Create The Best Rebates, Discounts & Incentives
Channel Enablement is more than just product sales training and certifications. It’s the process of getting partners to be aligned with your strategy, understand your processes and programs, and have the skills and resources to sell and service your products… without your help. An effective channel enablement strategy should also incorporate a 30/90/180 plan to onboard partners.
All Channel Programs expect partners to make certain commitments to the vendor, but in return, they receive certain privileges or benefits. Sometimes these benefits are quite straightforward (eg. the partner’s name will appear on the vendors website). But some benefits are so significant or complex, they are often referred to as “programs” themselves (eg. the MDF program, or the Deal Registration program, etc).
For reasons of clarity, we prefer to use the term “Program Elements” to cover the items described above, and use the term “Program Structure” to refer to the overarching Channel Program design. However, some of these elements are so complex, you can spend nearly as much time on them as you do on the Program Structure.
And that’s where we can help. Our experience, expertise, and exposure to various programs from multiple vendors, means that we can help you quickly identify what’s critical vs what’s “nice to have”, and help you design a Channel Program that is both functional and effective.
For example, we can help you answer the key questions in the following Program Elements:
Marketing Development Funds (MDF)
What percentage to set aside? What role does the distributor play? What qualifies? Is it fully funded, or is the partner expected to contribute? How does the partner receive the funds?
Deal Registration
What constitutes a “deal”? Who can participate – all partners or a selection? What is the ideal amount for the price differential?Should the partner be rewarded via a rebate or a discount? What should the amount be? What about a “Finders Fee”?
Volume Rebates
Who qualifies for a rebate? What should the amount be? Is the percentage based on “Sales In” or “Sales Out”? How do special deals (eg. Enterprise, Education, Govt) get treated?
