There are many names for selling partners within the indirect technology channel. IT Consultant, Trusted Advisor, Strategists. Whatever you go by, I have found common themes amongst the community that could be enhanced to get more collective business. And, I can help! The past 10 years in channel have helped me uncover a handful of best practices technology partners should use to grow.
In no particular order, the following are partners and relationships to leverage and opportunities to capitalize on.
1. Ask more from your TSB
I built a marketing team at TBI dedicated to providing partner sales and marketing support. Aside from marketing the brokerage firm, my marketing funnel and sales pipeline grew when I focused more on my sellers, you! From MDF to teaming initiatives, there isn’t much a TSB wouldn’t do to increase its business with you. The following are a few examples of what you should ask for:
- Webinar assistance
- MDF for CIO or CISCO events
- MDF for meeting companies or qualified leads
- MDF for digital marketing – Google Search and Display or advertising
- Event assistance: investment, invitations, drip email content, on-site help
- Teaming opportunities with certain providers- account mapping and go to market routes with large suppliers’ direct teams
- Access to ZoomInfo – either ask for intent data (a list of companies in buying mode) or to enhance list of prospects with contact data for your sales team
- Attendee lists from tradeshows in various verticals you work
- Custom content and marketing support
2. Do more with the TSB assistance
The marketing and engineering departments spend a lot of time pumping out thought leadership and informational content to help you distinguish who and what to sell. What are you doing with it?
Cool research reports, comparison guides, battle cards, have you asked if you can co-brand it to share it with prospects or existing customers to upsell?
You’ve asked for teaming opps or account mapping with providers, now what? Have you asked if they will drip email on your behalf or if you can utilize their calendly or meeting bookings for prospects to automatically book a meeting (with you included, of course)? What do you want out of the meetings you have at Channel Partners? Make sure you have a game plan and clear action items for sales with your TSBs.
With custom content and marketing support, the ball is in your court. I’ve created new logos for partners, transformed deals into branded case studies, crafted provider agnostic presentations on the future of secure networking, POTS replacement, etc.. How you use the assistance from TSBs is the difference b/w getting meetings and closing business.
3. Lean into majority providers
Similar to how a partner should ask for help from their TSBs, the same should be done with providers sold the most. There is nothing better for a supplier than a loyal partner.
Are you asking for co-branded assistance from the providers you do the most business with? From UC/CC to SD-WAN providers, you should ask for a co-branded program that is tailored to your business. Unsure how to sell security? Select 1 or 2 security companies to go all in with; have them create drip email campaigns, customer sell sheets ex. “what the mid-sized manufacturing company needs for a solid security posture” and have them help you target that audience.
4. Leverage existing clients
Are you asking for referral business? Do you have an incentive program that allows for easy referral business?
What does your word of mouth program look like? Have you asked your existing customers to fill out a google business review?
Could you get quotes from your clients to use in your case studies, presentations or even on the website?
If you don’t ask, you don’t get. Together, let’s create a program where within your contract, it’s built for mutual success, a program where the account managers need to ask for a quote or person willing to be a reference for prospects.
5. Market your business
- Do you have a Google business profile (formerly Google my Business)?
- Has your website been updated with all the services and solutions you offer?
- Is your website easily searchable? Have you optimized it?
- Do you have any referral partners, do you advertise or are listed any place (chamber of commerce website) that bring your company website visitors?
- What tools are you providing your sales reps?
Consultants can’t rely on referrals alone. Let’s create a demand generation program with tactics that generate leads and revenue for the company.
Need help with turning these suggestions into reality? That’s what we do. The Content Coast is a fractional marketing executive and sales enablement company, shaping go to market strategies, budgets and tactical activities to grow sales. We help with tangible marketing for manufacturers, distributors and consultants. Engage the Content Coast for lower cost marketing support that will operationalize the department or as an extra set of hands. One thing you walk away with is content. Content in all forms for multi-touch, multi-channel integrated marketing. From internal communications to sell sheets, discovery docs, RFPs, job descriptions/roles and responsibilities, website copy and more, we craft compelling and persuasive messages that lead to interest and conversion.
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