Marketers have been using persona-based research to drive awareness, nurture leads, close business, and delight their customers. For channel marketers who rely on partners in the form of distributors, resellers and other subject-matter experts to contribute to their go-to-market efforts, these same persona-driven strategies are just as critical. In this session, you’ll learn how to implement persona research in your channel and what types of persona-based content will yield the greatest results for both recruiting and engaging your channel partners.

1. #B2BMX
Applying Personas and Message
Maps to Optimize Channel Marketing

2. #B2BMX
Hey! It’s nice to meet you. I’m Jen.
§ VP, Sales and Marketing
§ Board Member, Girls in Tech PHX
§ Channel Dweller
§ Former High School Teacher
§ Mom of Twin Teenagers
§ Lover of Animals, Technology, the
Arts, and Really Good Scotch

3. #B2BMX
Profiles vs Personas
in Partner Recruitment

4. #B2BMX
PARTNER PROFILE
A partner profile is a high-level list of
characteristics that must be present for the lead
or account to be an ideal potential partner.

5. Partner Profile
Provider in general
dentistry and orthodontics
Interested in a whitening
solution with minimal chair
time, low sensitivity and has
visible results
Has tried multiple whitening
solutions in the past for
patients

6. #B2BMX
PARTNER PERSONA
Whereas the profile broadly defines your target
audience, the persona defines specific people
within this audience and what drives them to buy.

7. #B2BMX
DDS/DMD Darren
ROLE: DDS or DMD
TYPE OF PRACTICE: Solo practice or small
practice
Partner Persona

8. #B2BMX
DDS/DMD Darren
TRIGGERS: What causes the
potential partner to look for a
solution?
■ Doesn’t typically seek a
solution like this actively
■ Darren may hear about your
product from his network, at a
mastermind group, at a
tradeshow, or in a trade
publication
■ Patient demand
■ Constantly looking for
procedures that improve
practice revenues and
profitability but not specifically
whitening
RESULTS: How will the buyer
measure success when
adopting a new solution?
■ Practice building through ROI,
the amount of chair time the
procedure takes, which
impacts per chair revenue
■ The level of shades whiter
achieved through the solution,
according to the VITA shade
guide, safe way to gradually
whitening teeth
■ The level of sensitivity
experienced from the whitening
solution which includes overall
safety
RESULTS CONTINUED:
■ The number of times touch ups
are needed part of the
whitening experience (In-office
plus at home)
■ ROI/ Practice Growth
■ How simple the solution is to
apply to patients
■ The clunkiness
/cumbersomeness of the
equipment. Minimize space it
requires in office (promote
chair arm mounted system)

9. #B2BMX
DDS/DMD Darren
OBJECTIONS &
CHALLENGES: What barriers
might be keeping the partner
from reselling your solution?
■ Whitening is nothing new and
they’ve experienced many
solutions before promising the
best
■ Bad timing/busy schedule
■ Cost; “$3,000 is a big
investment that you want to
see first-hand”
■ Influencers such as other
dentists, hygienists, assistants,
etc. are not bought in
FEATURE ANALYSIS: What
features will he evaluate as he
searches for an alternative
solution?
■ Time in chair
■ Level of shades whiter
■ Sensitivity / Safety
■ Ease of application
■ Number of treatments required
■ Take-home trial options
BUYING PROCESS: What
information will the partner trust
in making a decision?
■ Will tend to use VITA shade
guide as a measure of
whiteness because they are
accustomed to it
■ Cost and ROI analysis
■ Recommendation from another
practitioner
■ Will rely on partner, hygienists,
or assistants to weigh on the
decision after trying

10. #B2BMX
Profiles + Personas: Get it right the first time

11. #B2BMX
Content for Partners:
How to Start from Scratch

12. #B2BMX
Map your partner’s buyer’s journey

13. #B2BMX
Buyer’s journey tips
A C-level executive who is
having a problem will often
see different symptoms than a
team leader, even when the
actual problem is the same.

14. #B2BMX
Buyer’s journey tips
The CEO’s
responsibility is larger,
and so her needs and
perceived risks will
also be larger.

15. #B2BMX
Buyer’s journey tips
A team leader has
more focused
problems and may be
interested in how you
can make things better
for his customers or his
own goals, but he is not
equipped to decide for
his company.

16. #B2BMX
Each piece of content should be written with one
specific buyer persona in mind and targeted to
unique interests, needs, and preferences.
PRO TIP

17. #B2BMX
The buyer’s journey
Awareness Consideration Decision
Evangelism +
Enablement

18. #B2BMX
Awareness Consideration Decision Evangelism
§ Identify a symptom that is affecting a specific persona directly.
§ Create content that will help that persona identify the root case of what
is bothering him.
§ Help him either deal with a specific problem or understand it in a new
way.

19. #B2BMX
Awareness Consideration Decision Evangelism
■ Doesn’t typically seek a
solution like this actively
■ Darren may hear about your
product from his network, at a
mastermind group, at a
tradeshow, or in a trade
publication
■ Patient demand
■ Constantly looking for
procedures that improve
practice revenues and
profitability but not specifically
whitening
Expert-sourcing and byline
placement (PR) in trade
publications
Before/after images + videos on
social media platforms
Tips/guide for increasing patient
wallet-share

20. #B2BMX
Awareness Consideration Decision Evangelism
§ Build an argument that explains why your solution is best for the
persona-specific problems and the symptoms you identified in your
awareness-stage content.

21. #B2BMX
Awareness Consideration Decision Evangelism
Interactive calculator to help
analyze per chair revenues
Webinars, case studies, blueprints
Testimonials
■ Practice building through ROI,
the amount of chair time the
procedure takes, which
impacts per chair revenue
■ How simple the solution is to
apply to patients
■ The level of shades whiter
achieved through the solution,
according to the VITA shade
guide, safe way to gradually
whitening teeth

22. #B2BMX
Awareness Consideration Decision Evangelism
§ Provide examples, data, and details that support your product or
company as they best possible solution that solves those persona-
specific problems according to the strategies you suggested in your
earlier content.

23. #B2BMX
Awareness Consideration Decision Evangelism
■ Whitening is nothing new and
they’ve experienced many
solutions before promising the
best
■ Bad timing/busy schedule
■ Cost; “$3,000 is a big
investment that you want to
see first-hand”
■ Influencers such as other
dentists, hygienists, assistants,
etc. are not bought in
Comparison guide
Interactive calculator to show
revenue impact / time to value
Free trial; professional
development or training
opportunity

24. #B2BMX
Awareness Consideration Decision
Evangelism +
Enablement
§ Reinforce both partner and end-user/customer benefits

25. #B2BMX
Partner enablement = revenue enablement

26. #B2BMX
Build the end-user’s buyer’s journey

27. #B2BMX
§ Segment by partner persona
§ Reinforce the original partnership decision — always
§ Make it easier for your partners to do their job
§ Gather feedback and success stories
Enroll partners in enablement nurturing

28. #B2BMX
Thank you + resources
§ Today’s deck + persona-
building template:
smartbugmedia.com/b2bmx
§ Connect on LinkedIn + please
mention B2BMX
jspencer@smartbugmedia.com
@jenspencer

29. #B2BMX
Networking Break