sell: Whether it's an incentive program or MDF reimbursable activities, make sure you are helping partners sell.  Tying incentives to your dog product that no one wants to buy, isn't going to get partners to sell it.  Partners are thinking of their customers first.  Worse yet, providing your partners with activities for MDF such as direct mail and banner ads that are no longer marketing best practices is not only a waste of time but you're also reinforcing marketing activities that you KNOW aren't going to drive business.  Why would you waste your money and their time?  Check out our eBook on how co-marketing has evolved for more information.

5.  Pop the Bubble: Are you making programs in a bubble?  Get out and talk to your partners.  Hear what they want more of, what stresses them out, and what they are getting from other vendors.  Don't just do it once or before you put the program together.  Get out and talk to partners on a regular basis.  What they are telling you is invaluable and just the act of asking their opinion will help you keep their attention.

As your programs evolve keep these few things in mind and you will come out the other end with an engaged channel.  Don't take these into consideration and you could lose some pretty valuable relationships.

I'd love to hear what others are doing.  What is working and what steps are you taking to better engage your channel?