What is Partnership Development?

Partnership development is identifying, vetting, launching and managing a mutually beneficial partnership between two or more organizations.

In one of our recent blogs, “What Are the Stages of Partnership Development”, we covered each stage of developing a partner into a productive member of your partner ecosystem, including:

1. Determine Your Ideal Partner Type
2. Recruit Your Ideal Partner
3. Enter into a Formal Partnership Agreement
4. Onboard & Train Your Partner
5. Enable Your Partner
6. Engage Your partner on an Ongoing Basis
7. Assess & Adjust Your Partner Business Plan Quarterly

In this article, we’ll go over what a successful partnership development plan entails.

What is a Partnership Development Plan?

A partnership development plan is a joint business plan between a supplier and a partner company that outlines how to reach desired targets for both companies due to the partnership.

There is baseline company-wide information that vendors need to acquire from their partners before they’re able to develop the plan. You must understand your new partner’s full capabilities, resources, go-to-market motions and department/business unit performance.

Questions programs should ask of their partners during their partner onboarding process include:

• What is the partner’s current total monthly recurring revenue (MRR)? How much of the current total partner MRR comes from solutions like those your company offers? What is a realistic increase in MRR in six months or a year?
• Does the partner currently see opportunities to increase MRR with your company’s solutions? If so, how many opportunities? If not, what vertical or horizontal industries does the partner feel capable of targeting to offer your solution? Can you spearhead penetration in these markets for the partner?
• Will the partner sell into their existing customer base with your solution? Or is their existing customer base not a fit?
• How well-developed are the partner company’s sales, marketing, customer service and operations departments? Are they missing core capabilities?
• Does the partner have the capacity and staff to handle front-line customer support inquiries? Or must all requests be fielded by your organization?
• Where does your partner believe they need the most support from you? Can your company fill those gaps? If so, to what extent? If not, can you connect the partner with a third party that can?
• How familiar is the partner company with your type of solution and the industries you typically serve? How much education or assistance can you offer in this area? How does their level of knowledge impact the long-term timeline for ROI?
• What market development funds (MDF) can you contribute to this new partnership? How will you allocate MDF and ensure agreement for its use?
• How important are you as a vendor to the partner’s overall business? Are they partnering with you so they can close an immediate opportunity or fill an unmet need? Or are your solutions “nice to have” as an add-on or another variation of similar offers in their portfolio?

What Are the Elements of a Successful Partnership Development Plan?

A successful partnership development plan includes these key elements:

1. Set Clear Goals + Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
2. Establish Tactics to Reach Goals + KPIs
3. Schedule Monthly + Quarterly Check-Ins
4. Monitor Progress Regularly
5. Conduct Annual Reviews
6. Hold Both the Supplier + the Partner Accountable, Not Just the Partner

Partnership Development Plan Element 1: Set Clear Goals + Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

The most essential element of a partnership development plan is setting milestones and benchmarks tied to specific dates. Once you have a firm and realistic timeline, you and your partner will understand precisely when the partnership will be contributing and what resources are required to reach that target. 

While you may have primary indicators of the partnership’s progress, such as revenue milestones, product development phases, marketing campaign launches, joint services integrations and other targets depending on the type of partnership, it may be several months before either company reaches these end goals. 

This lag time from partnership inception to desired outcomes means your program needs to measure other KPIs, especially at the beginning of the partnership, during onboarding as your companies get to know each other. Count joint planning, training and enablement thresholds as genuine wins and provide positive feedback to keep your partner motivated to continue through the rest of the process.

Note that it’s important to share these wins internally within the supplier organization so that leadership continues to buy into the premise of a given partnership and investing resources. Certain partnerships may not necessarily be tied to revenue generation, so advocating for these initiatives is critical since they may be subject to more scrutiny.

For example, some partnerships may improve the product set you offer and your user experience, but despite these enhancements your company may be unable to charge more for your services to remain competitive in the market. This partnership’s end goal would be focused on improving the product to compete in the marketplace, which is necessary for revenue retention rather than revenue generation.

Common KPIs to measure include:

• Revenue closed
• Partner participation in technology, sales and marketing training
• Partner attendance at supplier events or webinars
• Partner engagement with the portal and portal resources
• Number of campaigns the partner sent (if supported in the partner portal)
• Number of demos or proofs of concept the partner performed
• Number of deals the partner registered
• Number of joint planning sessions held and follow-up action items completed

Below is a map of what the first 90 days (and beyond) may look like for onboarding a new partner:

• Day 1-30 – During the first 30 days, onboarding typically consists of the following:
  • Conducting the discovery
  • Introducing members of your respective teams
  • Assessing vendor-partner alignment
  • Creating a business plan with the partner
  • Providing access to the partner portal and relevant sales and marketing materials
  • Starting initial sales and technical training

• Day 31-60 – By day 60, onboarding moves to:
  • Discussing longer-term business planning
  • Reviewing use cases and case studies
  • Beginning demand generation
  • Engaging sales opportunities together

• Day 61-90 – By day 90, onboarding activities include:
  • Selling collaboratively
  • Growing the sales pipeline
  • Celebrating an initial win
• Day 90-180 – Day 91 through 180 is when the training wheels slowly come off and partners practice what they’ve learned in the first three months and develop confidence and competence to sell independently.
• Day 181-365 – At the end of the first year, it’s time to revisit the business plan with new goals and milestones for year two.

Partnership Development Plan Element 2: Establish Tactics to Reach Goals + KPIs

Once you and your partner have set goals and timeframes, you must determine the specific action items to meet each target. For example, if one of your significant milestones is to have closed a deal by day 90 of your partnership, you’ll need to ask these questions:

• Where should we be looking for an easy win?
• Do we have marketing and sales campaign resources (email cadences, collateral resources, call scripts, voicemail scripts, etc.) already created to deploy for our solution set?
• Which members of the supplier sales team and the partner sales team will use these resources to joint-sell opportunities together?
• On average, how many sales motions (cold calls, cold emails, etc.) must the team achieve each day?
• How frequently do those sales team members need to meet to keep sales motions on target? How frequently do sales and marketing need to check in with each other on lead quality?
• Does the first closed deal need to be closed entirely by the partner? Or is this an actual joint sale? What counts as a win?
• If meetings with prospects aren’t being scheduled, at what point do we revisit sales training or the quality of marketing materials for this specific vertical?

The answers to these questions, even around a single goal like the one outlined above, will help you work backward to determine the roles and responsibilities required of both the provider and the partner. The same principle applies to the activities leading up to a closed sale, such as training, demos and certifications for technical and sales personnel at the partner company.

Please note that a required element of meeting these goals is having them documented and easily accessible by both the provider and the partner. How often have you left a meeting where action items were verbally spoken about and agreed to but never followed up on because they weren’t written down and followed up? A quality PRM system can help your program document tasks and responsibilities internally and externally with an online dashboard.

Partnership Development Plan Element 3: Schedule Monthly + Quarterly Check-Ins

Establish frequent check-ins with your partner so you can work together to adjust the ongoing plan. At a minimum, your program will want to establish quarterly check-ins as a baseline. However, suppose you have a more involved partnership with joint go-to-market motions in place and you’re actively selling together. In that case, you may need to establish a more frequent cadence for these check-ins and meet monthly or biweekly, depending on the volume of activity.

Note that you’ll want to be wary of meeting too frequently, unless your partnership is so extensive that you need those check-ins to keep everything straight with each other. Typically, there is only so much progress that a partner company can make each week through your engagement. It can be discouraging to a partner to have made little to potentially no progress in the period between when they last met with you.

Partnership Development Plan Element 4: Monitor Progress Regularly

While this may seem obvious, your program needs to track quantitative and qualitative metrics on reaching the agreed-upon goals before arriving at those major milestone dates. If regular tracking isn’t in place, it will be too late to act if the provider or partner staff deviates from the target objectives. 

The KPIs established will allow you to monitor your partner and analyze their strengths and weaknesses. Documenting partner progress in a regular report will help:

• Set realistic objectives (it’s possible milestones were set too aggressively or may have been too easy to achieve)
• Monitor the implementation of tactics in place and how they need to be adjusted
• Determine if something is off in the onboarding, training or enablement phases

Ongoing monitoring will help you understand quickly if a partner is all talk and no action. If you have several goals that have to be achieved by day 30, but there’s been no movement from the partner of any kind on day 25 (which is visible if onboarding is tracked in a PRM), then it may be time to discuss if the partnership is a good fit and whether you should part ways so you aren’t investing too much time in a non-accretive partner.

Partnership Development Plan Element 5: Conduct Annual Reviews

Any good development plan, whether for an employee internally or for a relationship with a partner, involves an annual review in some form. This is particularly useful for partners with whom you’ve had years- or possibly even decades-long relationships and have been self-sufficient in deploying solutions, bringing deals to the table, and generating new MRR. Key stakeholders should be part of this annual review, especially the supplier company, as it will help communicate how important the partnership is to the partner company. 

In this review, you’ll want to cover the following:

• Opportunities for growth
• Where the provider and partner both succeeded in sales, marketing and technical support in the last year
• Where the provider and partner both could improve in sales, marketing and technical support in the last year
• How to improve any weak areas
• What goals and targets to address weak areas for the next year

Try to end the annual review positively and explain how you’re looking forward to growing with the partner in the next year.

Partnership Development Plan Element 6: Hold Both the Provider + the Partner Accountable, Not Just the Partner

It’s critical to remember that your partnership is just that, a partnership. A common source of friction in transaction-oriented partnerships between providers and partners is that partners typically feel hounded by vendor channel account managers around registering new deals and sending them fresh leads. Your program needs to be the one that asks, “How can I help you sell more accounts this quarter?” not “Where are my leads?”.

This same principle applies to non-transacting partnerships as well. A technology alliance partnership focused on product integration may require more heavy lifting from one side or the other at different points during development phases. If your partner is encountering a roadblock in this scenario, see how your own team can pitch in and help them solve the problem rather than letting them get stuck for potentially weeks on a problematic phase.

Meeting this need involves holding your own staff internally to KPIs and metrics, which may be more straightforward during onboarding, training and enablement phases, but less so as target goals of the partnership are surpassed and new ones need to be set.

For example, a transacting partner may have more clear targets to meet, such as simply increasing to a new revenue threshold in the next quarter, but how can your own team help them reach this new goal? What specific resources can you deploy in the next month to boost them? You could run a new go-to-market campaign, put your own direct sales team to work and hand off leads to your partner to encourage them or show them new ways to sell your solutions.

Non-transacting partners, such as influencer partners, will have different forms of collaboration your team can assist with. If they have a popular podcast or media property in your industry, perhaps you can design a six-month joint marketing campaign where you agree to the mutual promotion of interviews between them and staff members to promote your company as thought leaders and provide them with fresh content.

All this is to say that the vendor needs to keep the onus on themselves to keep the partnership headed in the right direction and progressing, rather than only looking at the partner company. It’s easy to be excited and make progress in month six of your engagement, but what about when you’re in year five? Keeping your own team accountable and actively supporting the partnership type in every way possible is vital to escalating and meeting new targets.

Implement these elements in your partnership development plan to keep your partner on track to producing results.

The post What Does a Successful Partnership Development Plan Look Like? appeared first on Zift Solutions.

7 Best Practices in Managing Global Partner Programs

A global partner program can be a doorway to scalability and rapid growth for channel organizations in 2023 and beyond. Just take it from these channel experts:

• “It only makes sense for programs to expand globally,” says Chris Walker, Marketing Manager for cloud-first WAN and security company Aryaka Networks. “A global program means exposure to new markets and partners (e.g., new partner size, partner type and solution preference). This leads to increased revenue, especially if a program can focus on being a fast-mover in an emerging market with room for an early presence in the region.”

• “As companies and solutions grow, their involvement with firms and people beyond their own countries does as well,” says Tina Gravel, Vice President, Global Head of Channel Sales for global contextual decision intelligence solutions provider Quantexa. “The world continues to get smaller with regard to acceptance and use of software and services around the world. For example, with software as a service, cloud as a service, etc., one no longer needs to be in close proximity with providers of technology to offer the brand or solution.”

• “In 2021, Pax8 expanded globally with the launch of our first international office in the U.K.,” says Nick Heddy, Chief Commerce Officer for cloud commerce marketplace Pax8. “In the three years since our UK launch, we have grown the market significantly and exceeded our expectations. We have continued to expand and now have 17 offices in 12 countries. We are seeing early success in the other regions and look forward to driving a similar impact with partners in those regions.”

With this in mind, many channel programs may look to take the next step with their channel program budget and expand beyond their state, country or province to faraway markets. What are the top best practices for managing global partner programs? To answer this question, we spoke with five industry experts. Our panelists include:

• Chris Walker, Marketing Manager for cloud-first WAN and security company Aryaka Networks
• Tina Gravel, Vice President, Global Head of Channel Sales for global contextual decision intelligence solutions provider Quantexa
• Nick Heddy, Chief Commerce Officer for cloud commerce marketplace Pax8
• Natalia Botti, Vice President of Channels for network visibility platform provider ApexaiQ
• Heather Tenuto, Chief Revenue Officer for partner relationship management (PRM) and channel management platform provider Zift Solutions

Want to skip ahead? Check out seven channel management best practices for global partner programs to use in 2023:

1. Global Partner Programs Need to Have Local Points of Contact
2. Global Partner Programs Should Customize Initiatives to Each Region
3. Global Partner Programs Should Pay Attention to & Accommodate Cultural Differences
4. Global Partner Programs Need to Be Mindful of Regional Regulations & Laws
5. Global Partner Programs Can Lean on Distributors as Appropriate to Help Reach Partners in New Regions
6. Global Partner Programs Can Recruit Partners Through the Same Methods in Each Region
7. Global Partner Programs Need to Establish a Single Source of Truth for Global Program Alignment

What is Channel Management?

Channel management refers to a company’s engagement activities related to recruiting, enabling and compensating indirect channel partners.

One of Zift’s recent blogs covered channel management best practices, which include:

1. Getting top-down channel commitment on realistic ROI timelines
2. Ensuring a frictionless customer experience (CX) and partner experience (PX)
3. Developing deep partner relationships and staying top of mind
4. Investing in dedicated channel personnel and programs
5. Identifying where your partners fit in your partner ecosystem and planning accordingly
6. Collaborating with expert partners to penetrate new verticals and industries

7 Best Practices in Managing Global Partner Programs

Our expert panel identified seven best practices companies should adopt in managing a global partner program.

1. Global Partner Programs Need to Have Local Points of Contact

Our panel repeatedly emphasized having local points of contact in each geographic territory, landing it the No. 1 spot on our list of best practices for global partner programs.

“It does help to have local representation … because customers still want to have someone that they can trust to advise them and provide ‘hands-on’ assistance if required,” says Quantexa’s Gravel. “That firm or advisor is typically nearby. This client need requires us to partner with those that are geographically near to the customer while also allowing us to offer our main service elsewhere.” 

“To effectively support a global partner program, having resources in the market is critical,” says Pax8’s Heddy. “This approach ensures that partners have support contacts during their working hours, who speak their language and understand the local cultural norms.”

However, Heddy points out that having local contacts alone isn’t enough to keep partner relationships healthy long-term. “While it is critical to have a presence in the regions you operate in, it will also be crucial for corporate leaders to visit often,” explains Heddy. “Connecting with partners in those markets and understanding their business will ensure their perspectives are represented at a corporate level when making global decisions.”

Quantexa’s Gravel drives this point home. “You must have someone that understands regional differences,” says Gravel. “You can manage remotely, but you must be able to understand and offer the solutions and needs that your trusted partner requires while also balancing the needs of your own firm.”

Gravel notes that in some instances, a distributor may be able to help fill this role, but it’s not necessarily her preferred route. “My preference is to have someone that understands how to do business in a particular local area that can help to manage the partner (i.e., local channel management), but in many cases, you cannot afford to do both and need to generate revenue first,” says Gravel. “In this case, as a channel executive, be prepared to travel often to global locations to make sure you can see with your own eyes how things are done, what clients are needed, etc. You cannot do this via a spreadsheet from the corporate location.”

2. Global Partner Programs Should Customize Initiatives to Each Region

It should go without saying, but each region in a global channel partner program will have vastly different sales, marketing and operations initiatives and the program needs to be flexible enough to address each locale’s needs.

“[Global programs need to] understand how [partners] do business, it’s another kind of language inside a language,” says ApexaiQ’s Botti. “Nuances can make or break a deal.”

ApexaiQ’s Botti also notes that a common mistake global programs encounter is approaching each partner in the same way without considering regional differences. “[Your program should avoid making the mistake of] believing that a global partner does business the way you do,” says Botti. “[Instead], meet them where they are and design your program to be flexible.”

“While partners in every country face similar challenges, they also have needs unique to their region,” says Pax8’s Heddy. “We [Pax8] work closely with our partners to understand their challenges and build solutions to enable their success.”

“With global programs, you internally need to develop soft skillsets to stop initiatives without causing friction between personnel,” said Aryaka’s Walker. “If a channel marketing leader in the North America region is unfamiliar with the APAC region, the APAC channel marketing leader will need to correct their assumption that an effective initiative in North America will work just as effectively, or at all, in APAC. The program marketing initiatives and campaigns must align to each region’s customs.”

Walker also points out that certain methods of communication will change depending on the region. “For example, in APAC, the competition is very high, so our partners in that region don’t want to be in the same room (virtually or in-person) and need to have separate training,” says Walker.

3. Global Partner Programs Should Pay Attention to & Accommodate Cultural Differences

Your program must adapt to completely foreign cultural norms and customs from country to country as you expand. “Struggles come in many forms, from cultural differences to technology limitations of localization on some platforms,” says ApexaiQ’s Botti. “Time to market is sometimes double what it is in the [United States].”

Aryaka’s Walker agrees. “Global programs initially encounter obstacles with cultural differences between countries,” says Aryaka’s Walker. “They don’t even have to be what you’d think are ‘big’ things per se, like compensation and expected turnaround times for communication or deployments. You can find difficulty with something as simple as whether the EMEA region or APAC region have reserved or casual social customs, as this massively impacts sales deals and approaches for marketing campaigns.”

This said, Walker does note that logistics can be a sticking point and require coordination. “Each region has different time zones, working hours, PTO policies and established holidays,” explains Walker. “For example, at Aryaka, EMEA and APAC have several public holidays that need to be communicated to North America and accounted for in timelines for rolling out solutions and programs. All this may seem like ticky-tack details, but they still need to be sorted and can impact each region’s SLAs and promises to their partners and end customers.”

4. Global Partner Programs Need Be Mindful of Regional Regulations & Laws

Each country has different regulations and laws with which your company must comply. Ensuring you’re aware of and abide by these rules is critical. “Sometimes employment law in another country is not as familiar to a foreign firm and having a partner that knows and follows the said laws is a huge benefit,” says Quantexa’s Gravel.

“[Channel sales incentives] depend on the laws [and] regulations of the governing region,” says ApexaiQ’s Botti. “Understand their landscape [and] what regulations they are dealing with. Come prepared with at least some knowledge of the pain and prepare to adjust your understanding of it.”

5. Global Partner Programs Can Lean on Distributors As Appropriate to Help Reach Partners in New Regions

Technology services brokerages (TSBs) and other distributors can help your program expand in new regional markets without requiring you to add new channel account managers to your organization. “I have had success often in the past with global programs of various kinds,” says Quantexa’s Gravel. “For example, having a distributor be able to sell on your behalf in a location that your firm is unable or unwilling to hire your own team can be quite favorable.” 

Gravel also points out that in certain instances, you may not have a distributor in-region or have the ability to hire a channel manager and have to find an alternate solution. “Sometimes a savvy local direct salesperson (yes direct) or executive that has worked in the partner location in a past life can help provide that third-party view,” says Gravel. “Sometimes it is simply a distributor that you work with elsewhere that can help.”

“The act of having a local representative highlighting your brand can make all the difference when your company and solutions are not well known. The reverse can also help the partner when representing a respected brand from another location,” says Gravel.

6. Global Partner Programs Can Recruit Partners Through the Same Methods in Each Region

Our panel found that in their experience, the methods of partner recruitment don’t vary much by region. The same types of in-person and virtual recruitment activities are at play regardless of the geographical area; they are simply more of them. 

“We’ve found that channel recruitment is similar in most of the markets we operate,” says Pax8’s Heddy. “Targeted marketing campaigns, engaging in channel events, and launching our own regional enablement events have proven effective. However, each region has unique opportunities to recruit partners, and we rely on our local team members to identify and lead those initiatives.”

“In my experience, [channel recruitment] doesn’t change [when comparing a global program to a national or regional program],” says ApexaiQ’s Botti.

Aryaka’s Walker offers a slightly different take. “National or local channel recruitment has more channels such as in-person events, virtual webinars and online digital channels,” says Walker. “On the other hand, global recruitment usually [relies on] a digital or virtual approach in the form of webinars and social media follow-up. So, the globalized program needs to add in-person events to capture as many partners as possible in each region. An effective global program combines the local and online approaches to channel recruitment.” 

7. Global Partner Programs Need to Establish a Single Source of Truth for Global Program Alignment

“Your program needs key global leadership figures that act as the single source of truth for the program’s goals,” says Aryaka’s Walker. “Each region in the global program needs to be executing equally. The campaigns need to be consistent between regions and not have random initiatives in place that don’t further the aims of the overall organization.”

Walker explains that leadership is also responsible for a coherent and consistent global message. “Each team needs to be on the same page,” continues Walker. “An easy way to ensure this is to establish regular meeting cadences where revenue and marketing goals are agreed-upon and checked in on.”

Zift Solutions Tenuto agrees, adding that a comprehensive partner relationship management system can help facilitate a single source of truth. “When you’re managing hundreds or thousands of partner relationships across the globe, it’s critical to deliver a consistent message that’s personalized at scale,” she says. “You can only do that with automation. For example, delivering in-language training or marketing programs requires a platform that can support self-service options.”

She adds that a holistic PRM not only enables you to serve a range of partners across time zones and cultures, but also to track resource usage and sales performance. “With the right tools, you can track local and global KPIs, adjusting programs and support to improve metrics in each market, ultimately increasing overall revenue generation and retention.”

Partner programs looking to expand beyond their current market to a global partner program to grow their revenue should incorporate these management best practices.

The post 7 Best Practices in Managing Global Partner Programs appeared first on Zift Solutions.

6 Channel Enablement Best Practices for Partner Programs to Use in 2023

Channel enablement is a key part of any successful partner program. The Lexington Group’s Kristine Stewart puts it simply: “Channel enablement is inextricably tied to your overall program as it drives the success across your programs.” 

With this in mind, partner programs must get enablement right. What are the top best practices for channel enablement in 2023? To answer this question, we spoke with six industry experts. Our panelists include:

• Nicole Steele, Global Director of Channel Marketing and Enablement for cloud-first WAN and security company Aryaka Networks
• Will Armstrong, Senior Director of Global Enablement for IT monitoring solutions provider ScienceLogic
• Alison Bergamo, Principal for channel marketing consultancy Bergamo Marketing Group
• Kristine Stewart, Founder and CEO of channel consultancy The Lexington Group
• Kris Blackmon, Chief Channel Officer for channel go-to-market strategy company JS Group
• Heather Tenuto, Chief Revenue Officer for partner relationship management (PRM) and channel management platform provider Zift Solutions

Want to skip ahead? Check out six channel enablement best practices for partner programs to use in 2023:

1. Ask Your Partners What Enablement They Need from Your Program
2. Invest in Enablement Programs for Top Performing Partners
3. Staff Your Partner Program with Channel & Solution Subject Matter Experts
4. Test & Refine Partner Enablement Tactics & Activities
5. Create Easily Consumable Partner Enablement Resources
6. Your PRM Should Have Deep Business Intelligence & Analytic Tools to Enable You to Instrument Your Program’s Success

What is Channel Partner Enablement?

Channel partner enablement is the process of empowering indirect sales partners to sell your products and services. It typically includes training, tools, content, and sales and marketing resources to assist partners with bringing your solutions to market. 

A significant portion of channel enablement is sales education and sales training, which includes articulating several points of differentiation to partners, such as:

• Time to deployment and geographical availability
• Solution applications, benefits, weaknesses, misconceptions and objections
• Target customer deal size and verticals
• Minimum and maximum deal term lengths, options and sales cycles
• Support resources and promotions available to end customers
• Sales engineering and sales support resources for partners

Your partners need to be familiar with and able to access this information instantaneously when the right deal for your solution arises.

An enabled channel partner should handle the following activities:

• Understand and articulate your value proposition
• Send marketing campaigns to customers matching your ideal customer profile
• Engage your company in business and market development opportunities
• Manage opportunities from beginning to close
• In some cases, deploy or install solutions in the customer environment
• Educate the customer’s team on the use of the solution
• Promote solution adoption inside the client organization
• In some cases, take and resolve first-level support and trouble-ticket requests from the end customer

What are the Essential Components of Channel Partner Enablement?

We asked our panelists to outline their view of the components of a channel partner enablement program.

Bergamo Marketing Group’s Bergamo says essential components of any channel partner enablement program include:

• Go-to-market tools
• Partner briefings and events
• Digital marketing automation
• Analytics
• Comprehensive learning resources

“Wrapping these components around timely, relevant, digital-first content empowers partners to learn, sell, and accelerate their revenue growth,” says Bergamo.  

ScienceLogic’s Armstrong adds that a channel partner enablement program needs to have four main qualities: scalability, simplicity, standardization and support.

“Whatever you build for a partner to accelerate and amplify their ability to sell your products, it must be highly impactful without requiring significant administration,” Armstrong explains. “The onboarding process should [have] concise and simple steps, clearly articulated and readily supported with thoughtful guidance. A vernacular should be created and maintained. Define the industry words you use and the product-specific terminology, so everyone is clear and on the same page. Identify the outcomes expected at each stage and support their success with your partner team.”

The Lexington Group’s Stewart adds a final and potentially most important component. “Being able to measure and identify if programs are working for the partner is critical,” she says.

Why Should Partner Programs Invest in Channel Enablement?

We surveyed our panelists on the benefits of partner programs investing in channel partner enablement. Here are their insights: 

“We’re all in this business to make money, and proper enablement helps both the vendor and the partner reach that goal faster,” says JS Group’s Blackmon. “Good channel enablement helps partners fill the funnel, close sales, service customers and retain clients, and that’s good for both the program and the partner.” 

Blackmon explains:

• “As a vendor, providing great enablement means that in the sales and marketing phase, your partners are fantastic brand advocates and representatives; in the deployment phase, they’re able to adequately service and support your solution; and in the customer support phase, they’re able to consistently push for that renewal or upsell.
• As a partner tasked with marketing, selling and supporting a dozen or more vendors at a time, anything they can do to help you get to cash quicker is a plus. It’s all about efficiency and effectiveness. When enablement hits both marks, you’ve struck gold.”

Aryaka’s Steele also cites the dual benefits of enablement:

• “The benefit of channel enablement for vendors is that when partners are properly enabled, they will promote the vendor that spends time and money enabling them to help their customers and grow their business.
• The benefit of channel enablement for partners is that when they identify a customer and their pain points, they have a better understanding of the vendors’ solution sets and will be able to offer the customer the best match. Enablement means more money in partners’ pockets.”

The Lexington Group’s Stewart points out that partner enablement is a crucial program differentiator. “[S]ome partners that may be evaluating similar solutions from vendors could use enablement as a selection factor,” says Stewart. “They want to have their teams trained to close on [an] opportunity (either alone or co-selling with the vendor) as quickly as easily as possible.” 

ScienceLogic’s Armstrong agrees that enablement done right also can attract partners looking for vendors that are easy to work with. “Ease of doing business is probably the most significant differentiator for tech companies when selling through their channels, and enablement is the function that ensures that simplicity translates to scalable impact,” says Armstrong. “When partners can win more without doing more, everyone wins! Channel enablement ensures partners understand the simplified sales motion, the value prop of the solution and how to message it to customers, and the mechanics on how to register and get paid on the deal.”

Bergamo Marketing Group’s Bergamo Bergamo adds that enablement is not only about pushing sales through partners but enabling them to grow their businesses with you.

“An effective channel partner enablement program that anticipates and meets the needs of partners and their customers can enhance partner loyalty, revenue generation, brand reputation, and more,” says Bergamo. “Partners benefit from doing business with a vendor that provides them with a strategic view of the complex, ever-changing technology landscape, helps them identify new routes to market, and offers world-class resources and support throughout the sales, implementation and post-sale processes.”

6 Channel Enablement Best Practices for Partner Programs to Use in 2023

What are the best channel enablement strategies? We asked our expert panel and got the six channel enablement best practices partner programs should adopt this year.

1. Ask Your Partners What Enablement They Need from Your Program

Your program should survey partners to see what they need from you. It seems pretty obvious, right? Well, apparently not, according to our panelists.

 “This should go unsaid but is often overlooked,” explains JS Group’s Blackmon. “If you want to know what enablement to offer your partners, then ask them. Establishing an honest feedback loop with your partner community is crucial so that you know the challenges they’re facing you can help them solve and the opportunities you can help them take advantage of.”

Blackmon points out that providers tend to crank out materials not tailored to the right partner type. “Too many vendors make the mistake of producing enablement that’s designed to help them, not the partner,” says Blackmon. “You can’t give the same marketing kit to an SMB MSP that you do to an enterprise VAR. They’re very different beasts. You have to listen to your partners when they tell you what they need.”

After you understand what your different partner types need, your team can create enablement materials and activities that are meaningful to each partner. “Everything flows from there,” Blackmon says. “Now you know the training you need to provide, the marketing materials that will be effective, the sales enablement artifacts that will move the needle. If you just listen to your partners, they’ll tell you what they need from you.”

Blackmon also reminds programs that this is an iterative process and not a simple one-and-done check-in. “Make sure you’re taking their pulse on a regular basis, so you get that constant feedback,” Blackmon says.

2. Invest in Enablement Programs for Top Performing Partners

Even large programs typically don’t have the resources to equally enable every partner in their portfolio. You’ll need to pick and choose partners in which to invest resources.

“You want to identify top performers and tier them and find the best programs to make them successful,” explains Aryaka’s Steele. “It also shows the growth options for the other partners in the program. I recommend launching a concierge program where vendors enable top partners with the training, go to market in a unified way and message the combined value proposition.” 

Aryaka, for example, recently launched its elite seller program, which gives top performers access to resources like business development representatives who qualify leads and more.

But what about partners who aren’t top performers? “You can’t scale that [concierge-level] investment across all partners, but you can offer tiered enablement,” says Steele. “A-level partners can be part of the concierge program while B-level partners are enabled through digital programs that help partners with lead generation but require less investment from the vendor.”

JS Group’s Blackmon says a points program can enable partner tiering. “At JS Group, we’ve been advocates of the points program for partners for years, so that partner activity, not just sales, results in benefits,” says Blackmon. “Consider some version of this when deciding whether a partner is in or out of a program or what tier they’re in. Commitment and engagement are worth lots more in the long term than one large opportunistic sale that happens to get them to their revenue requirement.”

3. Staff Your Partner Program with Channel & Solution Subject Matter Experts

Staff your program with channel account managers who get the channel. It’s well-known that the channel is a tight-knit relationship-driven industry. Your people need to know how the channel works and come to your program with meaningful partner relationships.

JS Group’s Blackmon acknowledges staffing appropriately can be challenging in today’s economic environment, but they can make or break successfully enabling partners. “…I’d say to make sure you’re staffed adequately,” says Blackmon. “I know layoffs are happening as this recession looms, and that’s a valid business decision. But when you bring people into your channel organization, make sure they’re well-versed in [the] channel. Make sure they understand partners. The channel is a different beast and requires a different way of thinking. If your staff doesn’t understand the partner, they won’t be well-equipped to drive success for your channel organization.” 

Bergamo Marketing Group’s Bergamo extends the staffing requirement further to focus on solution expertise. “Vendors need to provide resources to help their partners understand the business value of their solutions and encourage them to ask questions,” says Bergamo. “You can have a Ph.D. in information technology and still not understand the nuances of SD-WAN, UCaaS, Cybersecurity Mesh Architecture (CSMA) or Microsoft Azure. Encourage your partners to ask the tough questions and provide them with access to solution experts to team up with them on deals, including offering provider recommendations, quote assessments and win-loss analysis.”

4. Test & Refine Partner Enablement Tactics & Activities

Assess, assess, assess. You’re unlikely to deliver a world-class enablement program right out of the gate. Plan on evaluating and revising individual campaigns, training courses, marketing pieces, value propositions and more.

“Test ideas,” says ScienceLogic’s Armstrong. “Create effective feedback mechanism[s] and adjust [the] approach as needed. Always drive outcomes with a growth mindset [and] a focus on continuous improvement. Great approaches and ideas can come from anyone in the channel ecosystem [and] the enablement team ensures those ideas get executed and communicated.”

JS Group’s Blackmon agrees, reminding you to test and refine enablement materials in conjunction with your partners, not in a vacuum. “…I’m going to sound like a broken record, but you have to really listen to your partner community,” says Blackmon. “There are a million vendors out there for every type of solution. Partners have unlimited choices, so you need to establish that true relationship of listening and learning so you can give partners what they want and need. It amazes me how many providers just assume they know what their partners need without ever actually hearing it from their lips.”

5. Create Easily Consumable Partner Enablement Resources

Channel partners are always hard-pressed for time and need to be able to engage with your enablement materials easily and quickly. 

For example, Bergamo Marketing Group’s Bergamo details the success of short-form video content from her time at Pax8. “Most sales reps are trying to fit learning in between sales calls and closing deals,” says Bergamo. “As Director of Partner Education at Pax8, my colleagues and I launched Pax8 Academy to deliver on-demand, video-first content that partners could consume while waiting to board a flight or log into their next Zoom call. Our first course was ‘How to Succeed in Selling Microsoft.’ This on-demand course was delivered via a series of short videos with a total learning time of approximately two hours. The most valuable module was a five-minute video in which Pax8’s CRO provided tips and insights on how partners could successfully address key Microsoft customer pain points.” 

The Lexington Group’s Stewart also notes this same need for easy enablement. “Ensuring that enablement content is provided in a ‘just in time’ fashion is critical,” says Stewart. “Also, the more use of video, mobile applications and keeping the messages in ‘bite-sized’ consumption will be critical – for the success of your program and the experience for your partners.”

Zift Solutions’ Tenuto points out that resources partners share with customers should be similarly easy to consume. “The enablement materials that make their way to clients also need to be simple,” says Tenuto. “You also have to design them to be understood by the business client, who is typically less educated on the solution than are your partners.”

Tenuto explains why this is especially important in a real-world scenario: “Since partners are so busy, they may simply forward a piece of collateral and a link to a video to a prospect. If that piece of information requires clarification from you or the partner, the deal can die right then and there. Unfortunately, people often don’t ask questions when they don’t understand; they just move on to another vendor who makes things easier.”

6. Your PRM Should Have Deep Business Intelligence & Analytic Tools to Enable You to Instrument Your Program’s Success

Technology is your friend in tracking the success of your partner enablement program, our panelists note. 

“Tools are important,” says Aryaka’s Steele. “A PRM can enable you [to] determine:

• Who closes
• Who has pipeline
• Who is going into the portal
• Who is using the campaigns

You can pull a report, see who’s taking actions that you want and identify which partners to invest resources in, like telesales follow-up so the partner can close more deals. The only other [tool] to do this is through the CRM. And then marketing would need to do a manual marketing audit to see if they are doing anything online.”

Bergamo Marketing Group’s Bergamo echoes the advice on automating processes, adding that this extends beyond reporting to creating the enablement resources and materials. “Vendors should pilot and implement AI-powered sales and marketing tools to help with content creation, lead generation, social media, analytics and more,” says Bergamo. “AI-powered sales and marketing tools can help vendors improve efficiency and ROI through intelligent automation of processes and tasks, empowering their teams to focus on more strategic priorities.”

Partner programs looking to get the most value from their channel partners should consider implementing these enablement practices in 2023.

The post 6 Channel Enablement Best Practices for Partner Programs to Use in 2023 appeared first on Zift Solutions.

What is a Channel Account Manager & Why Do Channel Partner Programs Need Them?

Channel partner programs frequently employ channel account managers (CAMs) to manage sales partnerships. While those familiar with channel sales already know this role and how it fits into a program, any company starting a partner program needs to learn what CAMs are responsible for and why they’re critical to your indirect sales initiative.

So, why do partner programs need CAMs? To answer this question, we spoke with seven industry experts. Our panelists include:

• Su Cook, Partner Development Manager for IT and telecom vendor procurement company Technology Source
• Tamara Prazak, Senior Director of Channel Sales, West Region for secure access provider Appgate
• Shana Hafterson, Global Channel Director, DMR for cloud contact center provider Five9
• Stacy Conrad, Senior Vice President of Channels for managed services provider TPx
• Stacy Whitley, Channel Account Executive, Marketplace and Telco for cybersecurity provider Sophos
• Peter Radizeski, Founder & President for service provider growth strategy consultancy RAD-INFO
• Heather Tenuto, Chief Revenue Officer for partner relationship management (PRM) and channel management platform provider Zift Solutions

Want to skip ahead? Check out six reasons channel partner programs need channel account managers:

1. Channel Account Managers Aren’t Traditional Account Managers 
2. Channel Account Managers Take On Partner Management for the Supplier Organization 
3. Channel Account Managers Are Partners’ Single Point of Contact
4. Channel Account Managers Educate Partners on Vendor Solutions 
5. Channel Account Managers Serve as Partner Advocates
6. Channel Account Managers Create Strategic Revenue-Generating Partner Relationships 

What is a Channel Account Manager?

TechTarget defines a channel account manager or partner account manager (PAM) as a liaison between a vendor and its channel partners who builds, maintains and manages long-term relationships with current and

prospective partners for the vendor’s partner program. 

We surveyed our panel to get their input on how they define a channel account manager:

• “A CAM is a channel manager responsible [for] educating, engaging, empowering, advocating affiliate partners, and helping [to] maintain or exceed companies’ channel partners’ sales growth,” says Technology Source’s Cook.
• TPx’s Conrad defines the role as: “A CAM is the main point of contact for the agents, VARs and MSPs when dealing with the provider.”
• Sophos’ Whitley says defining CAM isn’t so simple anymore. She says, “There are many different names and roles now [such as];
  • Channel Account Managers
  • Territory Account Managers
  • Channel Account Executives
  • Channel Program Lead

“They do not mean the same within different companies. Some have different titles for inside sale CAMs and outside sale CAMs. There doesn’t seem to be an exact industry standard for these roles and titles.”

What are Channel Account Manager Responsibilities?

By any title, CAMs are in charge of channel partner management, but what are their job responsibilities?

The role responsibilities vary from company to company, says Sophos’ Whitley. “Almost all are responsible for financial goals and sales enablement; some are responsible for recruiting new partners, [and] others are responsible [for managing] the accounts to help partners train, become educated on their products and upsell or cross-sell.

“Although this varies from company to company, typically, the CAM recruits, onboards, and trains partners,” adds TPx’s Conrad. “They frequently assist in quoting and selling opportunities, handling escalations, and helping them overall navigate within the provider’s organization. They might also assist with commissions.” 

Technology Source’s Cook says CAMs have three main goals:

• “[The] first goal [is to] generate sales revenue for partners and the company you represent.
• [The] second goal [is to] develop and educate new partners, uncover opportunities, and identify potential breakdowns, protect your company by not wasting resources and vetting partners and opportunities carefully.
• [The] third goal [is to] reward and leverage successful partners to help recruit more partnerships because not everyone continues to sell, and you need others to step up and fill in those gaps. Why? See [the] first goal.”

“They are responsible for managing the relationship between their company and the partner,” says Five9’s Hafterson. “Overall enablement, training, pipeline management, and overall go-to-market strategy.”

RAD-INFO’s Radizeski offers a similar take in his new book, “Secrets of Channel Management.” “The Channel Manager is the conduit for the channel partner to the service provider (SP). All questions, concerns, complaints and education come through the [channel manager]. The [channel manager] has to have relationships internally with a number of departments to get stuff done. That stuff can include a sales engineer on a customer call (now!); someone in billing to handle an issue; or a way to escalate trouble tickets.”

Keeping the variance between companies in mind, Sophos’ Whitley says CAM responsibilities generally include some or all of the following duties:

• Articulating the requirements, expectations and benefits of the channel program
• Processing applications, onboarding and enabling the partner in CRM, PRM and solution platforms 
• Building and growing relationships with partners to increase sales growth
• Building relationships with the vendor’s internal sales and sales engineering teams 
• Aligning company sales resources to support identified opportunities from key partners as needed 
• Developing and implementing proactive initiatives, in conjunction with other departments like channel marketing, to promote the vendor’s complete range of products and services to partners
• Ensuring all partner profiles and contact information is kept up to date to ensure business development and effectiveness of program initiatives
• Meeting sales quotas through partners in assigned territories to achieve supplier growth goals 
• Forecasting accurate partner revenue 
• Recruiting net new partners through conference participation, interaction with distributors and other means 
• Managing partner concerns and issues
• Negotiating and managing contracts 
• Communicating with appropriate stakeholders to accurately quote deals 

Where do Channel Account Managers Fit Into a Company’s Organizational Structure?

CAMs predominantly work within the channel sales department and are assigned indirect sales revenue quotas. “CAMs have quotas, so success is ultimately tied to generating revenue for their organization (and their partner),” says TPx’s Conrad.

Five9’s Hafterson agrees that sales results are also how success is measured for a CAM, but she adds that sharing knowledge to partners and educating them is a KPI as well. “Success is key metrics such as lead and revenue growth along with the partner having knowledge of the product or service,” says Hafterson.

However, the focus on revenue growth doesn’t necessarily mean CAMs are always part of the channel sales team. CAMs also may be part of channel marketing or channel operations teams. In those cases, they’re held to different success metrics.

“Instead of looking at the number of partners recruited or the total number of channel sales in a given quarter, CAMs in a marketing role would be measured by the engagement of existing partners in upselling campaigns, use of partner marketing kits and campaigns in a box, marketing qualified leads, ROI on MDF allocation with partners and other metrics typically associated with most marketing departments,” said Zift Solutions’ Tenuto. “CAMs in an operations-based role would be measured on certifications of existing partners, quality of solution deployments and adherence to SLAs for partner deals, partner satisfaction and channel attrition rates and potentially any upsells they were able to make in the installation of a given solution.”

6 Reasons Channel Partner Programs Need Channel Account Managers

Why do partner programs need channel account managers? Our expert panel identified six key reasons programs need CAMs in place.

1. Channel Account Managers Aren’t Like Traditional Account Managers

A common misconception is that CAMs are strictly account managers who develop and maintain customer relationships to promote satisfaction and retention. Instead, Sophos’ Whitely says, “It’s a true sales role for most organizations.”

As a result, she says, companies may end up hiring for CAM roles incorrectly. “Companies need to be very clear in the hiring process [about] what the expectations are,” says Whitley. “The phrase ‘Channel Account Manager’ can be an internal role, external role, etc. Having a full job description will help both parties.” 

TPx’s Conrad also acknowledges the confusion around the CAM role: “I do think some partners feel [CAMs] are order takers and bring little value, but personally, I have not worked for a company when that was the case. In my current role, we would not have a channel if it were not for the CAMs.”

RAD-INFO’s Radizeski agrees, noting that due to the increasing complexity of technology, CAMs increasingly bring deals across the finish line. “Sometimes the [channel manager] has to be the closer, closing the sale, especially on services that the partner is unfamiliar with like security or disaster recovery,” notes Radizeski in his book on channel management. “Both the [channel manager] and partner need the sales; and this is more common than I once thought.”

2. Channel Account Managers Take On Partner Management for the Supplier Organization

Traditional supplier sales organizations aren’t set up to handle the unique needs of partners. Managing partner engagements take time and in-depth knowledge, not only of the channel, but of the specific partners and their business models.

“CAMs take the strain off the organization by handling the partner accounts,” explains Sophos’ Whitley. “[A channel sale is” a very different sale than a direct sale and it takes [the] specialty of knowing your partner and their business. They have different support needs; most technology partners are very savvy and handle Tier 1 support, so [they] don’t need the handholding like an end customer. It also streamlines the sales goals and priorities into one group instead of spread company-wide where quotas and results will be very different than direct.”

The CAM also can help field service inquiries and troubleshoot problems before engaging the resources of the larger support team and make the right call when escalating to the correct tier to solve an issue. “I feel successful when I can support an escalation and provide the partner some value despite the solutions’ breakdown,” says Technology Source’s Cook.

Zift Solutions’ Tenuto adds that CAMs can deliver peace of mind to the partners they manage. “In a partner engagement, CAMs don’t receive support calls or trouble tickets from an end user,” explains Tenuto. “They get calls from a partner technical expert who has already tried normal troubleshooting pathways, so the vendor ends up solving truly complicated problems. Usually, these tense situations stress test the vendor-partner relationship. The trust built between the CAM and the partner will keep the partner at ease while the issue is being resolved.”

3. Channel Account Managers Are Partners’ Single Point of Contact

CAMs serve as the single point of contact for partner organizations and the needs of the vendor company.

“The CAM is the traffic cop for everything the selling partner needs, from quoting, proposals, demos, order processing, etc.,” says TPx’s Conrad. “I have never seen a successful channel program without CAMs unless they are selling a noncomplex commodity product.”

Sophos’ Whitley echoes these sentiments. “Most channels are relationship driven,” says Whitley. “By providing a hands-on expert to your partners, they receive the best partner experience.” 

Whitley cautions against using standard support protocols to handle partner needs. “In larger organizations, it can become very frustrating to rely on a generic support email or a large group of people that constantly changes, so your issue takes one week to solve instead of a quick phone call or email to their dedicated account manager,” explains Whitley. “Equate account managers to expert multi-taskers and the folks that can quickly bring in the right people for a solution.“ 

Five9’s Hafterson notes that CAMs also serve a consultative role that affects the bottom line for partners. “CAMs’ biggest benefit to the partner is one point of contact that helps drive strategy and revenue,” says Hafterson.

4. Channel Account Managers Educate Partners on Vendor Solutions

Since CAMs are the primary conduit between partners and the supplier company, they’re responsible for ensuring partners are educated on the vendor’s solution set.

“They are the liaison for the partner, [and] they are 100 percent focused to make sure the partner is aware of their value proposition and ensure the partner can successfully sell that company’s solution,” says TPx’s Conrad.

An increasingly complex selling environment is increasing the demand for CAMs. “I added six new positions in 2022,” says Conrad. “I see the increase because our portfolio has complex products, and those products require more attention. The qualifying process is more detailed, the quoting has more revisions, [and] the need for technical resources has increased significantly. All of these mean more CAMs, not less, in my company.”

Sophos’ Whitley notes that CAMs have evolved to encompass multiple functions, including training and education, as a holistic resource for partners. “The role has changed over the years to be more of a self-sustaining expert in your territory,” says Whitley. “Companies now rely on CAMs to accurately forecast, take on the largest partner accounts and lead them and be technical enough to do bite-size demos before bringing in a [sales engineer]. In my mind, CAMs are running their own small business unit themselves. In the past, it was much more a team effort with VPs/managers taking on forecasting and the larger accounts.”

5. Channel Account Managers Serve as Partner Advocates

CAMs are beginning to shed their reputation for calling up at month-end, asking partners for a list of opportunities. Now, the smart and savvy CAMs are becoming partner advocates inside their organizations.

“For partners, your CAM is an advocate and evangelist for you within the vendor company,” says Appgate’s Prazak.

Zift Solutions’ Tenuto agrees, adding that partner advocacy plays a critical role for CAMs, especially those serving smaller partners. “A CAM serves as a critical link between the supplier company and the partner organization, often being the voice for the needs of the partner,” says Tenuto. “A partner that’s a one-person shop with a unique opportunity in hand will take that deal to the CAM that is responsive and routinely making their life easier.”

6. Channel Account Managers Create Strategic Revenue-Generating Partner Relationships

The adage, “people buy from people,” is one of the cornerstones of the indirect sales channel, and CAMs are one of the key reasons partners choose one vendor over another.

“Although technology [(e.g., partner portals, PRMs, etc.)] is essential for scaling, it must be managed by people that the channel can hold accountable,” says Technology Source’s Cook. “If you want your partner program to go from transactional to consultative, there needs to be someone partners can strategize with.

Cook adds that the close relationship between a partner and a CAM is what leads to the large and complex sales many providers are after. “The transactional opportunities are door openers to developing trust and once that is established, channel partners will bring new solutions to their larger accounts,” says Cook. “CAMs are needed to navigate those complex opportunities. …Strategic relationships create prosperity.”

Appgate’s Prazak says CAMs also find alternative routes to market with partners for their organization. “Due to the increase in the rise of marketplace transactions, it’s key for CAMs to focus not only on traditional channels but also emerging and disruptive channels to ensure their company is ready to meet their customers where and how they want to transact today and into the future,” says Prazak.

Companies new to channel programs or looking to engage their partners more effectively, win more complex deals and deploy channel management solutions should consider employing channel account managers.

The post What is a Channel Account Manager & Why Do Channel Partner Programs Need Them? appeared first on Zift Solutions.

6 Channel Management Best Practices Necessary for Success

Channel programs can often be a gateway to untapped revenue, with channel sales making up 75 percent of global commerce. Partner programs provide key sales benefits to the providers who run them, allowing them to operate a variable salesforce paid exclusively on performance and who are already trusted by businesses of all sizes and verticals.

That sounds like the perfect sales team, right? Experienced professionals with decades of experience successfully selling solutions just like yours to all your target customers without the overhead of salaries and benefits.

The competition for these lucrative partners is fierce and once you’ve recruited and onboarded them, your program will need to manage these partners and guide them to success. What are the top best practices necessary to get the partner engagement right? To answer this question, we spoke with seven industry experts on channel partner management. Our panelists include:

• Su Cook, Partner Development Manager for IT and telecom vendor procurement company Technology Source
• Tamara Prazak, Senior Director of Channel Sales, West Region for secure access provider Appgate
• Matt Thompson, Vice President of Channel Sales for SD-WAN and Unified SASE provider Aryaka Networks
• Brittany Caito, Senior National Partner Manager for cloud communications company Nextiva
• Kelli Ballou-McMillan, Director of Global Partners for cloud contact center provider Five9
• Peter Radizeski, Founder & President for service provider growth strategy consultancy RAD-INFO
• Heather Tenuto, Chief Revenue Officer for partner relationship management (PRM) and channel management platform provider Zift Solutions

 Want to skip ahead? Check out six channel management best practices necessary for program success:

1. Get Top-Down Channel Commitment on Realistic ROI Timelines
2. Ensure a Frictionless Customer Experience (CX) & Partner Experience (PX)
3. Develop Deep Partner Relationships & Stay Top of Mind
4. Invest in Dedicated Channel Personnel & Programs
5. Identify Where Your Partners Fit in Your Partner Ecosystem & Plan Accordingly
6. Collaborate with Expert Partners To Penetrate New Verticals & Industries

What is Channel Management?

Channel management refers to a company’s engagement activities related to recruiting, enabling and compensating indirect channel partners.

• What is channel recruitment? Channel recruitment is the process of bringing new companies into a technology vendor’s partner program, which typically includes:
  • Wholesale partners
  • Resellers 
  • Value Added Resellers (VARs)
  • Managed Services Providers (MSPs)
  • Affiliate & Referral Partners
  • Distributors 
  • Independent Retailers
  • Agents
  • Consultants
  • Deployment & Implementation Partners
  • Training & Adoption Partners
  • Integration Partners

• What is channel enablement? Channel enablement is the process of empowering indirect sales partners to sell and/or promote your products and services. It typically includes training, tools, content, and sales and marketing resources to assist partners with bringing your solutions to market.
  • A significant portion of channel enablement is education and training. Even if you’re selling a commoditized product or service, there are several points of differentiation you need to communicate:
    • Time to deployment
    • Geographical availability
    • Applications and benefits
    • Standard lengths of sales cycles
    • Solution weaknesses, misconceptions and common objections
    • Target customer deal size (the goal to close)
    • Target customer verticals
    • Minimum and maximum deal term lengths
    • Annual and month-to-month deal term options 
    • Support resources available to the end customer
    • Promotions available to end customers
    • Sales engineering and sales support resources for partners

• Your partners need to know all of the above and be capable of accessing this information at a moment’s notice when the right opportunity for your solution comes their way.

6 Channel Management Best Practices Necessary for Success

How does your company ensure a successful partner program? Our expert panel identified six key channel partner management best practices programs should keep in mind.

1. Get Top-Down Channel Commitment on Realistic ROI Timelines

Companies will start channel programs to aggressively scale growth beyond the limitations of a single direct sales team. Why operate with only one sales team when you could have dozens, hundreds, and thousands of independent sales teams pushing your solutions? Investing in the channel is a no-brainer, but that doesn’t mean your program will instantaneously be a money-printing factory. Program stakeholders and leaders need to manage expectations.

Technology Source’s Cook explains that successful indirect sales programs have grounded executive management and are characterized by a “Senior leadership that is committed to channel partner programs for a respectable timeline that allows for ramping and ROI, depending on the solution, a minimum [of] three years.”

Aryaka Networks’ Thompson agrees, “It’s critical to have alignment with channel strategy at the executive level. When the executive team is committed and channel-first, it builds credibility with partners.”

Cook continues, “If senior leadership isn’t fully committed to channel or affiliate partner programs, it’s because there isn’t a clear understanding of the value of channel partners.”

Cook cautions program leadership on “…not investing enough on experienced channel talent and [expecting] only one or two people to develop the whole program alone. Unless the company is willing to allow those leaders suitable time to ramp up and provide them marketing dollars (networking, etc.) and resources (inside quote team or strong portals), it’s painful and most channel programs are abandoned because the small channel management team is burnt out and recruited away.”

RAD-INFO’s Radizeski also points to the ROI timeline and financial outlook requiring a long-term view from leadership. “The channel can take up to three years to pay off on the investment. (And there will be a line item on your balance sheet for commissions that may be evergreen which your CFO will hardly like or understand!) 

Does the vendor have a long-term view and the persistence to see it through? I have seen programs come and go – at very large companies.”

2. Ensure a Frictionless Customer Experience (CX) & Partner Experience (PX)

Appgate’s Prazak reminds programs of the importance of experience. “[Vendors need to] ensure that their company is easy to do business with and provide a frictionless customer and partner experience. Partners are trusting vendors with their most important asset: their customers. If a vendor makes a partner look like a hero to their customer, they’re going to bring that vendor more business.”

Aryaka Networks’ Thompson echoes these sentiments, “Companies also need to align resources to support the partners and their customers. At Aryaka, for example, we have dedicated resources from technical, marketing and CX perspectives to support our partner and customer needs.”

Prazak elaborates further, pointing out that programs need to remove channel conflict, or at the very least control it, “Managing channel conflict is key to building trust, long-term relationships and win/win partnerships.”   

Thompson shares a similar warning to programs on channel conflict with both partners and direct teams, “Companies also need alignment with the direct team. In the past, I worked for a company where we were competing with the direct team, which drove conflict internally and doubt with [the] partner community. Partners don’t want to be in the middle of internal conflicts, and it doesn’t give them assurances that they are true partners. Remember, partners have other options and will exercise them.

3. Develop Deep Partner Relationships & Stay Top of Mind

Communicate, communicate, communicate. As unique as your solutions may (or may not) be, most tech vendors compete in commoditized categories with stiff competition for partner mindshare. You could have a clearly superior product to other market leaders, but if your partners don’t know about it, it won’t be sold.

Aryaka Networks’ Thompson expands on this, “It’s all about relationships with partners, which are built by constantly staying in front of them on a business and personal level. It’s important to understand their businesses, customers and how to help them grow their businesses. Frankly, if we’re not out there doing that, someone else is.”

Thompson argues that channel management is more straightforward than most programs make it out to be. “I think people complicate channel management. It’s about being present, being top of mind. A lot of partners have 50-100 providers. If you’re working in their office or you recently connected with them, they are more likely to come to you with an opportunity and ask, ‘Is this a good fit?’”

Five9’s McMillan agrees that relationships are key, “I believe the most common misconceptions [about managing channel programs] are under-valuing the power of relationships and [that] hiring the wrong team could cost you opportunities to grow and visibility that a new program doesn’t need.”

Thompson also advises programs to keep their channel sales teams deployed in the field to meet the awareness and relationship-building objectives. “Channel management is less successful when the company gives channel managers too many things to pull them out of the field. Channel managers need to be out there managing relationships with the partners, not getting taken out of the field for non-sales generating activities,” said Thompson.

4. Invest in Dedicated Channel Personnel & Programs

Too often, channel programs are treated like the red-headed stepchild of the supplier organization and end up underfunded and understaffed. Your program needs dedicated channel operations, sales and marketing teams to adequately support partners. 

Technology Source’s Cook elaborates, “[Programs need] clear process and access to channel resources [such as] marketing, promotions, flyers, case studies, line cards [and] cadences. [Vendors need to provide] access to channel management contacts [and] sales engineers, demos and inside quote teams, a mix of people and [use] technology for scale.”

Nextiva’s Caito says, “Invest in your people; they are the driving force behind channel programs. Invest in operations staff to make sure you have good bones in the program. Invest in sales to make sure your brand is well communicated and represented in the field. Invest in marketing to uphold your standards while creatively attracting new partnerships.”

Traditional direct and channel marketing activities are entirely different disciplines and require their own practitioners, experts and programmatic frameworks.

“The channel should have its own marketing person since marketing to partners is dissimilar to marketing to customers,” says RAD-INFO’s Radizeski.

Channel marketing initiatives can be grouped into three buckets:

• To-channel marketing – To-channel marketing supports the recruitment and engagement of sales partners in a partnership. Partners want to know why they should work with you, the benefits of partnering with your business and how you can help them attract more business. In some instances, to-channel marketing can involve multiple layers, like marketing to both a distributor and its network of resellers.
• Through-channel marketing – Through-channel marketing, sometimes referred to as partner-led marketing, is when your company markets products and services to customers through your sales channels. Through-channel marketing encompasses a range of programs, materials and campaigns that partners can pass on to prospective and current customers. Physical and digital assets typically are set up to be branded or co-branded by the partner.
• For-channel marketing – For-channel marketing is when a supplier markets directly to the customer for the benefit of partners. Some examples of for-channel marketing are:
  • A partner locator tool on the vendor’s website that drives leads to the partner.
  • Host a special (and often big-budget) event that partners can invite their customers to, such as an exclusive symposium or an entertainment experience.
  • A competitive marketing program where the supplier tries to steal market share from a competitor by targeting a list of prospects and connecting them with a partner who can facilitate a try-and-buy offering. The partner is a trusted, unbiased advisor to the customer and the vendor drives the competitive message.

Nextiva’s Caito adds, “Lean on your channel marketing teams. I have seen really strong marketing programs that can creatively drive revenue to the business. Task them with lead-generating and pipeline programs. Nextiva has some targeted partner marketing programs that promote growth for partners and help build their business.”

5. Identify Where Your Partners Fit in Your Partner Ecosystem & Plan Accordingly

Vendors need to define the roles, responsibilities and trading practices for the members of their ecosystem. Once your program establishes clear roles in your partner ecosystem, you’ll be able to develop a plan to fill out the entire ecosystem model and manage partners of all types.

“If you are new to the industry, work closely with the leaders in your preferred routes to market to understand how they differentiate themselves, what makes their partners unique and what their partners are solving for with their customers,” advised Five9’s McMillan.

“Furthermore, understand how you as a vendor will contribute to this ecosystem and learn from the mistakes [of] those vendors with similar technologies that came before you.”

Aryaka Networks’ Thompson also sees the ecosystem model as a new challenge to tackle for programs, both new and old. “The types of partners have expanded to cover every phase of the customer journey; awareness, evaluation, selection, deployment, adoption, upgrade/expansion [and] renewal. There could be a consultant influencing the deal that you don’t even know about. Trying to support all of these partner types and creating a model that satisfies all their requirements is challenging.”

6. Collaborate with Expert Partners to Penetrate New Verticals & Industries

Our expert panel believes that successfully managed channel programs educate their partners on where their solutions are the best fit and provide highly-targeted messaging.

Nextiva’s Caito explains, “I’ve seen successful channel management when you have specialty and resident experts on staff. Our industry does a significant amount of work in verticals [and] it pays to have those experts aligned with partners in the field. [For example] having a hospitality-specific resource available to partners can go a long way.”   

 “Identify your experts,” continues Nextiva’s Caito. “You likely have people in place that hold expertise in certain verticals; evangelize that! And if you don’t, set aside budget to hire talented, vertical-specific people [for] your company. Don’t be scared to hire someone directly from manufacturing or financial verticals. They can speak the lingo and connect the dots.”

Five9’s McMillan cautions against not making customer targets clear for partners, “An unsuccessful program is one that isn’t cohesive in their messaging around technology or their go-to-market strategy for their partners. When partners can’t easily identify customer verticals, they are less likely to lead with your services. The more friction, the [fewer] opportunities.”

Our panel also believes that programs need to focus on recruiting and collaborating with partners that have their own niche expertise to help them penetrate new markets. 

“Assuming they don’t offer a single highly-specific product, it’s unrealistic for vendors to be true experts in every industry or vertical their solutions are a fit for,” says Zift Solutions’ Tenuto. “A varied partner ecosystem means that suppliers can lean on their partners who have niche expertise to help sell, evangelize, deploy or even engineer new use cases for markets they normally wouldn’t be able to serve.”

Working with these newfound ecosystem partners can lead to new co-marketing and co-selling messaging, collateral and campaigns to generate leads. Plus, once you’ve cracked the code on one vertical, you can repurpose those same materials for use with other partners in new campaigns. Zift Solutions’ Tenuto continues, “Developing comprehensive go-to-market campaigns for new markets can be intimidating for some partners. Fortunately, you won’t have to reinvent the wheel every time a new lead gen program is proposed. You can end up with a library of go-to assets for a given industry and become faster at deploying each new campaign.”

Appgate’s Prazak also points to successful programs providing new verticals and market opportunities, “Successful channel management results in increased lead flow, access to new markets and verticals, more closed deals and your sales team wanting to bring partners into engagements.“

New and mature channel companies can use the above best practices to optimize the management of their partner programs and boost ROI.

The post 6 Channel Management Best Practices Necessary for Success appeared first on Zift Solutions.

6 Channel Partner Program Predictions for 2023

2022 was yet another tumultuous year—for the technology industry and the channel. Economic uncertainty, the pandemic, tech layoffs and market consolidation continued.

As we transition into 2023, what lies ahead for the channel? To answer that question, we interviewed eight channel leaders about their predictions for the year ahead.

Want to skip ahead? Check out six channel partner program predictions for 2023:

1. Partner Programs Will Adopt Ecosystem Models
2. The Channel Will Rely on Distributors Even More in 2023
3. The Channel Will Search For a New Generation of Sellers
4. In-Person Partner Training Will Increase in 2023
5. End Customer Events Will Increase in Favor Over Vendor Partner Events
6. Vendor Partner Funds Will Move to Long-Term Investment Versus Short-Term Incentives

6 Channel Predictions for 2023 from Top Channel Partner Programs

With these partner communications and relationship management trends as our contextual backdrop, let’s dig into what the channel has in store for us in the coming year. The experts we turned to for insight have wide visibility into channel trends as advisers who serve or have served channel-focused organizations. Our panelists include:

• Amy Bailey, Founder of event planning and business consultancy Unusually Unusual Consulting.
• Kathryn Rose, Founder of channel consultancy channelWise.
• Kristine Stewart, Founder and CEO of channel consultancy The Lexington Group.
• Carolyn April, Senior Director of Industry Analysis for the nonprofit association for the IT industry and workforce CompTIA.
• Greg Plum, Director/Principal – North America for fractional partner leadership company PartnerReady.
• Theresa Caragol, Founder and CEO of partner performance consultancy AchieveUnite.
• Curt Allen, Founding Partner for channel consultancy EagleTEQ.
• Heather Tenuto, Chief Revenue Officer for partner relationship management (PRM) and channel management platform provider Zift Solutions.

Here are their predictions:

1. Partner Programs Will Adopt Ecosystem Models

We’ve recently covered the rise of partner ecosystems in channel programs and how suppliers can build an ecosystem framework. Our expert panel pointed to further adoption of the ecosystem model continuing in 2023.

The Lexington Group’s Stewart predicts several vendors will introduce programs with more go-to-market opportunities for their partners to leverage their services portfolios and enrich their own engagements.

“Key to this will be sharing customer data (with appropriate approvals) and AI-infused analytics to assist the partner in selling across the entire customer lifecycle,” Stewart says. “Having this critical information and the appropriate marketing and enablement content at the right time can deliver huge [customer lifetime value] for both sides of the partnership.

“In conjunction with this, we are seeing new roles in the field to work with the partners to help deliver on these … roles like Partner Success Managers and Cloud Architects. The companies are also tightening up their support platforms with their service partners to deliver a more seamless experience to the client.”

AchieveUnite’s Caragol adds that ecosystem models will naturally impact incentives and enablement initiatives. “Partner incentives will be designed to reward all participants in the vendor’s ecosystem, including those that influence buying decisions and those that impact customer success, regardless of their role in the sales transaction,” Caragol says. “More than 70 percent of vendors benchmarked by AchieveUnite are aligning incentive programs with their ecosystem strategy. Incentives, along with enablement, will also be aligned with the stages of the customer buying journey, from awareness to advocacy.”

PartnerReady’s Plum concurs that the ecosystem approach will become more common but cautions not to mistake ecosystem and channel as the same.

“We are sure to see the channel increasingly referred to as an ‘ecosystem.’ While ecosystem is critical to understanding the modern buyer, it is not synonymous with channel,” Plum says. “Channel is but one component of a buyer’s ecosystem. Once we look at all products, services, influencers and platforms in the customer’s sphere of influence, we see that channel is an integral part of the ecosystem, but not the ecosystem in and of itself.”

2. The Channel Will Rely on Distributors Even More in 2023

As part of the emerging partner ecosystem, it’s clear to our panel that IT distribution and technology services distributors (TSDs) and brokers (TSBs) aren’t going anywhere and may even become more important.

AchieveUnite’s Caragol asserts that distributors are here to stay as long as they break out of their transactional role. “The channel will rely on the distributors and technology services brokers that make the transition from transaction facilitators to solution orchestrators,” she says. “Bringing together market knowledge, technological expertise, and ecosystem relationships to orchestrate solutions built, integrated, sold and serviced by the channel ecosystem of vendors and partners.”

CompTIA’s April notes that the sheer complexity of the cloud-based solution selling environment makes distributors a vital component of the sales process for vendors and partners. “The role of distribution is oft-discussed, especially since the market has shifted away from hardware as the primary transaction to myriad cloud-based solutions and services that can be procured, delivered and managed digitally. This change has blown up the historically linear route to market of vendor-to-distributor-to-partner-to-customer.

“Today, the provider-to-customer journey for technology goods and services has many side streets and detours. This has forced distributors founded on aggregating and coordinating hardware bundles for reseller partners to reconsider their value proposition and expand what they do to help partners in a cloud environment. Partners, meanwhile, have many vendors to juggle, which means tracking products, services offerings, partner program incentives and benefits and terms, etc. It’s hard. Distributors are positioned nicely to provide some level of integration and automation through various PRM and other tools that will help partners make sense of disparate vendor information.

“Distributors are also primed to serve as an orchestrator for today’s wealth of cloud-based activities, specifically to help partners with subscription models, referral fees and other hard-to-manage and track financial aspects of SaaS and other cloud sales.” 

EagleTEQ’s Allen agrees, noting the channel will continue consolidating around the TSDs. “As solutions become more and more interoperable and complex, the assistance of the TSDs on these integrated solutions plus the safety and security of their agreements makes them more valuable than ever,” he says.

PartnerReady’s Plum believes the sales engineering and support distributors offer partners is key in getting deals across the finish line. “I think TSDs offer a unique value in the channel, being strategically placed between a full suite of providers across every type of technology being consumed today and technology partners who have developed trusted relationships with their business customers,” Plum says.

He adds that the real power is the growing suite of sales and administrative services they are now offering to their partners. “With some of the best sales engineers in the industry, TSDs are an integral part of successfully architecting a complete solution for more complex sales, making them an invaluable asset for the partner and the technology supplier,” Plum says.

3. The Channel Will Search For a New Generation of Sellers

Our panel points to a growing need for the next generation of sellers as technology advisers slowly but surely begin to exit the industry through mergers, acquisitions, or retirement. While both vendors and distributors are always looking to recruit new partners, our panelists predict a more aggressive recruitment effort to bring new talent into the channel in 2023 and beyond.

EagleTEQ’s Allen explains: “I hear the TSDs and providers making a concerted effort to uncover the next generation of sellers. With all the M&A activity and sunsetting of older practices … the need for new blood is critical, and I think efforts will pick up on that front.”

Unusually Unusual Consulting’s Bailey echoes this same sentiment. “The channel needs new blood. We are seeing more partners selling out and retiring with no new source of employees,” she says, noting the channel needs to determine:

• Who is the next generation of channel employees?
• How do we train new partners?
• How do we make it easy for someone to join the channel and stay?

Bailey adds, “If a supplier or brokerage developed a program where someone would join, learn the basics, get sales training, and then be set up for success, that would be a game-changer. They would see a loyal sales base and achieve more success.”

4. In-Person Partner Training Will Increase in 2023

Partner training delivery has taken many forms since the onset of the pandemic nearly three years ago. Online self-serve, virtual and in-person trainings are now regularly available. Some panelists argue that a hybrid training approach will be common in 2023 as vendors cater to partners’ preferred training methods; other panelists say live-person training demand will increase. 

“Training delivery mechanisms will continue to diversify in 2023, reflecting increasingly varied learning preferences of individual constituents and companies.,” says CompTIA’s April. “In many cases, employees from younger generations seek different paths to learning than older workers do, which drives the need to provide choice for all. Additionally, the pandemic has all-but-transformed virtual delivery and consumption of information into the new normal. Bottom line? When it comes to training, meet your partners where they are.” 

Unusually Unusual Consulting’s Bailey agrees. “I think we will see a hybrid training path develop in 2023,” she says. “Self-paced video tutorials are easy for suppliers and brokerages to offer, but not everyone learns that way. Having a balance of in-person interactive training and self-paced videos will bring the most partners into the fold.”

ChannelWise’s Rose notes the personal touch is preferable in engaging partners. “Self-paced and video tutorials are fine, but when you really want to move someone forward faster, nothing replaces direct synchronous communication. That is what we at channelWise do and why we do it – we want partners (and suppliers) to be supported through one-to-one conversations efficiently and affordably.”

PartnerReady’s Plum believes the need for in-person training will grow. “I am bullish on the demand for live instruction increasing,” Plum says. “One indicator is CompTIA relaunching [its] Industry Education Instructor program. While remote training is being offered, early discussions with organizers indicate their cohorts are eager for in-person instruction.” 

5. End Customer Events Will Increase in Favor Over Vendor-Partner Events

Our panel predicts that events, both virtual and in-person, will seek to engage and educate end customers as vendors and partners aim to maximize sales with more complex solutions.

“I think we will see a shift from over-the-top events for partners to educational events for end users,” said Unusually Unusual Consulting’s Bailey. “Unfortunately, I am not seeing a huge number of net-new partners joining the channel. Instead, it seems like events from suppliers and brokerages are a tug-of-war for current partners. I think we will see a decrease in live events directed at partners from the brokerages. Where we should see an increase is in the end-user-focused events. These have a better chance of bringing ROI and a faster way to fill the suppliers’ funnels.”

EagleTEQ’s Allen agrees. “I think the providers are making more concerted efforts than ever to get MDF [dollars] and activities as close to customers as possible,” he says. “Simply funding [distributor] events is not seen as anywhere near as valuable as customer-facing events with the actual sellers.”

6. Vendor Partner Funds Will Move to Long-Term Investment Versus Short-Term Incentives

Vendors incentivize partners with market development funds (MDF), competitive margins and commissions and multi-month SPIFFs to help get new sales. While our panel agrees all these incentives are here to stay, vendors will look for ways to invest in their partners’ businesses to create more-effective long-term relationships rather than just throwing money at partners to make a sale.

AchieveUnite’s Caragol explains: “Partner investment funds provided by vendors will focus more on building long-term partner success. These investment funds will assist partners in developing practices, products, services and overall business capabilities. Successful partners will generate channel growth and a rising tide floats all boats.”

Caragol shares examples of emerging investment funds, such as:

• Partner Development / Infrastructure
• Business Development
• Solution Development
• Partner Services
• Customer Life Cycle

Zift Solutions’ Tenuto, agrees. “Vendors must prioritize their investments in partners, especially in today’s economy and tightening budgets. It’s harder than ever to justify delaying revenue recognition for months by offering 10X SPIFFs just to compete for any partner with a pulse. But calculated investments in strategic business partners is a smarter option for sustainable performance, and more vendors will take it. Prioritizing those best-in-class partners is easier with a data-driven platform like ZiftONE.”

These trends listed above are key for programs to keep in mind when engaging existing partners and recruiting other vendors and companies into their ecosystem program.

Looking Back on Channel Partner Program Trends in 2022

Curious about what the big trends from 2022 were? Throughout this year, we checked in with industry leaders to get a beat on everything from partner ecosystems to channel program budgets and everything in between. Two pieces, in particular, are pertinent to the year in front of us because of their focus on channel communications and relationship management.

Channel Partner Communications Trends

In the blog 6 Best Practices for Through-Partner Communications, we discussed tips for communicating through vendors’ partners to the end customer. Key tips included:

• Learn your partners’ businesses to customize through-partner marketing.
• Seek feedback and collaboration to improve through-partner communications.
• Simplify through-partner communications with automation and customization.
• Leverage data to help partners close business with through-partner marketing.
• Integrated to- and through-partner communications are essential.
• Integration is best achieved through content planning and engineering.

Our blog 9 Best Practices for To-Partner Communications covered guidelines for how vendors can best engage directly with partners. Key guidelines included:

• Make to-partner communications about your partners.
• Tailor to-partner communications for partner types and titles.
• Get to the point in to-partner communications.
• Be purposeful about the frequency and format of to-partner communications.
• Timing is everything with to-partner communications.
• Mix it up when planning to-partner content.
• Vary delivery channels for to-partner communications.
• Measuring the success of to-partner communications is an art and a science.
• When it comes to hard metrics, the usual suspects apply.

Channel Partner Relationship Management Trends

In the blog 6 Reasons Your Channel Partner Program Needs a PRM Platform we addressed why programs should make use of PRM software platforms, which include:

• PRM software is a single source of truth and operates as the face of your company and culture to your partners.
• A PRM platform is the path to partner program scalability by providing 24/7 global access to your program resources and tools.
• PRM software protects your partner program from staff turnover by tying processes and operations to systems and roles instead of specific people.
• CRM software can’t replace a PRM platform, which is more than just a contact database and sales tracking system.
• A PRM platform provides indirect sales pipeline visibility and tracks the ROI of marketing materials and campaigns.

In the blog 6 Best Practices for Using a PRM Software Platform in Your Channel Partner Program, we tackled how best to use a PRM solution. Guidelines included:

• Get buy-in on your PRM platform from program sales and operations staff.
• Optimize your PRM platform for an ideal user experience.
• Incorporate the PRM platform in your partner program onboarding.
• Dedicate a single owner to manage the PRM platform.
• Keep partner business outcomes top of mind.
• Evangelize your PRM platform to top partners to maximize engagement. 

The post 6 Channel Partner Program Predictions for 2023 appeared first on Zift Solutions.

How Do You Build a Successful Partnership Ecosystem Framework?

Partner ecosystems are rising as technology vendors race to deliver comprehensive multi-technology solutions to their customers. IDC predicts that by 2026, 25 percent of the new application portfolio of global and local public, private and nonprofit organizations will consist of consortia-developed applications within their industry ecosystems.

Jay McBain, Chief Analyst for technology market analyst firm Canalys, observes this global change in the adoption of the ecosystem model: “We are witnessing a once-in-a-generation shift in the global economy, and partnerships play a leading role. Most business leaders across every industry, of all size firms, and in every corner of the world are considering significant business model shifts. They are realizing that they can’t do it alone in the decade of the ecosystem.”

It’s clear that ecosystems are becoming the new way to maximize indirect sales channels, but how does a partner program develop that partner ecosystem? We interviewed six channel leaders for insight into creating a successful partnership ecosystem framework. Our expert panelists include:

• Jay McBain, Chief Analyst for technology market analyst firm Canalys
• Karin Fields, Chief Executive Officer at FMX Tech
• Kristine Stewart, Founder and CEO for channel consultancy The Lexington Group
• Jasmina Muller, Vice President of Global Channel Sales for IT monitoring solutions provider ScienceLogic
• Khali Henderson, Senior Partner for channel consultancy and technology marketing firm BuzzTheory
• Heather Tenuto, Chief Revenue Officer for partner relationship management (PRM) and channel management platform provider Zift Solutions

Want to skip ahead? Check out six best practices for building a successful channel partner program ecosystem framework:

1. The Ecosystem Framework Requires a Complete Infrastructure
2. Get Executive-Level Buy-In from Your Ecosystem Partners
3. Prioritize Internal & External Compensation & Incentives
4. Keep The Customer Business Outcome Top of Mind
5. Partner Ecosystem Frameworks Need to Be Simple
6. Communication is Key to Ecosystem Framework Success

Why do Channel Partner Programs Need a Partnership Ecosystem?

The survey for our recent blog on the main reasons partner programs need a partnership ecosystem identified six key ecosystem development drivers:

1. Partner Ecosystems Foster Faster & More Effective Co-Marketing & Co-Selling

Ecosystems will propel co-selling and co-marketing initiatives forward in effectiveness and speed to market. Programs in an ecosystem model can create a richer set of co-marketing and co-selling opportunities with the right partners. Plus, the ecosystem model expands these initiatives beyond vendor-partner relationships so that vendors can go to market together to provide a complete solution with their combined services in an effective partner engagement plan.

2. Partner Ecosystems Present Another Route to Customers and More Sales

Partner ecosystems are designed to help vendors and their partners facilitate the sale of more solutions and services into customers’ environments. Influencers and companies outside the standard vendor-partner model impact buying decision-making processes, and suppliers can form relationships with influencers to be part of those conversations. Vendors can help partners with opportunities in their regularly scheduled quarterly business review check-ins. 

3. Partner Ecosystems Create More Complete Solutions Through Purpose-Built Integrations

Technology suppliers integrating their solutions with others isn’t a new trend. Still, the partner ecosystem can help facilitate more tightly integrated solutions between two or more vendors, which can be co-marketed to existing and prospective customer accounts. Plug-and-play integrations speed time to revenue and help vendors and their partners capitalize on the ecosystem model. 

4. Partner Ecosystems Integrate the Partner Program with the Provider Company

In businesses that don’t have 100 percent, channel-only sales models, the channel is, for the most part, separated from the rest of the company and operates like a separate business. The ecosystem model bridges this separation by deploying channel personnel in each department and creating a cohesive organizationwide effort to grow indirect sales.

5. Partner Ecosystems Improve Partner Experience (PX)

The quality of your program’s partner experience and partner enablement framework[DC1]  will be significantly enhanced when you adopt an ecosystem model. Your program will present partners with new avenues for business growth through your solutions and the other ecosystem partnerships you’ve developed. Vendor incentives and MDF can be coordinated in joint campaigns to reward partners further for actively pushing your solutions into their customer bases.

6 Best Practices for Building a Channel Partner Program Ecosystem Framework

How do you build a partner ecosystem framework? Our panel of experts identified six best practices.

1. The Ecosystem Framework Requires a Complete Infrastructure

A partner ecosystem framework isn’t just a patchwork of companies that have agreed to collaborate on joint sales to end customers. It’s a strategic business venture that alters the ways participating companies go to market. “Building the framework theoretically is easy,” says FMX Tech’s Fields. “I like you and your product, and you like me and my services, let’s work together. In reality, it’s a lot more complex. First, you have to see if your products work well together. Then you have to build an infrastructure — systems and processes, tools, financial structures, even marketing plans — to ensure it’s an easy experience for everyone.” 

According to The Lexington Group’s Stewart, programs also need to ensure their technical systems can handle the needs of their ecosystems. “Make sure you are looking at your technology tech stack during this process to ensure it is capable [of supporting] your plan,” she says.

ScienceLogic’s Muller points out that establishing clear roles between vendor and partner types is paramount in establishing the ecosystem infrastructure. “When you’re trying to enable an ecosystem where different partners work together to service the customer, communication is even more vital.”

• Who owns the customer relationship?
• Who bills?
• Who provides frontline support?
• Who gets MDF [market development funds]?
• How is revenue split?
• What about renewals?

There are so many nuances that vendors and suppliers have to make sure they get right. You really need someone who knows the entire ecosystem intimately and can design a framework that speaks to every partner involved in the deal to make sure that the customer is supported and can see the value in your solution.”

Canalys’ McBain explains that the way partner programs have traditionally operated isn’t enough for future success. Channel organizations require complete retooling when adopting an ecosystem approach.

“Providing resellers, MSPs, distributors, retailers, dealers and agents with a frictionless way to market and sell products at scale was the goal of every channel leader,” he says. “This led to a bell-curve scenario where you could be underpaying partners who are fully invested in the marketing, selling and engineering assistance to land a deal, to then overpay partners who showed up late and collected the order. Recognizing the partner point of value takes a new set of skills, organizational structure, processes, programs and underlying technology to accomplish.”

2. Get Executive-Level Buy-In from Your Ecosystem Partners

Your partner ecosystem will require a top-down commitment from each company involved in the customer’s business outcome, from influencers and referrals to sales partners, deployment and adoption partners. The Lexington Group’s Stewart emphasizes that buy-in needs to happen cross-functionally between departments, especially concerning products.

“Make sure that you have executive sponsorship at the highest level and a strong cross-organizational team driving it: partner [organization], sales, marketing, customer success, product, etc.,” she says. “Product is key and needs to be involved [from] day one.” 

Stewart also points out that collective executive buy-in hinges on goal setting. “Set achievable goals along the journey so that everyone can feel successful, and the executive sponsorship sees the progress and continues to support [the initiative],” she says.

Zift Solutions’ Tenuto says executive buy-in is also a two-way street. “You can’t expect C-Suite level buy-in from other companies without your own C-Suite showing the same level of commitment to the partnership. As your new ecosystem onboards new partners into the program, your executives should attend the first onboarding or kickoff meeting to communicate the seriousness of your investment. Don’t worry about appearing ‘small’ by having your COO or CRO show up to these calls. Everyone knows executives in these positions are short on time, and the partner or vendor will, in turn, be more inclined to invest the relationship as a result of executive attention.”

3. Prioritize Internal & External Compensation & Incentives

The adage “money makes the world go ’round” applies to ecosystem frameworks. The ecosystem’s collective sales teams need to be motivated to embrace broad-ranging partnerships to make the model a success. “Make sure that internal compensation and partner incentives are top priorities,” says The Lexington Group’s Stewart. 

Stewart also notes that the ecosystem go-to-market (GTM) strategy needs to factor in new measures of success, with compensation spreading beyond the traditional indirect sales team into other departments. “The new metrics you will be driving in this GTM will change out [how] your sales teams, partner organizations and even marketing may be paid,” she says. 

ScienceLogic’s Muller adds that the compensation needs to be developed hand-in-hand with certain partner types so that they meet industry-standard expectations. “In an ecosystem of multiple partner types, in many cases, these requirements and benefits are discussed in conjunction with the distributor or other third-party partner such as a VAR [value-added reseller] or ISV [independent software vendor] to make sure it’s beneficial for all parties. Ecosystems introduce a bit more complexity to the process, and it’s the vendor’s job to make sure that program frameworks are equitable, easily understood and achievable.”

4. Keep The Customer Business Outcome Top of Mind

Remember, the entire point of the ecosystem is to provide a more complete and effective solution for end customers, so their needs must always be factored into an ecosystem’s framework. BuzzTheory’s Henderson warns, “Because of the ecosystem model’s obvious complexity, there can be a tendency to focus so much on properly enabling and incentivizing the different suppliers and partners to drive engagement that end customers become the afterthought. Don’t forget about customers and how you’re collectively addressing their pain points.”

Henderson adds: “And, take care not to let the tangle of ecosystem relationships create more complexity for the customer. The goal, after all, is to make technology easier for customers to consume and leverage for business benefit.”

The Lexington Group’s Stewart echoes Henderson’s comments, emphasizing that the customer should be the framework’s starting point, “The framework will start from your customers’ requirements [and] business outcomes and everything else surrounds that. You then build out the solutions to fit them and fit in the other ecosystem technology partnerships to deliver on that. 

 “To be successful, all of the potential partners that satisfy your customers’ business requirements will be included, and they will find mutual value in working with you to deliver on your customer experience. A successful program will include all of the requirements of your broad portfolio of partners and, more importantly, personalized to their personas.” 

5. Partner Ecosystem Frameworks Need to Be Simple

Simplicity is king. Your ecosystem framework shouldn’t have dozens of complicated hoops for partners and other vendors to jump through. “Frameworks have to be mutually beneficial,” says ScienceLogic’s Muller, “and many vendors and suppliers forget that fact. Too many requirements like extensive certifications or high revenue thresholds are prohibitive to lots of partners who will just move on to another provider if it will require too many resources to meet those requirements.”

Muller concedes that developing a framework that’s conducive to multiple partner types and channels can be challenging, and there’s a temptation to make them complicated. “The key is simplicity and to provide partners the tools they need to succeed,” she says. “You want your partners activated and selling as quickly as possible.”

That said, Muller says simplicity doesn’t mean cookie-cutter. “It’s up to the vendor to provide benefits that really move the needle and go beyond the traditional marketing enablement and basic sales support most vendors provide,” she says. “In this competitive landscape, vendors and suppliers have to be creative in developing sales enablement and technical support resources that really help the partner drive revenue. In an ecosystem that involves multiple partner types, this can be challenging, but it’s doable.”

6. Communication is Key to Ecosystem Framework Success

Communication, communication, communication. No vendor can design a complex ecosystem framework incorporating multiple types of suppliers and partners in a vacuum. “The key is to make sure you are in constant communication with your partner community,” says ScienceLogic’s Muller. “Solicit their feedback on the framework to make sure you’re hitting the mark.”

Muller warns program managers not to overlook the value of surveying partners when building their ecosystem frameworks. “Don’t assume that your channel program is the best until you get the feedback from the partners themselves. Listening is key in determining if you have a proper program in place,” she says.

The Lexington Group’s Stewart adds that, for existing programs, transitioning to the ecosystem model takes patience. “You need to do this in a stepped process and keep all partners (new and old) informed along the way,” she says. “Share these plans with your advisory council to seek input as well. This will take some time to fully implement. 

BuzzTheory’s Henderson adds that communications engineering will be a deciding factor for channel ecosystem success. “Mastering the complexities of channel communications to internal and external stakeholders, including to and through the channel, has long separated the winners from losers in the channel,” she says.

“That expertise becomes more vital in partner ecosystems. To succeed, you’ll need to communicate your value to, through and across more connections in the partner ecosystem. And you’ll need [to] incorporate the value of your partners’ solutions into those communications. To do this reliably at scale, you need a framework within your framework—a content engineering plan that reaches the right parties at the right time with the right information.” 

Your PRM Should Support Your Partnership Ecosystem 

Zift’s Tenuto notes that managing communications and interactions in a partner ecosystem requires [a] partner relationship management (PRM) platform on steroids. “Partner ecosystem models present something of a paradox to providers,” she says. “You’ve got layers of complexity in organizing partnerships, solutions, marketing and compensation, etc. Your goal is not only to unify but simplify them for partners and customers. To do that, your PRM must deliver robust internal and API toolsets that help you manage your ecosystem connections, tame the complexity and deliver better partner and customer experiences.”

The Bottom Line

Go-to-market strategies for indirect sales are becoming increasingly important to technology companies, particularly as solutions — and solutions combinations — become more complex. As you develop your partner ecosystem framework, leveraging these best practices from proven experts can help you minimize headaches and missteps – and maximize ROI. Happy architecting!

The post How Do You Build a Successful Partnership Ecosystem Framework? appeared first on Zift Solutions.

A consideration when evaluating licensing models is your budgeting and procurement process.  Platforms that are licensed based on usage will have a variable cost associated with them. That cost may vary by month or by some other time frame. If your procurement or budgeting process is rigid, a variable cost may create a challenge. Set your pricing based on your active partners; when your engagement increases you can always move up. Discuss your situation with the PRM vendors you are considering. There is often an alternative structure available based on wide bands of usage where the price may not change frequently or ever. Expect to pay more for this approach because you are buying licenses for partners that may not exist or may not actually be engaged.

So… What does a PRM cost?

Within the PRM world, there’s a broad range of vendor choices. If you think in terms of T-shirt sizes, your needs could be small, medium, or large, and there is likely an appropriate solution to match. Factor in all of the considerations described above to help select the vendor type and scale of platform that is appropriate. There are excellent platforms for early-stage launching programs with a single currency and geography, for a limited number of partners. These systems for “small programs” are typically going to be priced in the range of $1,500 – $2,000 per month for a modest partner community.  

As program size and complexity increases to medium and larger applications, the price range grows accordingly. Depending upon how partner or user ID’s are measured, you can anticipate $300 – $700 per partner per year. A program with ~200 partners will likely cost in the range of $30,000 – $60,000 annually. There are platforms for less that offer narrow support for large numbers of partners, and in some cases unlimited usage. The scope of these platforms is generally limited, but they may be totally appropriate for programs with many partners that are not very active or who make very limited contributions to your selling model. Referral programs where your team does all of the heavy-lifting come to mind.

On the upper end of program size and complexity, pricing becomes much more customized, and product features and adaptability become the key considerations. As programs become large, the number of inactive or dormant participants tends to increase, and the need for automation in the PRM tends to increase as well. Large programs also tend to require much more flexible integrations with existing systems, and have more demanding requirements for content management. A pure play solution may be appropriate if there is an existing infrastructure of enterprise systems that fill in the gaps such as marketing automation, training, and analytics and reporting. The guiding elements for evaluating price in these environments will be the costs associated with implementation and integration, and the level of support and investment needed across the enterprise. A rule of thumb is channel programs that have thousands of engaged participants will typically cost hundreds of thousands of dollars per year based upon the 80:20 rule of partner activity. Very large and sophisticated programs can expect licensing fees approaching $1M per year.  

When comparing a pure play PRM solution with a more comprehensive platform, there are many factors that come into play. A favorite Zift analogy is office productivity software. Back in the day, we used to buy a spreadsheet for ~$400 and a word processor for about the same, and a graphics/slide program, and a mail client. Microsoft bundled it all together and called it MS Office and priced it at about the cost of one of the tools. Buying a bundle is always cheaper than buying component parts in almost every industry and product type. However, it isn’t always the right solution for every buyer. For example, in audio gear, aficionados prefer buying components while others are happy with just a smart speaker. You may already have elements of channel technology that are working for you, and you just need to replace a piece of the stack. You need to consider if the pure play new piece plus the cost of surgically inserting it into your stack (integration) plus the cost of the existing pieces, will result in an acceptable cost, and more importantly an ideal user experience, or would you be better off replacing some of your existing components to get an integrated solution out of the box. Be sure to consider all of the elements listed – cost of the existing components, cost of the new component, cost to integrate, ultimate user experience.

When comparing a comprehensive platform with a pure play PRM, pricing can be tricky. For a new program, a comprehensive solution can be a single decision that delivers a fast path to an all encompassing partner program in one box. Initially, you may be getting more than you need, so the starting costs might seem a bit higher. However, if you take a little longer view and truly map out the partner journey from recruitment to onboarding, enablement, demand generation, and ultimately to transacting, you will begin to build a technology roadmap with which you can compare ownership costs beyond the initial purchase. Unless you’re the stereo aficionado type, if you have nothing today, a comprehensive platform is a clean way to start.  

As with everything we’ve covered, there’s no definitive answer to the question of cost without a deeper understanding of your platform needs. However, here is a general rule of thumb using our T-shirt metaphor: For a small program, the all-in-one platform is likely 20% – 40% more in license fees than a starter PRM. This translates into a small up-tick in cost per partner per year, but it can deliver a significant cost advantage in the future as your program grows and matures because you avoid having to replace or integrate new systems down the line.  

For medium channel programs, the cost difference on a percentage basis is probably a bit smaller, and could offer significant savings when you consider the ability to turn off other systems or to avoid licensing them in the future. If you are in this “medium” size, you’re probably considering licensing a new platform because your program has plateaued and you want to grow, or your program has outgrown your existing technology stack. This is where selecting a comprehensive platform really shines. The breadth of capabilities to manage the entire funnel from lead generation to closed business is critical to increasing partner effectiveness. Larger programs also tend to have a variety of partner types, and a comprehensive platform is more capable of serving the entire partner community with a single administrative interface for maximum efficiency.  

What if I just build it myself?

There’s always a tendency to consider “DIY” – or building a solution inside an existing enterprise CRM. This is particularly true for large programs and companies with significant IT resources. This approach can result in the exact system you want at a point in time with practically no compromises for vendor limitations. It is, however, unquestionably the most expensive alternative, usually by a factor of at least 5x – 10x. A major consideration, however, should be the requirement and commitment to continue to invest after the initial launch. The system may be exactly what you want on day 1, but the only way to keep a partner community engaged is to keep the system fresh, and no business process is going to remain static for long. A rule of thumb is to think about ongoing investment like a maintenance cost on the original cost of the build. You should consider allocating approximately 25% of the original cost to build the system as an annual technology maintenance. You want to ensure you have IT buy-in for future years, or you will find yourself stuck with a home-grown system that met the original needs, but not the current requirements.  

If the system you build is within or on top of your CRM, you need to make sure you’re very clear about the licensing costs. If you start with a module from the CRM vendor, and then build your ideal system on top of it, the rule of thumb is that you will spend about $5 in implementation cost for every $1 of license cost. The bigger issue you want to understand is what you will have to pay in CRM licenses. Will you have license fees for each of your partners – or even worse, each of the partners’ users? As your program grows, this can rapidly spin out of control. If you avoid the fees by not putting your partners directly into your CRM, you may avoid the CRM licensing challenge, but with an added complexity in partner experience or system administration costs. If you enable partners to quote deals directly, be sure to consider if you will encounter licensing fees for the use of the CRM vendor’s CPQ tool (configure, price and quote), or if there are fees for partner usage of other modules. Chase all of the connections to other enterprise systems to get a complete picture of your ultimate licensing fees.

If you’re left with additional questions about PRMs, we recommend heading over to our Channel Learning Center. As with any effort, the better the management the greater your outcome will be. Do your homework to find the appropriate PRM for your consideration. As you continue your research to narrow down the field, our guides to costs and considerations can help you arrive at the best choice for your business.

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What is a Partner Ecosystem & Why Do Channel Partner Programs Need Them?

“Partner ecosystem” is a popular topic of conversation in the channel lately. You’re hearing about it more for good reason – almost a third of total global sales are predicted to come from ecosystems by 2025, according to McKinsey. Ecosystems are also expected to create $100 trillion of value for business and wider society by 2027, according to Accenture.

Global technology giants are adapting to the growth in partner ecosystem models. Jay McBain, Chief Analyst for technology market analyst firm Canalys and one of the channel’s foremost experts on partner ecosystems, points to tangible organizational changes these companies are making. “When looking at the people and organizational elements of new channel models, we have seen the largest technology companies make significant changes. Last year, Microsoft replaced its top channel executive with an ecosystem leader. AWS, Google, IBM and others have followed in the last few quarters. Even smaller vendors, such as Sage, have followed suit. In fact, over 12,000 people on LinkedIn now have ecosystems in their titles (growing by 2,000 each quarter) and over 697,000 people use the term ecosystems in the description of what they do.”

The rise in partner ecosystems is evident, but why do partner programs need to develop a partner ecosystem? To find out the answer, we interviewed seven channel leaders for insight into why partner programs would benefit from an ecosystem model. Our expert panelists include:

• Jay McBain, Chief Analyst for technology market analyst firm Canalys
• Karin Fields, Chief Executive Officer at FMX Tech
• Tamara Prazak, Senior Director of Channel Sales, West Region for secure access provider Appgate
• Kristine Stewart, Founder and CEO for channel consultancy The Lexington Group
• Greg Plum, Director/Principal – North America for fractional partner leadership company PartnerReady
• Khali Henderson, Senior Partner for channel consultancy and technology marketing firm BuzzTheory
• Heather Tenuto, Chief Revenue Officer for partner relationship management (PRM) and channel management platform provider Zift Solutions

Want to skip ahead? Check out five reasons your channel partner program needs a partner ecosystem:

1. Partner Ecosystems Foster Faster & More Effective Co-Marketing & Co-Selling
2. Partner Ecosystems Present Another Route to Customers & More Sales
3. Partner Ecosystems Create More Complete Solutions Through Purpose-Built Integrations
4. Partner Ecosystems Integrate the Partner Program with the Provider Company
5. Partner Ecosystems Improve Partner Experience (PX)

What is a Partner Ecosystem?

We surveyed our panel to define a partner ecosystem. The answers circle around the same ideas but from different perspectives about who owns the ecosystem relationships and various analogies for how the ecosystem operates.

 Appgate’s Tamara Prazak describes a partner ecosystem as “the next iteration of a channel program, ensuring vendors are broadening their reach beyond traditional channel programs targeting resellers and referral partners to expand to include influencers, marketplaces, MSPs [managed services providers] and partners who do not want to be compensated for recommending your solution.”

Karin Fields of FMX Tech says, “The partnership ecosystem is a group of well-developed relationships that enable a partner to walk into any customer and be able to support all of the customer’s needs.”

Fields compares this function to being a general contractor building a house. “The customer wants a specialized roof, [and] the general contractor goes to his/her relationships and finds someone he/she has already worked with and trusts to help deliver the experience the customer wants. Let’s say the customer wants a specific material for the roof. Once again, the general contractor goes to his/her contacts and finds the best supplier offering the product the customer wants at the best quality and price.”  

The Lexington Group’s Stewart characterizes the partner ecosystem as a community of all the companies that play a role in delivering business outcomes to customers. She points out this network is extensive, “…this can include all the technology companies that you integrate with to build your solutions, the places they go to get information, the partners you have that might refer or advocate for you, resellers partners [and] everyone involved.”

PartnerReady’s Greg Plum has a similar view. “An ecosystem covers the full range of influence and purchase points impacting your ideal customer profile (ICP),” Plum says. “Channel partners are one component within this ecosystem.”

Plum illustrates this further with an analogy to a car race. “Think of it like a NASCAR or Indy race… the customer, your ICP, is the driver. When the car rolls into a pit stop, there is a whole [pit crew] that are impacting that driver at that moment in time. They are dependent on every person at that checkpoint to ensure successful execution of their goal … to win, or at least finish, the race. These players may include associations, marketplaces, industry influencers and, yes, channel partners.” 

What Are the Types of Partnerships in the Ecosystem?

There are six primary types of partnerships within a partner ecosystem, including:

• Technology Alliances – Also known as an integration partnership, a technology alliance partnership is the partnering company’s products integrated to deliver additional value to the customer. Companies pursue technology partnerships if their platforms benefit from the partners’ solutions’ additional capabilities and features.
• Strategic Alliances – Sometimes referred to as strategic partnerships, strategic alliances align the long-term goals of two or more companies. These are multi-department commitments with clearly articulated goals and investments for both organizations. Companies may enter these partnerships because they have the same end customers or plan to enter a new target vertical with complementary solutions.
• Business Channel Alliances – A channel alliance is an arrangement where a vendor engages a partner to resell, manage, and deliver the vendor’s product to market. The partner makes money through vendor referral fees, margins or commissions and by selling complementary services. The vendor benefits from the partners’ existing customer relationships and a faster go-to-market timeline. There are a few different types of business alliance partnerships, including:
  • Resellers
  • Value-added resellers (VARs)
  • Systems integrators (SIs)
  • Agency partners
  • Business process outsourcers (BPOs)
  • Managed service providers (MSPs)

• Transaction & Transaction-Assist Channels – These partnerships facilitate transactions between a vendor and an end customer. Unlike business alliances, these partners only facilitate the purchase in exchange for compensation.
• Influencer – Influencers refer to entities that “influence” the decision-making of an end customer to purchase a vendor solution but are not directly involved in the transaction. These partnerships are typically comprised of these companies:
  • Alliance partners
  • Consultants
  • Ambassadors
  • Advocates
  • Affiliates

• Retention Channels – Retention channels refer to partner companies who are involved in helping to retain the use of a tech vendor solution by proxy through the delivery of the partner company’s services. Companies that typically fit into retention channels include:
  • Digital agencies
  • Healthcare companies
  • Construction companies
  • Legal or compliance companies
  • Transport companies
  • Accounting and CPA companies
  • Management consultants and other professional services

Who is at the Center of the Partner Ecosystem?

A frequent question that crops up is who is at the center of the ecosystem — the partner or the vendor? Despite being called a “partner” ecosystem, the partner is not at the center, nor is the vendor.

The diagram to the bottom right breaks down how customers, partners and vendors fit together in a partner ecosystem. The customer is at the center with partners encircling them to source multiple vendors and often other partners to meet business outcomes across the customer lifecycle. The vendor ring on the outside includes providers, which also are creating alliances with other vendors and partners to deliver more value to the customer throughout the lifecycle. As a result, the partner ecosystem looks more like a 3-D mesh network. 

“While the customer must be at the center of the partner ecosystem, that doesn’t mean that they’re driving those relationships,” says BuzzTheory’s Henderson. “Partners have been building vendor ecosystems to meet customers’ needs for a long time. What’s different now is partners are orchestrating a more holistic solution across the customer lifecycle, from prospect to advocate. That’s an order of magnitude more valuable than simply connecting a customer with a single solution to meet a specific need at one point in time.”

Zift Solutions’ Tenuto adds, “Vendors have a great opportunity to position themselves as pivotal to the partner ecosystem by building out alliances with other vendors and partners so that it’s turnkey. That means go-to-market plans, marketing materials and, if applicable, integrations. Vendors can take this a step further, helping to facilitate ecosystem relationships through a partner relationship management platform that helps them find partners or providers and enables multi-partner deal registration. ”

5 Reasons Channel Partner Programs Need Partner Ecosystems

Why should channel partner programs create a partner ecosystem? Our expert panel identified five key reasons.

1. Partner Ecosystems Foster Faster & More Effective Co-Marketing & Co-Selling

Our panel generally believes ecosystems will propel co-selling and co-marketing initiatives forward in effectiveness and speed to market. “You can have a richer set of co-marketing and co-selling opportunities with the right partners,” says The Lexington Group’s Stewart. “You can start to look at account mapping and collaborative selling and truly seeing the value in bringing together your sales and partner teams with those of the ‘right’ partners.”

Plus, there are hard numbers to prove the value of the ecosystem. Stewart says, “Research is already proving the ROI and metrics on successful implementation including 30-40 higher ACVs [annual contract values], 50 percent faster close rates, 70 percent higher conversions, 2X reduction in customer churn and others.”

Co-selling and co-marketing partnerships aren’t limited to vendor-partner relationships. Suppliers can partner to bring a complete solution to market for partners and their customers. FMX Tech’s Fields explains: “[T]hese extra products and services can help drive more of a need for a provider’s product. Look at bandwidth providers partnering with a SaaS company. Selling a SaaS solution can increase the customer’s need for more bandwidth. As long as the SaaS solution runs smoothly over the network, it’s a win/win/win. A win for the customer, a win for the bandwidth provider and a win for the SaaS provider. It’s an ecosystem.”  

2. Partner Ecosystems Present Another Route to Customers and More Sales

Partner ecosystems are designed to help vendors and their partners facilitate the sale of more solutions and services into customers’ environments. 

“SaaS leaders know that their success depends on identifying various routes to market to increase adoption within their target customers. Channel partners are but one route to market,” says PartnerReady’s Plum. “Like SaaS leaders, when channel partners understand the other influencers impacting their target customer, they can identify their own partnership opportunities within that ecosystem, thereby increasing their influence with their, now mutual, target customer.” 

Vendors can help partners with opportunities in their regularly scheduled quarterly business review check-ins. Plum explains, “Once the ideal customer profile is identified, the channel partner should ask the following questions:

• What do they buy (in addition to my services)?
• How do they buy?
• Why do they buy?
• Who influences their decisions?

The answers to these questions will result in a list of potential routes to market for the channel partner to leverage.” 

Karin Fields of FMX Tech adds that ecosystems are built based on customer needs. “Most partners today have their basic ecosystem for cabling, equipment, etc., that they have built over the years to support their customers,” she says. “Because customers are demanding more from their consultants, partners need to expand their ecosystems to include relationships with specialists in security, infrastructure, TEM, and much more.” 

Fields also clarifies these sales opportunities aren’t limited to single-solution providers. “Even the major providers don’t offer everything that their customers are going to need,” Fields says. “If they don’t help their customers get access to those products and services, someone else will and that is opening the door for their competition.”

3. Partner Ecosystems Create More Complete Solutions Through Purpose-Built Integrations

Technology suppliers establishing integrations with other solutions isn’t a new trend, but the partner ecosystem can help facilitate more purposely engineered integrated solutions between two or more vendors, which can be co-marketed into existing and prospective customer accounts. 

Appgate’s Prazak argues that plug-and-play integrations help vendors and their partners capitalize on the ecosystem model. “As providers broaden their channel partnership ecosystem and offer more through marketplaces, having an API-driven solution that easily enables your technology to be integrated with other solutions or existing tools in your customer’s current technology stack is key,” Prazak says.

Prazak also says that new ecosystem models may require competitors to put aside their grievances and work together to claim a lucrative deal a partner presents them. “Letting go of the old way of doing business, in this new model, [and] being open to ‘coopetition’ and aligning with companies who were previously foes can lead to a winning approach,” she says.

4. Partner Ecosystems Integrate the Partner Program with the Provider Company

It’s no secret that for those companies that don’t have 100 percent channel-only sales models, the channel is generally separated from the rest of the organization and, in some ways, appears to function like a separate business.

 “Channel organizations (across all industries) have been somewhat siloed over the past 40 years, including having their own built-in channel marketing, sales, operations and finance groups,” Canalys’ McBain says. “In fact, the Harvard Business Review concluded that successful channel chiefs have skills more in common with a CEO or general manager than a line of business leader like the head of sales or marketing.” 

Ecosystems can help mend this separation and create a company-wide holistic approach to growing the indirect sales channel.  

McBain explains: “These new ecosystem chiefs are looking to run technology alliances, strategic alliances, business alliances, influence channels, transaction and transaction-assist channels, and retention channels in parallel. Instead of building an empire of people siloed from the rest of the company under these six partner models/motions, they are embedding partner professionals in marketing, sales, customer success, product and strategy groups. This ‘dotted-line’ approach to channel leadership looks more akin to data science (embedded in every department and indirectly reporting to a central CTO) than it does to previous incarnations of indirect sales departments.”

5. Partner Ecosystems Improve Partner Experience (PX)

The quality of your program’s partner experience will be significantly enhanced when you adopt an ecosystem model. “Done correctly, the partner experience should be improved from several aspects,” says The Lexington Group’s Stewart. [The] key is helping their businesses grow and this can be done because you are providing them opportunities within your vendor solution for them to insert their own services and solutions. They also can leverage other ecosystem partnerships you have that can improve their total solution.”

Partners can also take advantage of multiple vendors’ incentive programs and MDF at once. Stewart reminds providers that these offers to partners should be coordinated between vendors in the ecosystem. “[Y]ou should be updating incentives and how they utilize joint funds within your programs,” she says.

With all this in mind, it’s apparent that developing a thriving partner ecosystem is the next logical step for any established partner program looking to maximize its ROI. 

The post What is a Partnership Ecosystem & Why Do Channel Partner Programs Need Them? appeared first on Zift Solutions.

Zift Solutions and its employees are donating to Ukraine. If you are interested in joining us, the following are several example organizations supporting this cause:

1. UNICEF
2. Americares
3. Mercy Corps
4. World Vision
5. International Medical Corps

Be well,

Gordon Rapkin, Chief Executive Officer

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We differentiate what have been called ‘pure play PRM’ or ‘best of breed’ systems from more comprehensive systems called ‘Enterprise Channel Management (ECM)’ or ‘Unified Channel Management’ or ‘all-in-one’.

Even within these categories, there is a wide range of product capabilities to consider.

Some vendors offer a suite of applications from which you can pick and choose modules to integrate into your PRM. A caution is to make sure you are clear if the various modules were actually built to work together, or if the suite is a result of a vendor acquiring a bunch of separate products and stitching them together to appear to be complete. User experience and consistency typically suffer when the pieces were not built from the start to act as one platform.

What Are the Different Types of PRMs?

A pure play or best of breed solution will generally address your needs for launching a partner portal and many of the administrative requirements for managing the partner community. It may extend into additional capabilities such as lead or deal registration, and perhaps training and content management. The principal consideration is how you will integrate a pure play solution into the rest of your infrastructure and what additional systems you will need to consider licensing down the road in order to facilitate the entire partner journey. Often, pure play solutions have a broad set of shallow elements to complement the areas where they are deep. As an example, they may store marketing content and provide for basic partner co-branding, but they won’t go deep enough for true partner marketing. 

The journey your program will take will span all the way from partner recruitment, to onboarding, training and certification, enablement, demand creation, transaction support, and ultimately post-sale support. A comprehensive all-in-one platform will generally cover the entire journey.  Often they will include more capable partner onboarding with extensive learning management and certification, and marketing automation tools for demand generation. 

If you think of the entire sales funnel from marketing and lead generation at the top, all the way through the middle of the funnel with sales enablement, to the bottom of the funnel with deal management and transactions, the goal of an all-in-one platform is to facilitate the entire journey. An advantage of managing the top to bottom funnel is that these platforms can provide comprehensive analytics and telemetry about the partner community that’s very hard (or impossible) to piece together from component or pure play systems.

What Do I Need For My Company?

You may not need to do all of these things upfront, or you may already have some of it covered. As your program matures, you want to consider how you will extend a pure play solution, and what the incremental licensing costs and integration costs will become. A pure play starter solution will have a lower initial cost that lets you get going, and then you can buy separate components down the road (or integrate with components you are already licensing). Just keep in mind that the costs will add up quickly if your program succeeds. Buying separate systems is always more costly than an integrated system, but it may work for you if you think the partner maturity curve will ramp slowly and you don’t anticipate needing more sophisticated capabilities anytime soon (1-2 years).

Now that you’re familiar with the different types of PRMs, you’ll need to know how much they’re going to cost. Our next article in this PRM series will answer “How much does a PRM cost?” – and talk about whether this is a tool that a company can build themselves.

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BREAKING DOWN THE SILOS

At Zift, we believe in Enterprise Channel Management. We are passionate about breaking down the traditional silos of channel technology. We believe that all of the separate pieces are just artifacts of how channel applications grew up. Today, those boundaries need to be blurred or erased. Suppliers need a comprehensive platform that works smoothly, without all of the drama of having to integrate separate tech silos, and they want a great user experience to make it easy to do business.

A wise channel chief recently said to me, “The only thing that matters is channel revenue.” Maybe that was an overstatement, but it got me thinking. If we stopped looking at channel management as a tech stack with a bunch of siloed apps, and instead we focused on the business need to manage channel revenue, then we can highlight how the application gears have to mesh in order to efficiently get the job done.

BACKWARD — AND IN HEELS

I translate this into Full Sales Funnel Management. Channel revenue is what comes out of the funnel when an opportunity is managed from lead to close. My favorite story is that Fred Astair and Ginger Rogers were both great dancers, but her role was much harder because she had to do every step backward and in high heels. Managing a direct-revenue sales funnel and managing a channel-revenue sales funnel are both challenging, but like Ginger Rogers, managing the channel funnel is like dancing backward and in high heels. Partner salespeople don’t work for the supplier, and the indirect business model introduces many more twists and turns.

Effectively managing channel revenue requires managing the entire funnel from top to bottom – Channel Marketing, Channel Sales, and Channel Operations. Everyone needs to be working from the same playbook. That level of coordination is dependent on the smooth flow of data and ideas and actions from the top to the bottom of the funnel. Channel marketing and channel sales have to present a collaborative and unified path for partner opportunities to progress through the funnel to closed deals. All parties need complete and consistent information and data to understand the progression through the funnel and to have a prayer of forecasting the outcome.

CONSISTENCY IS KEY

In the channel, there is no wiggle room for failure to coordinate sales and marketing. Channel partners require consistent support and help from prospecting to nurturing to closing. A supplier needs to present a consistent, easy platform for partners to use from start to finish. Anything less, and the supplier becomes “hard to do business with” and the partner takes its business elsewhere. The worst part is that as a supplier, you may never even know they moved on because…“they don’t work for you.” If you are not tying channel marketing to channel sales, how do you even know if your partner took a lead with them when they decided to move to another vendor? Full funnel management is the only hope for a channel sales leader to have the visibility required to manage channel revenue.

Back to all of the tech silos. If you rely on one system for channel social engagement, and another system for channel marketing and lead nurturing, and another system for channel sales enablement, and another system for reporting and analysis, how hard are you going to have to work to get a complete picture of the funnel? For a partner, how hard is it going to be to do business with you? Tying it all together and putting it on a single channel management platform just makes sense. If for no other reason, focus on the prize: Channel Revenue.

Is your channel program easy to do business with? Get a free channel assessment and find out.

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CREATING DIGITAL WARRIORS

We have all heard the term ‘digital transformation’ ad nauseum for years, but this is a digital transformation of a different kind.  This is a transformation to digital where we already have the tools — and it is a transformation that we can’t delay. Channel partners need to transform into digital marketers now. They have to learn to drive the top of the funnel with digital tactics. Then they have to transform those hand-to-hand combat skills they’ve honed for years into online skills to improve qualification and selling without face-to-face contact. This digital transformation is a re-skilling of the channel to become digital warriors. It is back to boot camp for the channel.

It is also a time for suppliers to re-skill and digitally transform as well.  Many channel organizations rely heavily on the annual massive partner conference where you lock all of your partners in a room and PowerPoint them to death with your products and programs. Without the benefit of a big conference and captive audience, supplier’s digital messages have to be much better at capturing mindshare. Suppliers must be better at segmenting their communications and targeting their audiences with highly personalized to-partner communications if they are going to achieve digital effectiveness.

LEFT, RIGHT, LEFT: WHY CADENCE & VIRTUAL CONFERENCES MATTER

Drill sergeants know that their soldiers run farther and faster when chanting and following a cadence. Cadence is equally valuable in the channel. Regularly delivering information and valuable content to channel partners is paramount. Suppliers that communicate with their channel only when they want something will see momentum falter and the audience slip away.  The communication equation requires suppliers to transform their tactics to focus on attracting and maintaining mindshare and engagement, rather than simply blasting out messages and assuming they have their partners’ attention.

Suppliers also have to consider on-line conferences which are a whole digital transformation in themselves. An online conference has to overcome the distraction factor that goes with the audience sitting at home instead of in the convention center.  Virtual events don’t carry the punch of a face-to-face conference unless the supplier dramatically ups its digital game to drive attention and enthusiasm. Simply moving a physical conference to a virtual setting is a recipe for failure. Converting a partner conference to a virtual event requires a complete transformation.  A good rule of thumb is to plan the conference from the perspective of a distracted participant. Think about what it is going to take to keep them engaged.

The good news is that all of this digital transformation is becoming evident in the C-Suite. CMOs and CEOs are looking at channel marketing budgets and realizing that all the money originally allocated to events and face-to-face tactics now needs to be redirected to digital marketing if the channel is going to continue to be a contributor to corporate success.  That means there is money to fund the transformation and to help the channel re-skill. This is a digital transformation we can execute!

Interested in learning more? Join me (and Laz Gonzalez) for a conversation about the tactical transformation occurring in the channel today in this episode of Zift’s new podcast, CHANNEL CHATTER LIVE!

The post Back to Boot Camp for the Channel appeared first on Zift Solutions.

Industry thought leaders and analysts were quick to recognize our efforts as well as the transformational power of ZiftONE. We were honored to receive the prestigious 2019 Frost Radar Best Practices Award for Innovation Excellence from Frost & Sullivan recognizing the launch and impact of ZiftONE. In their words, “The Innovation Excellence best practice award is bestowed on companies that are industry leaders reinventing themselves through R&D investments and innovation.“

Frost & Sullivan analysts noted: Removing data silos and making intelligent marketing decisions on the channel partner and direct marketing and sales side is a challenge most marketing teams face today. ZiftONE from Zift Solutions alleviates these pain points by bringing data and insights from channel marketing, sales, and operations into one place, highlighting Zift Solutions’ understanding and innovation leadership in the marketing automation solutions market today.

Zift’s investment in innovation is unmatched in the industry, with over 25% of our revenue committed to R&D to expand functionality for suppliers managing their channel programs with ZiftONE.  After launching ZiftONE, our pace of innovation accelerated, and the platform is growing and improving every day. The Zift product team is constantly listening to the market and our customers, and our engineering team delivers enhancements and improvements every week.  

Enhance. Expand. Integrate. 

An exciting platform extension you can put to work immediately is the ZiftONE Developers Workbench. The channel management platform has to integrate with existing enterprise technologies and operational systems. ZiftONE was built to be a part of the enterprise ecosystem, and it comes with a long list of pre-built connectors and interface tools, but most IT organizations require more. To answer that need, we delivered the ZiftONE Developers Workbench. It is a comprehensive toolkit that opens up all of the programming interfaces in the platform so that anything Zift developers can do, our customers’ IT team can do. We made ZiftONE an open platform that enables developers to enhance, expand and integrate it with just about anything in the corporate infrastructure.

To ensure the highest levels of service and security as your IT infrastructure grows, Zift has added a number of critical security certifications (Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) Level 1, Cyber Essentials, IASME Consortium, and Privacy Shield Framework) as well yet another year to our string of Service Organization Control (SOC) 2 Type II compliance audits with no exceptions. 

Joining the Revolution

Shortly after the launch of ZiftONE, members of the channel technology market asked to join in our channel technology revolution. So we created the ZiftZone Strategic Alliance Program, a rapidly growing ecosystem of trusted and certified agencies, applications, and service providers, all of whom drive channel success for our customers.  Zift’s global reach is advancing rapidly via ZiftZone and our customers are reaping the benefits with connections to more than 30 leading providers of channel-focused solutions and services.

We’re moving forward into 2020 with more customers, more integrations, more alliance partners, and more expansive capabilities. We continue to support and invest in our existing customer platforms while we innovate and advance ZiftONE to provide the next generation of channel management excellence. 

We’ve spent a great deal of time in 2019 listening to our customers. They are excited about the ability to manage the entire partner lifecycle with ZiftONE. They like the fact that they can onboard, train, engage, and activate their partners with transformative tools to generate pipeline and close deals. They also appreciate the fact that they have the flexibility to take a DIY approach, using ZiftONE’s dynamic portal tools to quickly onboard and activate partners.  They also appreciate that they can leverage our Zift Services, Channel Center of Excellence and ZiftZone partners for even more expansive capabilities and support. 

In 2020, our focus remains on addressing the complex needs of channel leaders. We’re thrilled to see so many organizations reaching out to us to learn how they can join the ZiftONE revolution. Some have expressed their desire to get help in understanding exactly how their channel program stacks up against others in the industry — and even create an action plan to move forward. Our Channel Center of Excellence provides a Channel Readiness Assessment to explore the foundational levels, current capabilities, and overall effectiveness of your channel program. I encourage you to kick off the new year by scheduling your assessment as soon as possible to ensure you meet your 2020 goals. 

What are you planning to conquer in your channel program in 2020 and beyond? Let us know if you’re ready to turn your future visions of channel success into reality today with ZiftONE. 

The post Step into the Future of Enterprise Channel Management appeared first on Zift Solutions.

For far too long, channel technology has been delivered and purchased as an array of distinctly separate solutions. Every piece of the puzzle comes from a different vendor, and nothing works together as “seamlessly” as promised. Instead, you end up with what we refer to as a Partner Frankenstein or Channel Technology Monster, complete with siloed data, no clear picture of what’s really happening in your channel program (or how much return you’re getting on investments), lost leads, and disengaged partners. This approach wastes time, money, and can undermine your entire channel program. It just doesn’t work.

So, we directed all of Zift’s resources to create ZiftONE, the first and only all-in-ONE platform that covers the entire channel challenge. ZiftONE aligns, automates and simplifies channel marketing, sales, and operations, so it’s easy to measure the growth and return of your programs and partners.  

We’ve had a lot of help and input on ZiftONE from the world’s top channel program leaders, and via our ongoing Customer Strategy Sessions, Executive Summits, and industry analysts, including Forrester Principal Analyst and B2B expert Jay McBain and Maria Chien, Service Director, Channel Marketing Strategies at SiriusDecisions. Jay has been talking about the benefits of taking a horizontal approach to channel management for some time, stating in a recent blog:

“The benefits of moving to a modern platform include advanced and integrated functionality, step-function improvements in agility and flexibility, and often a consolidated operating model. There are dozens of sources of channel data that can be consolidated from internal, external, and paid sources, although the availability cycles, sequencing, and data quality levels can provide challenges.”

Moreover, Maria commented on the release of ZiftONE itself, noting:

“To compete effectively in today’s channel, suppliers must integrate data silos and automate workflows to foster data-driven conversations with partners.”

We absolutely agree with these experts. The belief that it is time for something completely new, that eliminates those silos and allows channel organizations to actually use their data as a differentiator was the impetus of ZiftONE. We’re creating a single source of truth for channel leaders, so that all of the data from the channel is encompassed in ONE platform, which delivers a truly exceptional partner experience — and is incredibly easy to use and self-administer.  

I hope you will watch this quick video, where I discuss the creation and value of ZiftONE. You can also learn more about ZiftONE here, or find out what four key elements we deemed essential in ZiftONE here. Let us know what you think — and join the ZiftONE conversation in the comments section below.

The post Welcome to the Future. Welcome to ZiftONE. appeared first on Zift Solutions.

We made leaps and bounds in terms of growth and establishing ourselves as the leading Enterprise Channel Management software provider. Let’s go through some of the highlights for 2018, and discuss why we’re excited to welcome what’s coming in 2019.

Inspiring Customers. Impressive Results.

We expanded our customer base, adding more channel-focused organizations like Blancco Technology Group and Telecom leader Star2Star to our client roster. “Launching Zift was a powerful step in providing our partners with the best channel program in the industry,” said David Portnowitz, Chief of Marketing for Star2Star.

But we didn’t just add these impressive companies to our customer list. We achieved goals at an impressively fast rate — Star2Star achieved ROI within its first quarter of use, adding 64K new social media followers via just 12 partners and garnering $192K in Marketing Qualified Leads in under 12 weeks as well as capturing 15-20 hours per week in employee time savings.

We also relaunched our Customer Strategy Sessions this year, where members of the Zift Solutions family work together to drive channel results. We’ve received incredible feedback from attendees like Kerstin Demko, North America Partner Marketing Director at Sage, who noted, “Zift Solutions is a company with channel in their DNA and it’s valuable time spent in the Customer Strategy Session to learn what’s on the leading edge of channel management.”

And the Award Goes To

Truly exciting accolades came our way this past year as well, establishing Zift’s leadership within the field. We were named 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., earning high marks in the criteria of Product Vision, Innovation Roadmap and Supporting Products/Services for both PRM and TCMA. In addition, Zift was named to the Constellation ShortList™ for Partner and Alliance Relationship Management in August and closed out the year being named to CIO Applications Magazines’ Top 10 MarTech Solution Providers 2018. It’s great to receive recognition for our team’s hard work and Zift’s strong vision.

Making Your Life Easier — And Your Data Safer

Another area where the team pulled through is coming up with more ways to make our customers’ professional lives easier. Our investments in innovation include adding Datto’s Autotask Professional Services Automation (PSA) system, ConnectWise and Vistex to our growing list of popular systems and business applications with which we integrate, including Marketing Automation Platforms (MAPs); Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems; Analytics Packages, Sales Enablement tools and Incentive Management Platforms.

Our IT team also deserves recognition for keeping Zift committed to the highest levels of service and security by completing yet another Service Organization Control (SOC) 2 Type II compliance audit with no exceptions. We’re going forward into 2019 with more customers, more integrations and more secure systems — so where does that leave you?

What’s Up for 2019 — And What’s In It For You

We’ve started off 2019 by adding yet more members to the Zift family — check out the recent news from Seven Corners — and see why we’re excited to help drive their channel success.

Zift’s continuing commitment to providing the only end-to-end Enterprise Channel Management platform on the market defines us. Moving forward, we will continue to refine and expand our offerings with a focus on partner engagement, pipeline visibility and data insight for better business decision-making, and we would love to have you along for the journey.

We’ve become a true standout in the industry at large, and we have more on the way. Let us know in the comments what your 2019 goals and visions are, and how Zift is helping you meet them.

The post The Inside Scoop: What’s Up & What’s Next for Zift Solutions appeared first on Zift Solutions.

We received and shared some great news last week as Zift was recognized as a “Leader” in The Forrester Wave™: Partner Relationship Management, Q4 2018 report by Forrester Research, Inc. The recognition follows Zift also being named a “Leader” earlier this year in The Forrester Wave™: Through-Channel Marketing Automation, Q2 2018.

This makes us an official market leader in both Partner Relationship Management (PRM) and Through-Channel Marketing Automation (TCMA), with the industry leadership position and strength of our  Enterprise Channel Management platform.

Well Beyond PRM

Forrester Wave reports examine a wide range of specific product functionality as well as market position and company strategy. In the PRM Wave, Zift received a 5 out of 5 possible points in the criteria of Product Vision, Innovation Roadmap and Supporting Products/Services. Zift also received high scores (4 of 5) in the Partner Co-Selling/Co-Marketing, Partner Portal/Integrations and Partner Performance/Incentives, and Strategy. In the TCMA Wave (released earlier this year), we captured high scores in the categories of Execution, Product Vision, Innovation Roadmap, Supporting Products and Services, and Partner Ecosystem.

According to the new PRM Wave’s authors (Principal Analyst Jay McBain with Caroline Robertson, Robert Perdoni, and Kara Hartig) , “Zift has created a full-function partner platform that goes beyond PRM to include through-channel marketing and creative/concierge-type services. Its vision is even more extensive and may include other channel software categories in the future.”

The PRM Wave goes on to say:

• The Zift PRM solution delivers comprehensive functionality on top of a very robust and configurable business rules engine platform
• Zift’s partner education, training, and certification support capabilities are among the best in this category
• Zift gets high marks for its global coverage and has significant bases of operations in North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific

We’re happy to get such solid recognition for the solutions, services and support we are absolutely dedicated to providing for our customers.

Still a Siloed Market

While Forrester did an excellent job of capturing the state of the market for PRM and TCMA, these reports remain siloed and each one focused on only one distinct portion of the ChanTech equation. They also work as a snapshot of the market at just one point in time. Zift’s vision and capabilities cover the entire scope of channel sales, marketing and operations functionality. Plus, Zift releases new capabilities every week, and our comprehensive solutions are always evolving and improving.

The Bottom Line

Zift is the only channel technology provider recognized as a Leader in both PRM and TCMA — and capable of delivering end-to-end Enterprise Channel Management. Moreover, Zift is a true global channel technology and services provider, delivering:

• Third-party recognized leading PRM & CMM
• Follow-the-sun, in-language global support (for 13+ distinct languages)
• Advanced Creative Services with 20+ years of digital expertise
• Highly flexible Service Options (Expert Services, Customer Engagement Services, Creative Services, Channel Program Assessments and Partner Self-Service Options)
• In-depth Training, Workshops and Certifications
• Superior channel expertise and best practices via Zift’s Channel Center of Excellence

Interested to learn more about Zift’s leadership position and expansive PRM capabilities? You can download and read the full Forrester PRM Wave HERE.

The post Don’t Just Take Our Word for It appeared first on Zift Solutions.

• Became the first and only provider of Enterprise Channel Management with the launch of Channel as a Service
• Joined forces with Relayware to deliver leading Partner Relationship Management capabilities to our customers and establish the largest channel partner ecosystem worldwide
• Acquired Elastic Grid to provide superior creative services, broader APAC coverage and global in-country support
• Expanded our customer base by nearly 50% and increased the number of partner users on our platform by +85%
• Exceeded 2B in combined data points and partner transactions for use in analyzing and fine-tuning demand gen, partner programs and campaigns for more ROI

Clearly, our focus and follow-through on delivering seamless, end-to-end Enterprise Channel Management is resonating, as more than 80 percent of channel chiefs now rely on Zift.

What’s Next — And What’s in it for You?

According to Forrester, 75% of global commerce is now sold via indirect channels. As channels become more important, more organizations than ever are seeking purpose-built channel software and solutions to capture more revenue and drive greater channel success. With our unique and holistic approach, Zift has become a true channel standout. (Take a look at what Forrester’s Principal Analyst of Global Channels, Jay McBain has to say about this is in his recent blog: Eight Channel Predictions for 2018.)

I believe this is because in addition to the best integrated channel marketing and partner relationship management (CMM + PRM) technology, Our Channel Center Of Excellence delivers unrivaled channel expertise, proven processes, and best practices that we bake into our solutions.  We back it all up with our extensive services and training options.  No one provides more channel-focused solutions, support and insight to drive channel success.

But we’re far from done. Zift is continuing to invest in even more innovation and expansion in the coming year to address the continually evolving channel challenges. We’re expanding our creative services and training offerings. Plus, you’ll see targeted solutions for new, evolving and mature channel programs coming soon via Channel as a Service.

I hope you’ll take a moment to catch up with Zift’s progress and growth trajectory by reading our latest press release here. Then, keep coming back to Channel Chatter throughout 2018 to learn more about Zift’s forward vision and unmatched ability to align and integrate the purpose-built technology, services and strategic insight modern channel leaders need to succeed. We’re always listening and learning from you, too. Let us know in the comments section below what you have planned for 2018 and what you would like to see from Zift to help you achieve your channel-based goals.

The post How Zift Became the Global ChanTech Standout: What’s Next and What’s In It For You appeared first on Zift Solutions.

By now, most channel leaders know that you can’t simply populate a portal with sales collateral and marketing templates, then expect partners to use them effectively. With the addition of Elastic Grid, we’re positioned to deliver higher-touch partner support, which is a request I often hear when I meet with customers. Elastic Grid has nearly 20 years of creative agency expertise and personnel who specialize in digital partner-led marketing. There’s no one better to bridge the gap between channel technology and channel partners.

Elastic Grid’s creative services team and digital advertising expertise will greatly enhance our Concierge Services. Now, Zift users will not only experience the most powerful, integrated ChanTech platform, backed by superior global support, they will also benefit from rich creative services to build campaigns that work for partners and drive channel success.

This acquisition also makes Zift a more global channel provider with broader Asia Pacific coverage and new offices across the US as well as in Australia and Romania. We are on the ground, around the world, and our customers and users will benefit from more in-language support and multi-lingual campaigns.
I’m also pleased to report that Elastic Grid’s founder and CEO, Cameron Avery, will join Zift as Senior Vice President of Business Development. He will work closely with Zift’s Channel Center of Excellence to focus on the integration of the two companies, and bring his expertise and best-practices experience to the entire Zift community.

We will share more news as we move forward. For now, I invite you to explore the powerful benefits of this next step in Zift’s continued growth and success by clicking on the link below.
LEARN MORE

The post Zift Acquires Elastic Grid appeared first on Zift Solutions.

As CEO of the new Zift, I’m incredibly inspired and energized by the blended team that we’ve assembled to work for our customers. Bringing Relayware and Zift together is truly a merger of talent, processes, channel expertise and complementary technology.  It is critically important that we have great technology, but the winner in the channel technology market will deliver way more than just great tech. We need to go beyond being a technology vendor, and become a trusted business partner for our clients.  

A Broader Focus

When it comes to Channel as a Service — Service is critical.  Of course, Zift provides all of the features and functionality channel leaders require from their channel sales, marketing and operations software. Integration of our technology platforms is well underway. But Zift is so much more than our software. Here, people, processes and partnership with our customers comes first. Every technology element is wrapped in complete services and support, best practices and proven channel expertise to deliver real channel success.  

At Zift, we’re focused on more than just PRM and CMM. We are focused on creating a single, seamless supplier and partner experience that blends the very best of our CMM and PRM offerings along with all of the extended capabilities of our Channel as a Service.  

Through CHaaS, we not only help channel organizations and their partners generate more revenue, we deliver partner performance management analytics, so that channel leaders can see, track and measure everything happening within their extended channel ecosystem. Moreover, we take a data-centric view of success, which means more visibility, fewer data siloes, and more comprehensive data and insight to accurately map the overall efficacy and return of your channel spend.

Be assured that we’ll keep you posted as we move forward to fulfill our complete vision of end-to-end Enterprise Channel Management. For now, take a look at this quick video to get a sense of what we have in store for you.

The post Moving Past the Merger: People, Processes & Partnership appeared first on Zift Solutions.