In order to both share my perspective and (perhaps more importantly) to elicit constructive feedback and new ways of thinking, I am writing a series of posts giving my perspective on the best practices of Channel Management. These are things that I have learned and have implemented with success in my career. Comments, feedback, disagreements, and additional insights are welcome, if not encouraged.
Onboarding and Enablement
In my last post, I presented my perspective on the best practices in Channel Recruitment. Now, I would like to address one of the most crucial aspects of growing a success channel ecosystem: Partner Onboarding and Enablement. Onboarding and enablement of new partners is vital to the overall success of the vendor-partner relationship and, ultimately, to the bottom line of both parties.
Partner onboarding is the initial and foundational stage of the relationship between vendor and partner. Done correctly, onboarding methodically integrates the partner into the operational framework of your company. On a practical level, it should include providing partners with essential resources. In a mature model, it includes access to a Partner Portal (including a Marketing Portal and Training Portal).
A carefully structured onboarding process typically follows the 30-60-90 framework with each phase setting clear and incremental goals. Effective onboarding is indispensable since it first rung on the ladder to partner success. Partners typically collaborate with multiple vendors simultaneously. This means that your company is competing with many others for attention, loyalty, and engagement. A smooth, well-planned onboarding experience can significantly influence a partner’s commitment and subsequent performance. Studies have shown that partners who are well-nurtured during their initial three to six months demonstrate higher longevity and productivity - and, thus, more revenue.
The onboarding process should be formalized; however, it must be straightforward to encourage easy compliance and participation. Using things such as automated learning emails and accessible training videos are effective tools. Offering optional personalized training sessions is also beneficial; this allows for flexibility and accommodates different learning speeds. Additionally, an onboarding checklist that covers things like contract execution, conflict management, credit approvals, portal setups, and initial planning for training and marketing can be a valuable tool for completeness and clarity.
The onboarding process also requires the establishment of clear legal frameworks through a comprehensive yet concise Business Partner Agreement. This ensures uniformity across all partnerships to prevent potential confusion and/or disputes. Another crucial aspect involves personnel mapping that explicitly defines the responsibilities of individuals at both your company and your partner’s. This should cover areas from technical support to financial administration.
Following onboarding, partner enablement focuses on equipping partners with the necessary knowledge, skills, and tools to market and sell your solutions effectively. Enablement includes ongoing training in three core areas: technical proficiency, sales capabilities, and marketing expertise. Each of these has unique requirements and strategies.
- Technical enablement ensures technology proficiency and promotes skill growth through targeted certifications and competency development programs. This ensures the partner's technical capabilities align with and effectively complement your company’s offerings.
- Sales enablement revolves around syncing partner sales strategies with your solutions. This involves providing insights into customer behaviors, providing comprehensive sales tools (e.g., RFP templates, ROI calculators, case studies, co-branded demos, trials, etc.) and equipping partners to address customer objections effectively.
- Marketing enablement similarly provides partners with essential training on utilizing marketing portals, deploying co-marketing funds, and navigating customer buying journeys. Tools in this area include co-branded materials, sales presentations, branding guidelines, etc.
Continuous communication through multiple channels such as email, social platforms, telephone, and browser notifications, is vital to enablement success. Monitoring partner engagement and soliciting feedback help address any arising issue and maintain productive partnerships.
Successful onboarding and enablement rely on structured yet flexible processes that respect partner dynamics and emphasize clear, continuous communication. These practices encourage committed, productive partnerships, setting the foundation for sustained channel management success.
In my next installment, I’ll discuss business plans…
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