Fail is a bit of a harsh term I guess.  Do channels crash and burn?  Not necessarily.  But some channels are not as productive as they could be and there are certainly ways to overcome challenges.  In my time in the channel I've seen different personalities of channel programs.  You have the "our products speak for themselves so we'll get partners no matter what", others that think "if we bend over backwards with our programs partners will sell our lackluster products", and others that get it, "our products are sound but our program needs to have a value proposition as well".  With so many products and programs to choose from, partners are inundated with messaging.

So what are the key elements a company must have to cut through the noise?

• Product:  The product must speak for itself.  Partners develop long term relationships with their customers and therefore will only implement solutions that they know will fit the customers needs.  Sorry to say, you could have the best program/incentives/relationships out there, if the product is a dud they won't do any good.
• Joint Value Proposition:  Many vendors are so direct focused they can't stop talking about how great they are.  Stop.  Help develop a join value proposition for your products with your partners services that your partners can use to go out and market themselves.  Partners are going to sell what makes them look good and if you're not helping them they will sell someone else.
• Marketing Assistance:  Historically solution providers have not had the best marketing resources at their finger tips.  If your company wants these partners to sell your products, they need help.  And not the corporate marketing (which is usually geared toward enterprise customers) repurposed so they can add a logo.  Partners tend to sell into the SMB and need messaging/content/vehicles to that effect.
• Sales support:  Channel partners walk into a sales call selling a solution, not just the specific products.  If they don't feel confident either through training or actual in-person sales support, they certainly won't lead with your product.
• Incentives/Margin:  Incentives never hurt but they aren't going to sway a partner from one product to another.  That said, if they aren't going to make money selling your product then what's the point.  As I wrote about in "Are you a Cow, Dog, Star, or Problem Child" make sure your margins fit the product.
• Post-sales support:  Again, your partner is in it for the long haul with their customers.  If they can't trouble-shoot and solve problems easily with your support team they will hesitate to sell your products next time.

Your channel should be a true partnership.  What is in it for vendors AND channel partners?  That said, channel partners should bring things to the table as well; joining webinars, attending training, marketing your products, and of course bringing you into sales calls.  The next step is measuring but that's a whole separate blog post.

Vendors, how do you stack up?  Solution Providers, what are your experiences with vendors being sensitive to your needs?