Upcoming Channel Partner Networking Events

Previous PSP Channel Insights Newsletters

Below are previous issues of PSP Channel Insights Newsletters that may be helpful reference tools as you plan for 2007:

5 Keys to Partnering Success

Build a Winning Value Proposition to the Solution Provider Community

What's Driving the SI Solutions Providers?

Building a Sales Model That Supports Selling Into Large-Scale SI/Solution Opportunities

Is Marketing to the SI Community Part of Your Marketing Strategy?

Networking With the Government Systems Integrator Community

Developing State & Local Solution Partners

Developing Your Government Channel/Partner Business Plan

It’s that wonderful time of year again! Yes, it’s time to start building your 2007 business plan.

I hope in developing your new year's plan you are also taking a hard look at your channel and SI partnership efforts.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself (and others) as you work through your partnership strategy for next year:

VAR Partners:

• Do you have the right partners?
• Do you have too many or maybe too few?
• Are your partners aggressively selling your products/services or are you doing all of the selling and just running it through them?
• Do you have effective motivating support programs that drive your VAR partners to sell your products/services?
• How well are you managing your VAR partners?

Solution Providers (SIs):

• Have you determined and developed your value proposition to the SI community?
• Are your SI engagements strictly opportunity specific?
• Does the general SI community really know who you are and your value?
• Do you know which of the SIs are best for you to target for partner development?
• Do you know the key stakeholders (that relate to your business areas) within these SIs?
• Do you have a database of SI contacts to support marketing and business development efforts? (If so, how good is it?)
• Besides sales against quota, have you developed other ways to measure success in developing SI partners?

Remember, you need to consider a balanced sales and marketing approach. You need to build a balanced strategy that touches Government AND the channel/SI communities. One is no more important than the other.

Marketing spending and activities need to mirror your sales efforts:

• If you expect 1/3 of your revenue to come from partnering with the SI community, then at least 1/3 of your marketing budget needs to address the SIs.
• If you expect 1/3 of your sales to be identified and closed by your VAR partners, then 1/3 of your marketing budget needs to address programs that motivate and support your VAR partners

Scott Lewis
President
slewis@pspartnerships.com
PS Partnerships
www.pspartnerships.com