YOUR CHANNEL PROGRAM IS A TRAIN WRECK(waiting to happen)

Daniel Stevenson http://www.linkedin.com/in/danielstevenson

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/

UNLESS YOU AVOID THESE COMMON MISTAKES

(DON’T WORRY – EVERYONE MAKES THEM)

Nestor_romero1@hotmail.com

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MISTAKE #1: YOUR SOLUTION IS TOO EARLY. THE CHANNEL WON’T CREATE PULLYOU NEED RAVING FANS FIRST!

A GOOD CHANNEL PROGRAM DEMANDS

TIMING AND BALANCE

No PULL = No Channel!Too early and there is no end-user demand; Too late and vendor preference has occurred

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MISTAKE #2: THE CHANNEL CAN’T SEE YOU (and you can’t see them) Market Demand ≠ Channel Demand

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COMMUNICATE THAT YOU ARE “CHANNEL-CENTRIC”

TREAT THE CHANNEL LIKE ANY TARGET MARKET Segment. Communicate value. Find early adopters. Turn them into fans. Repeat.

AND THEN CREATE VISIBILITY INTO YOUR CHANNEL You can see and touch your direct sales team. Get equally engaged with your channel. Communicate and measure.

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Instead, create an environment of teamwork, mutual respect and accountability

MISTAKE #3: YOU AREN’T CHANNEL-FRIENDLYDon’t let your direct sales team get the last bite in

PULL TOGETHER AND EVERYONE WINS

Daniel Stevenson stevensondaniel@gmail.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/danielstevensonhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/

Avoid these mistakes and integrate the channel into your everyday business to create win-win situations