Why Does Channel Marketing Not Work?
The job of a channel marketer is quite often undervalued. Channel marketers often have so many jobs to do and very little time to do it all in. A channel partner is expected to recruit new partners, find out what they are doing, why they are doing it and even distribute MDF as well. They also need to track MDF, with absolutely zero help from the partners who have received it. They are also responsible for recruiting new partners and driving deal registrations, but that’s surely everything, right?
Not at all. Channel partners are also responsible for educating partners on product updates and they also need to generate and then distribute leads to partners. They need to attend events and operate them while also taking care of the physical side of things. On top of all that, they still need to find time to recruit new partners. The main issue here is that vendors tend to have a channel philosophy, which means the more partners they have, the better. This is not the case, and it’s often these same people who say that working with channel partners doesn’t work.
Why Isn’t it the More the Merrier?
Over the years, a lot of people have grown to learn that more channel partners don’t lead to more sales. It leads to a poor business foundation, goals, expectations and data. In a year, you’ll be left wondering why your partners aren’t being engaging. You may think that channel marketing sucks and then leave it in the dust. This shouldn’t be the case. The only reason why your channel marketing probably isn’t working is because you are unable to track anything. You can’t tell if what you’re doing is having a positive impact on your business or not, because the coverage you have is too thin.
Avoid Recruiting Too Many People
A lot of people think that they need to recruit and then see what sticks. This is an ineffective approach and it is also causing a lot of headaches for those who do work in channel marketing. In fact, a lot of people who work in channel marketing are very talented and capable. It may be that you are making their job harder than it needs to be.
Why Smart Recruitment is Essential
Smart recruitment is essential. If you take a quality approach then you can avoid painful situations, such as if you’re being asked to spend money on an event when you have no idea how many people are going to be in attendance. If you recruit through competency then you will soon find that you can get the actionable data you need to make a positive change. Interview your channel marketers as if they were your salespeople, because, in some way, they are. Ask them how they intend on selling your product, what makes them think they actually can and who they work with currently. You should also ask them what their customer base looks like and whether or not they understand your product and what you have to offer. Employing a very simple process for screening will help you to pick out the partners who are the right fit for you. This process is way better when compared to having 200 partners who although may be eager, are not a good fit for you, having 50 partners who are vigilant and diligent is always a better way forward.
Channel Marketing Works. If you Adopt the Right Process
So a lot of people don’t think that channel marketing works, but all this boils down to is simply not having the right partners working by their side, and not having an efficient process.
Why are Indirect Processes More Efficient?
External services give you the chance to go to completely different countries with your sales strategy. On top of this, you have reduced headcount when it comes to hiring indirect when compared to direct. If you want to make sure that your indirect marketing strategy is successful then you need to do all of the same things with your channel as you would your own sales team.
Sometimes companies are lazy and become negligent. If you can make sure that this isn’t the case with your own company then there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be able to come out on top.
It’s also very important to ensure that your channel feels part of your organisation. If they don’t then there’s a high chance that you will fail.
Lastly, do you manage your sales team? Are you able to get the results you want? Then you need to also do this with reseller partners, as this will help you to succeed and it will also help you to build the best possible channel. So why would you choose an indirect channel?
The Benefits of Having an Indirect Channel
If you want to invest in an indirect channel but you are still on the fence then you need to try and grow your revenue. You also need to make sure that you expand your service capabilities where possible. The right partner, when you find them, will help you to increase your revenue and you won’t have to worry about a headcount increase either. The right partner will also help you to develop relationships which otherwise, would be impossible for you to reach.
The right partner, when you have trained them, will be just as self-sufficient as your salesforce. This is a very good point for you to keep in mind, as it shows how essential channel marketers are when you embrace them. Of course, the right partner can also help you to expand your service capabilities while also expanding your footprint. As if that wasn’t enough, they can solve your customer pain points and they can also refer more partners to you in-turn, so there’s no end to the amount that they can help you and your sales process in general. If you want to find out more about channel partners, do your research and make sure that you are adopting the best practices so that you can make the most out of your sales.