What is a channel sales partner and what do they do?
Working with a channel sales partner is a unique relationship. Not only is it no longer all about you, your product or service, and your company, they may also work with many other vendors-some of which may be in direct competition with you-and as a result, field a variety of different requests and priorities.
What is partner management software from Salesforce?
Now you can build and empower your partner network with partner management software from Salesforce. This powerful channel management software will give you a direct view into the performance of your channel partners so you can collaborate effectively and drive more deals.
How can you sell more effectively with channel partners?
The following are a few ways to stand out from the crowd, build your relationship, and sell more effectively with channel partners. Take the time. A great sales rep will understand the importance of co-selling with partners, whether it’s a distributor or a partner sales rep.
What makes an effective channel sales program?
An effective channel sales program helps vendors, partners, and customers. By thinking through each step of the process — from recruiting to onboarding, all the way to managing and motivating partners — vendors can reap the long-term benefits of indirect selling. Forrester names Salesforce a Leader in Partner Relationship Management.
How do I add a channel partner?
Step 1: Design Your Partner Channel Strategy Plan. ... Step 2: Construct a Partner Roadmap. ... Step 3: Identify Your Ideal Partner. ... Step 4: Create Sales & Marketing Collateral. ... Step 5: Train & Prepare your New Partners. ... Step 6: Provide Support for Your Partners. ... Step 7: Ensure You and Your Channel Partners Are Happy.More items...•
How do I add a partner account in Salesforce?
Create Partner AccountsCreate a business account.Click Manage External Account, and then click Enable as Partner. ... In the confirmation dialog, select Yes, I want to enable this account as a Partner Account.Click Confirm.
What is channel partner in Salesforce?
Salesforce channel partners work with Salesforce to resell its products and services, often with customizations specific to each individual buyer. In addition to the value-added reselling of these tools, many Salesforce channel partners also offer implementation services.
How do I choose a channel partner?
10 Tips for Successful Channel Partner SelectionKnowledge of You. Ask them how they know you, where they've seen you before and see if they understand what it is you actually offer.Other Resellers. ... Partnership Mentality. ... Technical. ... Skills and Experience? ... Fit and Purpose. ... Market Focus. ... Target Market.More items...•
How do I activate my partner account?
Enable Partner Accounts and Create Partner UsersFrom the App Launcher, select Accounts.Select the All Accounts list view.Click Edge Communications.Click the dropdown menu to see all the quick actions available for the page.Click Enable as Partner.In the confirmation dialog, select Enable As Partner.
What is a partner account in Salesforce?
Partner accounts are Salesforce accounts that a channel manager uses to manage partner organizations, partner users, and activities when using a partner community or partner portal. A channel manager who owns a partner account can access all the data associated with the partner account and the associated partner users.
How many partners do Salesforce have?
There are over 150,000 registered Salesforce partners in the ecosystem and that number is getting bigger every day.
How do you build a channel sales team?
How to Create a Sales Channel ProgramCraft relevant, useful content to attract partners. ... Focus on the partner's needs. ... Choose a structure for the channel sales partnership. ... Motivate your channel sales partners to sell. ... Communicate often with your partners. ... Offer extra rewards. ... Use a sales channel partnership platform.
How do channel partners make money?
Think of a channel partner as an extension of your sales team. They resell, manage, and/or deliver your product, helping you (the company or vendor) go to market faster. They make money through referral fees and/or by selling complementary services like consulting, training, and customer support.
Why do you need channel partners?
In a nutshell, channel partners can provide a shortcut to profitability when tapping into new markets. They benefit your overall brand awareness amongst fresh audiences, secondarily assisting your direct sales as well.
What are the different channel partners?
3 Main Types of Channel Partners:Independent Dealers. These are the dealers and retailers that sell your product. ... Distributors. Many companies use distributors to warehouse, transport, and sell their products through dealers, product installers, or to the end customer. ... Independent Sales Representatives.
How do you recruit channel members?
Ten tips for greater success recruiting partners emerged from these interviews.Make It About the Channel Partner, Not Your Company and Its Products.Develop “Ideal Channel Partner” Profiles in Advance.Don't Overlook the Soft Parts of Partner Profiling.Find New Partners by “Fishing Where the Fish Are”More items...•
What is channel partner?
A channel partner distributes goods and services. There are three major types of channel partnership options to distribute your product. 1. You sell through your partner. Product companies sell their product through a third party storefront. Retailers are partners to products they think will sell with their customers.
What is partner selling?
Here, partners sell your products as an upsell or missing value proposition. Any company that offers your service as a way to expand their offering fits into this category. For example, a car reseller might work with a bank to upsell a car loan, or a software vendor might complement its offering with another partner.
What is B partner?
B partners are more accessible than A partners. These partners may have a small, regional customer base but could be fast to work with, and willing to take on new products. If your partner is selling your product, develop a relationship with their sales team. By doing this, they are more likely to suggest your product.
What is channel sales partner?
Working with a channel sales partner is a unique relationship. Not only is it no longer all about you, your product or service, and your company, they may also work with many other vendors—some of which may be in direct competition with you—and as a result, field a variety of different requests and priorities.
Why is it important to work closely with partners?
For example, a partner may come to you and say they doing a trade show or a special event, and they’d like you to be represented.
Can a channel partner co-invest?
You can also encourage co-investing between your organization and the channel partner. Remember, a channel partner would always like to have more salespeople, but they cost money. So your company could actually co-sponsor or co-invest with dedicated sales reps.
Get your partners up to speed faster
Save time and money by automating your onboarding process. Eliminate repetitive administrative tasks throughout the onboarding process. Grow your partner community with a simplified recruiting process that makes training fun.
Save time recruiting partners
Promote your channel programs using branded recruitment sites with web-to-lead forms that capture prospective partners. Streamline recruitment by automating approvals and partner account provisioning.
Simplify partner onboarding
Guide partners through onboarding by creating role-specific tasks and timelines for each partner program and level. Track progress and recommend next steps with a Lightning Component.
Create successful partnerships
Optimize partner performance by customizing channel programs, co-creating account plans, and tracking KPIs with partner scorecards.
Make training fun
Make certification easy using a learning management system (LMS) to create, assign, and track learning activities. Then ensure every user stays current with your products by tracking training progress.
Amplify the impact of your marketing
Easily build demand by marketing to and through your channel. Turn partners into world class marketers by extending pre-built journeys, delivering marketing funds, and creating co-branded collateral.
Drive more partner engagement
Win mindshare by creating personalized, cross-channel experiences for every step of the partner lifecycle. Trigger pre-determined actions based on real-time events like logins, training progress, or lead acceptance.
What is channel sales?
Channel sales — or selling through partners — represents 75% of the world’s commerce, according to Forrester. This approach helps companies accelerate sales and grow revenue without adding to their headcount, a move that’s increasingly important during economic uncertainty.
How to develop a channel strategy?
Develop a channel sales strategy. Your channel strategy should align to your company’s overall sales strategy. Start by defining your program’s purpose. This could be a mission statement that outlines what the program offers to partners and what you will do for them and with them.
What is a channel account manager?
Channel account manager (CAM) or partner account manager (PAM) CAMs are on the front lines and own the relationships with partners, from onboarding to providing sales resources and support. CAMs are responsible for working with partners to build pipeline, so the ability to coach and motivate is critical.
How to keep salespeople engaged?
Salespeople tend to be driven and competitive, so creating performance levels for partners to attain can keep them engaged with your brand and excited to level up. Be transparent about the benefits of each level, such as better margins or other incentives. Use charts and dashboards so partners can monitor their progress and tap into their competitive spirit.
What is indirect selling?
Indirect selling happens across an array of industries, and often goes by different names. Affiliates. Affiliates are websites that get paid a commission to send customers to a merchant’s website. A makeup brand might use beauty bloggers or social influencers as affiliates to promote its lip gloss and bronzers online.
Why do partners need just in time information?
In addition to onboarding materials, partners need just-in-time information to help them address specific customer issues. Partners may need access to product specs, marketing assets, pitch decks, or more. Making these resources available on demand empowers partners to be more productive and reduces the back-and-forth with internal channel managers.
How to keep partners accountable?
Keep partners — and yourself — accountable by aligning on yearly business plans. Set goals for each quarter and check back in with each other at a regular cadence to ensure both sides are delivering on their promises and collaborating effectively.
What is referrals in recruitment?
Referrals account for the majority of new partners, but there are numerous other effective recruitment practices. And don’t forget that it’s important for partners to understand the value of working with you, so be sure to always articulate the benefit to them.
How to develop content strategy?
Develop Your Content Strategy 1 Personalize the partner experience with relevant content and recommendations. 2 Set up content libraries to organize your content. 3 Provide knowledge articles, tools, and help at the appropriate time and related to where your partner is in their onboarding, sales, or service process.
