With vendors vying for the attention and mind share of their channel partners incentive programs have become a standard in most channel programs. While I believe that a channel partner would not decide whether or not to do business with a vendor based on an incentive program, it may come into play on a deal by deal basis.

In other words, if a solution provider is a certified Dell partner and a certified EMC partner and their customer is looking for storage, both are identical in capability and price, an incentive program may push the solution provider to lead with one or the other.

Some vendors have very structured program such as EMC's Journey to the Top where you get points that can be turned in for merchandise such as flat screen tv's or a mountain bike, others have a less traditional approach on a deal by deal basis....we like to call that more margin.

I understand the benefit to points in that you can get partners more deeply engaged and put some cheerleading behind the program "you're only 100 points away from X". Also, individuals are more likely to brag about getting 400 points then they are about $1000. But Cash is King right?

Which incentive programs do you think deal with this right and which need help? Is it worthwhile to do an incentive program or do the deal by deal negotiations suffice?