Blog - Channel Management
Our articles in the channel management category cover best practices, how-to guides, and expert advice on how to manage a successful channel. Whether you’re just starting out in partnerships or are a long-time channel veteran, we’re sure you’ll find helpful information to further your career.
Make sure to also check out our standalone guide on channel management software.
How Do I Know If It’s Time for Deal Registration Integration Into My CRM?
During almost every demo I do for someone here at Channeltivity, I get a question regarding what CRM integrations we offer. Managing channel partners who are unable to access your CRM makes it more difficult to track every move they make. Integrations into software like Salesforce give us the opportunity to monitor the actions of […]
Leverage Your Channel Partner’s Social Network
Vendors often assume channel partners aren’t taking advantage of social media. But spend a few minutes on LinkedIn or Twitter and you’ll see most companies, no matter how small, are spending some time on social networks. And so are their – and your – customers. Social networks are opt-in and exist more on trust than […]
How to Make Rain in the Cloud
In terms of channel management, the cloud creates new waves in the vendor-partner relationship that can capsize profitability. The old ways of operating aren’t cutting it anymore. Now anyone can go to Amazon and just buy some space in the cloud – but then what? How does that become an offering? How do you create […]
Channel Management Best Practices: Avoid Playing Telephone with the End Customer
The children’s game “telephone” illustrates how a message can get mangled as it passes from person to person. The lesson of the game is to be wary of a communication that comes in third-, fourth-, fifth-hand. Of course, that’s the nature of the channel. Your product has to reach the end customer via at least […]
The Best Way to Prevent Channel Conflict? Survey Says…
What’s the best way to prevent channel conflict? The 2112 Group’s survey of North American IT solution providers, service providers and telephone agents, shows that this group finds deal registration the most effective tool for maintaining fairness and consistent channel sales engagements with partners. In fact, deal registration ranked twice as effective as the next […]
Top 3 Things That Help Partners Sell Better
There are three questions every channel partner should be able to answer in their sleep about your company and its offering: 1.) Who you are, what you do, the problem you solve. Conciseness is memorable. Can you get the answers to these three questions pared down to a single 20-word statement? Channel managers and anyone […]
How Channel Managers Generate More Sales
Channel managers in growing companies have huge demands on their time, but trying to stay in front of partners and customers to support increased sales should be their first priority. However, too often, they’re anchored to their computer, trying to make sense of obscure or erratic sales data. A channel manager stuck in their office […]
Get Ready for 2013: 3 Reasons a PRM Investment Fails
Companies are doing amazing things with PRM software and it can be tempting to jump right in, to just buy a program and get going – especially around the New Year when we’re all looking for ways to streamline business and improve productivity. But just jumping in without taking the proper precautions is going to […]
Why Your Partners May Not Be Using Your Marketing Materials
Partners often opt to go it alone in their marketing efforts, foregoing the benefit of vendor product expertise, marketing collateral and support. This seems like a waste from the vendor perspective, but consider the number of portals and tools you offer as a supplier – and then multiply that number by every supplier a partner […]
Canaries in the Coal Mine
Canaries in the Coal Mine – Apparently Minor Issues That Quickly Become Revenue and Market Share Problems Keep an eye on these dead canaries to detect problems before they start killing sales. 1. Small Declines in Customer Satisfaction These could be due to issues on the vendor’s or the partner’s side. Dissatisfaction could be with […]