In the B2B space, channel marketing is a beneficial sales model. With the potential to reduce costs, expand markets, improve efficiency, and increase customer satisfaction, it can make partnerships with other businesses too productive to pass up, according to Marketing-Schools.org. However, channel marketing isn’t always easy, because unlike direct marketing, channel marketing must be addressed with both the channel partners and the end user customers in mind. When it comes to utilizing channel marketing, here are five tips to help you develop the perfect channel marketing strategy for your business.
Time It Right
When your P&L starts to see double-digit revenue contributions coming from your partners, distributors and other 3rd parties, you know you are in need of a stable channel marketing strategy. You don’t want to wait until your own direct sales force is unable to keep up with the opportunities in the marketplace to develop your channel strategy.
Customize Your Voice & Tone To Your Audience
When it comes to your company’s channel marketing strategy, you want to make sure that you speak your customers’ language. This means that you need to employ the right voice, tone, and relevant marketing message and value proposition that will resonate with those you who want to connect with. You need to show your resellers and partners how easy it will be for them to sell your solutions while making money in the process. They need you to show them where the lucrative markets are and what those markets have regarding buying drivers and pain points. They need you to make it easy because they don’t have the time to do it themselves.
Remember You Aren’t Their Exclusive Line
Another important thing that you have to remember when developing your channel marketing strategy is that most distributors and resellers represent multiple brands, products, and solutions. If you believe that you sent your partners as sales presentation that will automatically sell your products, and you think you’ve done your job, think again. Your partners and distributors most likely have at least one or two other manufacturers in your sector to remember and sell. If you don’t make things easy for them, you’ll be left out of the sale.
Create Content
Content and communications in channel marketing is a two-part process. You need communication for both the channel partner and the end user customer. According to the Content Marketing Institute, around 88 percent of B2B marketers use content marketing as their overall marketing strategy, but only 32 percent of them have a documented content marketing strategy. To be successful, you need to supply your channel partners with content and selling tools that make them smarter about the industry and more prepared to have the conversations with the end customers.
Make Tt Easy To Engage With Your Business
You need to think about your engagement model as if you are going through it yourself. You need to ask yourself the questions that your channel partners and end users might ask. It is important to remember that the engagement process is like making a purchase decision for your resellers and channel partners.
It is essential for you to remember that when you are selling your products and services through channel partners, you are essentially making two sales. A good channel marketing strategy needs to address both of these groups if you want to see an increase in your sales.
