Channel Management Blog

Our blog features channel management tips, best practices and expert insights to help you get the most out of your PRM and create a successful partner program.

May 10, 2012
The Channel as Search Engine Optimizer

Five Steps for Dominating SEO Using Your Channel Lets face it: The reason you build a reseller channel is to accelerate your company’s sales ten times faster than you could by building a direct sales force. Historically, Partner Relationship Management has focused on providing static marketing materials, funds for marketing campaigns, and distribution of leads […]

Channel Marketing Strategy, Channel Success, Indirect Sales Channel
May 3, 2012
More MPG: Three Things You Can Do to Make Your Channel Program More Efficient

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know that launching an indirect channel sales program is a significant undertaking requiring a major investment of time and budget. How do you make sure you’re maximizing your chances this investment pays off? One key to success is always fine-tuning your channel program to make […]

Channel Success, Our PRM Product, PRM (Partner Relationship Management)
Apr 27, 2012
The Truth about the Magic Hockey Stick

It looks so nice on the channel partner revenue graph — a line inclines gradually for a year or so, and then makes a sharp upward turn, the shape of a hockey stick. Everyone thinks their indirect sales program is different, that wild success is inevitable—just get some partners and launch. But the fact is, […]

Channel Marketing Strategy, Channel Success, Indirect Sales Channel, Our PRM Product
Apr 19, 2012
How Do Your Partners Rate?

Let’s say you’re a VP of Sales and Marketing, and your CEO has asked you to come up with a list of your company’s top go-to-market partners within your indirect sales channel. How would you go about it? You can do it old-school: pick up the phone, set up an Excel spreadsheet to keep track […]

Our PRM Product, PRM (Partner Relationship Management)
Apr 10, 2012
Joint Business Planning: A Myth or Necessity?

I bet you’re hoping I’m going to say “myth.” No one likes planning, right? But we might as well face facts: joint planning with partners is a critical best practice, and vendors that make the effort are much better positioned to have a successful channel. Joint planning keeps your partnerships from going dormant. Vendors usually […]

Channel Management, Channel Success, Our PRM Product, PRM (Partner Relationship Management)
Apr 3, 2012
FAQs About Partner Relationship Management (PRM)

Launching an indirect channel sales program is exciting, but I can tell by the questions I get from customers that this is an area that’s regularly underestimated in terms of planning and resources required. Here are some of the most common questions we hear as people embark on their partner relationship management journey and answers […]

Channel Success, Our PRM Product, PRM (Partner Relationship Management)
Mar 28, 2012
How to Minimize Indirect Sales Channel Conflict

Notice the title isn’t “How to Prevent Indirect Sales Channel Conflict.”  That’s because, unfortunately, conflict within a partner program is pretty much unavoidable. But accepting that on the front end makes it a lot easier to mitigate the negative effects. So the question then becomes, “How will you manage and minimize conflict within your channel […]

Channel Management, Channel Success, Indirect Sales Channel, PRM (Partner Relationship Management)
Mar 19, 2012
Three Keys to Partner Engagement

I was recently asked by a new customer if we had any documentation or training materials for partners that would get them more engaged and keep their new Partner Portal top of mind. I thought about it, and responded, “No,” not because Channeltivity doesn’t have documentation and training materials—we do. I answered “no” because I […]

Channel Success, Partner Recruiting, PRM (Partner Relationship Management)
Mar 13, 2012
The Beauty of the “Ready, Aim, Fire” Approach to Building Your Channel

This bounces off the post we wrote last week, where we explained the three things to consider before shopping for a channel solution. Not getting ready before moving to the “aim” and “fire” phases may be the most common reason for the failure of an indirect channel marketing strategy. You can invest the time now […]

Channel Management, Channel Marketing Strategy, Channel Success, Indirect Sales Channel
Mar 6, 2012
Three Things to Consider Before Shopping for a Channel Management Solution

Partner relationship management software can’t build your indirect sales channel by itself. It is, however, a very powerful tool to include in your detailed and thorough plan. So before you go looking for a channel solution, make sure you’re investing your resources wisely. Here are three key questions to ask yourself before you begin shopping: […]

Channel Management, Channel Success, PRM (Partner Relationship Management)