Channel Horizons

  If your business relies on a channel strategy, your partners are essentially an extension of your own sales and marketing teams. But to get the best results, you need to set them up for success.  Every day, channel managers search for the best platforms—like Salesforce PRM, Impartner, or Allbound—to manage partner portals, deal registrations, and training materials. Selecting the right Partner Relationship Management (PRM) tool is one of the most critical decisions you will make to support your partners' activities.  Why? Because a frustrated partner will simply sell a competitor's product instead. Partners must be able to find information easily, operate seamlessly, and feel supported.  Here is a breakdown of what channel partners actually need from a PRM, and how to structure your resources to drive mutual revenue. The Ultimate Goal: Partner Autonomy Before diving into specific features, it’s important to understand the overarching goal of a partner portal: Aut...

  There are many ways to compensate your channel partners, but there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Your compensation strategy depends heavily on what you sell, how you sell it, and the fundamental nature of your product. Imagine this scenario: Your company sells directly and is experiencing rapid growth. However, as sales increase, you face the constant need to hire new internal reps. When requests come in from abroad, administrative obstacles and a lack of local market knowledge hold you back. Expanding your business globally requires local professionals who understand regional nuances. Establishing a channel partner network can save you from administrative headaches and become a powerful engine for global growth. But once you’ve done your research and identified the territories and partner types you need, how do you attract them? The key element of any attractive global partner program is a well-structured channel partner compensation plan . Before launching your program, you...

  In today's interconnected world, expanding your market reach is crucial for sustained business growth. But how do you conquer new territories, navigate local customs, and scale your sales without dramatically scaling your in-house team? Enter Channel Sales – a powerful strategy that can transform your business trajectory. This post will demystify channel sales, explore its mechanics, compare it to direct sales, and provide actionable insights for building a thriving partner ecosystem. What Exactly is Channel Sales? The Power of Indirect Reach At its core, channel sales , also known as indirect sales , is a sales model where a company (the vendor) leverages external entities, known as channel partners , to sell its products or services to the end-user. Instead of directly employing a massive sales force in every region, vendors empower a network of trusted partners to do the selling. These partners can come in many forms: Resellers: Purchase products from the vendor and sell dir...