Drive Revenue Through the Channel Once you’ve set up your channel, it’s time to develop marketing programs to help drive revenue through it. Why? Even though you aren’t selling directly to end-‐users, you still need to think about their needs and how to position and market your product’s benefits. After all, if they don’t recognize the benefits of your product, they won’t buy from your channel partners. Though your channel partners have relationships in place and are selling your product, they’re also selling other products. Instead of just marketing your product, they’re marketing their own services or company. Your mission is to help them generate interest and close deals for your specific product, and that takes solid marketing and relationships to work properly. Service your channel partners as you’d service your best customers and work with them to drive revenue. For example, provide them with marketing funds or materials to promote your products; run campaigns to generate leads and forward them to your partners.
Summary EXERCISE SUMMARY
When to Address Who Should Participate Where to Use the Results Why it’s Important
After you’ve designed your channel and set up your channel pricing strategy Marketing and sales leaders Channel managers Throughout your channel management activities
Good channel support is critical for hitting your projected revenue targets.
What Builds Upon it All of channel results Timeframe to
This exercise requires a mixture of brainstorming and process creation. It could take anywhere from a few hours to a few weeks, depending on your situation.
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Completion Potential Business Impact Deliverable
Next Steps
Medium. Channel support is required for a channel to operate effectively. You’ll outline the support you’ll deliver to your channel and outline some high-‐level marketing campaigns. It’s all about execution. Use Exercise 44 – Improve Channel Performance if your results are falling short of your projections.
Target Completion Date
PARTICIPANTS TASKS
PERSON RESPONSIBLE
DUE DATE
Notes
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Drive Revenue Through the Channel
What to Complete
1. DETERMINE CHANNEL SUPPORT 2. DESIGN CHANNEL MARKETING CAMPAIGNS
Where it Fits in Distribution Channels Determine if a New Distribution Channel is Right for You Establish Distribution Goals Select Channel Type Project Channel Revenue Design Channel Create Channel Partner Sales Plan Create Channel Partner Management Plan Create Channel Pricing Strategy Determine Channel Markups Set Channel Pricing Determine Channel Support Design Channel Marketing Campaigns Create Channel Management Plan Measure Channel ROI Resolve Channel Conflicts
1. DETERMINE CHANNEL SUPPORT
As you’re thinking about the support to provide to your channel, don’t just think about the company that you’re selling directly to; think about the companies at every step and most importantly, the end-‐user. List your channels below: Channel #1
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Product Customer segment you’re trying to reach Purpose of the channel STEP 1 You sell to STEP 2
Who sells to
STEP 3
Who sells to
Channel#2 Product Customer segment you’re trying to reach Purpose of the channel STEP 1 You sell to STEP 2
Who sells to
STEP 3
Who sells to
Channel#3 Product Customer segment you’re trying to reach Purpose of the channel STEP 1 You sell to STEP 2
Who sells to
STEP 3
Who sells to
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1.2. TRAINING There are two types of training you might need to develop: Sales training to help the partner sell your product End-‐user training to help the customer use your product SALES TRAINING Look at all of your channel partners – not just the Step 1 partners, but everyone in the channel. What kind of training could you develop to help them convey your messaging, understand the users’ needs, and successfully position and sell your product? You have a variety of options for delivering training. Think creatively -‐-‐ don’t limit yourself to written guidebooks or materials, which are usually not very interesting or effective. Instead, think about better ways to capture their attention and get your message across.
TRAINING IDEAS (check those that may be appropriate) Develop a monthly webinar with follow-‐ up emails
Create a section on your website with interactive Q&A Create video presentations so they can watch and hear versus read
Host live events at trade shows
Create a compelling marketing campaign that tickles them with new information at each delivery Use a blog and RSS feed to send out information to your entire channel
NOTES
Reference guidebook (make it short and highly usable!)
For each channel and channel partner, use this grid to think of training ideas. Then document your next steps.
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Channel
Channel partner
Describe this typical partner
What are your challenges in delivering training to the typical partner? How can you overcome those challenges?
Potential training subjects -‐-‐ help your channel to: Convey your value proposition and brand strategy Understand and use your written and verbal messages Understand the specific wants and needs of the end-‐user and how your product can solve their problems Successfully position your product against your competitors Use your sales literature and tools to close deals Create feedback processes to ensure that your programs and materials are working
Ideas for training materials. Think creatively – your channel partners are busy and probably won’t read lengthy materials. How can you deliver training that’s effective, interesting and ongoing?
Notes/explanations:
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Next steps STEP
PERSON RESPONSIBLE
DUE DATE
Make sure any materials or events you create are compelling, interesting, and as short as possible. Your partners should be selling, not poring over your materials. Be succinct!
END-‐USER TRAINING Your channel partners may also be responsible for training your end-‐users. If you already have training materials for those customers, great – if not, you’ll need to create them. You’ll also need to help your channel partners deliver that training. Once again, think creatively -‐-‐ don’t limit yourself to written guidebooks or materials, which are usually not very interesting or effective. Instead, think about better ways to capture their attention and get your message across. TRAINING IDEAS (check those that may be NOTES appropriate) Develop a webinar for end-‐users
Create a customer section on your website with training materials, Q&A, and archived webinars
Create video presentations so they can watch and hear versus read Host live events at trade shows to meet with current customers, share trends, and answer questions Use a website blog and RSS feed to send out learnings to your entire channel
Reference guidebook (make it short and highly usable!)
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TRAINING IDEAS (check those that may be appropriate)
NOTES
Now for each customer group, identify what training you need to develop and how you can help the channel partner to deliver it. Customer segment (end-‐user) What kind of training does this customer need?
Channel
Channel partner Potential training subjects: List them below
Ideas for training materials. Think creatively -‐-‐ how can you create training that’s effective, interesting and saves time for your end-‐users and channel partners?
Notes/explanations: Next steps STEP
PERSON RESPONSIBLE
DUE DATE
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STEP
PERSON RESPONSIBLE
DUE DATE
CREATE SALES LITERATURE & TOOLS In addition to training your channel partners, you’ll need to create literature & tools to help them in the sales process. Make sure you have created a sales process that your channel partners can use to sell to potential customers. [Sales Process can help] It’s an important exercise – it helps you break down the sales cycle into distinct steps. When you break it down, it’s easier to develop tools and literature that will be effective because each piece will have a distinct sales purpose. [Sales Literature & Tools can help] For example, you’ll address: What are the steps the prospect must undergo before buying the product? At each step, what does the prospect need to know, feel and receive to get to the next step? How long does the prospect typically spend on that step? You should also ask for detailed and honest feedback from your channel partners – is the literature working? What else can you provide? If you already have literature and tools in place, how good are they? Do they convey your brand and message succinctly and credibly? Could they be better? If the piece doesn’t move the prospect at least one step closer to purchase, then it’s either unnecessary or ineffective. To answer these questions, ask your team for feedback. Piece Goal of the piece How effective is the piece in reaching the goal? Identify the key message of the piece
Does it meet your branding requirements?
Yes
Needs work:
Is it simple to use?
Yes
Needs work:
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Is it credible?
Yes
Needs work:
Yes
Needs work:
Are your reps trained to use it properly? Ideas for improvement Next steps
(Repeat the exercise for each piece you’re evaluating.)
2. DESIGN CHANNEL MARKETING CAMPAIGNS
Marketing campaigns should be an important part of your channel marketing strategy. You may want to research your competitors and/or get feedback from your partners about what other companies have done, what has worked well, and the recommendations they have. Ask for their ideas and use them; you’ll build a much stronger program and partnership in the process.
List the partners or companies you can use in your research: CATEGORY COMPANIES TO TALK WITH OR RESEARCH Channel partners (or potential partners) Competitors Companies in similar industries Potential questions: Company surveyed
STATUS Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete Complete
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Contact name Date QUESTIONS (MODIFY TO FIT YOUR NEEDS) What’s the best marketing support campaign you’ve used in the past and why did it work so well?
What other types of programs work for you?
RESPONSE
What doesn’t work and why?
What can we do to make your job easier and help sell more product?
With this feedback, you can start honing in on the types of programs you’ll offer. Type of campaign or marketing support Ideas of campaigns to drive revenue for your channel (check those that you’ll explore) partners. [Exercise 531 – Develop Campaign Strategies can help.] Lead generation campaigns Lead qualification processes Lead nurturing Special events Rebate programs Notes
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After you’ve outlined your campaigns to deliver, continue with the exercises in the Marketing Campaigns subject to plan your metrics and execution. Action plan CAMPAIGN TO DESIGN
PERSON RESPONSIBLE
DUE DATE
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Drive Revenue Through the Channel
Report
1. CHANNEL SUPPORT PLAN 2. CHANNEL MARKETING CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW This report summarizes our results from completing Exercise 43 – Distribution Channels: Drive Revenue Through the Channel.
1. CHANNEL SUPPORT PLAN
Below is the outline of support we need to create for our channel: Channel Name SALES TRAINING TO DELIVER
TARGET
NOTES
END-‐USER TRAINING TO DELIVER
TARGET
NOTES
SALES TOOLS AND LITERATURE TO DELIVER
TARGET
NOTES
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SALES TOOLS AND LITERATURE TO DELIVER
TARGET
NOTES
2. CHANNEL MARKETING CAMPAIGN OVERVIEW We’re going to create the following campaigns to drive revenue through our channel: Channel Name CAMPAIGN TO DESIGN
TARGET
NOTES
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