Tag: Channel Dynamics

As channel consultants we are often asked to research and review the performance of a channel program, or group of partners, to help a vendor get greater insight into what is happening. What we often find is that the vendor’s perception of what is going on in the channel (versus the partner’s perception) are poles … Continued

I know it sounds absurd in today’s environment, but I used to work for a distributor selling a word processor, and we used to make 30% margin (before you start thinking I was being greedy, I’ll say that our resellers also made that kind of margin). The year was 1988 and the product was WordPerfect. … Continued

Author: Kit Craig It’s no news that we live in an economic environment that is tough for business. Cash is tight and the economy uncertain; no matter how many ‘green shoots’ we hear about, we’re not out of the bleak times yet. In July the Shanghai Exchange recorded its biggest drop in 8 months, and … Continued

In a previous article about Partner Recruitment, we talked about partner profitability, and the need to provide a compelling value proposition for partners to want to sell your product. In today’s economic climate this has never been more valid. Partners are driven by profit. Not revenue, not discount percentage, not market share; … Profit. And … Continued

Author: Dean Vaughan Choosing the right distributor can add tremendous strategic value to your organisation, yet so many integrators often fail to recognise this. The choice, when left to sales, is often based on relationships, and when left to buying, is based on price. Yet far more value is attained from your distribution relationship with … Continued

Author: Colleen Francis Despite your best attempts to sell value and remain firm on your price, some clients will press ahead with their request for a discount. After a solid attempt from you to reassure them that your price is fair, if your prospect is still pushing for a discount, you have a choice. Walk … Continued

As the press fluctuates between “doom and gloom” and “light at the end of the tunnel” scenarios, the only thing we can be certain of in the short term is “uncertainty”. And while the financial system is predominantly at the centre of this turmoil, the current global financial situation (coupled with the significantly lower and … Continued

Author: Nick Verykios Beyond the question of “which distributor should a vendor partner with?”, a more relevant question in many cases is – “do I even bother contracting a distributor?” There is an old Buddhist philosophy that suggests in order to cut through the root of all phenomena and our attachment to its false representations, … Continued

Selling has been described as “a transfer of enthusiasm.” And as sales people, it’s our job to talk about our company or product to our customers (and in some cases, our suppliers) in a way that transfers our enthusiasm. In this article that appeared in CRN, Moheb Moses shares several simple steps on how to … Continued

Vendors often complain that they have allocated Marketing Development Funds (MDF or Co-Op) to resellers, but it’s not being used. And resellers will complain that they would like to find ways to grow their business but don’t have the money to do it. In this article that appeared in ARN, Moheb Moses shares his thoughts … Continued