Within a b-to-b organization, the mission of an evangelist for a product or technology is to amplify external awareness and excitement and drive market adoption. However, companies also should consider the need for internal evangelism to support business objectives. This brief describes how channel leaders can craft a presentation to evangelize the value of channel for internal audiences.

1. © SiriusDecisions. All Rights Protected and Reserved. 1
Research Brief
The word “evangelist” comes from the Late Latin evangelista and Greek
euangelistes, which translate to “bringer of good news.” Today, the concept
of evangelism is often associated with religious denominations that emphasize
sharing information about their faith with potential new converts.
Within a b-to-b organization, the mission of an evangelist for a product or
technology is to amplify external awareness and excitement and drive market
adoption. However, companies also should consider the need for internal
evangelism to support business objectives. In this brief, we describe how
channel leaders can craft a presentation to evangelize the value of channel
for internal audiences.
Preparatory Steps
Successful evangelism starts with a well-crafted narrative. When creating an
internal channel presentation, begin by identifying the intended audience and
assessing potential channel-related internal conflicts.
• Consider the audience. Will the presentation be delivered to the entire
organization, or to a specific function (e.g. product, marketing, sales)?
While a channel evangelism presentation should explain the value of the
channel to the entire organization, it’s also essential for specific functions to
understand the channel’s importance to their function and role. Develop an
audience-centric channel value proposition, and look for ways to enhance the
presentation’s impact on the intended audience. For example, presentations
to product functions might focus on channel’s value relative to a specific
product line by mapping product offerings to channel partners or outlining
the impact of channel on a product’s profitability or a new offering launch.
Consider audience-related goals when crafting the presentation (e.g.
gaining more funding for channel teams, including channel representatives
in strategic planning, including channel considerations in early product
development).
• Mitigate channel conflict. Channel conflict can cause problems with focus,
prioritization, investment levels, organizational design and other areas.
Assess and create mitigation plans for any significant internal channel
conflict (e.g. challenges between direct and indirect sales teams). Where
Internal Channel Evangelism:
Communicating the Value of the
Channel
Channel knowledge is often limited
to team members within channel
marketing, channel sales and other
channel functions
A lack of awareness of the channel’s
importance often creates internal
conflict and impedes channel growth
Channel leaders should practice
internal channel evangelism to align
with other functions and increase
mindshare across the organization

2. Research Brief
© SiriusDecisions. All Rights Protected and Reserved. 2
conflict exists, make sure to include information within the
presentation to defuse those conflicts.
Introducing the Channel
The internal evangelism presentation should answer common
questions (e.g. “What is a channel?”, “Why do we have a
channel?”, “What is our channel?”). Before the channel leader
can communicate the value of the channel, the audience
needs to understand fundamental channel concepts.
• Channel overview. Start with a definition of the channel,
and reinforce the concepts of direct business models
(where offerings are sold, implemented and supported
directly by the supplier to the buyer/customer) and indirect
business models (where products are sold, implemented
or supported by a third party to the buyer/customer). In
addition, discuss general trends and market data that
can provide further perspective on the channel and the
relevance of partners across the specific markets and
industries. Include industry statistics (e.g. percentage of
revenue driven or influenced by indirect channel partners,
percentage of organizations that include indirect channels
in their go-to-market strategies).
• Channel strategy. Describe the strategic, economic and
practical value of the organization’s channel strategy or
route-to-market strategy (i.e. indirect or hybrid model) and
the specific reasoning behind the strategy. Reasons for
deploying an indirect business model include accessing new
markets or buyers, expanding geographic reach, gaining
access to new technology or intellectual property, adding
resources and improving supplier profitability, enhancing
brand and reputation, blocking a competitive threat or
gaining a competitive advantage, extending a product line,
and completing a portfolio or solution offering (see the Core
Strategy Report ”Introducing the SiriusDecisions Channel
Decisions Framework”).
• Channel ecosystem. Channel partners include any
organization that partners with a supplier to market, sell or
influence its offerings. The presentation should introduce
each relevant partner type and describe its route to market,
purpose and strengths (see the brief “Route-to-Market
Options: Partner Type Definitions”). For example, does the
partner offer value by marketing, recommending, reselling
or implementing the offering; integrating it into a broader
solution or offering; or servicing or supporting it? Or does
the partner provide additional value to the organization
by managing sub-partners, providing managed services,
offering financing or fulfillment services, developing its own
solutions, or in another way?
Explaining the Impact of the Channel
The channel evangelism presentation should reinforce the
importance and value of the channel by outlining annual
channel goals, achievement against those goals and the
advantages the organization receives through its relationships
with channel partners.
• Channel goals. Summarize the company’s growth strategy
and objectives for the fiscal year as well as the objectives
of functions (e.g. sales, product management, corporate
marketing, business units, geographies/regions). Introduce
the organization’s annual channel priorities and how they
play an essential role in reaching corporate goals.
• Channel achievement. Describe achievements in the
channel and provide updates on progress toward channel
goals. Detail the revenue driven by the channel and
the revenue influenced by the channel. Introduce the
percentage of revenue by channel – a figure that is often
given as a direct vs. indirect revenue percentage (e.g.
60 percent indirect vs. 40 percent direct). Share additional
insight by analyzing channel goal achievement by segment
(e.g. product line, region, industry).
• Channel impact beyond revenue. At many organizations,
the impact of channel partnerships extends beyond
revenue. These benefits may be related to the drivers
described in the channel strategy section (e.g. access to new
markets, buyers or regions). Partners offer an unbiased,
third-party view of the competition and know what buyers
and customers need in specific regions, industries and
specialized markets. For example, are channel partnerships
critical to eliminating a competitive threat? Have partners
shared critical buyer, market and product insights that have
resulted in significant success?
• Validation. Enhance the presentation by providing
validation or proof points supporting the value of the
channel. Share channel-related recognition/awards; facts
about the achievement of channel milestones; success

3. This content is copyrighted by SiriusDecisions, Inc. and cannot be reproduced or shared without prior expressed written
permission from SiriusDecisions, Inc.
SiriusDecisions helps business-to-business companies worldwide improve sales, marketing and product effectiveness.
Management teams make more informed business decisions through access to our industry analysts, best practice
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
This content is copyrighted by SiriusDecisions, Inc. and cannot be reproduced or shared without prior expressed written
permission from SiriusDecisions, Inc.
SiriusDecisions helps business-to-business companies worldwide improve sales, marketing and product effectiveness.
Management teams make more informed business decisions through access to our industry analysts, best practice
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
stories involving the channel, its partners or their customers; and executive,
analyst or partner quotes and testimonials.
Next Steps and Calls to Action
Finally, define will happen next after the presentation, and include relevant
calls to action for the audience.
• Next steps. If this is the first presentation, next steps may include
mentioning future presentations that will provide additional channel insights
and updates. Presentations might be quarterly or bimonthly – or at least
annually to ensure an aligned understanding of channel goals, progress and
priorities. Audiences also can be instructed to check for future updates in
employee newsletters or other communications.
• Calls to action. If an appropriate call to action or requested followup effort
should be included, end the presentation with a clear and concise call to
action and detail the desired outcome. Describe what each function can do
to drive greater channel success.
The Sirius Decision
The goal of internal channel evangelism is to educate, inform and excite
the executive team and the entire organization about the channel strategy
and how it supports the company’s goals and objectives. Internal channel
evangelism should be considered an ongoing internal campaign – not a
one-and-done tactic. Ensure future momentum by scheduling a cadence
of presentations, conducting channel overviews and presenting relevant
quarterly. Channel leaders also should work with executive and corporate
communications leaders to ensure that messaging on channel strategy and
the value of the company’s partners are infused into internal and external
executive communications.