A guest blog from Del Heles, CEO/President Computer Market Research
Del is a global leader in Channel data management solutions and a software marketing automation executive with over 40 years of experience. He brings extensive experience to the Channel including: Channel POS, inventory data collection, co-op/MDF management, deal registration, synchronized channel marketing (SCM), special pricing agreements, Channel gamification, SPIFF management, and more.
The Channel is not for the faint of heart. Saturated with competition, jargon-infused technicalities, vague program guidelines, erroneously submitted rebate claims, unidentifiable end-customers, miscommunication — and a catalog of other complications — indirect sales can be frustrating. Thankfully when armed with a solid Channel incentive strategy, things look up – quickly.
Once mastered, if that’s possible, the Channel presents B2B companies with an embarrassment of opportunity; a corporate landscape littered with the potential to reach new buyers in market segmentation; an intangible vehicle that helps businesses enter overseas markets, reduce overhead cost of in-house sales, expand brand awareness, and remove purchasing obstacles for end-users.
If you’re in the early stages of designing an effective indirect sales model or struggling to establish yourself as a fruitful enterprise within the Channel, here are 4 tips you can implement into your Channel incentive strategy:
Before deploying an indirect sales program it’s imperative to develop a comprehensive understanding of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that go into your offering.
Sample SWOT Analysis:
Strengths
|
Weaknesses
|
Opportunities
|
Threats
|
When designing your channel incentive strategy and program you will most likely need approval. Before approaching C-level support, have a clear understanding of the program’s short and long-term potential. Answering these three questions will help formulate your pitch:
In addition to executive support, you need buy-in from Channel partners. Put yourself in your Partners’ shoes and consider:
Each unique Channel partnership deserves a cohesive Channel incentive strategy. When designing and implementing yours it’s important to carefully review current Partners’ indirect sales history. In other words, it’s important to know:
Answering these questions gives the basic structure of how to angle your pitch with current and potential Channel Partners and executives as you move forward with creating a robust Channel incentive strategy.
Looking for more information on Channel Partner Enablement? Check out these blogs:
How to Use Channel Partner Programs to Better Enable Partners
Get practical tips for marketing ”To” and driving demand generation “Through” Channel Partners!
1035 Pearl Street, Suite 329
Boulder, CO 80302
Home | About | Services | eBooks | Blog | Privacy Policy | Cookies Policy