PSP Channel Insights
Strategies & partnerships central to doing business with the public sector

Eighteenth in a Series of Newsletters
Addressing Building Effective Partnerships

Developing Strategic Partnerships with the
 System Integrator Community


As I mentioned in my last e-letter, in speaking with the SI community about a strategic partnerships, you will hear either “we have to be independent in recommending and/or implementing technologies within our solutions” or “we look for strategic technology partners.”

Whether they will admit it or not, most SIs do have strategic technology partners. In any case, you must have strategic SI partners if you want to be successful in selling into large enterprise environments.

What does it take to be a strategic partner with a system integrator?  It means that you will commit time, money, resources, people, opportunity intelligence and pipeline.

That doesn’t sound to difficult does it? Well then, how would you answer these questions?

  • Would you support in the development a pilot (providing product and people) at no charge?

  • Would you commit your “A” team to just one SI partner for a particular opportunity even though you might be talking to other SIs on the same opportunity?

  • Would you provide product and engineering support to an SI’s lab (Center of Excellence) at no charge?

  • Would you disclose your pipeline?

  • Would you disclose areas/agencies where you have strong influence and/or large installed base?

  • Would you bring an SI into your best agency?

  • Would you bring an SI into an agency to where you are getting good traction in developing an opportunity?

  • Would you bring a major opportunity to an SI, even though you know it is probably a done deal and you could easily push it through a reseller?

Becoming a true strategic will challenge the way you normally do business.

Now I’m not saying that by doing these things, you will quickly develop SI strategy partners. But as you work this community and as you start to build SI relationships, you will eventually have to address some of these areas of commitment and investment.

You will need to investment time, money and resources and truly commitment to a SI partner.

Happy Partnering!

- Scott

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

 
About PS Partnerships

President and CEO Scott W. Lewis has more than 15 years of experience in public sector information technology. As Group Publisher of Government Computer News and Washington Technology, Vice President of INPUT, Vice President of Partner Development of Micro Warehouse Gov/Ed and Vice President of ENC Marketing & Communications, Lewis has worked with numerous information technology firms in the development and execution of their channel/partnering business and marketing strategies into the Public Sector (Federal, State & Local)

Over the years, Lewis found that many companies either did not understand how or had difficultly in establishing the partnerships and teaming relationships that are absolutely critical for success in the government market. So he established PS Partnerships in July 2005 to focus directly on helping companies build strategies and partnerships for doing business in the public sector.

For more information about the services PS Partnerships provides, please contact us:
PS Partnerships LLC
607 Knollwood Drive
Falls Church, VA  22046
Scott Lewis, President and CEO
PHONE: 571.218.0288
slewis@pspartnerships.com
www.pspartnerships.com