Channel Champion: Retool for the New Year

by Anna Johnson

Every channel marketer has a toolbox filled with proven programs, process short cuts, favorable contacts, go-to resources, and the know-how to use them and when. But all tools dull after use and taking just two minutes to sharpen and refine them can turn a great channel marketer into a channel champion.

As we begin the last quarter of this year, it’s time to think of next year. To help sharpen your perspective, we are providing articles filled with the best expert advice, cherry-picked to help you hone and refine your channel champion tools. These articles are practical – just as utilitarian as a hammer and a nail – and are grouped so that no matter where you are in the marketing process, there is easy access to help at your fingertips.

1. Plan
2. Evaluate
3. Execute
4. Analyze

Plan

Never underestimate the power of joint marketing planning (JMP). The greatest JMP benefit is to ensure you and your partner’s goals are aligned so that together you can enjoy a more fruitful and profitable outcome. However, there are a few obstacles to overcome and this blog article and eBook will help you navigate the joint marketing planning process.

• If Joint Marketing Planning is so great, why can’t I get my partners to embrace it? – Channel Champion blog
• FAQs: Incorporating Joint Marketing Planning Into Your Channel Strategy – eBook by CCI

Evaluate

Before putting channel plans into action, there is the necessary and sometimes aggravating process of review and approvals. Check out the following articles and eBook to help you streamline your process to put plans into action.

• The Art of Reducing Channel Complexity – June 2011 Channel Management Insights
• Improving ROI on Channel Investments through Joint Marketing Planning – eBook by CCI. Page 10 has a simple table that provides a road map to optimizing your review and approval process.
• The easy path to improving channel program effectiveness AND efficiency?” Channel Champion blog

Execute

Ready, set, go! There are certain programs that channel managers rely on to attract, train, and incentivize partners to perform well. Most programs fail during the execution phase due to the fact that partners don’t embrace the programs and use them for their intended purpose. Here’s a list of articles you can use to make sure to your programs run smoothly:

• Top 11 Mistakes Marketers Make When Planning Channel Incentive Programs – Channel Champion blog
• Best Practices for Deal and Opportunity Registration in Channel Marketing Programs – white paper by CCI

Analyze

For most of us, life is a quest to find our best selves. The life of a channel program has no less ambition. That’s why it’s important to measure and reflect on the effectiveness of the program in order to make improvements. Discover how by reading these articles:

• Optimizing ROI from Your Co-op/ MDF Program – eBook by CCI
• Program Measurement – Where to Begin? – Channel Champion blog

For more great tools delivered regularly to your inbox, subscribe to the Channel Management Insights newsletter and the Channel Champion blog.