6 C’s for optimising your channel partner effectiveness
Having worked for over 25 years in the software and tech industry, I’ve led and been part of many alliance and channel partner programmes. I’ve seen the good, bad and downright ugly when it comes to partner enablement. Yet experience shows that when you take some time to see things through the lens of your partners, you can build a robust indirect sales channel and enduring partner loyalty. As importantly, you will create a better customer experience(CX) when you go to market speaking with ‘one voice’ and delivering a unified message.
So, what are the secrets to making it easy for partners to work with you, minimise channel conflict and boost sales for everyone? Think about your approach using these 6 C’s. First up;
1. Content Creation - Did you know that B2B buyers now undertake significantly more self-directed research before creating their shortlist of vendors. (Source: A recent Gartner study revealed that on average just 17% of B2B buyers’ time is spent with potential suppliers!) This has a dramatic impact on the amount and types of content you now need. Empowering your buyer and equipping all your channels with high quality digital content for every stage of the buyer journey is critical. Start simple. Arm your partners with great product datasheets, the latest demos and a range of use cases to make it easy for them to make the best impression with prospects.
After that, you can start creating lead generation materials, thought leadership pieces, blogs, case studies, video testimonials and reusable branded templates. Where it makes sense, consider having versions of certain digital assets that partners can co-brand. This really helps your partners to leverage your assets and will greatly amplify your brand.
2. Campaigns - Ongoing and meaningful collaboration with your partners will be rewarded. Actively listen to and solicit their input. While some of your partners may not have the resources or expertise that you do, they have often built close client relationships with users and have industry knowledge that can be vital in unlocking new revenue opportunities. Collaboration lets you deliver well-rounded campaign content that is more likely to engage prospects. ‘Campaign-in-a-box’ or co-branded campaigns are popular options with a lot of partners.
3. Communication - Think about how you set up an effective two-way communication process for partners.
Personalise it where possible. Over time you can build a cadence of regular multichannel communications (e.g. newsletters, podcasts, email, webinars, in-person briefings) to keep your partners up to date on strategy, news and other material product /company announcements. Quality over quantity is the key here.
Partner Portal - Remember your partners are busy too! So, make it easy for them to ‘self-serve’ and consume content at their own pace. They will value a well organised place where all the latest sales, marketing assets and product information is easy to find. Have an area on the portal where it is easy to share feedback. Monitor this feedback and portal usage and ensure someone on your team has a dedicated responsibility for keeping it up to date.
Partner Council - This is an initiative that usually comes later in mature companies or when a B2B tech company has moved from startup to scaleup. So, what is a Partner Advisory Council (PAC)? Think of the council as a collaborative forum where you invite your most strategic partners to join members of your executive leadership team to share market insights, trends, explore new strategies and product roadmaps. The ultimate goal is to gain faster learning, growth and greater profitability which benefits you and your partners.
4. Co-op Marketing Funds - Establishing a dedicated reward scheme (a pot of money) that can be accessed by partners based on achieving agreed sales volume/value is a great way of encouraging your partners to invest more in future marketing of your product/service. These are thought to be the most effective way of influencing and driving partner behaviour.
Your programme should be simple to participate in and act as an incentive to your partners to run campaigns, use specific content pieces / marketing assets or to complete latest product training and certifications. When well run, they‘re a great way to keep partners engaged and maximise marketing investment and resources.
5. Channel Rewards & Awards - Creating a positive Partner Experience (PX) Programme is best achieved when you consider how you can reward a partner’s contribution at every stage of your buyer's journey. Rewards programmes can play a pivotal role in optimising your partners’ performance. But they need to be felt by the partners to be worthwhile enough to inspire them and motivating enough to transform their actions. Offering both a rewards programme where ongoing perks, non-cash rewards can be earned (travel, vouchers etc) throughout the year, coupled with an annual awards system that recognises outstanding contribution and performance is what good partners respond to best.
6. Certifications - Longer term, certifying partners for their team’s specific product and technical skill levels is essential to delivering a great customer experience (CX). Ultimately it will save you time and money as a vendor because it will be challenging to invest in all the resources you need to ensure widespread adoption and usage of your product.
Finally, remember that a well defined and managed channel partner strategy can be a game changer that sets you apart from your competitors and creates a foundation for sustained sales growth.
For advice or practical support on implementing or reviewing your channel partner strategy, please get in touch with us or simply request a complimentary Partner Programme Audit.
