8 Tips to Unlocking Success with a Partner Advisory Council

We are often asked by vendors about the value of a Partner Advisory Council (PAC). In this dynamic landscape of modern business, where collaboration is often touted as the key to success, we believe a well-run PAC can be a game-changer in shaping the partner relationship. In this article, we will explore the concept of … Continued

Why Partner Management Needs To Change

In the conventional partner-vendor engagement model, partnerships are measured and graded primarily based on revenue generated and certification level attained. This results in a tiered hierarchy, such as Gold, Silver, and Bronze. However, emerging technologies like Cloud and XaaS have shifted the dynamics of the partner-customer-vendor relationship. The largest partners may not always be the … Continued

Subscription Selling Is More Than A Monthly Bill

The move by many businesses across many different industries to engage with their customers on a subscription or recurring revenue basis, rather than perpetual, has had a profound effect on the overall customer sales engagement model, not just the billing model of monthly subscriptions. In this article we look at the differences between the traditional … Continued

6 Tips for Managing Small-Medium Partners

We were asked recently by a client to create a channel management training program specifically focused on how to engage with and manage a territory of partners that were selling to Small Medium Businesses (SMB). Most of these partners were SMBs themselves so we use the term Small Medium Partner (SMP) as they have different … Continued

What A Channel-Centric CEO Looks Like

In our Channel Training courses, we talk about how companies evolve through five stages of partnering maturity: Novice – vendor is unsure of partner value Tolerant – there is ad-hoc engagement with partners Reliant – recognition that there is a need for partners to achieve targets Aligned – the vendor’s systems fully support partnering Centric … Continued

Reassessing Sales Incentives for MRR

We’ve recently worked with a number of companies who needed help redesigning their sales incentive programs to drive sales of Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) through XaaS, Cloud and Managed Services, rather than traditional CapEx IT. While there may not be a single perfect incentive model for all organisations, there are certainly some valuable lessons you … Continued

Implications of the Ansoff Matrix on Channel Strategy

In last month’s article – Not Everybody Wants to Grow – we made a brief reference to the Ansoff Growth Matrix. In this month’s article, we explore this model further, and its implications for your channel strategy. Igor Ansoff was born in Russia in 1918, but is largely considered to be the father of strategic … Continued

Not Everybody Wants to Grow

It may be abhorrent to many vendors, but not all solution providers/MSPs want to grow their business. It may be that they’ve achieved a level of organic growth and profitability they’re happy with, or it may be that the additional investment required may be too great, or it may be a business culture that prefers stability. … Continued

Are Your Business Partners PSYCO?

Usually a Vendor’s primary focus is revenue growth. Channel partners however tend to be primarily focused on measures such as profit and cash flow. These differences are important considerations for vendors and partners alike when considering a partnership strategy. While all businesses are looking to ensure they are profitable, this simple “rule of thumb” business … Continued

5 Ways Tech Companies Are Responding to Coronavirus

The coronavirus pandemic has disrupted people’s lives all over the globe. With no playbook for how best to navigate these difficult times, some tech leaders are taking surprising measures that would have been unheard of just three months ago. In this article aimed at investors, Brian Withers of The Motley Fool dives into five ways … Continued