In an overcrowded channel where small and midsized business (SMB) suppliers compete to gain the mindshare of smaller partners busy chasing after deals, the tactics used to catch bluefish are similar to the low-touch, high-volume approaches required to attract attention. This brief uses the first two phases of SiriusDecisions campaign readiness model – planning and development – to pinpoint how suppliers should develop marketing campaigns using SMB channel partners

1. © SiriusDecisions. All Rights Protected and Reserved. 1
Research Brief
Fishing for marlin and for bluefish require vastly different approaches. The
larger of the two, the marlin, calls for a mano-a-mano, Hemingway-like battle
between fisherman and prey. By contrast, bluefish are often fooled by shiny,
barbed lures that resemble smaller baitfish as they gorge themselves in a
feeding frenzy.
In an overcrowded channel where small and midsized business (SMB) suppliers
compete to gain the mindshare of smaller partners busy chasing after deals,
the tactics used to catch bluefish are similar to the low-touch, high-volume
approaches required to attract attention. In this brief, we use the first two
phases of our campaign readiness model introduced in the brief “Sizing Up
Channel Campaign Readiness” – planning and development – to pinpoint how
suppliers should develop marketing campaigns using SMB channel partners.
One: Planning
A key to executing successful SMB channel marketing campaigns lies in
precision planning that takes place weeks ahead of executing a single tactic.
During this period, develop a specific set of front-end instructions for partners
covering the following six areas for each campaign:
• Targeting. Leading suppliers undergo a thorough analysis of their SMB
markets to better understand how and why buyers engage with partners,
and to gain specific insight into the value these smaller partners provide.
Then they apply this information to better align buyer needs with their
solutions. In return, they gain the greatest adoption by partners, who are
able to recognize the relevancy of the supplier’s messaging to their target
customers and the manner in which they market to them.
• Channel segmentation. Depending on which go-to market approaches
a supplier adopts (e.g. eStores, bundled OEM offerings), different channel
partners may be included in the mix. Some act as trusted advisors that guide
small companies through significant change efforts; others can be retail or
online channels often used due to better price or faster delivery. Consider
each type of partner, then align content and messaging to reflect the type of
demand each generates and the customer issues they address; while doing
so, pick up any information you can on their selling processes, which should
be a reflection of a target buyer’s habits.
SMB Campaign Readiness: Planning
and Development
Suppliers are retooling their solutions
for small and midsized businesses
(SMBs), where they detect new
opportunities for growth
Successful SMB channel marketing
campaigns require a low-touch, high-
volume approach often facilitated
through distributors
Set plans to identify relative targets,
and develop messaging and content
that supports how partners actually
create demand

2. Research Brief
© SiriusDecisions. All Rights Protected and Reserved. 2
• Play foundation. Campaign messaging that aligns with the type of demand
(new concept, new paradigm, established market) a supplier’s product
represents is key to penetrating a horizontal line of business or vertical
industry. Some partners may act as “trusted advisors” to their customers,
who lack resources internally to determine the right solution for their
needs. If so, help SMB partners answer three typical questions from smaller
customers: Why is this important to me now? What happens if we do
nothing? How does this change the economics of our current relationship?
• Reputation. Successful suppliers invest in communication activities that
create broad awareness among larger sets of SMB partners. Both prior to
campaign launch and after execution, they ensure better partner adoption
by leveraging social media outlets where partners congregate to learn
about new offerings. Rather than push information out to partners, leading
suppliers establish a presence and contribute content that describes how
they can help partners solve critical business needs through their solutions;
they do this within social media communities which smaller partners utilize
to gain specific industry information or news. Once established within these
communities, companies that experience better partner adoption also solicit
feedback so they can make adjustments after campaigns are underway.
• Nurturing. As they engage in lead generating activities (e.g. live events,
webcasts, teleprospecting) with SMB partners, leading suppliers track these
leads through various lead distribution or deal registration systems in order
to nurture those that aren’t ready, recycle those which may be used for
later campaigns, and qualify those which need to be assigned to partners.
Teleprospectors can become valuable resources, especially in terms of
following up with marketing qualified or sales accepted leads that have gone
dark. Before the campaign launches, contact the partner, letting them know
you will be providing an additional resource and how they intend to qualify
and follow up on leads, making sure they’re seen as non-competitive.
Two: Development
Most organizations leverage a menu of services from various agencies (e.g.
teleprospectors, Web content developers) but often fail to align these services.
Rules of engagement or uniform project guidelines should be developed, which
can then be used to generate the following campaign deliverables:
• Messaging. Specific messaging should be developed for the play foundation
elements described in the planning phase. This will include partner-ready
messaging that promotes campaigns supported by market development
funds (MDFs) and where to access related materials; co-branded messaging
that distributors can use with sub-resellers to promote the supplier’s
initiatives; and customer-ready messaging in a variety of formats (e.g. rich
media widgets that repurpose supplier videos, slide decks, white papers).

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research, benchmark data, peer networks, events and continuous learning courses. SiriusDecisions is based in Wilton, CT
with offices in London, Montreal, San Francisco and Waltham, MA.
187 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT 06897
203.665.4000 fax 203.563.9260
siriusdecisions.com
Research Brief
• Content. Recognizing that SMB partners have minimal resources to generate
or customize campaign content on their own, leading suppliers utilize content
management systems to distribute content that partners can access from
their portals. Once these materials are developed, they should be centralized
in locations where partners can easily find them. If using a “channel-friendly”
demand creation service provider, suppliers often require them to provide an
integrated portal that can distribute campaign materials and be linked to a
supplier’s existing portal.
• Logistics. Since smaller SMB partners are focused on their bottom line, rather
than attending multiple events during the year, they tend to gravitate toward
smaller industry-specific events that limit vendor space. As these more focused
activities are well-anticipated by their target customers, preregistering and
planning for logistics ahead of time are two rules of thumb successful channel
marketers follow. Although our research shows that b-to-b suppliers can
expect more than 50 percent of SMB channel leads to be generated via the
Web, we also see a large number of physical events continuing as suppliers see
an easy way to raise broad-based market awareness. Regardless of whether
a digital or live event is planned, expect long lead times due to production-
related issues (e.g. development of digital assets, event-specific signage).
Platform vendors addressing the needs of smaller companies through solution
builders hold yearly events that require hotel reservations, special meeting
rooms, and booking guest speakers early on.
The Sirius Decision
Depending on internal and external capabilities, the planning phase for SMB
campaigns can range from two to four weeks, while the development process
can take a month or two. Organizations that have implemented a digital
content delivery system can expect faster time to market, as these tools will
expedite the delivery and development of content. While these timeframes
reflect best practice performance, they send a clear signal that companies
should start the planning process at least one, if not two, quarters in advance.
Without proper lead times for planning or program development, channel
marketers risk creating SMB campaigns that partners will miss, especially
smaller SMB channel resellers that are bombarded with offers from b-to-b
suppliers.