Channel Programs: Mistakes Vendors Make with Programs

Often vendors recognize something has gone wrong with their channel programs. Deciding what to do about it is more frequently where they make mistakes. Below are some of the most common mistakes we have seen when it comes to channel programs.

1. Our program is perfect, it even won an award. Programs get stale. Keeping the value proposition relevant as technology and markets change is an ongoing process. Even if you have the best program, it will not stay fresh without substantial change over time.



2. What's my competitor doing? Almost everyone asks me this question. Although many of the program elements are similar, each company needs a unique program. Copying a competitor's program is no more successful than plagiarizing a competitor's ads and marcom. Instead of copying, look to address competitive requirements.



3. How do I fix a specific element (e.g. MDF, rebates, support, recruitment, morale)? This is a trick question. It is a rare program that has only a broken element. These are symptoms of misalignment between the program, vendor objectives and market requirements. Broken elements are warning lights to address deeper issues.



4. The Ideal Program Myth. Programs can be flawed and still work. Instead of looking for a soul mate, comprimize and move on. Make sure the most important partner needs are addressed and ignore the rest.



5. Segmentation doesn't equal business knowledge. It is a rare account rep that really understands the subtle business issues of his or her accounts. Furthermore, knowledge in aggregate about the segment is not sufficient to change behavior in the field. Incremental demand comes only when the the field can apply the program to individual partner problems.



6. Can you give us a day of training? Training without clear objectives and management support is a waste of time. "Boil the ocean" approaches where 10 to 15% of the account reps actually apply what they learn is not a cost effective way to manage a sales force. Hit and run training never yields a true ROI, regardless of the case studies and testimonials.

Channel Ventures POWER Channel Program Model helps vendors create programs that avoid these traps.

The Channel Pro

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