The MSP Channel: How and Why to Use It
There is little debate that managed service providers (MSPs) have become essential…
The Reseller Channel: How and Why to Use It
With all the talk about MSPs, referral partners, influencer channels, and dozens of…
7 Best Practices for Managing a Partner Program After a Merger or Acquisition
Merger and acquisition (M&A) activity among technology solution providers,…
Evolving With the Ecosystem: Is With-Partner Marketing Up for the Challenge?
We often talk about to-partner marketing, where suppliers create materials and…
The Influencer Channel: How and Why to Use It
Over the past few years, business-to-business (B2B) selling has been changing. In…
10 Things Partners Want Their Channel Leaders to Know
Navigating the intricate landscape of channel partnerships is not just about…
Partner Onboarding 101: Tips for Building Lasting Partnerships
Effective channel partner onboarding is the cornerstone of successful partnerships.…
The 4 Channel Ops Best Practices Every Channel Leader Should Know
Launching or expanding domestic or global partner programs is no small undertaking.…
7 Tips for a Successful Partner Ecosystem Strategy
Partner ecosystems are growing in popularity, with almost a third of total global…
5 Key Metrics for Effective Channel Partner Engagement
When it comes to channel business partnerships, success hinges on more than just…
The Alliance Channel: How and Why to Use It
Channel-driven organizations have traditionally focused on nurturing sales…
The Retention Channel: How and Why to Use It
Customer experience (CX) is king. We've come to accept this oft-repeated mantra as…
Sharing is Caring: The Importance of Data-Driven Collaboration
In our engagements, we often see vendors missing a critical boat: They don’t share…
Let’s Conquer the World: Tips on Going Global with Your Channel
The world is smaller than ever, and opportunities to expand into global markets are…
The Top Complaint from Partners about Vendors is Entirely Avoidable
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: Channel conflict is one of the top…
All Aboard! 10 Best Practices for Channel Partner Onboarding
We all know that channel partners help vendors scale by expanding their reach,…
How Partner Programs Can Ensure Tiering Compliance
Tiered partner programs are a proven channel management strategy for identifying…
A Guide for Partner Training: In-Person Vs. Online
Partner training is a universal requirement for partner programs. However, the…
Evolving Partner Business Models: Empowering Partners in the Subscription Services Era
Change is the steadfast companion of progress. The winds of tech transformation…
What’s Your Channel Operating System?
If your channel organization is like most, it’s come together over time with a…
CRM Vs. PRM Explained
Startup and growing partner programs with expanding partner ecosystems must make…
Zift Solutions Appoints Industry Leader Kris Blackmon as Head of Channel Communities
CARY, N.C. – August 25, 2023 – Zift Solutions, a leading provider of Partner…
The Power of Face-to-Face Partner Connections
Welcome to the digital age, where pixels weave our stories and screens serve as our…
Elevating Partner Engagement: Golden Insights from the Channel Focus Webinar
In this whirlwind of ever-changing markets and customer profiles, how we engage and…
6 Steps to Create a Successful Channel Incentives Program
Channel incentives programs should determine sales based on industry standards.…
Constructing Customer Loyalty: Build a Strong Foundation with Your Dealer Management Solution
In the building materials industry, the best kind of customer is a smart customer.…
6 Best Practices for a Successful Channel Incentives Program
Channel incentive programs should prioritize long-term incentives to stay…
How to (Truly) Drive Channel Partner Engagement Through Social Posts
How do you get channel partners to engage with your social media posts? By posts,…
How to Increase Partner Engagement with ZiftONE
As we all know, partner engagement is one critical aspect of developing a…
What Does a Successful Partnership Development Plan Look Like?
The main goal of any partner program is to recruit an ideal partner and turn them…
Five Tips for Improving Channel Partner Experience
In case you missed it, Zift Solutions and SpurReply recently teamed up to share…
7 Best Practices in Managing Global Partner Programs
Global partner programs need to have local points of contact. Global partner…
What Are the Stages of Partnership Development?
Developing an indirect sales channel is a smart financial move for most businesses,…
6 Channel Enablement Best Practices for Partner Programs to Use in 2023
Partner programs should ask partners what enablement they need. Partner programs…
What is a Channel Account Manager & Why Do Channel Partner Programs Need Them?
Channel account managers aren’t traditional account managers. Channel account…
6 Channel Management Best Practices Necessary for Success
Partner programs need top-down channel commitment on realistic ROI timelines.…
The Unsung Heroes of Partner Ecosystems: Non-Transactional Partners
In a few of our recent articles, “What is a Partnership Ecosystem & Why Do…
6 Channel Partner Program Predictions for 2023
Customer events will increase in favor over vendor-partner events. Vendors and…
How Do You Build a Successful Partnership Ecosystem Framework?
Successful partner ecosystem frameworks require a complete infrastructure.…
Why Should Your Partner Program Use a PRM Platform?
The six-fold power of a PRM platform Partner programs should consider using a PRM…
How Much Does a PRM Cost?
Pricing for most PRM systems is tied in some way to the number of partners in your…
What is a Partnership Ecosystem & Why Do Channel Partner Programs Need Them?
Partner ecosystems foster faster and more effective co-marketing and co-selling.…
Best Practices for Launching Your Partner Portal
You probably already know that a partner portal is a critical place for enabling…
The 5 Partner Engagement Metrics That (Really) Matter
Originally Published: April 12, 2021 The best way for a supplier to…
What is Partner Relationship Management (PRM) Software?
Originally Published: September 21, 2021 When you start to build out…
6 Best Practices for Using a PRM Software Platform in Your Channel Partner Program
PRM software platforms require buy-in from vendor channel sales and…
6 Reasons Your Channel Partner Program Needs a PRM Platform
PRM software platforms represent a vendor’s partner program operations,…
What Can Be Done to Activate Inactive Channel Partners?
Vilfredo Pareto first told us that 80% of our success will come from 20% of our…
Ready to Move Past Recruitment? 5 Partner Onboarding Best Practices to Set Partners Up for Success
What is Partner Onboarding? When you were recruiting your channel partner, the…
Successful To-Partner Communications Are Easier Than You Think
To-, through-, for-partner communications… In the world of channel marketing, there…
Introducing Portal Posts
To-partner communications is key to building partner engagement and to making sure…
8 Key Elements of a Successful Partner Engagement Plan
One question we frequently receive from our customers here at Zift? “How do I…
Become Easy to Love with a Channel Partner Onboarding Template
Every partner who joins your channel program wants to be successful. The easier you…
The Benefits of Connecting With Partners On Social Media
Social media has forever changed the way we communicate, opening new channels and…
6 Best Practices for Through-Partner Communications
Partner communications should build trust between the provider and sales…
9 Best Practices for To-Partner Communications
Channel communications (particularly to-partner communications) are vital…
The Secrets to Boosting Channel Partner Enablement
If you’re wondering what the difference between sales training and sales enablement…
How to Build the Most Productive Channel Partner Relationships
There seem to be two “camps” of IT suppliers with opposing perspectives about how…
7 Reasons Your Channel Partner Program Needs QBRs in 2022
QBRs remain highly relevant in 2022 as essential, multidimensional tools…
Partner Experience with Glenn Robertson, Purechannels
Gwyn Edwards, our Director of Partnerships and Alliances, recently sat down with…
How to Optimize Your QBRs for Stronger Partner-Vendor Collaboration
Done right, quarterly business reviews can result in channel partners and vendors…
Save Your Money, Spend More Time with Channel Partners
Expand your budget process this year to include projections of how much time your…
The Importance of Success Planning in the Channel
It was Ben Franklin who said that “a failure to plan is a plan to fail” – and he…
Success Plans from Zift Solutions Empower Partners and Vendors for Mutual Success
CARY, NC – Nov. 9, 2021 – Zift Solutions, a leading provider of partner…
Perfecting Your Partner Strategy through Effective Co-Selling
Those who have been in the IT channel long enough will remember channel partners…
Different Types of PRMs
The term PRM covers a broad range of channel technologies. Just as in the CRM…
Do the Math: Understanding Your Channel Partner Pipeline
Many see a “pipeline” as a list of opportunities a salesperson is working on.…
The Leading Indicators of Channel ROI from Engaged Partners
Every channel partner represents a set of resources. As with any resource, there is…
How to Create a Channel Partner Engagement Plan in 30/60/90 Days
Channel partner engagement is both essential to – and a…
Increase Program Stickiness with Partner Engagement Best Practices
Keeping partners engaged is vital to building a solid…
How to Improve Your Channel Partner Engagement Strategy
In our latest post, we discussed the five rungs of channel partner engagement.…
Climbing the Ladder: The 5 Rungs of Channel Partner Engagement
The Rungs of Channel Partner Engagement: Improving Channel Partner…
11 Channel Marketing Best Practices to Engage Partners and Earn Mindshare
Ah, channel partners—you gotta love ’em. They bring your company business on a…
How to Create a Repeatable Partner Enablement Framework to Grow Your Partners and Your Channel
In any service or support business, there’s one key question that investors ask…
Earning Partner Mindshare: 9 Channel Enablement Best Practices from Today’s Channel Leaders
I can’t tell you how often channel leaders sign up partners and expect the sales to…
The Rules of Channel Engagement: 5 Tips to Avoid Channel Conflict
“If someone can take a customer away from you, they were never your customer to…
Automated Partner Onboarding: How to Make Time for the Conversations That Matter
Though it has been credited to many, including Mark Twain, most notably Bob Burg,…
How to Create a Channel Partner Onboarding Program to Gain and Retain Loyal Partners
Your channel managers have been hard at work scouring their contact lists, referral…
What Partners Want from Your Channel Partner Onboarding Program
Context is a necessary element to incorporate when building a successful partner…
Ready to Move Past Recruitment? 9 Partner Onboarding Best Practices to Set Partners Up for Success
Once you’ve buttoned down your strategy for recruiting channel partners,…
Reverse the Interview: What Channel Partner Recruits Want to Know Tells You Everything You Need to Know
Partners, like candidates, know all the typical questions they’ll be encountering…
When Recruiting Partners, Seek Business Model Alignment
There has never been a “one-size-fits-all” definition for “channel partner.” Some…
How to Recruit Channel Partners: 10 Strategies from Channel Leaders to Recruit Partners that Produce
Learning how to recruit channel partners is the holy grail of many tech firms…
Pursuing Prospective Partners in a Pandemic
When recruiting channel partners to represent your products and services you’d…
Your Partners Thrive on Reusable Engagement Models
Value of Services in a SaaS Market - Part 1 Your service provider partners may find…
Proving Your Channel’s Value in 2021 – Your Questions Answered
On December 10th, Zift teamed up with the experts at Vistex & AchieveUnite to…
Full Sales Funnel Management: Dancing Backward — And in Heels
I suppose it goes with the turf, but I have been doing a lot of thinking about…
Healthy Pipeline, Healthy You
Right now, in this COVID-19 era, protecting and preserving health is a community…
How to Amp Up Partner Engagement Now
The channel is always changing. But it’s changing faster than ever (along with the…
SHARING MEANS CARING (PARTICULARLY ABOUT GDPR)
Calm Meditation and Sleep App users may be drifting off to dreamland listening to…
The 3 Cs of To-Partner Communications Amid COVID-19
I learned a new word this week: Infodemic. It’s officially defined as, “An…
The 7 Keys to a Successful Channel Partner Program
We spend a lot of time in the trenches with channel programs -- ask any of our…
Up Your Partner Enablement Game with EQ Nurturing
According to Forbes, 70% of global revenue is traveling through third-party…
Get Schooled on a Simpler Approach to Channel Management
School’s back in session. Remember the crisp sounds of opening your new textbook…
What Your Partners’ Portal Behavior Reveals
Move Over James Bond -- We’ve Got Partner Behavior in our Sights I came across this…
How Are High-Performing Partners Getting Ahead?
I sat down on the Heads in the Cloud podcast with hosts David Portnowitz and Graham…
Is Your Partner Portal Coming to Play or Win?
What’s the main difference between any old partner portal and a partner portal…
More than Carnival Prizes: Qualities Your Incentives Program Should Shoot For
If there’s one thing people love, it’s rewards. Whether it’s enticing friends to…
Not So Dazed and Confused: Refining Your Messaging to Partners and Customers
We’ve all received a text and immediately thought to ourselves, “What?” Just that:…
Solving for Success: How to Streamline Partner Onboarding & Speed Time to Sales
It’s the eternal equation: Suppliers + Channel Partners + X = Faster Onboarding…
Lost in Translation: Connecting with International Partners
During a recent trip to Mexico to attend a friend’s wedding, an animated…
Don’t Just Take Our Word for It
It’s one thing to claim you are a market and industry leader. It’s quite another to…
Reaching the Peak of Partner Engagement
Exactly how are you inspiring your channel partners to reach higher and go further…
5 Examples of Click-worthy Trends for Partner Communications
Writing content partners will actually engage with is harder than it sounds,…
Missed Opportunities: The Importance of Partner Onboarding
A better partner onboarding experience will: Create an immediate positive…
Think You Know What Your Partners Want? Think Again
People are people, and we tend to be stubborn when it comes to what we think is…
Superpowered Capabilities in Purpose-Built Portals
Your partners may need a hero. Sure, there’s no burning building or cat stuck in a…
Turn the Page for Partner-Friendly Campaigns
You walk into a bookstore. You aren’t sure what you’re looking for, but you know…
Channel Visions: Three Investments for Happy Partners
The internet loves a good list. I'm as guilty of this as the next person online. A…
Channel Visions: What Partners Need to Succeed
One of the biggest pieces of advice we’ve seen offered to channel programs…
Channel Visions: Partner Engagement & ROI
If there’s one thing marketers are passionate about, it’s data to back up…
Channel Visions: Creating the Perfect Partner Experience
The one thing that can be counted on in the channel is change. Whether it’s…
Channel Visions: Creating a World Class Channel Program
If you’re running a partner program, you know how much work it takes to keep…
Three Tips to Navigate the Changing Channel
If you’ve been in channel marketing for more than a couple of years, you’ve…
Channel Visions: It’s a Matter of Trust
Trust is one of the most important facets of any working business relationship.…
Zeroing in on the Right Suspects: Where to Look for Partner Recruitment Success
You're constantly on the hunt for them. Your program can't exist without…
Pamper Your Partners by Putting Them First
One of the toughest aspects of managing a channel marketing program is…
Rules of Engagement: Getting and Keeping Partners Engaged
There exists a type of partner that companies dream of working with - the…
5 (More) Reasons to Automate your Channel Now
If your organization has built a successful and growing channel program, you…
Who Ya Gonna Call? Ghostbusters, PRM, and You
I love Halloween movies. If Tim Burton directed it, you will find me watching it…
3 is a Magic Number: Driving Higher Channel Performance through Integration
If you grew up in the 70s, like me, you learned, "3 is a Magic Number" watching…
Pillars to Build a Successful Channel Strategy
Bradford Giles, vice president of channel marketing for Cayan is back in a second…
Channel Visions: Becoming a Better Business Partner in the Channel
The point of sales (POS) systems market is growing more competitive. As a…
Channel Breakthrough: Tapping into the Power of Partner Currency
At the recent Channel Breakthrough LIVE event in Boston, I learned a few things…
Adapt or Fail: Evolving with Today’s Channel
As the channel landscape continues to evolve, suppliers and their channel partners…
Watch Your Partnerships & ROI Bloom with PRM
If you haven’t already, it’s time to shed those winter coats and take a peek…
Create a Data-Driven Manufacturing Channel
Recent research from Zift and MAPI shows that nearly 80 percent of manufactures are…
Why Partners Don’t Need Another Water Cooler
Some tech providers and suppliers believe that creating partner communities, where…
Driving Channel Adoption and Sales Pipeline through Partner Marketing
In today’s oversaturated channel environment, suppliers must enable partners…
Why Process Should Precede Technology
Zift’s debut of Channel as a Service was met with excitement and a fair share of…
Content for Every Stage of the Buying Cycle
Zift and MAPI’s new manufacturing-focused video series continues with a fresh…
Wish List 2017: What’s on Top Channel Leader’s To-Do Lists?
Happy new year! It’s time to settle back into our grooves and tackle the to-dos…
Manufacturers and Channel Partners: A State of Disconnect [Infographic]
The channel and manufacturer dynamic is in upheaval. Recent research from Zift and…
Adapting to Channel Change: The Cisco Story
We are pleased to have Chad Reese, Director of Partner Digital Marketing for Cisco…
Capturing Mindshare & Loyalty: Treat Channel Partners like Leads
I recently had the pleasure of serving as speaker and workshop participant at…
Channel Marketing Enablement: Moving the Herd
In Laz’s latest Channel Chatter post, he highlights key points from his new…
Your Email Marketing Journey and the Danger of Being Blacklisted [Infographic]
Cisco recently published the infographic “What’s Your Online Health and…
Sharing Is Caring: 5 Key Ingredients of a Positive & Profitable Partner Experience
While many channel organizations claim that creating and sustaining a rewarding…
Channel Management Transformation on Tap at Channel Visionaries Event
The recent Channel Visionaries’ Channel Chief Series in Santa Clara served up a…
Channel Data: Tracking Partner Program Performance
Today’s B2B channel program managers have access to more advanced resources,…
Channel Visions: Measuring Direct ROI with SiriusDecisions’ Maria Chien
Some channel leaders shine particularly bright. There is an undeniable spark as…
Keep it Simple: The 5 Key Ingredients of a Positive & Profitable Partner Experience
While many channel organizations claim that creating and sustaining a rewarding…
Channel Visions: Adapting to Change with SiriusDecisions’ Maria Chien
Some channel leaders shine particularly bright. There is an undeniable spark as…
What’s the Secret Recipe For a Profitable Partner Experience?
While many channel organizations claim that creating and sustaining a rewarding…
How to Increase Partner Activity by 528% In Just 2 Weeks
As Senior Manager of Channel Engagement for Zift, my focus is on understanding a…
How to Measure Return On Channel Investment (ROCI)
Business-to-business (B2B) organizations have been investing in channel marketing…
The Next Wave of Channel Partner Performance and Management
In my previous post, I talked about the marked differences and even overlap between…
Channel Marketing Success Cornerstone #2: Develop a Partner Engagement Plan
Zift’s latest eBook uncovers The 4 Cornerstones of Channel Marketing Success. In…
3 Simple Steps for Solving the Partner Content Conundrum
When channel partners clamor for content, Content Syndication can seem like…
A Blueprint for Channel Success: Services and Support (Part 4)
Building a successful channel program is a lot like building a house. This blog…
A Blueprint for Channel Success: Distributors (Part 3)
Building a successful channel program is a lot like building a house. This blog…
Partner Pride: PureIntegration Inspires
You might think that after working with thousands of channel partners, the details…
5 Key Elements of a Successful Partner Engagement Plan
As an account manager in the channel marketing space, I work with organizations of…
A Day in the Life of a Channel Partner
Zift welcomes guest blogger, Lisa Vega, Senior Marketing Manager for…
Overcoming the False Promises of Partner Portals [Infographic]
Many of today’s suppliers and channel marketers are heavily invested in partner…
A Clear View of Success
Like most channel partners, Macabe Associates knew that they needed to drive…
Powering Partner Perspectives with Content Syndication
Photo by David Blaikie Of course today’s channel partners know that they need…
How You Can Drive Better Marketing Results by Selecting the Right Tactical Mix
Are you finding it tougher than ever to transform prospects into customers? That’s…
Do You Have a Clear Line of Site Into Partner Lead Activity? (Part 4 of 4)
This blog post is the fourth and final part in our series which aims to help…
Why Lead Nurturing is Essential to Channel Partner Success (Part 3 of 4)
This blog post is the third part in our series which aims to help suppliers…
How to Introduce and Optimize Automated Lead Distribution (Part 2 of 4)
This blog post is the second part in our series which aims to help suppliers…
How Suppliers Can Maximize Channel Success With Managed Services [Infographic]
Successfully executing multi-touch campaigns requires marketing and sales…
Deliver Continued Channel Success through Optimization (Part 4 of 4)
To deliver the greatest value to channel partners and support their continued…
How to Secure Your Channel Partners’ Buy-In (Part 3 of 4)
Even the most powerful multi-tactic marketing campaigns will fail if you don’t have…
Steps For Becoming Your Channel Partners’ Preferred Vendor
To lead, channel marketers must commit to change. Our research shows that the…
4 Reasons to Leverage Your Supplier’s Brand
Today we would like to welcome Mary Abdian as our guest blogger. Mary is the CEO of…
SiriusDecisions Day 1: Change, Collaborate and Relationships
Yesterday the 2013 SiriusDecisions Summit kicked off in San Diego. The event…
Treating Channel Partners Like Partners
i.e. What’s Good For The Goose… Not to get too preachy here, but good partnering is…
How 2013’s Emphasis on Marketing Effects Partner Programs
Data Driven Marketing Comes Of Age If you’ve been following the press about…
Empowerment Is Key To The Channel Partner Relationship
Empowering Partners Works The goal of any channel partner relationship is for both…
39 Ways to Make It Easier for Channel Partners to do Business With You
Last week I was at the Baptie conference (which was great by the way) and I helped…
4 Tips for Active Channel Management
Keeping Your Channel Program Rolling It takes a lot of time and effort to build up…
The 7 Keys to a Successful Channel Partner Program
Channel Partner Programs Working I work with channel programs all the time, so I…
