Partner nurturing is a growing concern for companies working to get the most out of their PRM program.
As a channel manager, how can you –
- Ensure your partners have access to the resources that they need to sell
- Support your products in the best way
- Get the most out of your channel partner’s time and resources?
The answer is with a strong, partner nurturing strategy that engages your channel partners with the most up-to-date information that is relevant to help them resell your products. Here are three things to consider when evaluating how to improve your partner program–
Identify the education your partners need the most
I’ve spoken about this in other articles, but spending time on the right amount of partner education in the right areas is essential to the success of any PRM program. The reality is, your partners only have so much time during the day to spend learning about your products. Unless you make up a significant stream of their revenue, you are fighting for marketing real estate alongside other products or services they sell. You may even be fighting for traction against your competitors!
This is why identifying the educational materials that are most valuable to your partners is extremely important. Focus your resources on creating content that is both informational and influential and helps your partners to understand your products and close more sales.
Evaluate the “wordiness” of your content
This is overlooked, but one of the most important things you can do is figure out the easiest way to speak to your resellers. Are they more likely to engage with webinar, video, or email content? What makes the most sense for them to gain knowledge in a little amount of time? Have you evaluated the impact of your LMS (learning management system) and the amount of effort you are asking your partners to engage in before they can become better resellers?
Take a look at the resources you are offering through your PRM and take into account their consumption rates. Is there any work you can take off of your channel partners’ plates to make them more successful?
How often do you engage with your partners?
When was the last time you looked at your online strategy when it comes to engagement? Do your partners have a sense of community with your products or a way to easily find more information to help them resell? The answers to these questions should strongly influence your next-steps as you review your partner engagement strategy.
You may find that you need to refocus your efforts on building content or LMS that promotes your channel partner community.
About Mindmatrix:
Mindmatrix offers Channel & Sales Enablement software for direct and indirect sales channels. Mindmatrix is the only provider of a Single Unified Platform that combines PRM software, Direct Sales and Channel Enablement, Channel Marketing Software, Marketing Automation software and Marketing Asset Management. Mindmatrix takes you through every step in the sales process from lead to revenue, enabling your salespeople and channel partners to sell more, faster
