Comments for Channel Sales http://channelsales.wordpress.com Increase Sales through your Network of Channel Partners Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:05:12 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on Why you should be provocative when selling by Timothy T. Sullivan http://channelsales.wordpress.com/2009/03/05/why-you-should-be-provocative-when-selling/#comment-60 Timothy T. Sullivan Wed, 24 Jun 2009 17:05:12 +0000 http://channelsales.wordpress.com/?p=290#comment-60 I agree with many of the ideas expressed in this presentation, but the characterization of Solution Selling is just flat-out wrong. For a detailed examination, see this post: http://bit.ly/19tHyX I agree with many of the ideas expressed in this presentation, but the characterization of Solution Selling is just flat-out wrong. For a detailed examination, see this post: http://bit.ly/19tHyX

]]> Comment on How to use Twitter as a marketing instrument by Shawn Willis http://channelsales.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/how-to-use-twitter-as-a-marketing-instrument/#comment-50 Shawn Willis Mon, 06 Apr 2009 11:16:54 +0000 http://channelsales.wordpress.com/?p=234#comment-50 Hey that was a really nice article for getting started on Twitters. It surely is creating quite a buzz on the net. Not a bad idea to carry your business on Twitter. Thanks for sharing! Shawn Willis Walkers Research Hey that was a really nice article for getting started on Twitters. It surely is creating quite a buzz on the net. Not a bad idea to carry your business on Twitter. Thanks for sharing!

Shawn Willis
Walkers Research

]]> Comment on Why does your company need a Partner Portal? by Tim Hughan http://channelsales.wordpress.com/2008/12/13/you-need-a-partner-portal/#comment-31 Tim Hughan Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:07:40 +0000 http://channelsales.wordpress.com/?p=38#comment-31 Companies need partner portals because their partners are their extended sales force. This is an obvious conclusion to everyone but the companies themselves. By underfunding and under supplying their partner portals, the value to the channel is minimal. But the solution to the problem is more cultural than technological. Companies spend millions of dollars on direct sales education, sales conferences, Club, etc. and leave the channel to their own devices. Companies that make a commitment to provide their channel partners with the same information that their direct sales force has with ultimately be better positioned to drive revenue from partners. By systematically capturing product and services knowledge and making it available on a Collaborative Knowledge Sharing Platform, partners get the information they need and can build on the knowledge base for their benefit. To build an effective Partner Portal: • Think about the content first - how can you capture the knowledge? • Presentations to sales are presentations to the partners • How does the content work in their work flow • Which partners get the best information Make a commitment to a Partner Portal. Leave concerns about competitors getting your best information, they have it anyway. Channel partners have lots of products to sell but will sell the products they know best. Fix the cultural barriers and the technology will follow. Companies need partner portals because their partners are their extended sales force. This is an obvious conclusion to everyone but the companies themselves. By underfunding and under supplying their partner portals, the value to the channel is minimal.

But the solution to the problem is more cultural than technological. Companies spend millions of dollars on direct sales education, sales conferences, Club, etc. and leave the channel to their own devices. Companies that make a commitment to provide their channel partners with the same information that their direct sales force has with ultimately be better positioned to drive revenue from partners. By systematically capturing product and services knowledge and making it available on a Collaborative Knowledge Sharing Platform, partners get the information they need and can build on the knowledge base for their benefit.

To build an effective Partner Portal:
• Think about the content first – how can you capture the knowledge?
• Presentations to sales are presentations to the partners
• How does the content work in their work flow
• Which partners get the best information

Make a commitment to a Partner Portal. Leave concerns about competitors getting your best information, they have it anyway. Channel partners have lots of products to sell but will sell the products they know best. Fix the cultural barriers and the technology will follow.

]]> Comment on How to use Twitter as a marketing instrument by Jim Hammons http://channelsales.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/how-to-use-twitter-as-a-marketing-instrument/#comment-22 Jim Hammons Mon, 22 Dec 2008 12:39:31 +0000 http://channelsales.wordpress.com/?p=234#comment-22 Great piece, This will help a lot of people who are newbies to twitter. basic and to the point! Great piece, This will help a lot of people who are newbies to twitter. basic and to the point!

]]> Comment on Partner Relationship Management by About Foundation Network Ltd « Channel Sales http://channelsales.wordpress.com/2008/09/18/partner-relationship-management/#comment-19 About Foundation Network Ltd « Channel Sales Sat, 06 Dec 2008 15:24:12 +0000 http://channelsales.wordpress.com/?p=3#comment-19 [...] Foundation Network is a leading provider of software and services that enables global pure-play Partner Relationship Management (PRM). We offer the only true multinational solution that manages the complexities of address [...] [...] Foundation Network is a leading provider of software and services that enables global pure-play Partner Relationship Management (PRM). We offer the only true multinational solution that manages the complexities of address [...]

]]> Comment on How to use Twitter as a marketing instrument by Foundation Network Ltd http://channelsales.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/how-to-use-twitter-as-a-marketing-instrument/#comment-18 Foundation Network Ltd Sat, 06 Dec 2008 10:13:41 +0000 http://channelsales.wordpress.com/?p=234#comment-18 Thanks for the excellent tips Carri! I have added you to my follow list on Twitter :) Thanks for the excellent tips Carri! I have added you to my follow list on Twitter :)

]]> Comment on How to use Twitter as a marketing instrument by Carri Bugbee http://channelsales.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/how-to-use-twitter-as-a-marketing-instrument/#comment-17 Carri Bugbee Fri, 05 Dec 2008 18:50:54 +0000 http://channelsales.wordpress.com/?p=234#comment-17 I never found Twitter confusing, but I know that some do because I'm often explaining processes and protocols to newbies. I currently manage a dozen twitter profiles with thousands of followers, so I can say with some reliability that you're safe to follow as many people a day as you want until you reach the Twitter "ceiling," which is 2,000. After that, you can only follow 10 percent more people than follow you. How frequently you tweet depends upon your network. If you have a bunch of Tweeple in your network, you can tweet all day long and nobody will care. They might actually like it! But you shouldn't post too many tweets in rapid succession (unless you're live-tweeting an event). That will fill up the Twitterstream for your followers that aren't following that many people, and they may find that obnoxious. If you really want to build your network, I suggest tweeting at all different times of the day. Most people just tune into Twitter occasionally, so if they only tune in at night and you only tweet in the morning, they'll never see you. Spread your tweets around! Like all social media, it's smart to "listen" to understand the protocol. Follow some Twitter "rock stars" and see what they do. Retweet them when they say interesting things and respond to them (@ them) occasionally if you have a question or want to give them props. But watch out, Twitter is addictive! :-) Carri Bugbee http://twitter.com/CarriBugbee I never found Twitter confusing, but I know that some do because I’m often explaining processes and protocols to newbies.

I currently manage a dozen twitter profiles with thousands of followers, so I can say with some reliability that you’re safe to follow as many people a day as you want until you reach the Twitter “ceiling,” which is 2,000. After that, you can only follow 10 percent more people than follow you.

How frequently you tweet depends upon your network. If you have a bunch of Tweeple in your network, you can tweet all day long and nobody will care. They might actually like it! But you shouldn’t post too many tweets in rapid succession (unless you’re live-tweeting an event). That will fill up the Twitterstream for your followers that aren’t following that many people, and they may find that obnoxious.

If you really want to build your network, I suggest tweeting at all different times of the day. Most people just tune into Twitter occasionally, so if they only tune in at night and you only tweet in the morning, they’ll never see you. Spread your tweets around!

Like all social media, it’s smart to “listen” to understand the protocol. Follow some Twitter “rock stars” and see what they do. Retweet them when they say interesting things and respond to them (@ them) occasionally if you have a question or want to give them props.

But watch out, Twitter is addictive! :-)

Carri Bugbee
http://twitter.com/CarriBugbee

]]> Comment on How to use Twitter as a marketing instrument by Foundation Network Ltd http://channelsales.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/how-to-use-twitter-as-a-marketing-instrument/#comment-15 Foundation Network Ltd Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:45:21 +0000 http://channelsales.wordpress.com/?p=234#comment-15 Thanks for sharing that with us Melinda, at first I was a bit worried about my bold opening line for this post, but now I seeI hit the nail on the head! Thanks for sharing that with us Melinda, at first I was a bit worried about my bold opening line for this post, but now I seeI hit the nail on the head!

]]> Comment on How to use Twitter as a marketing instrument by Melinda http://channelsales.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/how-to-use-twitter-as-a-marketing-instrument/#comment-14 Melinda Wed, 03 Dec 2008 13:41:33 +0000 http://channelsales.wordpress.com/?p=234#comment-14 Twitter can definitely be very confusing when you first start using it. But don't worry, it's not just you! Even one of the Twitter co-founders thinks so: Williams also said that the company is working on ways to make Twitter easier for newbies to get into. "It's amazing anyone uses Twitter today," he said. "It's hard." Source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10112037-2.html Twitter can definitely be very confusing when you first start using it. But don’t worry, it’s not just you! Even one of the Twitter co-founders thinks so:

Williams also said that the company is working on ways to make Twitter easier for newbies to get into. “It’s amazing anyone uses Twitter today,” he said. “It’s hard.”

Source: http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10112037-2.html

]]> Comment on Partner Performance teams up with RelayWare by Jim Smith http://channelsales.wordpress.com/2008/09/26/partner-performance-teams-up-with-relayware/#comment-4 Jim Smith Fri, 26 Sep 2008 15:45:49 +0000 http://channelsales.wordpress.com/?p=121#comment-4 Congratulations on this fantastic news! I am sure Leo and Mike will make this a very fruitful collaboration. RelayWare FTW! Congratulations on this fantastic news! I am sure Leo and Mike will make this a very fruitful collaboration.

RelayWare FTW!

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