An article by Ben Wong
Let's connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminwongvt/
I was having a chat with some senior executives last week when one of them made some statements about the channel ecosystem he created to boost indirect sales capabilities. Upon further prodding, I realised that what he has in his organisation is a list of partners reselling his product.
Does this sound like what you have within your channel organisation? Building a channel ecosystem goes beyond nurturing a list of partners that are reselling, implementing and supporting your products and services.
Many companies today ‘whine’ about opportunistic or parasitic partners who are looking towards them for projects. In my years of working with and in the channel, it has dawned upon me that many times, partners too are afraid to embark on a project because they do not know enough about how companies in certain industries operate and function. Oftentimes, implementation becomes an issue whether it is about security, application development or operating in the cloud and so on.
As a channel leader, imagine that you have assembled virtual teams of partners specific to scenarios and industries of focus that are common to your business. A team consisting of subject matter experts, business and technical consultants, application developers, content creators, data scientists, IOT designers, security advisors and the like.
Imagine also that these same partners begin 'feeding off' each other, going into projects together over time, building on the strengths they bring to the table. Eventually, actively seeking projects they can win together thus, creating a self sustaining environment that utilises your products and services. While sounding naive, this is something, whether in full or in part, every channel leader should be looking towards as a path to sustainable omni-channel business growth.
Being able to sell a solution specific to industry and customer need goes much further than selling just as solution!
To do this requires stamina, however, once established, the pockets of environments you create to build an ecosystem will flourish on their own, with your continued input and guidance. Just like the picture above.
Do you really have a channel ecosystem? If not, start building one.
Let's connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminwongvt/
I was having a chat with some senior executives last week when one of them made some statements about the channel ecosystem he created to boost indirect sales capabilities. Upon further prodding, I realised that what he has in his organisation is a list of partners reselling his product.Ecosystem - A system, or a group of interconnected elements, formed by the interaction of a community with their environment.
Does this sound like what you have within your channel organisation? Building a channel ecosystem goes beyond nurturing a list of partners that are reselling, implementing and supporting your products and services.
Many companies today ‘whine’ about opportunistic or parasitic partners who are looking towards them for projects. In my years of working with and in the channel, it has dawned upon me that many times, partners too are afraid to embark on a project because they do not know enough about how companies in certain industries operate and function. Oftentimes, implementation becomes an issue whether it is about security, application development or operating in the cloud and so on.
As a channel leader, imagine that you have assembled virtual teams of partners specific to scenarios and industries of focus that are common to your business. A team consisting of subject matter experts, business and technical consultants, application developers, content creators, data scientists, IOT designers, security advisors and the like.
Imagine also that these same partners begin 'feeding off' each other, going into projects together over time, building on the strengths they bring to the table. Eventually, actively seeking projects they can win together thus, creating a self sustaining environment that utilises your products and services. While sounding naive, this is something, whether in full or in part, every channel leader should be looking towards as a path to sustainable omni-channel business growth.
Being able to sell a solution specific to industry and customer need goes much further than selling just as solution!
To do this requires stamina, however, once established, the pockets of environments you create to build an ecosystem will flourish on their own, with your continued input and guidance. Just like the picture above.
Do you really have a channel ecosystem? If not, start building one.
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