How To Identify An Ideal Channel Program

By John Gentry, vice president of marketing and alliances, Virtual Instruments

As most businesses develop and expand, their lists of partnerships and alliances expand as well. This is not a coincidence. Part of a business’ growth potential comes in its ability to profit from successful channel partner relationships. However, a key component of this strategy is the symbiotic nature of these arrangements. A vendor’s business only benefits if its channel partner does, and the channel partner will benefit the most from the relationship if the vendor puts the time into making it a competitive reseller. So, it’s in everyone’s best interest to prepare the partners to maximize their potential. As a channel partner, how can you spot these programs? It all comes down which vendors offer the proper training.

As a channel partner, whether that be a VAR, managed services provider (MSP), or other IT solutions provider, there are several key considerations to keep in mind when looking for an effective reseller training program. First of all, make sure the training sessions are highly customized. This means the program should take into account specific characteristics, such as your target market and operational challenges. For example, B2B companies traditionally have a longer sales cycle than a B2C business. The training programs should be scheduled and designed to not only coincide with the best time for your employees to attend, but also to reflect the timeline you’ll typically be working with when you’re promoting the product to new customers down the line. Not all partners will fit into the same box, so vendors should create customized programs. Despite the fact that it will require more initial investment, both in time and resources, forward-thinking vendors will realize the greater payoffs in the end.

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