growing sales channels – Graham Bunting -The Partner Catalyst

We’re going to grow our sales revenue by selling through partner resellers.

How hard can that be?

Just recruiting a bunch of partners who are keen to make some additional margin?

Give them a price list with a buy and sell price and they’re away – right?

Wrong!

So, so wrong 😔

Easy in, is easy out.

Any focus on your solution here?
Nope. Opportunistic at absolute best.

Opportunity for miss-selling is huge – intentionally or unintentionally.

Who’s supporting them?
Oh the direct sales team will – yeah sure, cos they have a ton of spare time to nursemaid a greenhorn sales team chasing shadows, don’t they?

And when they miss targets for lack of time on their role, a flea in the ear and worse still, low commission months… Not happening is it!

The ONLY way is to do it properly

Start with the end in mind and plan backwards.

It takes

TIME
PATIENCE
INVESTMENT
ATTENTION
RESOURCES (FOCUSSED)
SUPPORT
HAND HOLDING
UNDERSTANDING
REPETITION
FIT FOR PURPOSE TOOLS
TRAINING
ETC

And so much more… and critically unlike your direct sales teams,
THEY DO NOT WORK FOR YOU.. YOU ARE NOT THEIR BOSS

So if you do want to do it properly, give me a shout, I’d be happy to help you

Might need your help

I recently came across some photos and as is often the way, it sparked a bit of retrospection. Thinking back to the experiences I was afforded in a role I held previously when I was employed at global telecoms vendor Avaya – and there were many. These experiences were for the most part shared with the folks working in our channel partners and most of whom I have personally known for more than 30 years. This is going to shock the reader because I know what you’re thinking – you simply do not look old enough Graham! 😉

Anyhoo, back to my reminiscing. The photos that I came across were from a trip we had to the Kruger National Park, followed by a few days in Mozambique. I am going to share these on Linkydink and Twitter for my good companions and friends to join me in the (hopefully fond) retrospection. So no people tags here, but if you are reading and reminiscing too – enjoy