February 2022
Author: João Beato Esteves, Founder & CEO
In our previous posts we've explored the importance of an engaged channel of partners for the success of your business expansion in foreign markets.
Channel partners are your 'multiplier effect' allowing you to reach more clients faster by relying on their established contact database and solid reputation in the new territory you are targeting.
But this 'multiplier effect' will only bear fruit if you invest, develop and cultivate partnerships based on trust.
So to ensure you're building a sustainable and engaged network of partners, read more about our 5 best practices for good relationship management:
Clear leadership
Before partners believe in your message, they need to believe you as a company. So position yourself as an expert on your niche and lead by example, communicating clearly your objectives and expectations.
Be transparent
Ethics, clarity, and transparency should be at forefront of every interaction with a channel partner. This is the foundation of every healthy relationship and the base for trust.
Create empathy
Putting ourselves in the partners’ shoes helps us understand the challenges and concerns they face. This in turn will help us position our solution in a way that solves their problems, and creates meaningful opportunities partners will be keen to engage with and purse.
Innovate
Innovation is usually associated with products or solutions. However, innovation in the channel is always possible and desired, by reinventing processes, methods, and the way we communicate. This way, we'll be able to stay relevant and become front of mind for all our partners.
Recognition and reward
Be generous and rewards partners for their efforts selling your products, especially when they hit their targets and go the extra mile for your company and product.
Do all of these make sense to you? Did we miss anything?
Share in the comments other best practices for good partnership management.
At United Channels Consulting we have 20+ years of experience designing and implementing successful channel strategies in EMEA.
We understand that there is no such thing as a 'size fits all', so we will be happy to help you adapt these principles and topics to the specificities of your business
Click here for a free 30-min consultation.
About the Author
João Beato Esteves is the CEO of United Channels Consulting. He founded the company in 2017 after 20+ years of working in the IT and cybersecurity industries developing channels for prominent companies such as Symantec and disruptive start-ups like Watchful Software.