Managing channel partnership relationships has never been as important as it is today. Given how competitive the economy has become and how everyone is trying to cut costs, making the most out of your channel partnerships has never been more essential.
A few years ago, companies could get by with having a large number of mediocre channel partner relationships. Now, most companies want to have a limited number of finely tuned and highly effective channel partners instead.
But, how can you create a great channel partner relationship? There are two ways – through communication, and through automation.
When it comes to communication, you have to make sure that you have at least one person on your staff that is responsible for person-to-person communication with your channel partners. Those who can figure out exactly what partners need to make the most of the relationship, and then provide them with the tools, are the ones who will realize measurable value.
Being able to really listen to the needs of your channel partners is a great way to make sure everyone profits from the relationship.
Automation is also important. Companies are getting by with fewer and fewer employees these days, so any part of the process that can be automated should be. This is particularly easy if you are offering your channel partners solutions such as syndicated content for their site, email marketing campaigns or helping them with social media syndication.
For example, in the area of syndication, you can set it up so that your partner doesn’t really have to do much of anything – the new content will automatically publish on their website and on their social media feeds. With the right solution, your partner simply has to stick in a line of code on their website and the rest is taken care of automatically.
Of course, it’s your channel marketing expert who is having person-to-person contact with your partner and has to make them aware of the benefits of channel marketing automation. Once they realize it delivers real marketing value without increasing their workload, they’ll be happy to get on board – and your channel partnership will be more profitable for both of you.
