We have heard some positive news about the economy although the outlook is still a lil muddy. However it is crystal clear that Channel Chiefs are making aggressive moves. Companies have made the decision to grow their business through their channel partners because most industries know the best way to deliver their solutions is through loyal, vested, and well-trained business partners that are local to the end-user. Thanks to social media, LMS (Learning Management Systems), PRM technology (Partner Relationship Management), and enhanced ways to motivate the partner sales team through Channel Incentive Programs, companies are finally realizing that channel strategy & channel programs are the most profitable model.
Top Three Indicators of a Channel Economic Rebound:
1.) Channel Hiring Spree! Although companies aren’t ready to build up their direct sales forces yet, they are investing in channel pros. We continue to hear about companies like MSFT, Red Hat, Oracle, CISCO, EMC, and NetApp, just to name a few, are hiring for Sr. Channel Leadership positions.
2.) The leading global channel companies are bulking up their programs. MSFT says it best in one of their job descriptions: “Microsoft is rapidly developing its incentive programs to support growth across all business segments in SMSG by improving alignment of multi-billion dollar incentive programs with new customer segmentation and sales models.”
3.) Channel Ecosystems are on the rise – Companies aren’t just saying they are committed to the channel but they creating environments that make their channel partners part of their biology. Lincoln Smith of HMI Performance Incentives says, “It used to be that companies incentive programs would reward for only behaviors determined by the manufacturer (sales goals, training modules, STTS, etc.), but now our program are rewarding for collaboration or sharing of ideas and best practices through surveys. These actions are made exciting through incentives and gamification.”.
If you are a Channel Pro it is time to take action and take advantage of these exciting times. Chances are that your company’s C-Level folks are strategizing on how to creatively capture more mind and market share of the channel partners. Don’t wait for the increased budget or positions to come to you, make bold recommendations on where and how to invest and create channel loyalty. If you’re not seeing increased attention or channel priority you might be with the wrong organization. The good news is that proven channel pros are in high demand!
Check your Channel Marketing Program against the Move the Channel Marketing Guide and RIMES Chart and make some exciting adjustments today.
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