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JERSEY CITY, NJ, RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC and BRUSSELS, BELGIUM, OXFORD, UK, TORONTO, ON, CANADA  (April 8, 2019) – Zift Solutions, the Enterprise Channel Management leader, announced today that Enhesa, the global environmental, health, and safety regulatory compliance assurance experts, has selected ZiftONE to enable and empower its partners.

“Creating an exceptional experience for Enhesa’s partners is a top strategic initiative for us in 2019,” said Shannon Summers, Global Partner Manager for Enhesa. “ZiftONE will give our partners a one-stop shop for all of the content, tools, and resources they need to connect with and serve customers while providing Enhesa with 360° visibility across our ecosystem.”

After researching multiple solutions, Enhesa chose ZiftONE because it is straightforward and easy to use, covering multiple aspects of their channel marketing, sales, and operations requirements with a single platform.

Using ZiftONE, Enhesa can also more easily recruit, onboard and engage partners; align and accelerate partner marketing and sales; educate partners and employees; and quickly set partners up for repeatable wins.  

ZiftONE will make it easy for Enhesa to align messaging between internal sales teams and its partners, particularly during key product releases, which is often a challenge for globally dispersed organizations. Partners will have immediate access to the latest marketing and sales materials through one centralized portal and content repository. Partners can also easily communicate with Enhesa about the efficacy of the assets and campaigns they are using via ZiftONE. Moreover, ZiftONE will facilitate product education and certification for partners to speed time-to-sales, maximize engagement, and strengthen brand recognition.

“We are excited to see and support worldwide industry leader Enhesa in choosing ZiftONE to engage and empower partners as well as strengthen and scale its global partner program,” said Gordon Rapkin, CEO of Zift Solutions.

To learn more about Zift Solutions and ZiftONE, visit https://ziftsolutions.com/ziftone/.   

# # #

ABOUT ENHESA
Enhesa helps global multinational companies be compliant with, and stay on top of, Environmental, Health & Safety (EHS) Regulations wherever they operate. Enhesa’s in-house team of multilingual regulatory analysts provide clear, concise and standardized content and insight on current and future EHS regulatory obligations in more than 286 jurisdictions worldwide. Enhesa’s Compliance Intelligence and Regulatory Forecaster services can be provided as an automated data feed – integrated with the world’s leading EHS software platforms. Enhesa has offices in Brussels, Washington, D.C., Tokyo, Shanghai and now Toronto. For more information, please visit enhesa.com or email info@enhesa.com.

ABOUT ZIFT SOLUTIONS
Zift Solutions is the Enterprise Channel Management leader, delivering the people, processes and technology organizations require to drive channel success. Relied on by more than 80% of top channel chiefs, Zift boosts channel partner program productivity, and profitability by automating and aligning marketing, sales, and operational processes. The ZiftONE platform integrates seamlessly with established systems and infrastructure to speed time-to-sales, create an exceptional partner experience, and provide faster ROI.  To learn more, visit www.ziftsolutions.com, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, and join the conversation via Channel Chatter.

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The Zift Solutions platform will allow channel partners to see and more effectively market to the customers that are engaging with their marketing activities, a value previously unavailable to Seven Corners channel partners.

“This partnership will give us the ability to more effectively scale our marketing efforts,” said Justin Tysdal, CEO and co-founder of Seven Corners. “Our brokers are a growing part of our revenue stream, and Zift’s platform will greatly contribute to growing that area of business even more in 2019.”

Seven Corners selected Zift Solutions over competitors due to their robust solution offerings and channel expertise, which provide great value and insight for Seven Corners channel partners. The goal of the partnership is to provide more opportunities for co-branded content and marketing campaigns that will have a direct impact on growing revenue for channel partners.

“We are pleased to work with Seven Corners to engage partners, drive revenue and optimize their channel program with Zift’s platform, channel-focused services, and support,” said Gordon Rapkin, CEO of Zift Solutions.

Seven Corners is a member of the US Travel Insurance Association (UStiA) and is an A+ rated Better Business Bureau accredited company. To learn more about Seven Corners and its product offerings, visit SevenCorners.com.

Zift Solutions was named as a “Leader” in The Forrester Wave™: Partner Relationship Management (PRM), Q4 2018 and The Forrester Wave™: Through-Channel Marketing Automation (TCMA), Q2 2018 by Forrester Research, Inc. as well as one of 2018’s Top 10 Marketing Technology Solutions Providers by CIO Applications Magazine. To learn more about Zift Solutions, visit www.ziftsolutions.com.  

About Seven Corners Inc.
Founded in 1993, Seven Corners, Inc. is an innovative and service-focused travel insurance and specialty benefit management company that serves a global market. Based in Carmel, Ind., the company offers a variety of customized travel insurance solutions to domestic and international travelers. Seven Corners also provides third party administrative services to insurance companies and administers benefits for U.S. government programs. For more information on its products and services, visit www.sevencorners.com.

About Zift Solutions
Zift Solutions is the Enterprise Channel Management leader, synchronizing the people, processes and technology organizations require to drive channel success. Relied on by more than 80% of top channel chiefs, Zift enhances channel partner program productivity and profitability by automating marketing, sales and operational processes. Our comprehensive range of applications integrates seamlessly with established systems and infrastructure to speed time-to-sales, engage partners, provide faster ROI and deliver better results. To learn more, visit www.ziftsolutions.com, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, and join the conversation via Channel Chatter.

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JERSEY CITY, NJ, RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC and OXFORD, ENGLAND –  June 28, 2018 –Enterprise Channel Management leader Zift Solutions announced today that the company completed a Service Organization Control (SOC) 2 Type II audit with no exceptions for the second year in a row. The SOC 2 Type II audit and report assure customers that Zift Solutions adheres to stringent, internationally recognized security standards.

“In keeping with our commitment to delivering the very best channel management solutions, Zift Solutions’ SOC 2 Type II compliance assures existing and potential customers that our information systems, infrastructure, data protocols and professional services continue to meet the highest levels of service and security,” said Gordon Rapkin, CEO of Zift Solutions.

The successful completion of Zift’s SOC 2 Type II review is indicative of the company’s continued commitment to security and privacy. Maintaining the security and privacy of customer data is a top priority for Zift Solutions, and this examination demonstrates that it has strong controls in place to protect the records of customers and their channel partners.

“Zift’s SOC 2 report demonstrates that we have the appropriate controls in place to mitigate risks associated with data processing, storage, co-location, cloud computing and more in conjunction with delivery of our channel management software and services,” said Lionel Farr, Chief Technology Officer for Zift Solutions.

The examination was administered by the independent CPA firm Schellman & Company, LLC in compliance with The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) Trust Services Principles pertaining to security.  

Zift’s’ SOC 2 Type II examination focused on internal security controls to protect against unauthorized access, use, or modification of client information. The company has implemented effective security controls, as defined in the SOC 2 standards. During the examination, the independent auditors evaluated and tested controls in the following areas:

• Organization and management
• Communications
• Risk management and design and implementation of controls
• Monitoring of controls
• Logical access controls
• System operations

SOC 2 Type II examinations put explicit, stringent requirements and guidelines in place for leading service providers to adopt and expand upon. For a company to pass the SOC 2 examination, it must have key policies, controls and strategies that protect customers’ data pursuant to the SOC 2 specifications, which are based on a set of criteria called Trust Principles. This SOC 2 Type II examination demonstrates that Zift’s systems are designed to keep customers’ sensitive data secure. Such performance, reliability, and security are essential when working with service providers.

Current and prospective customers interested in obtaining a copy of Zift Solutions’ final SOC 2 report, please send your request to infosec@ziftsolutions.com.

About Zift Solutions

Zift is the Enterprise Channel Management leader, synchronizing the people, processes and technology organizations require to drive channel success. Relied on by more than 80% of top channel chiefs and more than half a million partners, Zift Channel as a Service enhances channel partner program productivity and profitability by automating marketing, sales and operational processes. Our comprehensive range of applications integrates seamlessly with established systems and infrastructure to speed time-to-sales, engage partners, provide faster ROI and deliver better results. To learn more, visit www.ziftsolutions.com, join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

Press Contact:
Zift Solutions
Lisa Hyatt, Marketing Communications Director
(919) 271-1472
lisahyatt@ziftsolutions.com

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JERSEY CITY, NJ, RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC and OXFORD, UNITED KINGDOM –  June 13, 2018 – Enterprise Channel Management leader Zift Solutions announced today that Star2Star Communications is using Zift Channel as a Service (CHaaS) to engage and enable its channel partners. 

“With Zift, Star2Star is deploying the most comprehensive and innovative channel management tools available to make our channel partners as successful as they can be,” said David Portnowitz, Chief Marketing Officer at Star2Star. “As the only 100-percent channel-focused company in our space, empowering partners is part of our DNA,” he said. “Launching Zift is one more step in providing our partners with the best channel program in the industry.”

Star2Star provides the world’s most complete, full spectrum communications solutions, including Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS). Star2Star systems are used by hundreds of thousands of business users, including many large national chains with multi-location footprints, and the company’s solutions are sold globally through a diversified network of partners that includes distributors, master agents, managed service providers and certified installing dealers.

Star2Star chose Zift Solutions over competitors due to broader functionality, ease of use, customer support and advanced Marketing Development Funds (MDF) capabilities.

“We looked for a solution that would provide our partners with more self-service options to customize and co-brand their own materials, manage co-op funds, track leads and run multi-tactic campaigns themselves within a truly modern marketing platform,” said Portnowitz. “Zift offered the most comprehensive channel management features and resources — and the best plan for partner success — within the most cost-effective solution set.”

Zift and Star2Star collaborated to announce the launch of Zift to partners in May, complete with a series of educational webinars and training sessions to ensure partner success and engagement with the Zift platform.

Today, Star2Star is providing Zift Channel Marketing and Management to more than 400 of its channel partners, giving them direct access to Zift Through Partner Marketing Automation (TPMA) to enable high-impact digital marketing , Zift Campaign Marketplace to simplify and optimize the use of MDF across their partner ecosystem, and Zift Expert Services to maximize results and ROI from the platform.

“Star2Star’s selection and implementation of Zift Solutions further validate our ability to provide our customers and their partners with the most innovative and comprehensive channel management solutions available today,” said Gordon Rapkin, CEO of Zift Solutions.

About Star2Star Communications

Founded in 2006 in Sarasota, Florida, Star2Star Communications empowers global business success with a Full Spectrum Communications Solution. With options ranging from Hosted to Hybrid, Star2Star offers unparalleled value, reliability, quality, and scalability. Star2Star unifies business communications including voice, video, fax, mobile, chat, and presence management. Merged with Blueface, the leading pan-European UCaaS provider, Star2Star possesses a global influence and customer base. Blueface’s proprietary cloud voice platform supports businesses of all sizes, ranging from small-to-medium to large enterprises and strategic wholesale customers.  

Star2Star’s award-winning, patented Constellation™ Network overcomes the reliability and quality limitations of other communications technologies and enables companies to choose the deployment methodology that aligns best with their needs. For businesses who require high-quality voice, redundant networks for continuity, and ultra-reliable communications, Star2Star’s Hybrid architecture offers the highest guaranteed SLAs in the industry at an affordable price. Businesses with less complexity, who seek the best communications capabilities for their employees and customers, can consider Star2Star’s Hosted solution the optimal choice.

With a customer retention rate of 99.85%, Star2Star has been recognized by a multitude of leading analysts. In the past seven years, Star2Star was named to the Forbes Most Promising Companies list, the Deloitte Technology Fast 500 five times, and the Inc. 500|5000 seven times. The company was also named by IHS as a Top 10 Hosted Business VoIP/UC Provider and has been in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for UCaaS, Worldwide for the last four years.  Learn more at www.star2star.com.

About Zift Solutions

Zift is the Enterprise Channel Management leader, synchronizing the people, processes and technology organizations require to drive channel success. Relied on by more than 80% of top channel chiefs and more than half a million partners, Zift Channel as a Service enhances channel partner program productivity and profitability by automating marketing, sales and operational processes. Our comprehensive range of applications integrates seamlessly with established systems and infrastructure to speed time-to-sales, engage partners, provide faster ROI and deliver better results. To learn more, visit www.ziftsolutions.com, join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

Press Contacts:
Zift Solutions
Lisa Hyatt, Marketing Communications Director
(919) 271-1472
lisahyatt@ziftsolutions.com

Star2Star Communications
Les Freed, Director of Communications 
(941) 234-0001 x109
lfreed@star2star.com

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JERSEY CITY, NJ, RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC and OXFORD, UNITED KINGDOM –  April 25, 2018 – Zift Solutions, the Enterprise Channel Management leader, announced today that it was recognized as a “Leader” in The Forrester Wave™: Through-Channel Marketing Automation, Q2 2018 report by Forrester Research, Inc.

“Zift’s vision and approach are unique, and we believe that this is positive acknowledgement from industry analysts regarding our TCMA position as a leader and capacity for end-to-end Enterprise Channel Management via Zift Channel as a Service,” said Gordon Rapkin, CEO of Zift Solutions.

Forrester Research, Inc. determines their ranking based on 25 criteria evaluating each provider’s current offering, strategy and market presence.

The report states that, “Zift is a good fit for companies looking for robust end-to-end channel marketing capabilities from a company with a strong vision.”

Zift received a 4 out of a possible 5 points in the criteria of Execution, Product Vision, Innovation Roadmap, Supporting Products and Services, and Partner Ecosystem.

Zift believes that Forrester’s evaluation captures its unique vision and commitment to delivering the only end-to-end, integrated channel management platform, accompanied by service excellence and best practices, for the largest global partner ecosystem, with more than 500K partners and 2+ billion tracked activities.

According to the report’s author, Forrester analyst Jay McBain, “Zift has robust integrations with most CRM, sales force automation, and marketing automation platforms. The platform provides end-to-end channel management and workflow into a brand’s current technology stack. The TCMA solution provides a comprehensive range of email tactics, automated drip and nurture, co-branded print, online, social media, and syndicated website content.”

The full report, “The Forrester Wave™: Through-Channel Marketing Automation, Q2 2018,” is available for purchase through Forrester.

Learn more about Zift Solutions TCMA, visit and explore Zift’s end-to-end enterprise channel management platform, Channel as a Service.

About Zift Solutions

Zift is the Enterprise Channel Management leader, synchronizing the people, processes and technology organizations require to drive channel success. Relied on by more than 80% of top channel chiefs and more than half a million partners, Zift Channel as a Service enhances channel partner program productivity and profitability by automating marketing, sales and operational processes. Our comprehensive range of applications integrate seamlessly with established systems and infrastructure to speed time-to-sales, engage partners, provide faster ROI and deliver better results. To learn more, visit www.ziftsolutions.com, join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

Press Contact:
Lisa Hyatt
Director of Marketing Communications
Zift Solutions
(919) 271-1472
lisahyatt@ziftsolutions.com

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JERSEY CITY, NJ, RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC and OXFORD, UNITED KINGDOM –  April 04, 2018 – Zift Solutions, the Enterprise Channel Management leader, announced today that James Tallman has joined its Board of Directors as an independent director.

“Zift is pleased to welcome Jim to our Board,” said Gordon Rapkin, CEO for Zift Solutions. “We look forward to leveraging his experience with hyper-growth, business scale  and worldwide expansion as Zift continues to define and dominate the Enterprise Channel Management market segment.”

Tallman has a strong industry background in enterprise software, legal, ecommerce and technology consulting. He currently serves as CEO and Board of Directors member for Innovative Interfaces, a California-based software company specializing in integrated systems for library management. Tallman also serves as a strategic advisor to several private companies and private equity firms.

Tallman’s professional background spans the globe, as Tallman has lived and worked in North America, Latin America, EMEA and Asia Pacific. He has a demonstrated track record with multiple next-stage growth companies.

Prior to Innovative Interfaces, Tallman served as CEO and Board of Directors member for DataCert Inc., the industry-recognized global software leader of Enterprise Legal Management (ELM) Solutions. He led the sale of DataCert to Wolters Kluwer and managed ELM Solutions, a combined entity of DataCert and TyMetrix. Tallman also provided industry thought leadership for the Passport Technology Platform, which was awarded multiple patents and is the industry leading legal applications software development platform for hosted, behind the firewall, and SaaS based legal applications.

“I am truly excited to contribute to the growth, vision and continued momentum of Zift Solutions as its newest Board Member,” said Tallman.

Tallman joins Zift during a strong period of growth and innovation. The company scaled impressively in 2017, doubling revenue, expanding its customer base by nearly 50 percent, and increasing the number of users on the Zift Channel as a Service platform by more than 85 percent, creating the largest channel partner ecosystem worldwide.  

Click here to learn more about Tallman and the entire Zift Board of Directors.

About Zift Solutions

Zift is the Enterprise Channel Management leader, synchronizing the people, processes and technology organizations require to drive channel success. Relied on by more than 80% of top channel chiefs and more than half a million partners, Zift Channel as a Service enhances channel partner program productivity and profitability by automating marketing, sales and operational processes. Our comprehensive range of applications integrate seamlessly with established systems and infrastructure to speed time-to-sales, engage partners, provide faster ROI and deliver better results.

To learn more, visit www.ziftsolutions.com, join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

Press Contact:
Lisa Hyatt
Director of Marketing Communications
Zift Solutions
(919) 271-1472
lisahyatt@ziftsolutions.com

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JERSEY CITY, NJ, RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC and OXFORD, UNITED KINGDOM –  March 20, 2018 – Zift Solutions, the Enterprise Channel Management leader, announced today that Blancco Technology Group has launched and is using Zift Channel as a Service to support partners and streamline its robust, global channel program.

“With Zift, Blancco can deliver a world-class partner experience to our VARs and Distributors working around the world — and have closed-loop visibility to measure results” said Matt Sturges, VP of North America and Global Channel Sales at Blancco Technology Group. “Zift delivered the technology, best practices and support to build our channel program with confidence, along with superior partner-first services to ensure success from the start.”

Blancco Technology Group is a leading global provider of mobile device diagnostics and secure data erasure solutions. Blancco data erasure solutions provide certified, secure data erasure solutions for a range of IT assets, including laptops, mobile devices, LUNs, virtual machines, files and more. Headquartered in Alpharetta, GA, the company has global partners across the U.S., EMEA and APAC, many of which require resources and support to educate customers and generate enterprise sales. Using Zift Channel Marketing and Management solutions, Blancco is making it much easier for its partners to market and sell more Blancco solutions within their individual regions.

With help from Zift, Blancco is providing its partners with an array of integrated Through Partner Marketing Automation (TPMA) capabilities to enable high-performance channel marketing, including Email for Channel Partners, Content Syndication, Social Media Syndication and Customized/Co-Branded Collateral. Single Sign On (SSO) and seamless integration with Salesforce.com is already boosting engagement, as Blancco partners can access and leverage Zift features and functionality within the systems they are already using on a daily basis. Blancco is planning to add additional Zift capabilities, including Lead Distribution Management with two-way integration into SFDC Communities in the coming months.

“We are pleased to provide Blancco with the technology, channel insight, services and support they require to become a true channel leader and see ROI faster from their channel partners,” said Gordon Rapkin, CEO of Zift.

About Blancco Technology Group

Blancco Technology Group (AIM: BLTG) is the de facto standard in data erasure and mobile device diagnostics. The Blancco Data Eraser solutions provide thousands of organizations with an absolute line of defense against costly security breaches, as well as verification of regulatory compliance through a 100% tamper-proof audit trail. Our data erasure solutions have been tested, certified, approved and recommended by 18 governing bodies around the world. No other security firm can boast this level of compliance with the most rigorous requirements set by government agencies, legal authorities and independent testing laboratories.

The Blancco Mobile Diagnostics solutions enable mobile network operators, retailers and insurers to easily, quickly and accurately identify and resolve performance issues on their customers’ mobile devices. As a result, mobile service providers can spend less time dealing with technical issues and, in turn, reduce the quantity of NTF returns, save on operational costs and increase customer satisfaction.

For more information, visit www.blancco.com.

About Zift Solutions

Zift is the Enterprise Channel Management leader, synchronizing the people, processes and technology organizations require to drive channel success. Relied on by more than 80% of top channel chiefs and more than half a million partners, Zift Channel as a Service enhances channel partner program productivity and profitability by automating marketing, sales and operational processes. Our comprehensive range of applications integrate seamlessly with established systems and infrastructure to speed time-to-sales, engage partners, provide faster ROI and deliver better results.

To learn more, visit www.ziftsolutions.com, join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

Press Contact:
Lisa Hyatt
Director of Marketing Communications
Zift Solutions
(919) 271-1472
lisahyatt@ziftsolutions.com

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JERSEY CITY, NJ, RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC, and OXFORD, UNITED KINGDOM – February 13, 2018

Zift Solutions, the Enterprise Channel Management leader, announced today that Chief Strategy Officer Laz Gonzalez and Zift are taking a leading role at the B2B Marketing Exchange (#B2BMX).

Zift is sponsoring #B2BMX, February 19-21 at the Fairmont Princess in Scottsdale, AZ, and will be on-site in Booth 210. The company was instrumental in shaping the new Channel Marketing track, which is designed specifically for channel-based organizations interested in achieving higher performance levels and results from their marketing and sales efforts.

“It has been an absolute honor to be so involved in developing the new Channel Marketing track for B2BMX,” said Gonzalez. “I’m excited to share key strategies and insights to help attendees engage partners and capture more value and return from their channel marketing investments.”  

A well-known industry analyst and established channel thought leader, Gonzalez will discuss ”To-, Through- and For-Partner Marketing,” February 20 at 11:40 am, exploring how each approach offers distinct tactics and delivery options for modern marketers — and why all must work in unison to drive true channel performance.

Gonzalez will also moderate a powerful channel-focused panel discussion at 4:10 pm, “Top-of-Mind Topics for Channel Marketers,” featuring: Jacqueline D. Woods, Chief Marketing Officer, IBM Global Business Partners;  Lisa Penn, Sr. Director, Global Channel Marketing Strategic Initiatives, SAP; Mike Gallagher, Channel Expert and Head of Marketing at Q2E.com; and Matt Hensler, Chief Marketing and Innovation Officer at HomeSmart.

Zift’s B2BMX leadership role and speaking appearances come after an impressive year of growth and innovation. The company scaled impressively in 2017, doubling revenue, expanding its customer base by nearly 50 percent, and increasing the number of users on the Zift Channel as a Service platform by more than 85 percent, creating the largest channel partner ecosystem worldwide.  

Learn more about the new Channel Marketing track at #B2BMX and set up an onsite meeting with Zift here.

About Zift Solutions

Zift is the Enterprise Channel Management leader, synchronizing the people, processes and technology organizations require to drive channel success. Relied on by more than 80% of top channel chiefs and more than half a million partners, Zift Channel as a Service enhances channel partner program productivity and profitability by automating marketing, sales and operational processes. Our comprehensive range of applications integrate seamlessly with established systems and infrastructure to speed time-to-sales, engage partners, provide faster ROI and deliver better results. To learn more, visit www.ziftsolutions.com, join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

Press Contact:
Lisa Hyatt
Director of Marketing Communications
Zift Solutions
(919) 271-1472
lisahyatt@ziftsolutions.com

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JERSEY CITY, NJ, RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC, and OXFORD, UNITED KINGDOM – January 31, 2018

Zift Solutions, the Enterprise Channel Management leader, announced today that it is well-positioned for continued growth and innovation in 2018.

“Our focus and follow-through on delivering end-to-end Enterprise Channel Management is clearly resonating with and driving success for channel leaders and their partners across the globe, which is fueling Zift’s forward momentum,” said Gordon Rapkin, CEO of Zift Solutions.

Zift scaled impressively in 2017, doubling revenue, expanding its customer base by nearly 50 percent and increasing the number of partner users on the Zift platform by more than 85 percent. Growth was driven by the 2017 launch of Zift Channel as a Service, adding new customers, expanding current relationships, and combining forces with previous competitors, Relayware and Elastic Grid.

A Different Approach to Channel Success
Zift debuted Channel as a Service in early 2017, integrating the traditionally siloed solutions channel organizations need for sales, marketing and operations, into one purpose-built yet easy-to-use platform.

The subsequent merger with Relayware and acquisition of Elastic Grid expanded Zift’s presence on a global scale, secured its leadership position in the channel marketplace, and enabled Zift to deliver on its promise of true end-to-end Enterprise Channel Management, which goes well beyond technology.

Combined with the resources of Relayware and Elastic Grid, Zift now serves more than 80 percent of the top channel chiefs, has the largest global partner ecosystem, tracks more than 2 billion data points and offers extensive services to round out its Channel as a Service offerings, and drive channel success for customers. A deeper development bench will continue its work on integration and innovation in 2018, refining current solutions and engineering leading-edge channel-focused technologies to address the constantly shifting challenges of today’s channel landscape. Zift is also set to launch more extensive training offerings in the coming year along with solutions engineered for new and evolving channel programs.

“Today’s channel leaders want more, and Zift is delivering on our promise,” said Laz Gonzalez, noted channel expert and Chief Strategy Officer for Zift. “From integrated channel applications that help run your channel program to flexible service and training options that drive success, no one is putting all the pieces of the channel puzzle together like Zift and it shows in our growth trajectory.”

About Zift Solutions
Zift is the Enterprise Channel Management leader, synchronizing the people, processes and technology organizations require to drive channel success. Relied on by more than 80 percent of top channel chiefs and more than half a million partners, Zift Channel as a Service enhances channel partner program productivity and profitability by automating marketing, sales and operational processes. Our comprehensive range of applications integrate seamlessly with established systems and infrastructure to speed time-to-sales, engage partners, provide faster ROI and deliver better results.

Learn more or join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

Press Contact:
Lisa Hyatt
Director of Marketing Communications
Zift Solutions
(919) 271-1472
lisahyatt@ziftsolutions.com

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JERSEY CITY, NJ, RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC, OXFORD, UNITED KINGDOM, and SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – November 16, 2017

Zift Solutions, the leader in Enterprise Channel Management, has acquired Elastic Grid, a cloud-based channel marketing platform backed by creative services support.

“With this acquisition, Zift furthers its commitment to delivering the very best solutions, services and support to drive real channel success for customers — and solidifies its position as a forward-thinking channel marketplace leader,” said Gordon Rapkin, CEO of Zift Solutions.

The acquisition extends Zift’s already significant global footprint with a more substantial Asia Pacific (APAC) presence and global in-country support for the world’s largest channel partner ecosystem. Moreover, Elastic Grid’s world-class creative services team, which has over 20 years of creative agency expertise, will deepen Zift’s Concierge and Managed Services offerings.

Elastic Grid will join the growing Zift team, building on the momentum of the recent merger of Zift and Relayware. Elastic Grid’s channel expertise, support services and dedicated creative agency and content resources services will further extend and expand Zift’s Channel as a Service value and ROI for the company’s customers. The company’s CEO and founder, Cameron Avery, will take on a leadership role with the Zift Channel Center of Excellence where he will focus on the integration of the two companies, and bringing his expertise and best-practices experience to the entire Zift community.

“Elastic Grid’s primary focus and resources align with Zift’s vision and mission to provide the fully integrated solutions, services and expertise channel leaders need to deliver an unparalleled partner experience and capture more channel revenue,” said Avery.

About Zift Solutions

Zift is the Enterprise Channel Management leader, synchronizing the people, processes and technology organizations require to drive channel success. Relied on by more than 80% of top channel chiefs and more than half a million partners, Zift Channel as a Service enhances channel partner program productivity and profitability by automating marketing, sales and operational processes. Our comprehensive range of applications integrate seamlessly with established systems and infrastructure to speed time-to-sales, engage partners, provide faster ROI and deliver better results. To learn more, visit www.ziftsolutions.com, join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

Press Contact:
Lisa Hyatt
Director of Marketing Communications
Zift Solutions
(919) 271-1472
lisahyatt@ziftsolutions.com

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JERSEY CITY, NJ, RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC and OXFORD, UNITED KINGDOM – Sept. 21, 2017

Zift Solutions, the leader in Enterprise Channel Management, has launched Content Certification Training. Conducted by Zift’s Channel Center of Excellence, the training series delivers expert instruction and best practices for creating, delivering and leveraging content via the Zift platform.

“Content plays a vital role in selling through the channel and putting partners on the road to success,” said Laz Gonzalez, Chief Strategy Officer for Zift and recognized channel expert. “By becoming Zift Content Certified, channel leaders and the agencies they work with gain a significant advantage in empowering partners and capturing more revenue.”

During the training sessions, Zift experts lead attendees through an initial overview of the Zift platform, so they can create and upload content into Zift123 by themselves or on behalf of partners using the platform. The platform overview is followed by hands-on training to create and optimize email  campaigns and workflows; best practices for print and social media to leverage content assets provided by suppliers, and instruction for creating reusable templates. Group sessions are conducted online in a workshop atmosphere, with attendees working within the platform. Individualized, one-on-one sessions follow group activities to allow attendees to ask specialized questions and learn best practices for using their own content within the Zift platform.

“We work with a lot of organizations attempting to build campaigns-in-a-box their partners and regions can customize and leverage. I haven’t seen this pulled off very well in traditional automation platforms due to lack of ease-of-use and lack of custom controls,” said Chris Parisi, COO for B2B marketing agency Bulldog Solutions. “It was apparent during our content training that traditional platforms could learn a few things from Zift. Zift is very robust, with the ability to manage and customize multi-channel campaigns, not just email, and it is very refreshing to see a platform that comes from a security-first standpoint regarding access levels, data security, and customization controls.”

Zift’s initial Content Certification class was conducted in June with 30 attendees. Course graduates were the first to be officially Zift Content Certified on the Zift Platform.  A new training session begins this week.

To learn more and register for the next session to become Zift Content Certified, visit:  https://ziftsolutions.com/content-certification-training/

About Zift Solutions

Zift is the Enterprise Channel Management leader, synchronizing the people, processes and technology B2B organizations require to drive channel revenue and growth with Channel as a Service (CHaaS). Relied on by more than 70% of channel leaders, CHaaS enhances channel partner program productivity and profitability by automating marketing, sales and operational processes. Our comprehensive range of applications integrate seamlessly with established systems and infrastructure to speed time-to-sales, engage partners, provide faster ROI and deliver better results. Join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

Press Contacts:
Lisa Hyatt
Marketing Communications Director
Zift Solutions
(919) 271-1472
lisahyatt@ziftsolutions.com

David Buffaloe
VP of Marketing
Zift Solutions
(919) 424-3329
dbuffaloe@ziftsolutions.com

The post Zift Solutions Launches Content Certification Training appeared first on Zift Solutions.

JERSEY CITY, NJ, RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC  and OXFORD, UNITED KINGDOM – August 31, 2017

Zift Solutions, the Enterprise Channel Management leader, has strengthened its board of directors to support continued growth, innovation and long-term profitability for the company.

“Our new board has the vision, leadership expertise and commitment required to support Zift as we continue to grow and make end-to-end Enterprise Channel Management a reality,” said Gordon Rapkin, Zift CEO and board member.

Zift’s board of directors now includes Richard Anton, Robert Mann, Gordon Rapkin, Matthew Safaii and Hunter Witherington. With the completion of the merger, the current investment syndicate behind the company re-invested in Zift. The privately-held company is financially backed by Albion Ventures, Amadeus Capital, Arrowroot Capital, and SSM Partners.

New to Zift’s board of directors are Anton, Mann and Rapkin. Rapkin has over 30 years of experience in the high tech industry, and has served as CEO of four technology companies, including Relayware prior to Zift. Richard Anton is co-founder and General Partner at software growth capital firm Oxx. Prior to Oxx, he spent 18 years at Amadeus Capital, focusing on B2B software investments in companies originating from the UK and Israel.  Co-founder of Relayware, Robert Mann brings 25 years of software industry expertise to the Zift board, including heading up the European operations of a number of US-based companies, such as Siebel Systems.   

Commenting on the merger, Richard Anton, Oxx General Partner, Zift board member and former Relayware board member, said: “This is an exciting time for Zift. We have worked closely with Gordon and the team at Relayware and are proud to be part of their growth and international expansion.”

Safaii and Witherington both retain their board seats with Zift. Safaii is an established entrepreneur and Managing Partner at Arrowroot Capital, a California-based growth equity firm that invests in software-as-as-service and internet-based businesses. Witherington is a Partner of SSM Partners, a growth equity firm that focuses on making investments in software and technology, Internet and consumer, and healthcare companies.  

“We see tremendous value and potential in the new entity’s combined technology, resources, and expertise for the channel — and are pleased to partner with the definitive leader in Enterprise Channel Management,” said Safaii.

To learn more about Zift’s board of directors, visit https://ziftsolutions.com/leadership-team/#board.

About Zift Solutions

Zift is the Enterprise Channel Management leader, synchronizing the people, processes and technology B2B organizations require to drive channel revenue and growth with Channel as a Service (CHaaS). Relied on by more than 70% of channel leaders, CHaaS enhances channel partner program productivity and profitability by automating marketing, sales and operational processes. Our comprehensive range of applications integrate seamlessly with established systems and infrastructure to speed time-to-sales, engage partners, provide faster ROI and deliver better results. To learn more, visit www.ziftsolutions.com, join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

Press Contacts:
Lisa Hyatt
Marketing Communications Director
Zift Solutions
(919) 271-1472
lisahyatt@ziftsolutions.com

David Buffaloe
VP of Marketing
Zift Solutions
(919) 424-3329
dbuffaloe@ziftsolutions.com

The post Zift Solutions Strengthens Board of Directors appeared first on Zift Solutions.

JERSEY CITY, NJ, RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC and OXFORD, UNITED KINGDOM – August 23, 2017

Zift Solutions, the leading provider of Channel as a Service (CHaaS), and Relayware, the leading Partner Relationship Management (PRM) software provider, have finalized their merger. The newly combined entity will move forward as Zift Solutions under the leadership of CEO Gordon Rapkin, reshaping the Channel Technology landscape with the first and only end-to-end Enterprise Channel Management platform.

“With this merger, Zift secures its position as the Enterprise Channel Management leader and steps forward as the go-to resource for channel organizations interested in driving growth, activating partners, capturing more revenue and making their channel data actionable,” said Gordon Rapkin, CEO of Zift Solutions.  

Zift now has unparalleled size, reach and expertise within the ChanTech market, with the resources and focus to provide fully integrated technology, services and strategic insight via CHaaS. With the deepest integration capabilities available today and support for customers and partners around the globe, Zift delivers superior value to its customers and prospects.

“Zift recognizes that there is much more involved in channel success than quickly establishing a partner portal,” said Ken Romley, now Zift Solutions’ President. “Rather than a siloed or technology-first approach, Zift stands out by delivering complete professional and managed services, best practices, education and thought leadership to accompany our technology offerings.”

Work on integrating the Zift and Relayware technology platforms is well underway and the companies have blended their leadership, development, sales, services and engineering teams together, creating an exceptional global team of seasoned and innovative professionals fully focused on increasing revenue and eliminating complexities for channel organizations.

 “Our complementary technology, resources and expertise give organizations working in the channel the ability to expand visibility, control, data access and insight across their entire partner ecosystem,” said Laz Gonzalez, Chief Strategy Officer for Zift.

To learn more about the merger and future vision of the new entity, visit https://ziftsolutions.com/zift-relayware/.

About Zift Solutions

Zift is the Enterprise Channel Management leader, synchronizing the people, processes and technology B2B organizations require to drive channel revenue and growth with Channel as a Service (CHaaS). Relied on by more than 70% of channel leaders, CHaaS enhances channel partner program productivity and profitability by automating marketing, sales and operational processes. Our comprehensive range of applications integrate seamlessly with established systems and infrastructure to speed time-to-sales, engage partners, provide faster ROI and deliver better results. To learn more, visit www.ziftsolutions.com, join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

Press Contacts:
Lisa Hyatt
Marketing Communications Director
Zift Solutions
(919) 271-1472
lisahyatt@ziftsolutions.com

David Buffaloe
VP of Marketing
Zift Solutions
(919) 424-3329
dbuffaloe@ziftsolutions.com

The post Zift Solutions and Relayware Finalize Merger appeared first on Zift Solutions.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC, JERSEY CITY, NJ and OXFORD, UNITED KINGDOM – July 12, 2017

Zift Solutions, the leading provider of Channel as a Service (CHaaS), and Relayware, the leading Partner Relationship Management (PRM) software provider, have agreed to merge. Together, the two proven industry leaders will deliver comprehensive Enterprise Channel Management technology and services via Zift’s Channel as a Service platform.

“Enterprise Channel Management is the natural evolution of channel technology and, with our combined resources, integrated technology and thought leadership, we are dramatically changing the face of channel technology and how it’s delivered through Channel as a Service,” said Gordon Rapkin, CEO of Relayware.  

“As a combined entity, Zift and Relayware have the end-to-end Enterprise Channel Management technology, services and strategic insight modern B2B organizations require to simplify channel management and maximize profitability from their entire channel ecosystem,” said Ken Romley, CEO of Zift Solutions.

“As suppliers look to drive higher performance and greater engagement with partners, the role of technology in support of channel partners continues to increase in importance,” said Maria Chien, Service Director of Channel Marketing Strategies for SiriusDecisions. “The emergence of platforms and applications purposely built for channel marketing and channel sales have offered a vast improvement over forced-built or customized approaches. As channel organizations look to simplify the way their partners drive success, investing in channel platforms to support the complex challenges of a supplier-partner relationship is becoming a necessity.”

Built for seamless integration, the Zift and Relayware platforms will be combined under Channel as a Service to extend and expand functionality and ROI for the companies’ joint customers. Channel as a Service is an easy-to-use platform that aligns and integrates critical solutions for channel sales, marketing and operations.

Both businesses have proved themselves as industry leaders in their respective categories. Integrating the highly-popular Relayware PRM platform and the Zift Solutions platform will provide unmatched planning, sales, marketing and operations capabilities for channel organizations and their partners.

“As a Relayware and Zift Solutions customer, this is fantastic news,” said Toni Adams, SVP Partners & Alliances at Qlik, the winner of SiriusDecisions’ 2017 Partner Program of the Year.  “We pride ourselves on being simple, predictable and profitable for our partners and in their engagement with Qlik. Zift and Relayware are part of the foundation of making that happen. We look forward to experiencing the benefits of this merger in helping accelerate Qlik’s ability to bring even more value to our partners and joint customers.”

Moving forward, Relayware’s CEO Gordon Rapkin will take the lead as CEO of Zift Solutions. Zift’s current CEO, Ken Romley, will remain as an integral part of Zift’s executive leadership team, leveraging more than a decade of channel expertise to drive strategy and product direction for Zift.  The combined company will operate under the Zift Solutions name.

About Zift Solutions

Nearly 70% of channel leaders rely on Zift Solutions to build and grow more profitable channel partner programs. Zift Channel as a Service automates channel marketing, sales and operations processes – and integrates seamlessly with established systems and infrastructure to provide faster ROI and deliver better results. To learn more, visit www.ziftsolutions.com, join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

About Relayware

Relayware is a leading SaaS-based Partner Relationship Management company, serving hi-tech, manufacturing, telecommunications, financial services and insurance companies around the world. Providing a comprehensive range of partner-centric applications, including partner portals, sales, marketing and engagement packs that unlock the key to partner productivity, Relayware delivers greater partner engagement, productivity and return on indirect channel investment. At the core of Relayware is the Partner Cloud, a comprehensive platform that delivers the foundation for a partner ecosystem that simplifies and extends partner processes beyond the enterprise. Additional information is available at www.Relayware.com.

Press Contacts:
Lisa Hyatt
Marketing Communications Director
Zift Solutions
(919) 271-1472
lisahyatt@ziftsolutions.com

David Buffaloe
VP of Marketing
Zift Solutions
(919) 424-3329
dbuffaloe@ziftsolutions.com

The post Zift Solutions and Relayware Agree to Merge appeared first on Zift Solutions.

The post Zift Solutions Relocates NC Headquarters in Cary appeared first on Zift Solutions.

Research Triangle Park, NC – May 24, 2017

Zift Solutions, the leading provider of Channel as a Service (CHaaS), today announced support for WeChat^®, expanding and strengthening social media reach and engagement for channel organizations, particularly those working in Asia-Pacific (APAC) regions.

“Using Zift and WeChat together, our users can more easily engage buyers across digital channels worldwide to expand their social media presence, strengthen relationships and ultimately capture more revenue,” said Ken Romley, CEO of Zift. “Zift is proud to add WeChat to the growing list of social media and messaging platforms it supports.”

WeChat builds on Zift’s existing support for an array of social media and messaging platforms, including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and XING. The most popular social network in China, WeChat has over 800 million active users who spend an average of 90 minutes on the platform every day. WeChat provides instant messaging, social media and ecommerce capabilities, along with games, video calls, payment services and more.

“Zift recognizes that WeChat is much more than a traditional social network and is pleased to support the platform of choice for brands interested in engaging with buyers across digital channels in APAC,” said Damian Rochman, VP of Product for Zift.  

Brands and their channel partners can now connect their Zift accounts with WeChat official accounts to broadcast messages to followers. This is an ideal method for organizations selling through indirect channels to monetize their WeChat official accounts, develop stronger APAC-based online communities and enhance lead generation efforts.

Learn more about Zift Social Media Syndication here: https://ziftsolutions.com/products/social-media-syndication/  

About Zift Solutions

Nearly 70% of channel leaders around the globe rely on Zift Solutions to build and grow more profitable channel partner programs. Zift Channel as a Service automates channel marketing, sales and operations processes – and integrates seamlessly with established systems and infrastructure to provide faster ROI and deliver better results. To learn more, visit www.ziftsolutions.com, join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

Press Contacts:
Lisa Hyatt
Marketing Communications Director
Zift Solutions
(919) 271-1472
lisahyatt@ziftsolutions.com

David Buffaloe
VP of Marketing
Zift Solutions
(919) 424-3329
dbuffaloe@ziftsolutions.com

The post Zift Solutions Adds WeChat® for Global Social Media Syndication in the Channel appeared first on Zift Solutions.

Research Triangle Park, NC – March 29, 2017

Zift Solutions, the leading provider of Channel as a Service (CHaaS), today announced that Chief Strategy Officer Laz Gonzalez will be a featured speaker at the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI) Sales and Marketing Council Spring 2017 Meeting in Dallas, TX, April 5-7th.

“When it comes to modern marketing and sales, particularly for manufacturers, the ‘build it and they will come’ approach just doesn’t work,” said Gonzalez. “I’m excited to share my insight into activating an entire channel ecosystem by aligning sales and marketing.”

Gonzalez’s presentation, “Aligning Sales and Marketing Efforts to Drive Manufacturing Success,” is scheduled for 8:15 to 10 a.m., Thursday, April 6, 2017 at The Adolphus (1321 Commerce Street, Dallas, TX 75202). His presentation will explore the foundational elements to drive sales and marketing alignment and capture more channel revenue, including manufacturing industry use cases and demonstrations on marketing to, through, and for distributors and channel partners.

“We are thrilled to have Laz join us at this important event. Our members are looking forward to his insights in driving growth through innovative yet proven best practices in channel marketing and sales,” said Cam Mackey, Senior Vice President of Operations and Partnerships for MAPI.

A prominent industry analyst and well-recognized thought leader, Laz Gonzalez has served as strategic advisor to leading B2B channel programs worldwide. Before joining Zift Solutions as Chief Strategy Officer in 2016, Laz was Group Director of Channel Sales and Marketing Strategies at SiriusDecisions, where he published extensively on channel management, partner recruitment, enablement and lead generation, while contributing to the development of transformative frameworks, such as the SiriusDecisions Channel Program model.

The MAPI Marketing Council provides a roundtable forum for senior sales and marketing leaders working with manufacturing companies and industrial distributors to share best practices on issues such as voice of the customer, segmentation, marketing automation, B2B social media, and commercial excellence. The Council’s semiannual meetings focus on roundtable dialogue among peers from leading B2B manufacturers.

For more information about the upcoming MAPI event and to register for the event, visit: https://www.mapi.net/events/marketing-council-meeting-spring-2017.

About Zift Solutions

Nearly 70% of channel leaders rely on Zift Solutions to build and grow more profitable channel partner programs. Zift Channel as a Service automates channel marketing, sales and operations processes – and integrates seamlessly with established systems and infrastructure to provide faster ROI and deliver better results. To learn more, visit www.ziftsolutions.com, join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

Press Contacts:
Lisa Hyatt
Marketing Communications Director
Zift Solutions
(919) 271-1472
lisahyatt@ziftsolutions.com

David Buffaloe
VP of Marketing
Zift Solutions
(919) 424-3329
dbuffaloe@ziftsolutions.com

The post Laz Gonzalez Shares Key Channel Insights at 2017 MAPI Sales & Marketing Council Meeting appeared first on Zift Solutions.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – February 22, 2017

Zift Solutions, the leading provider of Channel as a Service, today announced the launch of its new, fully integrated  Partner Relationship Management (PRM) solutions. This expanded functionality of the Zift platform will help channel organizations maximize the productivity and profitability of their channel partners.  

“Winning channel organizations require more than SFA and CRM solutions to recruit, enable and support the long-term success of their partner ecosystems,” said Ken Romley, President and CEO, Zift Solutions. “Zift PRM establishes a foundation for collaborative channel success with innovative and integrated partner-oriented solutions that work with applications suppliers and their partners already have in place.”

Zift PRM is a core element of Zift Channel as a Service, an easy-to-use, integrated software as a service platform that automates all sales, marketing and operational processes. Using Zift PRM, channel organizations can capture partner mindshare, nurture mutually rewarding relationships and drive breakthrough performance for channel programs of all sizes. The new PRM suite includes integrated tools for partner program management, recruitment and onboarding, and deal registration and management. A full range of self- and managed services underlie all Channel as a Service technology components, including PRM management, to further ensure success.

“Most channel-oriented organizations know how critical their channel partner ecosystem is, but few have the dedicated resources or tools to support it properly. Zift is putting a stake in the ground with integrated PRM intended to facilitate more proactive partner program management and scale partner productivity and sales through automation,” said noted channel analyst Tim Harmon, Managing Director at Nuvello.

“Using Zift PRM, suppliers can gain insights, recruit and manage their partners based on their unique skills and resources, and leverage data to drive effectiveness in sales and marketing initiatives,” said Laz Gonzalez, Chief Strategy Officer for Zift Solutions. “And as Zift PRM is fully integrated into Channel as a Service, it’s never been easier to track partner progress, adjust strategy and drive higher partner ROI.”

Zift PRM gives channel organizations direct visibility, insight and control across the sales lifecycle and their partner ecosystems. Channel organizations can use Zift PRM to create more streamlined recruitment and onboarding processes, help partners differentiate themselves through specializations and partner tiers, and support collaborative planning between partners and their channel managers. Zift PRM also provides seamless integration with Zift’s best-of-breed Channel Marketing and Management (CMM) solutions, providing closed-loop visibility into campaigns and leads they generate.

About Zift Solutions
Nearly 70% of channel leaders rely on Zift Solutions to build and grow more profitable channel partner programs. Zift Channel as a Service automates channel marketing, sales and operations processes – and integrates seamlessly with established systems and infrastructure to provide faster ROI and deliver better results. To learn more, visit www.ziftsolutions.com, join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

Press Contacts:
Lisa Hyatt
Marketing Communications Director
Zift Solutions
(919) 271-1472
lisahyatt@ziftsolutions.com

David Buffaloe
VP of Marketing
Zift Solutions
(919) 424-3329
dbuffaloe@ziftsolutions.com

The post Zift Solutions Delivers Fully Integrated Partner Relationship Management appeared first on Zift Solutions.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – February 15, 2017

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of Channel Marketing and Management (CMM) solutions, today announced an expanded vision for the company and the channel with Channel as a Service, an easy-to-use, integrated software as a service platform that automates channel sales, marketing and operational processes, so that channel programs can deliver better results.

“After a decade of working with channel leaders, we recognize that winning organizations need fully integrated solutions and services that span all phases of channel marketing, sales and operations – and Zift stands ready to deliver with Channel as a Service,” said Ken Romley, President and CEO, Zift Solutions.

Zift Channel as a Service (CHaaS) integrates all of the multiple, and traditionally disparate, applications modern channel organizations require, making it easier for suppliers to generate revenue from their channel by simplifying planning, partner recruitment, partner enablement, demand generation, customer transactions and lifecycle management. By providing an end-to-end solution that co-exists with existing applications and infrastructure, Zift Channel as a Service provides the ease of use and adoption channel leaders have been searching for.

“The integration and convergence happening within the technology landscape is finally coming to the channel with the emergence of platforms and applications purposely built for channel marketing efforts, which now includes interoperability as a key consideration for successful deployments,” said Maria Chien, Service Director, Channel Marketing Strategies, SiriusDecisions.

“Integration remains the primary reason for channel program delays and failures,” said Laz Gonzalez, Chief Strategy Officer for Zift Solutions. “With Channel as a Service, Zift is lifting the tremendous burden of integration and delivering everything channel organizations need to drive better engagement and capture more channel revenue.”

Channel as a Service will extend Zift Solutions best-of-breed Channel Marketing and Management (CMM) solutions to include integrated Partner Relationship Management (PRM), Learning Management Solutions (LMS) and Configure Price and Quote (CPQ) solutions. Using Channel as a Service, channel organizations will be able to see and manage leads, incentives, data and publishing through one, easy-to-use platform – or directly within the CRM and SFA systems they already use. A full range of services that support both self-service and managed services implementations underlie all Channel as a Service technology components to further ensure success.

To request a demo or learn more about Channel as a Service, visit  https://ziftsolutions.com/channel-as-a-service/.  

About Zift Solutions
Nearly 70% of channel leaders rely on Zift Solutions to build and grow more profitable channel partner programs. Zift Channel as a Service automates channel marketing, sales and operations processes – and integrates seamlessly with established systems and infrastructure to provide faster ROI and deliver better results. To learn more, visit www.ziftsolutions.com, join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.
Press Contacts:
Lisa Hyatt
Marketing Communications Director
Zift Solutions
(919) 271-1472
lisahyatt@ziftsolutions.com

David Buffaloe
VP of Marketing
Zift Solutions
(919) 424-3329
dbuffaloe@ziftsolutions.com

The post Zift Solutions Premieres Channel as a Service appeared first on Zift Solutions.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – January 18, 2017

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of Channel Marketing and Management (CMM) solutions, announced that its demonstrated growth and success in 2016 is driving strong forward momentum into 2017.

Growing Financial Strength & Market Dominance

Zift exhibited impressive financial growth in 2016, increasing revenue by more than 50 percent and signing several new customers, including Akamai, Gamma Telecom, Informatica, SAS and VMware. Zift maintained its position as the definitive CMM platform provider in the marketplace today with the largest channel partner community worldwide.

Following its acquisition of SharedVue, Zift has successfully completed the migration of all  customers from an array of industries spanning Manufacturing, Telecommunications, eCommerce and Tech to the Zift Platform. The transition to Zift provides expanded functionality for these companies to drive more channel revenue. 

Innovation Expands Boundaries

Zift expanded the boundaries of CMM in 2016, becoming the first provider to deliver fully-integrated Search Engine Marketing capabilities within a CMM platform and leveling the playing field for channel marketing by making digital advertising, including SEM and Pay-Per-Click, accessible to channel programs of all sizes.

Zift also launched Campaign Marketplace, which gives channel partners the ability to optimize, manage and use their Market Development Funds (MDF) to access pre-approved marketing activities and customized campaigns developed and executed by professional Marketing Service Agencies within the Zift Platform.

2016 saw Zift surpassing 1 billion in tracked marketing events, which can be analyzed to provide additional insight into the specific ways users are leveraging Zift capabilities. Users saw impressive results in 2016 with Zift, including:

• A 143% increase in integrated multi-tactic campaigns created with:
  • 15 million emails sent through Zift with a 251% increase in clicks and a 138% increase in form submission
  • 252% increase in social accounts connected with a 290% increase in social shares/retweets and a nearly 300% increase in social post clicks
• An 181% increase in leads created and more than 2.2 million leads distributed
• More than 1.2 million opportunities created

Expanded Executive Leadership

Zift deepened its already strong leadership bench with the addition of several proven industry experts in 2016. Prominent industry analyst and CMM thought leader, Laz Gonzalez joined Zift as Chief Strategy Officer, bringing unparalleled channel insight garnered from his tenure as Group Director of Channel Sales and Marketing Strategies at SiriusDecisions and years serving as strategic advisor to leading B2B channel programs worldwide. Zift’s new Vice President of Product, Damian Rochman brings over 20 years of cross-functional software expertise to his role defining and managing the strategic direction and development of Zift’s product roadmap. Steven Capozzi joined Zift as Vice President of Customer Success, further strengthening the company’s culture of customer centricity and bringing two decades of product lifecycle, marketing and management expertise to his new role at Zift. New Zift Chief Financial Officer Will Sendall joined the company in April, using 20 years of high-growth technology expertise in his role providing direction and oversight of Zift’s continued financial growth and management.  

Continued Thought-Leadership                    

Leveraging its deep industry insight for education and thought-leadership, Zift conducted a powerful study with the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI), exploring the disruptive changes within the dealer/distributor landscape. “Collaborating with Channel Partners to Drive Faster Growth” found that manufacturers are missing opportunities to effectively engage channel partners, lack visibility to measure marketing ROI, and are underutilizing data, modern digital marketing and collaboration tools that drive channel sales.

Zift launched Channel Visions TV, an educational destination website that brings together channel change makers, recognized industry analysts and experts along with seasoned professionals working on both sides of the channel to share insight and real-world experiences.

Evolving Corporate Culture & Demonstrated Social Responsibility

The company continued to expand in 2016 with 27.2% employee growth. Demonstrating the company’s strong commitment to social responsibility, more than 75 percent of Zift staff participated in Pledge 1%, donating more than 500 hours to local philanthropic organizations, including Transitions LifeCare, Raleigh Soup Kitchen, the Salvation Army, Meals on Wheels, Build Your Bucket List, and Walk to End Alzheimer’s, among many others. The staff currently working in Zift’s dual NC-based offices will be consolidated into one cornerstone location in 2017.

“Zift is moving forward in 2017 with the vision, direction and resources required to address the needs and continued challenges of today’s channel organizations,” said Ken Romley, President and CEO, Zift Solutions. “We are dedicated to creating a great place to work, rapidly responding to the demands of our growing customer base and actively shaping the future of the channel by delivering easy-to-use, integrated tools and services that provide everything necessary to build and grow a more profitable channel partner program.”

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

Press Contacts

Lisa Hyatt
Marketing Communications Director
Zift Solutions
(919) 271-1472
lisahyatt@ziftsolutions.com

David Buffaloe
VP of Marketing
Zift Solutions
(919) 424-3329
dbuffaloe@ziftsolutions.com

The post Zift Solutions’ Growth & Success Drives 2017 Momentum appeared first on Zift Solutions.

Research Triangle Park, NC – January 13, 2017

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of Channel Marketing and Management (CMM) solutions, today announced that Ken Romley was honored with in invitation to speak at the Black Founders Meeting in Durham, NC on Friday, January 13.

“I’m excited to share my own experiences as an entrepreneur with the group and provide insight garnered from starting four successful venture-capital backed businesses, including Zift Solutions,” said Romley.

With a mission to increase the number of successful black entrepreneurs in technology, Black Founders is creating an ecosystem that stimulates tech entrepreneurship and fosters economic growth. The Durham-based group is comprised of minority entrepreneurs, at varying stages of their respective startups, who meet to share knowledge, resources and develop programs that equip entrepreneurs, inspire innovation and accelerate success.

Romley was invited as a special guest along with Dennis English, Director of Historically Underutilized Business at the NC Department of Administration. The event is scheduled for 1:30-3 p.m., Friday January 13, 2017 at American Underground (201 W Main St Ste 100, Durham, NC 27701). His presentation will cover how to keep costs down, why and when raising money makes sense, the importance of storytelling, along with tips for scaling a growing business.

Over the last two decades, Ken has co-founded and run a wide range of technology and Internet-based enterprises while leading innovations in marketing technologies. As President and CEO of Zift Solutions, Ken is a driving force behind the company’s strategic vision and mission to deliver easy, integrated solutions that provide everything needed to build and grow a profitable channel partner program.Prior to founding Zift Solutions, Romley served as CEO and CTO of SmartPath, where he helped to establish Enterprise Marketing Management solutions as essential technology for improving marketing effectiveness. He also served as Director of Product Development for DoubleClick after the company acquired SmartPath and held executive leadership roles with Marathon Group, Micro Focus and Burl Software Laboratories.

American Underground will play host to this event and is considered North Carolina’s preeminent technology hub. It is one of the pioneers in inclusive innovation with nearly 30 percent of its startups led by women and 22 percent led by founders from underrepresented groups.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

Press Contacts:

Lisa Hyatt
Director of Marketing & Communications
(919) 271.1472
lisahyatt@ziftsolutions.com

David Buffaloe
VP of Marketing
(919) 794.8385
dbuffaloe@ziftsolutions.com

The post Ken Romley Featured Speaker at Black Founders Meeting appeared first on Zift Solutions.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC (November 16, 2016)

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of Channel Marketing and Management (CMM) solutions, announced today that Damian Rochman has joined the company as Vice President of Product.

“Adding Damian Rochman to our executive team will ensure that Zift is providing the necessary structure to support continued growth and meet the ever increasing demands and dynamics of the evolving CMM market,” said Zift Solutions President and CEO Ken Romley.

Damian Rochman brings over 20 years of proven experience leading cross-functional teams in the software solutions space to Zift. During the past decade, he has focused on managing product lines throughout their lifecycles at BMC Software, Kaltura, Infusion, Identify Software and, most recently, CloudFactory. In his new role with Zift, he will be responsible for the overall Product Roadmap and will oversee both the Product Management and Documentation teams. He will also work closely with executive management and other business units as well as with customers, partners and users to define and manage overall product direction for Zift.  

“Zift is already in a terrific market position and I look forward to sharing my product development and management skills with the Zift Solutions team, customers and prospects to deliver leading-edge CMM products that drive breakthrough results,” said Rochman.

Learn more about Zift’s executive leadership team at https://ziftsolutions.com/leadership-team/.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

Press Contact:
David Buffaloe
VP of Marketing
(919) 424-3329
dbuffaloe@ziftsolutions.com

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RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC (November 1, 2016)

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of Channel Marketing and Management (CMM) solutions, announced today that the company’s Chief Strategy Officer, Laz Gonzalez, will be a featured speaker and lead a workshop session at the Specialized Channel Focus 2016 Conference.

Laz Gonzalez is a well-recognized channel sales and marketing thought leader and his presentation, Treating Partners like Leads: How to Gain the Mindshare of Specialized Partners, will be held Tuesday, November 8^th from 9:30-10:15 a.m. Mr. Gonzalez will explore shifts in channel marketing programs, the vital importance of nurturing partners, and how through-partner marketing can play an important role in supporting effective partner recruitment and engagement.

“Just as buyers have changed, channel partners are transforming the way they obtain information and form alliances with suppliers,” said Gonzalez. “Suppliers must refine their approach and offerings to engage partners and capture partner mindshare and loyalty to drive adoption, channel sales and marketing performance.”

Specialized Channel Focus is the sister show to the most successful channel event in the world, Channel Focus North America. Zift is a proud sponsor of the event, which runs November 7-9^th at The Brown Palace Hotel in Denver, CO. The conference features an unparalleled combination of informative presentations and interactive workshops designed to address new and exciting channel development emerging in the IT industry. Learn more about Specialized Channel Focus and register.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

Press Contact:
David Buffaloe
VP of Marketing
(919) 424-3329
dbuffaloe@ziftsolutions.com

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RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC (October 12, 2016)

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of Channel Marketing and Management (CMM) solutions, announced today that it has enhanced its Digital Advertising capabilities. The solutions now includes the ability to automate search advertising and pay-per-click (PPC) campaigns, which will provide unmatched scalability across global channel communities. Zift is a pioneer in this space, providing the first fully integrated SEM capabilities within a CMM platform.

“By automating what has traditionally been done manually by partners themselves or high-cost agencies, our offering makes professional Digital Advertising accessible for everyone,” said Laz Gonzalez, Chief Strategy Officer, Zift Solutions. “It eliminates the need for complicated bidding, works well with Google and keeps channel partner campaigns from unintentionally competing with those of their suppliers.”

Zift Digital Advertising includes Search Engine Advertising (or PPC) for both Google and Bing, Social Advertising with LinkedIn, and Display Advertising with Ad Re-targeting. Vendors and Suppliers can easily provide high quality, optimized campaigns to their Channel Partners through the Zift platform. Partners simply select the professionally designed campaign offered from their Supplier; fill in a few specific details regarding their business, audience and where they would like to run their ads; and Zift automates ad placement and campaign execution. Built-in closed loop analytics and reporting deliver direct insight into campaign efficacy and ROI.

“Despite the fact that a growing portion of the buyer’s journey now occurs online, many b-to-b organizations struggle to alter their processes and execution to serve a digitally oriented buyer,” said Maria Chien, Service Director, Channel Marketing Strategies at SiriusDecisions. “It’s critical for suppliers and partners to understand how pervasive digital is throughout marketing across all program types and the necessity to amend programs to support and include these efforts.”

Zift Digital Advertising enhancements include:

• Automated digital campaigns and streamlined partner activation complete with a templated library of professionally designed, tested and optimized campaigns with high-value assets.
• Up to the minute reporting and on-going bid optimization via machine learning.
• Unmatched coordination of all digital advertising programs running, allowing suppliers to scale digital advertising programs among hundreds of partners, lower costs and optimize channel strategy.
• Full integration with Zift’s CMM platform, including Campaign Marketplace, Content Syndication, Analytics and Lead Management.

The enhanced Digital Advertising capabilities are available to current Zift customers now within their familiar Zift Solutions environment.

To learn more about Zift Digital Advertising, register to attend this upcoming webinar, “Leveling the Playing Field for Channel Marketers with Digital Advertising” on October 27, 2016 at 1:00 pm ET. Learn more and register online now.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

Press Contact:
David Buffaloe
VP of Marketing
(919) 424-3329
dbuffaloe@ziftsolutions.com

The post Zift Solutions Provides First Fully-Integrated Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Capabilities within Channel Marketing & Management (CMM) Platform appeared first on Zift Solutions.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC (September 29, 2016)

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of Channel Marketing and Management (CMM) solutions, announced today that Laz Gonzalez, Zift’s Chief Strategy Officer and a well-recognized CMM thought leader, will be a featured speaker at the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI) Fall 2016 Marketing Council Meeting.

“The buyer’s journey has changed radically and B2B manufacturers are missing key opportunities to connect with digitally-savvy prospects and customers by underinvesting in digital marketing, lead management systems and tools,” said Gonzalez. “I’m excited to share the results of Zift and MAPI’s recent collaborative research at this event, along with best practices to drive faster growth while selling through channels.”

Gonzalez’s presentation, A New Buyer’s Journey: Ensuring You have the Technology and Processes to Succeed, will unveil the results of a research collaboration between MAPI and Zift Solutions and will include two brief interactive workshops on effective digital marketing approaches to address the new buyer’s journey, along with best practices for lead quality, visibility and sharing. Attendees will receive concrete ideas for enhancing the efficacy and visibility of lead generation and distribution processes as well as guidance on the best tactics and content to capture more revenue.

The presentation will be held Thursday, October 6^th from 9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. in the Plaza Ball Room at the Ritz Carlton Buckhead in Atlanta, Georgia.

“Too many of today’s industrial manufacturers are missing their marks when it comes to selling through indirect channels,” said Cam Mackey, Senior Vice President of Operations and Partnerships for MAPI. “This presentation will shed light on how Zift and MAPI’s research and modern digital marketing methods can be leveraged to overcome obstacles and empower stronger relationships between manufacturers and channel partners that foster profitability.”

Held October 6-7^th, the MAPI Marketing Council Meeting provides a roundtable forum for senior marketing leaders to share best practices on issues such as voice of the customer, segmentation, marketing automation, B2B social media and commercial excellence. Attendees are typically members of the MAPI Marketing Council but are open to professionals working for manufacturing companies and industrial distributors. Learn more about the MAPI Council Meeting and register.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

Press Contact:
David Buffaloe
VP of Marketing
(919) 424-3329
dbuffaloe@ziftsolutions.com

The post Laz Gonzalez Featured Speaker at 2016 MAPI Marketing Council Meeting appeared first on Zift Solutions.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC & BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – September 26, 2016

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of Channel Marketing and Management (CMM) solutions, and LeadFabric, one of Europe’s leading marketing and sales alignment specialists, announced today that they are partnering to streamline and optimize implementation of Zift Solutions in Continental Europe.

“With LeadFabric overseeing Zift deployments across Continental Europe, we can be assured that our customers are getting the most from their campaigns, demand generation efforts and overall CMM usage,” said Laz Gonzalez, Chief Strategy Officer for Zift Solutions. “LeadFabric’s deep understanding of marketing automation, regional social and cultural climate, and proven experience working with large channel programs makes them a perfect fit to guide our customers’ implementations.”

Zift Solutions selected LeadFabric as its go-to certified partner to help customers across Europe streamline implementations and optimize usage of Zift Solutions tools, with a particular focus on the company’s world-class closed loop lead management and content syndication tools.

“We are excited to help Zift expand their global footprint and ensure that nothing stands in the way of their customers’ success in deploying lead nurture campaigns that connect with local audiences,” said Koen De Witte, CEO of LeadFabric.

Given LeadFabric’s deep roots in the region and strong understanding of the culture and environments organizations must navigate to ensure success, the company was a natural choice for Zift. Since its inception in 2008, LeadFabric has helped dozens of clients like ADP, Barco, Philips, Intergraph, Solarwinds, Vasco Data Security, Wolters Kluwer, Xerox EMEA, Ortec and many others align sales and marketing solutions with local markets.

Today, LeadFabric employs a multicultural staff, covering nine (9) languages, capable of spanning the entire European continent. Aside from Zift Solutions, LeadFabric is the official accredited business partner of the leading engagement tech vendors in the B2B space, including Oracle Marketing Cloud, Marketo, Salesforce, Pardot, IBM Silverpop and Sitecore CX. 

Explore the full suite of Zift’s CMM solutions at www.ziftsolutions.com and learn more about LeadFabric at www.leadfabric.com.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

About LeadFabric

Based in the heart of Europe, LeadFabric works with sales and marketing professionals across the region, as well as global organizations selling into the EU. One of the most experienced and highly certified partners for top platforms such as Marketo, Oracle/Eloqua, IBM/Silverpop, Salesforce.com/Pardot, Brainshark and Sitecore AIDA, LeadFabric works with modern marketing teams on driving revenues by increasing sales conversion rates. Learn more at www.leadfabric.com or www.linkedin.com/company/leadfabric/

Media Contacts

David Buffaloe
VP of Marketing, Zift Solutions
(919) 424.3329
dbuffaloe@ziftsolutions.com

Koen De Witte
Managing Director, LeadFabric
+32 880 66 07
kdewitte@leadfabric.com

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RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – August 29, 2016

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of Channel Marketing and Management (CMM) solutions, today announced that Laz Gonzalez has joined the company as Chief Strategy Officer. A well-known industry analyst and established CMM thought leader, Gonzalez brings unparalleled expertise and knowledge of channel partners in high tech, manufacturing and financial services industries to Zift and its customers.

“After working with hundreds of channel organizations, no one knows the Channel Marketing and Management space better than Laz Gonzalez, and we are truly honored that he chose Zift Solutions,” said Ken Romley, CEO of Zift Solutions. “By securing Laz as our Chief Strategist, Zift adds channel expertise unmatched by any other vendor. The company as well as our customers will absolutely benefit from having such a strategic channel visionary on board.”

In this new role, Gonzalez will guide the strategic direction of Zift Solutions and work directly with the company’s current customers, combining his industry insight and expertise with Zift’s technology and data to ensure Zift users are well positioned to take full advantage of all available opportunities.

“I see a tremendous opportunity with Zift and believe strongly that the company has earned and will continue to hold its place as the leader in CMM and more,” said Gonzalez. “I understand the tremendous impact that the right CMM solution can have in helping channel organizations strengthen partnerships, measure ROI and provide meaningful value to their business. I’m excited to bring my channel experience to Zift.”

In his previous role as Group Director of Channel Sales and Marketing Strategies at SiriusDecisions, Gonzalez established himself as a prominent industry analyst and served as strategic advisor to some of the world’s leading b-to-b channel programs including Intel, VMware, Dell, Cisco and HP. Under his leadership and vision, Gonzalez’s team published hundreds of research briefs and reports on channel management, partner recruitment, enablement and lead generation programs, while developing frameworks and models, such as the SiriusDecisions Channel Program Model©, which has helped suppliers transform their channel programs to drive higher performance.

Prior to his role at SiriusDecisions, Gonzalez was a channel practitioner himself over a period of two decades, gaining extensive executive, front-line and international experience implementing solution-driven sales programs with OEMs, strategic alliances, distributors and resellers. He also headed up North American Channels for Unipress Software, which was later acquired by BMC, a leading vendor of call center solutions. Prior to this role, he served as executive vice president of sales and marketing at Beast Financials, a Wall Street-based application services provider, and before that he was vice president of alliances and OEM programs at Viewpoint – a digital marketing technology and services provider.

Gonzalez also brings several years of international experience to Zift, having led direct and channel selling efforts for Lotus Development in Latin America and later with Baan, a developer of scalable ERP solutions, based in Europe. While at Baan, as regional vice president for indirect sales, he led a channels team that spanned seven countries and worked with over 400 resellers and systems integrators.

Visit Zift’s Leadership Page for more information about Laz Gonzalez and the Zift Solutions executive management team.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

The post Zift Solutions Names Laz Gonzalez as Chief Strategy Officer appeared first on Zift Solutions.

August 25, 2016 – A new study, “Collaborating with Channel Partners to Drive Faster Growth” examines how industrial manufacturing companies are utilizing modern digital marketing and collaboration tools to enable profitable growth and increase channel revenue. The study, jointly conducted by Zift Solutions and the Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity and Innovation (MAPI), finds that manufacturers are missing opportunities to effectively engage channel partners, lack visibility to measure marketing ROI, and are underutilizing data, modern digital marketing and collaboration tools that drive channel sales.

According to the study of 56 mid- and large-cap industrial manufacturers, one of the major areas for improvement is lead generation. Most manufacturers don’t know what happens with the sales leads they pass to dealers/distributors, and therefore are unable to adequately track marketing ROI. However, responding manufacturers with connected systems have greater visibility and agility, improving alignment with their distributors.

“For many manufacturers, lead status is a black hole,” says David Buffaloe, Vice President of Marketing for Zift Solutions. “In today’s business climate, speed is critical. Processes and systems between manufacturers and distributors must be aligned for success.”

The study found that another problem area is content. For most manufacturers, their systems for sharing content are outdated, and the manufacturers aren’t providing distributors with the types of content they need to drive demand.

According to MAPI Senior Vice President Cam Mackey, “Even the best content in the world is meaningless unless the channel partners get it in the right format at the right time. More than half of the companies are still emailing updated content to their distributors.” Using such manual processes creates the potential for multiple versions of the same piece of content, risk for the manufacturer of outdated information, and ultimately confusion on the part of the customer.

The study also found that the industrial distribution market is going through a period of significant change; M&A volume continues to grow year-over-year. Nearly three-quarters of manufacturers surveyed have seen their distributor base consolidate in the past year. Manufacturers need a consistent, measurable way to collaborate with their distributors in this volatile market.

“We feel that this research highlights some powerful opportunities for manufacturers to grow their revenues through channels,” said Buffaloe. “In a rapidly consolidating and digitizing industry, those that fail to adapt will be quickly left behind.”

Read the full report.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

About MAPI

Executives use MAPI (Manufacturers Alliance for Productivity & Innovation) to share best practices, discuss solutions to common challenges, and become better leaders. By leveraging the experiences of their peers, members use MAPI to make their enterprises more competitive and increase their personal effectiveness. As a professional society for manufacturing’s leaders, we operate over 40 councils and forums, and produce a variety of research, from economic forecasts to reports assessing best practices. To learn more, visit www.mapi.net or follow us on Twitter @MAPI_Mfg_Info.

The post New Zift Solutions and MAPI Study Finds Industrial Manufacturers Miss Opportunities, Underutilize Data and Collaboration Tools appeared first on Zift Solutions.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – July 28, 2016

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of Channel Marketing and Management (CMM) solutions, today announced that it has named Steven Capozzi as the company’s new VP of Customer Success. A proven business and portfolio leader who has won industry awards for vision and service, Capozzi brings two decades of product lifecycle, marketing and management expertise in Enterprise, SMB and Global Service Provider markets to his new role at Zift.

“Steve Capozzi is a powerful addition to our executive leadership team,” said Ken Romley, CEO of Zift Solutions. “As Zift continues to grow, we are excited to add his level of expertise, particularly as it relates to the channel, to strengthen our culture of customer centricity and help us provide exceptional value to our expanding customer base.”

As VP of Customer Success, Capozzi will define and optimize Zift’s customer lifecycle, lead the Customer Success team in implementing on-boarding and development programs, and work with executive leadership to drive initiatives centered on customer success.

Recently named 1 of the “50 Channel Marketing Leaders to connect with on Social Media,” Capozzi is a highly experienced executive with a proven track record of analyzing market requirements and creating global product lines that exceed industry growth rates. Prior to joining Zift, Capozzi was Senior Director of Global Alliance/Channel Marketing for CA Technologies, where he created and implemented the CA Partner social business program and was responsible for leading demand generation and pipeline development to drive CA global partner network’s revenue and growth. Capozzi was also Director of Product Management, Marketing & Channel for Digital Hands and Director of Global Product Management for Exinda Networks, which saw unprecedented expansion and became the fastest growing WAN optimization product in the market during his tenure. He also held several leadership positions at Verizon and was responsible for providing strategic direction to its managed services portfolio as a Senior Product Marketing Manager.

“I have a passion for providing transformative customer experiences and I’m excited to influence the future lifetime value of Zift through higher adoption rates, customer satisfaction and overall business growth,” said Capozzi.

As the definitive CMM platform provider with the largest global channel partner community, Zift has exhibited impressive growth over past several years, including a 74 percent increase in revenue in 2015, $14M in Series B Funding, and acquisitions of the SharedVue division of the Channel Company in 2015 and Marketing Advocate in 2014, making it the largest CMM provider in the marketplace today with more partner users worldwide than any other provider.

Visit our Leadership page for more information about Capozzi and the Zift Solutions executive management team.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

The post Steven Capozzi Joins Zift Solutions as Vice President of Customer Success appeared first on Zift Solutions.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – May 3, 2016

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of Channel Marketing and Management (CMM) solutions, today announced that it has added Bill McCarthy to its Board of Directors. McCarthy brings a wealth of channel expertise, enterprise sales operational experience, as well as mergers and acquisitions (M&A) insight to the Zift Solutions Board.

“Bill’s professional expertise and strategic insight, particularly in helping channel organizations deliver on challenging revenue goals, will undoubtedly serve Zift well as we continue our forward growth trajectory,” said Ken Romley, CEO of Zift Solutions. “We are excited to welcome Bill to the Board.”

McCarthy is currently a Vice President in Cisco’s Global Service Provider organization, where his responsibilities have encompassed an array of focus areas, including mobility, cable, public cloud, social media, gaming as well as media and broadcasting. Prior to Cisco, McCarthy held executive roles at Inktomi, CoSine and Anixter, which was sold to Ameritech in 1999. He served as Advisory Board Chairman for Digitalsmiths, a video search and recommendation company that was sold to Tivo in 2014, and mDialog, which Google purchased in 2014 for its ability to enable linear, live and on-demand ad insertion across connected devices. McCarthy is also an active Board Member for Bull City Venture Partners and Iron Academy, as well as Cisco’s Executive Sponsor for North Carolina State University.

“I am pleased to accept this Board position and hope to draw on my industry experience by contributing to future growth and expansion as Zift continues to show leadership in CMM and Software-as-a-Service,” said McCarthy.

Zift has a strong Board of Directors and has demonstrated impressive growth in the past few years, including a 74 percent increase in revenue in 2015, $14M in Series B Funding, and their latest acquisition of the SharedVue division of the Channel Company.

Learn more about McCarthy and the Zift Solutions Board of Directors.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

The post Zift Solutions Welcomes Bill McCarthy to Board of Directors appeared first on Zift Solutions.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – April 21, 2016

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of Channel Marketing and Management (CMM) solutions, and MarketStar, the industry leader in outsourced sales and marketing, today announced that they have established a strategic alliance that will drive innovation, partner engagement and revenue growth for channel marketing and sales organizations.

“We are extremely excited about the highly complementary nature of this partnership and the value it will bring to our customers,” said Scott England, VP of Alliances and Strategic Relationships for Zift Solutions. “MarketStar’s depth of channel sales and marketing expertise pairs perfectly with Zift’s CMM suite of products. Their size and commitment to the channel, including their recent certification on the Zift platform, provide an opportunity to further integrate and extend the value of Zift’s CMM suite.”
Zift Solutions and MarketStar will align resources and demonstrated thought leadership within the channel marketplace to help customers increase active partner engagement, amplify channel marketing efforts and ultimately accelerate sales for channel organizations worldwide.

MarketStar’s core areas of channel sales enablement, such as telequalification, planning and management, dovetail with Zift’s CMM features, including Through Partner Marketing Automation (TPMA), Lead Distribution Management, Content and Social Media Syndication, and Shared Analytics. Combining the companies’ strengths and solution offerings brings deep delivery expertise to customers, allowing them to overcome familiar channel challenges and extend capabilities without overburdening resources.

“We feel strongly that our combined offerings and strength will help channel organizations generate more demand, broaden their marketing and sales reach, and drive more channel revenue at lower costs,” said Vaughn Aust, MarketStar’s Executive Vice President of Marketing and Product.

Explore the full suite of Zift’s CMM solutions at www.ziftsolutions.com and learn more about MarketStar at www.marketstar.com.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

About MarketStar

MarketStar is the industry leader in outsourced Retail, Partner, and Direct sales motions for the world’s leading and emerging companies. MarketStar engages consumers, channel partners, and business-to-business buyers to increase sales by deploying field and inside sales teams, enabled with best-in-class technology and insights.

The post Zift Solutions and MarketStar Announce Strategic Alliance appeared first on Zift Solutions.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC – April 7, 2016

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of Channel Marketing and Management (CMM) solutions, today announced that it has named Will Sendall as the company’s new Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Sendall brings nearly two decades of financial management experience working in high growth, publicly traded and privately held technology businesses, including NetSuite, Bronto and Red Hat, to his new role as Zift’s CFO.

“We are excited to welcome Will to Zift’s executive leadership team and know that his proven expertise, particularly with high growth technology businesses, will serve Zift well as we continue to expand,” said Ken Romley, CEO of Zift Solutions.

As CFO, Sendall will provide strategic direction and oversight for the financial growth and management of Zift Solutions. The emerging growth Software as a Service (SaaS) company has exhibited impressive financial strength in the past several years, including a 74 percent increase in revenue in 2015, $14M in Series B Funding, and acquisitions of the SharedVue division of The Channel Company last year and competitor Marketing Advocate in 2014.

“I look forward to joining Zift’s executive team and playing an instrumental role in the company’s fast yet measured forward trajectory,” said Sendall.

Prior to joining Zift, Sendall served as Vice President of Finance for Bronto Software. There he was responsible for building and managing all aspects of Finance and Accounting, Legal, HR, Information Systems and Operations functions for the fast-growing SaaS business, eventually overseeing Bronto’s $200M acquisition by NetSuite and subsequent integration. During his tenure, Sendall was named Triangle Business Journal’s CFO of the Year as Bronto grew to over $50M in revenue, climbing Inc. Magazine’s 5000 Fastest Growing Company’s list between 2009 and 2014. Prior to Bronto, Sendall spent five years at Red Hat managing various aspects of the account and finance functions.

Visit our Leadership page for more information about Sendall and the Zift Solutions executive management team.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

The post Will Sendall Joins Zift Solutions as Chief Financial Officer appeared first on Zift Solutions.

Orlando, FL and Research Triangle Park, NC – March 8, 2016

GENBAND™, a leading provider of real time communications solutions, today announced that it has launched the Zift Solutions Channel Marketing and Management Platform to assist its communications service provider customers and channel partners in successfully launching and promoting GENBAND-powered technology and services. The Zift Platform will be offered as part of GENBAND’s Marketing Advantage Program, which offers comprehensive marketing services and go-to-market support for the company’s customers and partners.

“By providing automated marketing solutions, technology and strategic support available from Zift, we are making it easier than ever for our customers and partners to navigate today’s competitive, complex landscape by setting themselves apart with the ability to easily market their solutions and services while capturing more sales,” said Patrick Joggerst, EVP of Global Sales and Marketing at GENBAND. “Zift Solutions is one of the most advanced platforms on the market and provides our customers and partners with the ability to intuitively customize content, execute integrated campaigns and extend their reach through the latest in social media marketing and analytics technology.”

The Zift Platform offers GENBAND’s customers and partners several advantages including:

• Complete, turnkey integrated Email Campaigns, including partner-branded offers with simple creative approval and scheduling options for partners.
• Content Syndication, which lifts the burden of content development from partners by automatically delivering and displaying GENBAND-provided content and product showcases on partner websites.
• Social Media Syndication, which amplifies partner social media outreach with social posts provided by GENBAND that can be easily reviewed and modified or automatically posted by partners.
• Customized Collateral that partners can co-brand with their logo and contact information, and use as stand-alone collateral or in conjunction with email campaigns and content syndication.
• Shared Analytics and Reporting across all marketing tactics and leads generated to enhance visibility and allow GENBAND and partners to easily track, measure and modify marketing efforts.
• Premium Zift Support to deliver proactive outreach, strategic direction and direct support for partners who may lack marketing resources or require hands-on support to thrive.

“We are extremely pleased to welcome GENBAND to the growing Zift Solutions community,” said Ken Romley, CEO, Zift Solutions. “Their successful Zift Solutions launch underscores how GENBAND is helping its customers and partners engage today’s self-empowered buyers, streamline marketing outreach and drive sales.”

To further support the launch and assist GENBAND customers and partners in getting the most from the Zift Platform, Zift Solutions is also providing an orientation webinar, platform demonstrations, email templates, co-branded datasheets and content development support.

About GENBAND

GENBAND, a 2015 CNBC Disruptor 50, is a global leader in real-time communications software solutions for service providers, enterprises, independent software vendors, systems integrators and developers in over 80 countries. Kandy, its award-winning, disruptive real-time communications software development platform, is built from the company’s global telecommunications network and security technologies. The platform enables these companies to easily embed a full suite of voice, video, chat, screen-sharing and collaboration capabilities into their existing business, web and mobile applications. The company’s Network Modernization, Unified Communications, Mobility and Embedded Communications solutions enable its customers to quickly capitalize on growing market segments and introduce differentiating products, applications and services. GENBAND’s market-leading solutions, which are deployable in the network, on premise or through the cloud, help its customers connect people to each other and address the growing demands of today’s consumers and businesses for real-time communications wherever they happen to be. To learn more visit genband.com.

GENBAND, the GENBAND logo and icon are trademarks of GENBAND.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

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Research Triangle Park, NC – February 23, 2016

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of Channel Marketing and Management (CMM) solutions, today announced that it has launched a new educational website, www.channelvisions.tv. A destination site for those interested in channel marketing and management, the site brings together channel thought leaders, recognized industry analysts and experts, along with seasoned professionals working on both sides of the channel to share insight and real-world experience working in channel marketing, sales and program management.

“Channel Visions gives those living and breathing the channel a real opportunity to broaden their knowledge base and skill sets,” said Laz Gonzalez, Group Service Director, Channel Management Strategies, SiriusDecisions and a Channel Visions contributor.

Channel Visions features one-on-one interviews with change makers who are transforming the channel, including analysts, channel sales leaders, marketing professionals, global partner program managers and more. The brief yet impactful videos allow visitors to capture knowledge quickly.

“We’re seeing significant shifts within the channel landscape and Channel Visions is the place to learn how to navigate and use the latest processes, tools and technology to engage partners and customers and capture more channel revenue,” said Heather Margolis, CEO of Channel Maven Consulting and a Channel Visions contributor.

“It’s exciting to be involved in an endeavor that pulls together experts to weigh in on challenges and changes to the channel in a way that empowers others and inspires both supplier and partner success,” said Kimason Brown, Global Partner Programs Manager for Red Hat.

“Zift Solutions is proud to be the engine behind Channel Visions and is committed to delivering high-quality, educational content and insights from the people changing the course of channel marketing and channel sales,” said Ken Romley, President and CEO, Zift Solutions. “We’re also continually seeking contributors and invite channel leaders to join the conversation.”

Those interested in being a part of a Channel Visions video segment can fill out and submit an interest form at www.channelvisions.tv

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

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Research Triangle Park, NC – January 28, 2016

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of Channel Marketing and Management (CMM) solutions, today announced that it is well positioned for a strong 2016 after enjoying significant success across multiple fronts in 2015.

Growing Financial Strength

Zift saw a striking 74 percent increase in revenue over 2014 and charted its largest 4th quarter ever in 2015. Fueled in part by $14 million in Series B financing, Zift’s continued financial growth was also powered by new deals, including the addition of channel leaders Abila, GENBAND, NetApp, SimpliVity, Samsung Electronics and Xerox as customers. Zift followed up its 2014 acquisition of Marketing Advocate by acquiring the SharedVue division of The Channel Company to create the most experienced and largest CMM provider in the marketplace today with more partner users worldwide than any other provider.

Driving Results for Channel Partners

As the definitive CMM Platform provider with the largest global channel partner community, Zift is focused on driving results for its users. Following the SharedVue acquisition, Zift Solutions customers are benefitting from more extensive service offerings and support resources. Zift’s Research & Development (R&D) Team also doubled in size, allowing the company to innovate and deliver the advanced features and functionality customers desire from the Zift Solutions Platform much faster. To empower channel partners and foster its users’ ability to improve marketing efforts, Zift has expanded its ecosystem to ensure seamless integration, either through Embedded Access Applications (EAAs) or direct connection with the most popular Sales Force Automation (SFA), Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Partner Relationship Management (PRM) and Marketing Development Fund Systems (MDF) as well as Social Media Platforms, Sales Enablement Programs and Data Platforms. Zift also launched a Zift Solutions App for Hootsuite™, which lets users import social streams, publish content and access marketing support materials directly within the most widely used platform for managing social media. By leveraging Zift Solutions’ array of CMM capabilities, users saw impressive results in 2015, including:

• 421% Increase in Leads Created
• 219% Increase in Social Accounts Connected
• 158% Increase in Social Shares/Retweets
• 150% Increase in Social Likes
• 140% Increase in Campaigns Created

Garnering Industry Recognition

Zift’s expansive functionality and impact is garnering attention from industry analysts and marketplace leaders. Zift was recognized by SiriusDecisions as the top CMM vendor based on Overall Score in its evaluation report, “SiriusView: Channel Marketing and Management Platforms 2015.” In addition, The Forrester Wave™: Through-Channel Marketing Automation Platform Q3 2015 gave Zift the highest score among all vendors in the Technology category, identified Zift as a Strong Performer in the emerging Through Channel Marketing Automation (TCMA) market and cited Zift for its deep integration capabilities involving partner applications. Company President and CEO Ken Romley remained a sought-after thought leader, serving as a featured speaker at a number of popular industry events, including, 2015 Channel Visionaries, Channel Focus North America, SiriusDecisions Summit 2015 and Channel Visionaries – The Cloud Channel Series 2015 among others.

An Innovative Corporate Culture & Social Responsibility

Zift increased its number of full-time employees by 81% in 2015 and the company is establishing itself as a great place to work. With two NC-based locations, employees enjoy workplace comradery and flexibility. Zift’s evolving corporate culture is focused on achieving a work-life balance and highly values community involvement. Demonstrating its commitment to corporate social responsibility and charitable pursuits, Zift joined Pledge 1%, a corporate philanthropy movement dedicated to making the community a key stakeholder in every business. In December of 2015, Zift announced it will pledge 1% of its equity, employee time and product to charitable pursuits in 2016. The company will also launch a Pledge 1% chapter in the Triangle to encourage other local NC-based companies to take the pledge themselves.

“Zift Solutions has its eye on the future for its customers, partners and employees,” said Ken Romley, President and CEO, Zift Solutions. “In a few short years, we’ve built a strong foundation, established ourselves as the premier Channel Marketing and Management leader and are committed to delivering value to our users while creating a profitable, productive and socially-responsibility workplace for our team.”

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

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Research Triangle Park, NC – December 10, 2015

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that it has joined Pledge 1%, a corporate philanthropy movement dedicated to making the community a key stakeholder in every business. Founded by Atlassian, Rally for Impact and Salesforce.org, Pledge 1% empowers companies to donate 1% of product, 1% of equity and/or 1% of employee time to improve communities around the world.

Zift is joining an impressive network of entrepreneurs and companies across the globe that have committed to philanthropic efforts through the Pledge 1% movement. By pledging 1% of its equity, employee time and product to charitable pursuits, Zift is demonstrating a commitment to corporate social responsibility and philanthropic leadership.

Zift will provide additional Volunteer Time Off (VTO) days to empower employees to contribute to corporate philanthropy. The company will donate 1 percent of its equity to charity and has pledged 1 percent of its product to the Pledge 1% organization. To fulfill its product donation commitment, Zift will offer Content Syndication to organizations affiliated with Pledge 1% to share the news that they’re contributing to this worthwhile cause.

In addition, Zift intends to launch its own local chapter of Pledge 1% in the Triangle area to encourage and inspire other local NC-based companies to take the pledge themselves.

Comments on the News

• “Zift is proud to be on the cutting edge of corporate social responsibility as well as channel marketing automation,” said Ken Romley, President and CEO, Zift Solutions. “We’re excited to start directing our energy and resources to Pledge 1% and making a positive impact on the community at large.”
• “Salesforce is dedicated to changing the way companies think about corporate philanthropy,” said Suzanne DiBianca, president, Salesforce.org. “Today, we’re excited that Zift Solutions is joining us in giving their resources back to the community. This is another great example of the power that business has to affect positive change.”

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

About Pledge 1%

Pledge 1% is an effort spearheaded by Atlassian, Entrepreneurs Foundation of Colorado, Rally for Impact, Salesforce.org and Tides to accelerate their shared vision around integrating philanthropy into businesses around the world. Pledge 1% encourages and challenges individuals and companies to pledge 1% of equity, product and employee time for their communities, because pledging a small portion of future success can have a huge impact on tomorrow. Pledge 1% offers companies turnkey tools and best practices, making it accessible for any company to incorporate philanthropy into their business model. To learn more or to take the pledge, please visit www.pledge1percent.org

Salesforce, Salesforce1 and others are among the trademarks of salesforce.com, Inc.

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Research Triangle Park, NC – November 10, 2015

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that its President and CEO Ken Romley will be co-presenting with Maria Chien, Service Director, Channel Marketing Strategies of SiriusDecisions, as Key Note Speakers at the upcoming Channel Visionaries – The Cloud Channel Series 2015 in San Francisco, California.

“For channel program managers interested in using cloud technology to drive sales and radically improve the partner experience, Channel Visionaries – The Cloud Channel Series 2015 is a must-attend event,” said Romley. “Zift Solutions is honored to serve as a Platinum Sponsor and share the keynote stage with SirusDecisions.”

Romley and Chien’s keynote presentation, Key Ingredients for a Positive & Profitable Partner Experience, will demonstrate how to overcome critical partner engagement challenges and the importance of using cloud technology to support the partner experience. They will share expert insight on the pillars of partner engagement along with real-world examples of critical processes and underlying cloud technology that are sharing a positive experience for channel leaders. Their presentation will be held from 4:15 to 5:15 on Tuesday, November 17th.

“Few B2B leaders selling through indirect channels are actually achieving their goals,” notes Chien. “Our presentation will focus on overcoming obstacles via cloud to foster a better partner experience and attain profitability benchmarks previously thought to be out of reach.”

Held at the Grand Hyatt in San Francisco November 17-18, Channel Visionaries – the Cloud Channel Series 2015 will feature the industry’s most dynamic and visionary speakers sharing their strategies and tactics to open new channels and redefine existing channel sales and marketing methods. Hosted by Visionary Talks, a Vancouver-based company that specializes in delivering world class events designed for technology executives from primarily Fortune 100, 500 and 1000 enterprises and fast growing start-ups, the two-day event will host more than 200 influential cloud channel executives from key vendors, distributors and solutions providers of the technology and telecom industries. Learn more about the event and register.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

The post Zift Solutions and Leading B-to-B Advisory Firm Co-Presenting as Key Note Speakers at Channel Visionaries – The Cloud Channel Series 2015 appeared first on Zift Solutions.

Research Triangle Park, NC – September 22, 2015

Zift Solutions, the leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that it has appointed two new members to its Board of Directors. Matthew Safaii, founder and managing partner of Arrowroot Capital, and Hunter Witherington, partner with SSM Partners, bring a wealth of experience to Zift.

“Both Matthew and Hunter have extraordinary insight and expertise, particularly with software-as-a-service and Internet-based firms, and we are delighted that they are joining the Zift Solutions’ Board of Directors,” said Ken Romley, CEO of Zift Solutions.

An established entrepreneur as well as founder and managing partner at Arrowroot Capital, Matthew Safaii co-founded the digital media company Quewey and sits on the board of MednetSoutions, EiQ Networks and 4tell Solutions. Prior to founding Arrowroot, Safaii led the acquisitions team at Actua Corp. and served on the board of MSDSonline and InvestorForce. He holds an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and BA in Finance and Marketing from Boston College.

“I am honored to join the Zift Solutions board and work with this exceptional team,” said Safaii. “Zift is leading the wave of channel marketing automation solution providers and I look forward to contributing to the future direction and growth of this channel industry leader.”

Hunter Witherington is a Partner of SSM Partners, a growth equity firm that focuses on making investments in software & technology, Internet & consumer, and healthcare companies. Hunter currently serves as a board member for Complete Holdings Group, DialogTech, and OpinionLab, and serves, or has served, as a board observer for All Web Leads, Bulldog Solutions, Datacert, FrontStream Payments and New Era Portfolio. Prior to joining SSM in 2004, Hunter spent several years in investment banking with Stephens, Inc. working on mergers and acquisitions, private placements, and public offerings for middle-market companies across numerous industries. Hunter received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Vanderbilt University.

“Zift Solutions has established itself as an essential resource for companies selling through B2B channels,” said Witherington. “I’m excited about the opportunity to join Zift’s board and work with the team to deliver on Zift’s compelling vision.”

Safaii and Witherington were instrumental in helping Zift secure just over $14 million in Series B financing to support the acquisition of SharedVue and foster continued growth. The recent funding round was led by Arrowroot Capital and SSM Partners in addition to several previous investors.

Safaii and Witherington join current Zift Board members, Ken Romley, CEO of Zift Solutions, Jason Caplain, general partner of Southern Capitol Ventures, Joe Velk, manager of Contender Capital, LLC, and Ed Olkkola, managing director of Teakwood Capital.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

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Research Triangle Park, NC – September 9, 2015

Zift Solutions, the leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that it has closed just over $14 million in Series B financing led by Arrowroot Capital and SSM Partners. In addition, several previous investors participated in the financing including Southern Capitol Ventures and Teakwood Capital. The funding will fuel continued growth and drive forward momentum for Zift.

“Zift is growing fast and always seeking new opportunities to deepen our capabilities, better serve our customer base and enhance our channel marketing and management platform,” said Ken Romley, CEO of Zift Solutions. “This round of funding positions us to move forward confidently as we continue to expand our global reach, invest in innovation and further develop the Zift platform.”

The infusion of capital has already helped Zift move forward with the acquisition of SharedVue, a division of The Channel Company. The new business entity is now the most experienced and largest Channel Marketing Automation platform provider, with more than 30,000 partner users around the globe. Learn more about the new business entity from the recent announcement.

Zift was recently selected by SiriusDecisions as the top Channel Marketing and Management (CMM) Provider and was recognized as a Strong Performer with the top Technology score in the recent Forrester Wave™ Report: Though-Channel Marketing Automation Platforms, Q3 2015. Zift acquired fellow Gartner “Cool Vendor” Marketing Advocate last year, increased the number of users by 110% over the past twelve months, and has rapidly expanded its global footprint to reach more than 140 countries worldwide.

“In keeping with our commitment to invest in forward-thinking software-as-a-service and internet-based companies on the leading edge of innovation, we are excited about the opportunity to empower additional growth opportunities for Zift Solutions,” said Matthew Safaii, Managing Partner, Arrowroot Capital.

“We are proud to provide Zift with the capital infusion required to take its proven Channel Marketing Automation solutions and services to the next level and deliver unparalleled features and functionality to channel sales and marketing professionals worldwide,” said Hunter Witherington, Partner, SSM Partners.

Zift has grown dramatically with the addition of SharedVue and Marketing Advocate employees to its team. The company is continuing to add strategic hires and currently has several open positions. Learn more here.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel-driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

About Arrowroot Capital

Arrowroot Capital is a growth equity firm based in Santa Monica, California that invests in growing software-as-a-service and internet-based businesses. Arrowroot aims to provide equity capital in the range of $1M-$20M, but has access to a much larger pool of capital if needed. Regardless of investment size, Arrowroot chooses to partner with companies that will benefit from the focused and unique expertise and experience the firm offers. Learn more at www.arrowrootcapital.com.

About SSM Partners

SSM has partnered with talented entrepreneurs for more than 20 years. The growth equity firm invests in rapidly growing companies within three primary areas: software & technology, Internet & consumer, and healthcare. SSM companies have proven and differentiated business models, limited prior institutional investment, and are often entrepreneur-owned and managed. Starting with a relationship built on trust, SSM offers its entrepreneur-partners a thorough understanding of the growth company lifecycle and a collaborative approach to building great businesses. For more information, please visit www.ssmpartners.com.

Press Contact:

David Buffaloe
VP of Marketing
(919) 794.8385
dbuffaloe@ziftsolutions.com

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Research Triangle Park, NC and Westborough, MA – September 4, 2015

Zift Solutions and The Channel Company, announced today the combining of the SharedVue division of The Channel Company with Zift Solutions to form a separate and distinct business.

The SharedVue Through Partner Marketing Automation platform provides Web content syndication, automated email marketing and social media syndication. Zift Solutions will control and run the combined entity, while The Channel Company will retain an ownership stake in Zift Solutions. The Channel Company will continue to own and operate all of its other properties including CRN®, XChange® Events, IPED® and Managed Marketing Services.

“The addition of SharedVue continues Zift Solutions’ growth trajectory and will allow us to deliver on the next wave of channel marketing automation capabilities,” said Ken Romley, CEO of Zift Solutions. “With an unparalleled set of combined features and functionality, along with expanded R&D and account management capacity, Zift Solutions will provide more value, solutions and services faster to a broader range of customers now and into the future.”

The new entity creates the most experienced and largest Channel Marketing Automation platform provider with more than 30,000 partner users around the globe. Zift Solutions will incorporate the core capabilities of SharedVue into its well-established platform. SharedVue personnel will transition to become Zift Solutions employees this week, while the SharedVue brand and solutions will be consolidated into Zift Solutions over time, increasing Zift Solutions’ reach, effectiveness and customer service on a global basis. Zift Solutions’ R&D team also will effectively double in size, allowing the company to deliver the advanced features and functionality that channel sales and marketers require at an even faster pace. As the channel community’s trusted authority for growth and innovation, The Channel Company will work with Zift Solutions to integrate SharedVue functionality and promote the enhanced Zift Solutions platform moving forward.

“We are excited about the future capability of the combined SharedVue and Zift Solutions platform,” said Robert Faletra, CEO, The Channel Company.

“The race to provide channel marketers with the automation tools they need to create demand is heating up,” said SiriusDecisions’ Laz Gonzalez, Service Director, Channel Management Strategies. “Zift Solutions continues to attract new investment and a growing book of business from leading channel suppliers. Combining with SharedVue expands their reach to a broader set of partners, which can lead to greater adoption for their platform—a good thing for brands who sell and market through B2B channels.”

Learn more about the combined entity and read our Frequently Asked Questions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel-driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

About The Channel Company

The Channel Company, with established brands including CRN®, XChange® Events and IPED®, is the channel community’s trusted authority for growth and innovation. For more than three decades, we have leveraged our proven and leading-edge platforms to deliver prescriptive sales and marketing solutions for the technology channel. The Channel Company provides Communication, Recruitment, Engagement, Enablement, Demand Generation and Intelligence services to drive technology partnerships. Learn more at www.thechannelcompany.com and follow us on Twitter @TheChannelCo.

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Research Triangle Park, NC – August 12, 2015

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that it was identified as a Strong Performer in Through-Channel Marketing Automation by Forrester Research, Inc. in its independent report: The Forrester Wave™: Through-Channel Marketing Automation Platforms, Q3 2015. In this Forrester Wave evaluation, Forrester’s first of TCMA platform vendors, Zift received the highest score among all vendors in the Technology category and was cited for its deep integration capabilities involving partners’ applications in addition to being named as a Strong Performer in the emerging TCMA market.

“What sets Zift apart in the TCMA vendor landscape is a commitment to transparently integrating its TCMA solutions into the partner’s application landscape,” stated Forrester in the report. “This lowers the barrier to action and drives partner engagement above the average of 20%”

“We believe that our position as a Strong Performer and highest score among all vendors in the Technology category of this Forrester Wave Report validates why nearly 10,000 channel partner organizations around the globe, representing over 50 vendors, already rely on Zift Solutions for Through-Channel Marketing Automation,” said Ken Romley, CEO of Zift Solutions. “We also feel that Forrester recognized the vital importance and impact of injecting marketing and sales tools directly into the systems partners currently use and enjoy.”

Designed to help B2B marketing professionals identify the top vendor candidates for through-channel marketing programs, The Forrester Wave Report evaluates currently available TCMA platforms, identifies significant vendors in the marketplace, and analyzes products according to 20 criteria garnered from interactions with B2B marketing professionals. Forrester analysts looked at how vendors support traditional TCMA management capabilities – content syndication and asset management – as well as meet the emerging needs of TCMA marketers in marketing campaign management, cross-channel execution, social campaigns, and analytics.

The report notes that “TCMA technology is the engine for B2B companies’ through-channel marketing programs” and gave Zift Solutions the highest score among all vendors within its Technology category. The Forrester Wave Report also states that, “Zift’s offering provides a comprehensive range of email marketing tactics, from single email blasts to multi-touch, automated drip and nurture marketing, cobranded print marketing (for use at events, in sales literature, or in direct mail), online advertising (AdWords, retargeting, social), social media marketing, and syndicated website content of all types, from banner ads to full server-side widgets to embed product showcases.”

A copy of The Forrester Wave™: Through-Channel Marketing Automation Platforms, Q3 2015 is available for purchase at Forrester.com

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

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Research Triangle Park, NC – July 8, 2015

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that its users can now import social streams, publish content and access marketing support materials directly within Hootsuite, the most widely used platform for managing social media.

“Today’s channel marketers don’t have the time or inclination to log into multiple systems to manage social media and with the new Zift Hootsuite app, they don’t have to,” says Ken Romley, CEO of Zift Solutions. “Users can easily connect, access and manage the Zift capabilities, content and materials they rely on directly within their existing Hootsuite environment to save time and amplify social media efforts.”

With more than 10 million users around the globe, the Hootsuite social media management platform supports network integrations for more than 35 popular social networks, including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, and WordPress. With the new Zift Hootsuite app, users can connect marketing content and materials found inside their Zift marketing system, into their existing Hootsuite account. This allows Zift users to continue working inside Hootsuite with direct access to additional marketing posts and materials in order to execute more frequent and interesting social campaigns. The app makes it easy for channel partners to manage and deliver fresh, relevant social media content supplied by their suppliers through any of their Hootsuite-configured social networks.

“Social media is transforming how all companies communicate with their customers and prospects, and we’re excited to see the Zift integration with Hootsuite solve this for channel partners as well. We are thrilled that companies who market through a partner channel can now enable their partners and resellers to easily amplify their messaging on social media using Hootsuite said Kevin O’Brien, VP of Partners, Hootsuite.

The new app makes social media management faster, easier and requires no change in daily habits or activity, thereby extending the value of supplier approved social streams to Hootsuite and opening up more opportunities for content and messaging sharing. All of the materials that OEMs, distributors and suppliers furnish to channel partners flow directly into Hootsuite, so users can click, edit and post these materials in seconds. The app is available within the Hootsuite App Directory.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

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Research Triangle Park, NC – April 30, 2015

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that President and CEO Ken Romley will co-present with Lisa Vega, Senior Marketing Manager of pureIntegration, at SiriusDecisions Summit 2015, the premier B2B event for sales, marketing and product leaders. Romley and Vega’s session, “Channel Partner Case Study: Integrated, Multi-Touch Marketing Made Simple” will be held at noon, Tuesday, May 12th at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, Tennessee. Zift Solutions will also serve as a Gold sponsor for this year’s SiriusDecisions Summit and will be on site in Booth 628.

“Suppliers and their channel partners must rely on an array of marketing tactics to capture the attention of self-empowered buyers, but managing multiple tactics can stretch already strained resources,” says Ken Romley, President and CEO of Zift Solutions. “We are excited to share the pureIntegration success story as it demonstrates best practices for integrated, multi-touch marketing that leverages an array of modern marketing tactics without burdening channel partners.”

“As a Platinum HP Software Partner and Premier Intel Security Partner, with a marketing team of only one, it was difficult to keep up with the channel marketing demands of two suppliers, stay on top of social media, manage campaigns and keep the sales funnel full,” said Lisa Vega, Senior Marketing Manager for pureIntegration, a Virginia-based IT Systems Integrator. “Zift Solutions has increased our total marketing reach by nearly 50 percent and helped us conquer channel marketing challenges by making it easy to support multi-touch campaigns with tools and analytics integrated directly within our CRM environment.”

Romley and Vega’s session will showcase how channel marketers can drive better results through integrated, multi-touch marketing. It’s important to use an array of critical tactics including social media, syndicated content, email marketing and more, across the lifecycle of a deal, without overwhelming channel partners who are typically small or one-person shops. Attendees will learn how focusing demand generation efforts on social advertising yields better results than list buys or call blitzes; the importance of employing various tactics to impact a wider variety of decision makers; and how pureIntegration is powering success for both HP and Intel Security through Zift Solutions’ direct integration into SugarCRM®.

Zift Solutions is a proud Gold sponsor of the tenth annual SiriusDecisions Summit, which is the conference that defines strategies and tactics leading vendors are using to grow their business. This year’s event will focus on effective ways to grow and outperform in today’s competitive marketplace and will run from May 12-15 in Nashville, TN. Additional information regarding the event can be found here.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

About pureIntegration

pureIntegration is a Virginia-based IT Systems Integrator, HP Software Platinum Partner and Intel Security Premier Partner with a mission to deliver practical solutions with exceptional value, through deep expertise and an innovative approach. Team leads are former big five management consulting executives with an uncanny knack for cracking tough problems on time and within budget. Visit www.pureintegration.com to learn more.

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Research Triangle Park, NC – April 9, 2015

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that it will co-host a Foundation Training Session with Channel Maven Consulting, both companies will serve as event sponsors and Zift CEO Ken Romley will be a featured speaker at Channel Focus North America in Miami, FL, April 20-22, 2015.

“Zift Solutions is not only a proud sponsor of Channel Focus North America, but also excited to join with Channel Maven Consulting as key contributors to this long-standing thought leadership event,” said Ken Romley, CEO of Zift Solutions.

Romley will be among Channel Focus North America’s featured speakers, discussing Best Practices in Building Effective Engagement with Enterprise Partners. In addition, Channel Maven Consulting Founder and President Heather K. Margolis will join Zift Solutions Vice President of Customer Success, Mark Schlief to lead a Foundation Training Session on Enabling Effective Through Partner Marketing. Topics central to the training session will include the state of channel partners today, partner maturity models, best practices for educating partners, the growing importance of content, how to build an audience, and essential marketing tools for supporting partner success.

“Channel Maven Consulting and Zift have a strong partnership and look forward to sharing critical insights channel leaders can use to empower partner programs, drive engagement and, ultimately, capture more channel revenue,” said Heather K. Margolis, Founder and President of Channel Maven Consulting.

Now in its 18th year, Channel Focus North America is well-known as the conference that defines strategies and tactics leading channel vendors use to grow their business. The conference has established a strong reputation for assembling the finest speakers to talk about how they are combining radical new thinking and proven strategies to open up new channels, and successfully redefine existing channel sales and marketing methods. Learn more about Channel Focus or register to attend the event.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

About Channel Maven Consulting

Channel Maven Consulting provides strategic channel consulting and marketing consulting to IT channel organizations of all sizes. Founded in 2009 by Heather K. Margolis, Channel Maven Consulting knows that no one channel strategy fits every organization. We work with clients to understand current channel programs, define goals and asses resources. Along the way, our clients don’t just find their place on the map; they gain insights on their unique advantages to successful implementation and continued agile management. Learn more at www.channelmavenconsulting.com

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Research Triangle Park, NC – March 19, 2015

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that it has integrated Stamplia into its platform to expand and strengthen marketing capabilities for channel partners. Customizable Stamplia email content and professionally designed creative templates are now available to Zift Solutions users within the Zift platform.

“Zift Solutions is always on the lookout for new ways to empower channel partners and expand our users’ ability to improve their marketing efforts,” said Ken Romley, CEO of Zift Solutions. “The integration of Stamplia delivers easy-to-use, fully customizable email templates partners can purchase within the Zift platform to be better marketers, expand their efforts and ultimately capture more revenue.”

Stamplia is an email template marketplace that provides content and templates for newsletters, emails, press releases and registration forms. The creative templates can be easily customized and personalized for a variety of marketing efforts, including customer newsletters, transactional and responsive emails, product promotions, event invitations and more, to drive awareness and revenue.

For Zift users, the benefits of Stamplia’s integration directly within the Zift Solutions platform are twofold. Bolstered by Stamplia templates and supplier syndicated content, channel partners can expand and improve the efficacy of their channel marketing efforts. They can also use Stamplia to enhance and execute more creative independent marketing efforts for their own businesses. Having the option to do both within a single platform reinforces Zift Solutions’ value as a truly complete channel marketing automation solution.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

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Research Triangle Park, NC – March 10, 2015

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that it will serve as presenter and sponsor of the Channel Visionaries event April 7-8 in Orange County, California. Zift Solutions’ CEO Ken Romley will discuss the evolving channel sales landscape and importance of using lead distribution to turn opportunities into revenue.

“Zift Solutions is excited to participate in the 2015 Channel Visionaries event,” said Romley. “It is expected to be a showcase of thought leadership and strategic insight for channel program managers navigating today’s radically changing channel.”

Romley’s presentation, Beyond Leads: Using Lead Distribution Management to Help Partners Turn Opportunities into Real Revenue, will emphasize the critical importance of proper infrastructure in channel sales and marketing success and the value of injecting leading-edge marketing and sales tools directly into established CRM, SFA and MA systems via Embedded Access Apps (EAAs). Romley will deliver best practices for automating lead delivery, nurturing leads, improving the type and quality of lead data, automating and tracking ROI, and establishing a more collaborative and successful sales process.

Held at the Fairmont Newport Beach in Orange County, CA, Channel Visionaries will feature the industry’s most dynamic and visionary speakers, discussing how they are combining out-of-the-box thinking and proven strategies to open new channels, and redefine existing channel sales and marketing methods. Hosted by Visionary Talks, a Vancouver-based company that specializes in delivering world class events, the two-day event attracts senior channel marketing and sales executives and key vendors from the technology and telecom industries within the North American market and worldwide. Learn more about the event and register.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

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Still pouring money into partner portals while usage rates and ROI continue to disappoint?

Find out exactly why partner portals are falling behind and how Zift’s revolutionary cloud-based TPMA and Embedded Access Apps are simplifying channel marketing, reducing costs, increasing opportunities and demonstrating proven results in this powerful infographic:

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Research Triangle Park, NC – February 17, 2015

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that it was named by SiriusDecisions as the top vendor based on Overall Score in its evaluation report, “SiriusView: Channel Marketing and Management Platforms 2015.” The report compares vendors within the channel marketing and management (CMM) platform space and points to Zift as leader in Integration, Lead Management, Partner Usability and Reporting.

“Zift Solutions is proud to be recognized by SiriusDecisions as the leading CMM vendor in this new report and we are pleased with the high evaluation of our key differentiators,” said Ken Romley, CEO of Zift Solutions. “This SiriusView underscores the fact that, in an increasingly crowded market place, Zift’s expansive features and functionality set the bar higher for CMM platforms overall and consistently set Zift Solutions apart from the competition.”

Published by SiriusDecisions, the leading global B2B research and advisory firm, the SiriusView report summarized the capabilities and benefits of available CMM solutions as well as the key differentiators between the leading vendors. SiriusDecisions’ evaluations were based on vendor briefings and demos, in-depth surveys of each vendor, interviews with select customers, and data and information from SiriusDecisions client inquiries and benchmarks.

Zift Solutions received the highest Overall Score among the ranked CMM vendors and its customers represented the best mix of organization sizes from SMBs to Enterprise clients. Zift was specifically cited for its unique approach to integration, which allows suppliers to track and measure campaign performance by attributing leads to closed revenue. The company’s Embedded Access Apps (EAAs), which permit a bi-directional exchange of data (e.g. social posts, leads or co-branded templates), were noted for their ability to extend the core functionality of suppliers’ sales and marketing systems and increase partner engagement by allowing partners to work naturally within their existing technology environments (e.g. Salesforce.com, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Sage CRM, Eloqua, Marketo, HubSpot and Pardot).

In addition to its powerful integration capabilities, Zift’s Lead Distribution Management received the highest ranking and was highlighted as a key differentiator, allowing suppliers to utilize their Marketing Automation Platform (MAP) and Sales Force Automation (SFA) systems to automatically assign and distribute leads as well as accurately track the progress of marketing campaigns and programs. Zift’s closed-loop reporting received the highest marks and its visibility into performance data was cited for its attractiveness to suppliers looking to measure return, drive program adoption and increase marketing effectiveness. The SiriusView report also noted that Zift’s CMM platform is very well suited to organizations that prefer a user-friendly interface for non-technical partners to build, execute and maintain campaigns, forms and landing pages.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

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Research Triangle Park, NC – January 29, 2015

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that it is continuing its strong forward momentum into 2015. Product enhancements are furthering customer successes in channel partner marketing and sales and the company has added several high-profile clients to its growing customer base. The recent acquisition of Marketing Advocate, a longtime innovator in the channel marketing and Through Partner Marketing Automation (TMPA) space, accelerates Zift Solutions’ commitment to delivering the most comprehensive and compelling solutions for increasing channel sales. Plus, the company is rapidly expanding its global footprint and building a dedicated team of employees to serve clients worldwide.

“2014 was a great year for Zift Solutions, full of significant accomplishments for our company and our customers, and we are looking forward to another year of aggressive growth in 2015,” said Ken Romley, President and CEO of Zift Solutions. “More and more channel sales organizations are recognizing the value and importance of channel marketing automation and the demonstrated success of our clients coupled with the continual evolution of the Zift Solutions platform has channel organizations turning to Zift to help them exceed objectives, strengthen their brands and capture more revenue.”

Some key 2014 accomplishments that are propelling Zift Solutions growth and success include:

• Strategic acquisition of Marketing Advocate, a Teakwood Capital Company, fellow Gartner “Cool Vendor” and longtime innovator in channel marketing and Through Partner Marketing Automation (TPMA)
• 50% employee growth driven by the Marketing Advocate acquisition and new hires
• 120% customer base growth over 2013, including the addition of several high-profile enterprise and SMB clients
• Expanded product functionality and capabilities, including social media enhancements, integrated tele-qualification and a next-generation User Interface, all of which help channel organizations strengthen their online presence, enhance mobility, improve lead generation, build awareness, nurture relationships and drive sales
• 66% increase in Zift Solutions users, which now expand across more than 140 countries worldwide
• 126% increase in number of leads created for users
• 36% increase in number of website form submissions for users
• 180% increase in number of users now using social media syndication
• 188% increase in number of social posts sent by users

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

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Research Triangle Park, NC – January 21, 2015

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today unveiled a new user interface (UI) designed to increase channel partner engagement, enhance mobility and power prescriptive marketing to drive more channel sales.  The clean and simple user interface enhances navigation across desktop and mobile platforms.  Built-In, step-by-step guides, video tutorials, checklists and collaborative marketing calendars provide strategic marketing guidance and best practices to improve campaign efficacy, drive productivity and ensure brand compliance.  Enhanced visibility, analytics and reporting capabilities streamline collaboration and make it easy to track marketing ROI.

“All of our new UI enhancements are driven by customer and user feedback, demonstrating Zift Solutions’ longstanding commitment to understanding and addressing the needs of our clients and the channel sales and marketing community,” said Ken Romley, CEO of Zift Solutions. “The new UI not only delivers direct marketing guidance to promote self-service for channel suppliers and their partners, but also provides strong foundation to support global growth and future product enhancements, further establishing Zift Solutions as a channel marketing automation leader.”

Zift Solutions’ new UI was designed to increase channel partner adoption and usage and is optimized for mobile as well as desktop use.  New functionality notifications will guide users through the UI upgrades, which include:

• Turnkey marketing plans with built-in recommendations; checklists and video tutorials that help channel partners define their objectives, plan and launch brand-compliant campaigns.
• Integrated marketing calendars to view, prioritize and manage multiple marketing activities, campaigns and social media.
• Streamlined lead distribution and messaging with the ability to assign and respond to leads via email or directly within partners’ sales force automation (SFA) system.
• Improved reporting and detailed analytics regarding how assets and campaigns are performing, allowing suppliers and partners to easily measure campaign success, social media reach and demand generation efforts.

Zift has already begun rolling out the new UI and will be transitioning all existing customers to the enhanced system throughout the coming months. New customers will begin their Zift Solutions experience with the new UI.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

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Research Triangle Park, NC – October 28, 2014

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that it has acquired Marketing Advocate (a Teakwood Capital Company), a fellow Gartner “Cool Vendor” and longtime innovator in the channel marketing and Through Partner Marketing Automation (TPMA) space. The acquisition accelerates Zift Solutions’ commitment to delivering the most comprehensive and compelling solutions for increasing channel sales by supporting collaborative sales and marketing initiatives.

“As Marketing Advocate has been working with channel organizations for nearly 10 years supporting Through Partner Marketing campaign design and implementation, we strongly believe that combining the best of both solutions into one cohesive organization will provide customers with expanded product functionality and capabilities, as well as a larger global support team to meet key goals and drive more channel revenue,” said Ken Romley, CEO of Zift Solutions.

Zift Solutions will extend its operations with the addition of the Marketing Advocate team and office in Centerville, Massachusetts. The Marketing Advocate brand will be consolidated into Zift Solutions, with all products and services known as Zift Solutions moving forward.

“Zift Solutions has established itself as a truly innovative industry leader at the forefront of Channel Marketing Management and Marketing Advocate is confident that combining the companies will significantly increase the value we deliver to our customers,” said Michael Roseman, CEO of Marketing Advocate.

“Channel marketing and management solutions are no longer enhancements to the marketing mix, they are a must have for any organization looking to grow their channel revenue” says SiriusDecisions’ Channel Service Director Laz Gonzalez. “We’ve been tracking both companies (Marketing Advocate and Zift Solutions) for years now, and feel this space is maturing as leading b-to-b suppliers are placing an emphasis on becoming more “partner-led” in their marketing efforts, requiring technologies such as Zift Solutions to enable their partner’s limited marketing capabilities.”

Click here to learn more about the acquisition and to read the Frequently Asked Questions.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on Twitter @zift.

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Research Triangle Park, NC – October 14, 2014

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that Chief Operating Officer Bryan Ferren will co-present with Anja Johnson, McAfee’s SMB Channel Marketing Manager, EMEA, at Oracle Modern Marketing Experience Europe 2014. Previously Eloqua Experience, the event brings together experts in marketing automation, social marketing, content marketing and big data from around the world to share modern marketing strategies and tactics. Ferren and Johnson will co-present “Beyond Leads: Delivering Real Revenue through Your Channel” on Wednesday, October 15 from 2:15-3:00 p.m. at the Hilton Metropole in London.

“I look forward to discussing the challenges channel organizations face today to engage their partners and capture more revenue,” said Ferren. “I’m pleased to share the stage with Ms. Johnson as she demonstrates McAfee’s results with Zift’s marketing automation and lead distribution platform.”

Through direct integration, Zift Solutions gives Oracle Marketing Cloud users with indirect sales channels the ability to drive more channel revenue, automate lead distribution, measure marketing impact and enable end-to-end visibility of sales activities without leaving their preferred systems. The session will examine the changing sales landscape and how to empower channel partners to nurture prospects with ready-made resources, transform sales opportunities into real revenue with multi-touch marketing campaigns, and distribute leads with the full digital body language today’s channel partners need to close deals.

Ferren has nearly 25 years of experience working with high-growth software and high-tech companies and is a proven business operations, sales and international business development professional. At Zift, Ferren leads the sales team and oversees organizational operations.

Johnson is responsible for SMB Channel Marketing at McAfee, the world’s largest dedicated security technology company and part of Intel Security. An Eloqua Product and RLC Master, Johnson has been instrumental in McAfee’s marketing automation campaign development and delivery for both the channel and the end-user. She is also responsible for enabling the channel and introduced Zift Solutions marketing automation platform to her channel partners.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on twitter.

About McAfee

McAfee is now part of Intel Security. With its Security Connected strategy, innovative approach to hardware-enhanced security, and unique Global Threat Intelligence, Intel Security is intensely focused on developing proactive, proven security solutions and services that protect systems, networks, and mobile devices for business and personal use around the world. Intel Security combines the experience and expertise of McAfee with the innovation and proven performance of Intel to make security an essential ingredient in every architecture and on every computing platform. Intel Security’s mission is to give everyone the confidence to live and work safely and securely in the digital world.

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Research Triangle Park, NC – September 25, 2014

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that CEO Ken Romley will present at Oracle OpenWorld, the largest and most important educational networking event for Oracle technologists, customers and partners. Romley will serves as a featured speaker in Conference Session CON8940: Unify Your Customer Experience Strategy by Leveraging Oracle’s CX Partners. The 45-minute session will be held Wednesday, October 1, 2014 from 3:15-4:00 p.m. in Moscone West 2016 at the Mascone Center in San Francisco.

“Through direct integration with Oracle Fusion® Middleware and Eloqua®, Zift Solutions gives Oracle users with indirect sales channels the ability to drive more channel revenue, automate lead distribution, measure marketing impact, and enable end-to-end visibility of sales activities without leaving their preferred systems,” said Romley. “I am excited to demonstrate Zift’s capabilities, flexibility and proven customer successes at OpenWorld.”

The session will provide the opportunity for attendees to see how marketing, sales, service and social come together through Oracle CX, the industry’s most complete offering of SaaS applications – and is complemented by partners such as Zift Solutions, who provide innovative solutions and extensions that span related domains and weave together the most efficient and effective approach to the customer lifecycle. Romley will demonstrate Zift Solutions’ expansive functionality and share a sales and marketing cloud use case along with a customer success story to detail how channel marketers can maximize return on Oracle investments while capturing a larger share of channel revenue.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on twitter.

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Research Triangle Park, NC – July 1, 2014

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that VMware channel partner and off-shore cloud-computing solutions provider Cloud Carib has tripled audience engagement and lowered costs using Zift’s recently enhanced social media syndication.

“Zift Solutions is dedicated to helping channel-based sales and marketing organizations accelerate market leadership and lift the burden of social media by allowing channel partners to leverage their suppliers’ investments in social media and content,” said Ken Romley, CEO of Zift Solutions. “Cloud Carib’s results demonstrate how Zift’s social media syndication improves audience engagement, reduces marketing communications resource demands and increases brand awareness.”

A Caribbean-based start-up and VMware Enterprise Partner, Cloud Carib was intent on differentiating itself from increasing competition in the cloud and onsite virtualization services space, but struggled to connect with customers and prospects due to time and resource constraints. By using Zift Solutions to automate content syndication through social media, Cloud Carib was able to tap into VMware product-specific and best practice industry content, then publish it as cobranded social media communications. Doing so allowed Cloud Carib to increase the frequency of their social media outreach, boost brand awareness among a larger prospect pool and position themselves as an industry expert via multiple social media outlets. The company has also reduced resource allocations to marketing communications while driving more traffic to their website.

“Just one month after implementing Zift’s technology, we tripled the frequency of our tweets, doubled our follower interactions and nearly eliminated all time spent producing Twitter content,” said Stelios Xeroudakis, Director, Cloud Carib. Read the full case study here.

Zift Solutions recently expanded its social media capabilities to help channel organizations improve lead generation, build awareness, nurture relationships and ultimately drive more channel sales. A direct response to customer feedback, Zift’s social media enhancements simplify the complexities of social media and allow channel partners to work within the systems they use every day instead of accessing separate partner portals.

Zift Solutions’ social media syndication reduces the time, costs and complexity of social media by automatically delivering timely, engaging supplier- and industry-related content through a channel partner’s social media outlets including Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Built-in website analytics help suppliers and channel partners track activity and measure results. Social media syndication can be used individually or in conjunction with Zift Solutions’ full suite of solutions, including Through Partner Marketing Automation, Content Syndication, Lead Distribution and Shared Analytics.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on twitter.

About Cloud Carib

Cloud Carib is a privately-held offshore cloud solution provider based in Nassau, Bahamas, and servicing the Caribbean region. The company focuses on Cloud Solutions for companies in the financial and professional services markets, as well as government agencies. The breadth of our portfolio of cloud solutions positions us to provide powerful cloud solutions that accelerate our customer’s journey to “IT as a service”, and enable them to build, manage, and deliver any application, to any device, over any network. Learn more at www.cloudcarib.com.

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Research Triangle Park, NC – May 22, 2014

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that it has expanded its social media capabilities to help channel organizations improve lead generation, build awareness, nurture relationships and ultimately drive more channel sales.

“Zift Solutions has long recognized that social media is a vital component of a fully integrated approach to channel marketing automation and our latest enhancements extend Zift’s established social media syndication and Through Partner Marketing Automation (TPMA) capabilities,” said Ken Romley, CEO of Zift Solutions. “Zift is also committed to customer collaboration and making it easy for channel partners to leverage their supplier’s social media investments and content. Our social media enhancements are a direct response to customer feedback and allow channel partners to work within the systems on which they already rely.”

Zift Solutions’ social media syndication reduces the time, costs and complexity of social media by automatically delivering timely, engaging supplier- and industry-related content through a channel partner’s social media outlets including Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. Built-in website analytics help suppliers and channel partners track activity and measure results. Social media syndication can be used individually or in conjunction with Zift Solutions’ full suite of solutions, including Through Partner Marketing Automation, Content Syndication, Lead Distribution and Shared Analytics.

“While social media is a proven way to build an audience, nurture leads and drive channel sales, today’s channel partners have limited time and resources, so they look to their vendors and suppliers for help, advice and enablement,” said Heather K Margolis, President and Founder, Channel Maven Consulting. “Social media syndication allows vendors to extend the value and reach of social media through their channel partners to generate leads, promote products and increase partner loyalty.”

Some of Zift’s latest social media enhancements allow users to:

• Easily review, manage and approve social posts, filter posts by social networks, topics and more, and quickly re-post previous social media posts.
• Display upcoming posts and historical activity with a new social media calendar that provides an overview snapshot of all planned social media activities and also allows users to open and edit posts.
• Gate high quality content and deliver access through separate landing pages and forms to capture prospect data.
• Post directly to LinkedIn company pages.
• Share content via Xing, a German-based professional social networking site similar to LinkedIn.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on twitter.

The post Zift Solutions Expands Social Media Capabilities with Latest Release appeared first on Zift Solutions.

Research Triangle Park, NC – May 13, 2014

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that CEO Ken Romley will co-present with Jon Furner, CEO of ResultsPositive, at SiriusDecisions Summit 2014, a B2B event focused on how transforming sales, marketing and product through alignment is essential to powering top-and bottom-line growth. Romley and Furner’s upcoming session, “Beyond Leads: HP Partner Expands Pipeline and Cuts Lead Lifecycle by 30%,” will be held on Wednesday, May 21 from 9:50-10:35 a.m. and again from 10:45 – 11:30 a.m.

“Suppliers and their channel partners are seeing impressive results by eliminating manual processes, automating lead delivery and injecting marketing and sales tools directly into the systems channel partners rely on,” said Ken Romley, CEO of Zift Solutions. “We are excited to share the ResultsPositive story as it demonstrates the substantial impact of automating lead distribution, reporting and ROI tracking.”

“As an HP Platinum Partner, we are always seeking and sharing best practices that generate new prospects for HP business technology solutions, strengthen our partnership and drive sales,” said Jon Furner, CEO of ResultsPositive. “Within the first month of using Zift Solutions, we saw a 30% reduction in lead lifecycle, increased our pipeline and have established a more collaborative and successful sales process with HP. We look forward to telling our story at this event.”

Romley and Furner’s session will showcase how ResultsPositive was able to build their pipeline and focus on the sales process by streamlining lead distribution. They will share best practices for automating lead delivery, reporting and ROI tracking along with proven tips for effective lead nurturing. They will also explore the pressing need for suppliers to provide their channel partners the in-depth insight required to nurture leads through to close within the established systems partners, dealers, and distributors use daily. Attendees will see exactly how ResultsPositive increased discovery meetings by 25% while reducing their lead lifecycle time as well as how direct visibility into the progression of leads strengthened HP and ResultsPositive’s relationship.

SiriusDecision Summit 2014 will address how transforming sales, marketing and product through alignment is essential to powering b-to-b and bottom line growth. The event will bring together thousands of professionals to get the latest research insights, share B2B best practices and discuss industry trends. The event will be held May 21-24 at the Hyatt Regency Orlando in Orlando, Florida. Additional information regarding the event can be found here.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on twitter.

The post Zift Solutions and ResultsPositive to Co-Present at SiriusDecisions Summit 2014 appeared first on Zift Solutions.

Click here to download the brief

The post SiriusDecisions Research Brief: Partner Loyalty Framework Deep Dive appeared first on Zift Solutions.

Research Triangle Park, NC – April 15, 2014

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that CEO Ken Romley will present at Channel Focus, a technology industry event that brings together the IT and telecom industries’ most effective channel sales and marketing strategists. Romley’s upcoming session, “Beyond Leads: Enable Your Partners to Turn Opportunities into Real Revenue” will be held on Thursday, April 24 from 9:30-10:15 a.m. Zift Solutions will also serve as a sponsor for the event.

“After working with nearly 10,000 resellers in 130 countries, Zift Solutions has seen the challenges of today’s channel marketers first-hand and recognizes that passing leads to channel partners without the proper infrastructure diminishes lead value and undermines success,” says Ken Romley, CEO of Zift Solutions. “By automating lead delivery, reporting and ROI tracking, as well as enhancing the type and quality of lead data, channel marketers can establish a more collaborative and successful sales process.”

Romley’s session will examine how channel organizations can get the best returns on distributing leads by overturning manual processes and ending reliance on deal registration and Partner relationship Management (PRM) systems. He will explore the pressing need for suppliers to provide their channel partners with qualified leads along with the in-depth insight required to nurture leads through to close within the established systems partners, dealers, and distributors use daily. Attendees will see the impact of automatically delivering leads, complete with prospecting details, directly into their partners’ existing systems. They will also learn how automating lead delivery can provide visibility into the progress of the leads without increasing partner reporting requirements.

Zift Solutions is a proud sponsor of Channel Focus, which is the conference that defines strategies and tactics leading vendors are using to grow their business. Now in its 17th year, the conference has a strong reputation for sourcing the finest speakers, talking about how they are combining radical new thinking and proven strategies to successfully open up new channels, and redefine existing channel sales and marketing methods. This year’s event will be held April 23-24 at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown Hotel in Phoenix, Arizona. Additional information regarding the event can be found here.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on twitter.

The post Zift Solutions CEO to Present at Upcoming Channel Focus Conference appeared first on Zift Solutions.

Watch the video to learn more:

The post Deliver Leads Where They Live: CMR ChannelChat with Ken Romley [VIDEO] appeared first on Zift Solutions.

Click here to download the brief

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Research Triangle Park, NC – October 02, 2013

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that in response to the growing demand for solutions to help organizations drive channel revenue, it has launched a new corporate website and moved its corporate headquarters into new space in the heart of Research Triangle Park, NC.

The website has been redesigned with a focus on delivering valuable content for organizations that want to improve brand awareness, increase lead generation and ultimately drive channel sales.

“The new site focuses on our commitment to help channel organizations get more by asking their partners to do less,” said David Buffaloe, vp of marketing at Zift Solutions. “It introduces our proven success framework and a new video that explains how we go beyond technology to provide organizations with the strategy, insight and support they need to ensure success every step of the way.”

The company has seen recent growth including several key customer wins that have expanded their community around the globe by more than 28,000 channel partners. In addition, over the past year their users have generated more than 180,000 leads by using their marketing automation solutions.

“We are excited about our extensive growth over the past year,” said Ken Romley, president and chief executive officer at Zift solutions. “This has given us the opportunity to significantly expand our team. The new location is double our previous space and gives us the additional room needed to support our ongoing growth.”

You can view the new website by visiting ziftsolutions.com.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on twitter.

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Research Triangle Park, NC – September 18, 2013

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that Mark Schlief will be joining the company as its new vice president of customer success.

Schlief has more than 25 years of sales and client services leadership experience at companies such as Averetek, Elateral and Ogilvy and Mather. He was most recently director of business development at Averetek, where he was responsible for the alignment and introduction of their service offerings across large channel-driven organizations.

Ken Romley, president and chief executive officer of Zift Solutions said, “We are happy to welcome Mark to Zift Solutions. He has a successful track record of accelerating growth and building effective client focused organizations within the technology industry. We look forward to utilizing his knowledge and expertise with channel organizations around the world to ensure they get the most results from our suite of solutions.”

Mark Schlief stated, “I am very excited to be joining Zift Solutions, as I share the company’s passion for customer excellence. I look forward to working closely with the management team to capture the company’s growth opportunity and helping existing customers generate strong ROIs through channel marketing automation.”

Schlief will begin his new role this week.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more about Zift Solutions or join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on twitter @zift.

The post Zift Solutions Adds Through Partner Marketing Automation Veteran to Deliver Customer Success appeared first on Zift Solutions.

Research Triangle Park, NC – August 13, 2013

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that its CEO, Ken Romley, will present at the 33rd annual Canaccord Genuity Conference. The presentation will be held at the InterContinental Boston and is scheduled for Wednesday, August 14, at 2:30 p.m. ET.

The presentation will discuss emerging trends in marketing and how new platforms are making it possible for companies to extend the reach of their marketing by leveraging their relationships with channel partners.
About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more about Zift Solutions join the conversation via our blog Channel Chatter and follow us on twitter @zift.

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Research Triangle Park, NC – August 01, 2013

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced its latest release. The latest enhancements are based on customers’ most requested updates as well as new capabilities thanks to strategic partnerships.

One feature included in the new release is support of dynamic content syndication. This capability enables website content to change based on the visitor’s behavior or characteristics. Partners can now serve up content dynamically through the same simple, one time process with Zift’s innovative content syndication service.

“Our number one priority is to consistently deliver value to our clients,” said Ken Romley, CEO of Zift Solutions. “By continually improving on our existing platform, taking enhancement requests from current customers and keeping abreast of industry trends, we continue to deliver a best-in-class solution to support our supplier clients and their partners.”

Another key feature included in the new release automatically appends company and lead record data leveraging Data.com. This gives the user a more complete view of prospects and organizations that have shown interest.

“We now offer automated data enrichment for Company and Lead records thanks to Data.com,” added Romley. “Now missing information that is vital to our customers’ ability get a complete view of customers and prospects is automatically appended. We feel this will be a huge value-add to our customers.”

Laz Gonzalez, Service Director, SiriusDecisions had this to say about the value of data completeness, “Gaining better visibility into deal or customer level data continues to figure prominently in our client’s priorities. Data enrichment can help better understand where to apply marketing resources, gain better ROI on their marketing spend and create opportunities to assist partners upsell or cross-sell to existing prospects.”

Current Zift Solutions customers can view the full release notes by logging into their Zift instance.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions increases channel sales and boosts marketing impact with a superior technology platform, a complete channel marketing success framework and global customer care. Leading channel driven organizations around the world leverage Zift Solutions’ cloud-based platform to automate co-branded marketing, empower collaborative selling and measure results with powerful analytics. To learn more about Zift Solutions visit http://zift.revered-design.com or join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter and follow us on twitter @zift.

The post Zift Solutions Launches Dynamic Content Syndication and Automatic Record Enhancement to Help Organizations Drive More Channel Sales appeared first on Zift Solutions.

Research Triangle Park, NC – August 01, 2013

Zift Solutions, a leading provider of channel marketing automation solutions, today announced that it has been included in the list of “Cool Vendors” in the Technology Go-to-Market report released by Gartner, Inc. The report focuses on vendors that provide technology that helps IT vendors get more value from their sales and marketing investments.

Zift Solutions delivers channel marketing automation that helps organizations improve the effectiveness of their channel partners and/or dealerships. The platform, used by more than 8000 organizations worldwide, automates key areas including co-branded marketing, collaborative selling and ROI analytics.

Each year, Gartner, Inc. identifies new Cool Vendors in the key technology areas and publishes a series of research reports highlighting those innovative vendors, their products and services.

“We are excited to be a cool vendor for technology go-to-market,” said Ken Romley, CEO of Zift Solutions. “Our technology powers the growth of channels for organizations around the world in a way that requires them to ask less of their partners, allowing partners to focus on the key areas where they provide value and ultimately deliver more.”

Some of the key recommendations sited in the report include:

• Sales and marketing leaders at IT providers should investigate external (third-party) service providers that can augment internal processes to enhance brand recognition, sustain customer loyalty and drive revenue.
• IT providers with a reasonable partner base size should assume they must bear the heavy lifting of end-to-end marketing execution through their channel. Realign investment away from partner-­controlled marketing toward integrated channel marketing automation, unless your channel has proved its ability to execute on your programs.
• IT providers should link communication efforts to revenue opportunities for partners to increase urgency and follow through.

The full Cool Vendor report is now available on the Gartner webpage.

About Zift Solutions

Zift Solutions is transforming the way thousands of companies worldwide market by empowering indirect sales channels with the resources of national brands. For companies who sell services and products for their business partners, Zift provides a SaaS solution that allows their business partners to cost effectively deliver branded marketing on their behalf. This drives measurable increases in revenue while reducing marketing costs by over 50%. To learn more about Zift Solutions you can visit them online or join the conversation via the blog Channel Chatter or follow us on twitter @zift.

Disclaimer:
Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Gartner Research Document: Gartner “Cool Vendors in Technology Go-to-Market, 2013” by Tiffani Bova, Neil McMurchy, Hank Barnes, Kimberly Collins, and Ed Cordin, April 17, 2013

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