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Marketing to build a reputation with the channel - resellers, VARs and system integrators
Resellers are constantly seeking out new vendors to fill specific customer needs or grow their portfolio. They rely on peer recommendations, distributor recommendations, and industry events to discover new vendors. The most influential messages for attracting resellers emphasize the technology's specs and performance, customer demand for the tech category and specific brand, and the vendor's stability and support structure. Case studies and analyst reports are the most important pieces of content for resellers, followed by commentary in industry media and whitepapers. Marketing directly to resellers requires different tactics than marketing directly to customers, focusing on credibility, collaboration benefits, and building a vendor's profile through industry networks.
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Marketing to build a reputation with the channel - resellers, VARs and system integrators
- 1. Resellers …and how toattract them B2B Marketing InTech
- 2. • B2B techPR consultancy • 30 years old • Entirely commercially-focused • Insight-driven • The Thinking Man’s Agency – PRCA • Head of Business Technology • 10 years in channel-focused programmes for UK B2B tech companies Who are we?
- 3. • We lostpatience • Different objectives and audiences require different tactics • We created our own Audience Insight initiative – Catalyst One size does NOT fit all
- 4. • Very fewtech vendors only sell direct • Lack knowledge of audience, or resources to market to them • Lack of sales resource • New sector or geography • Need to actively attract channel partners • But this isn’t the same as marketing for direct sales leads We decided to find out HOW it’s different Marketing to the channel
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- 6. Understanding the channel Howoften are you actively seeking out new vendors? 0 20 40 60 Constantly At least once a quarter At least once every six months Annually 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 We tend to simply "stumble across" vendors Enabling inclusion on a particular consortium / framework etc. Plugging a hole for a particular commercial opportunity Need to evolve / grow the current portfolio Customer / market demand Looking for competitive advantage What triggers the search?
- 7. How frequently doyou sign up a new vendor? 0 10 20 30 40 Less frequently than annually Annually At least once every six months At least once a quarter Conclusions • Resellers are on a continual hunt for new tech vendors • Their searching is constant, targeted and purposeful • They are looking for specific vendors for specific customer / market needs So how does a vendor make sure of inclusion on the short list? Understanding the channel
- 8. What to do WhatMessages, Content & Channels to use
- 9. Influential Messages Message Score/10 The technology’s specs and performance 9.74 Customer demand for tech category 9.19 Vendor’s company stability 8.92 Provision of support structure 8.46 Customer demand for specific brand 8.06 An attractive commission structure 7.42 Deal registration process and protection of leads from vendor’s direct sales 7.32 The vendor’s development roadmap 6.62 Local support resource 6.03 Strong training programme 5.67 Marketing toolkits 5.36 Local sales presence 4.85 Credibility Commercial Collaboration Support
- 10. Channel Channel Score /10 Peerrecommendation 8.61 Word-of-mouth 8.05 Distributor recommendation 7.53 Industry events and trade shows 7.24 Industry analysts 6.75 Internet search 6.31 Trade press coverage 5.79 National press coverage 4.44 Social media 4.02 Networks Profile & Discoverability Ineffective
- 11. Content Content Score /10 Casestudies 8.24 Analyst reports 7.71 Commentary in industry media 7.35 White papers 6.95 News announcements and press releases 6.54 Webinars 5.95 Video 5.57 Blogs 4.63 Social media posts 3.97 Evidence Thought Leadership Social Media Rich Media Momentum
- 12. What not todo Don’t just issue press releases on version updates and senior hires. Show me what you think! Don’t claim to be the “next best thing” – tell me what you’re going to do, who agrees with your plan and how you are accountable Don’t bash competitors – be more subtle! Many tech companies list features as if they’re the only vendors that offer them. Much better to show me benefits, value and differentiators Don’t rebadge old ideas as innovative. Be genuinely insightful. A picture of a cloud doesn’t make it a cutting-edge service! I don’t download white papers unless they are genuinely impressive. Too many are copy and paste jobs and have no depth Too much reliance on quality not quantity of messages
- 13. • Emphasise credibility– specs, customer demand & stability • Does your programme clearly support and profit the channel? • Influence networks and build profile via • Trade events • Analysts • SEO • Trade media • Case studies and analyst reports are the most important pieces of content, but must be supported by white papers thought leadership and regular announcements How to build a programme
- 14. • Similarities: • Lowrank of national media and social • High rank of networks and peers • Differences: • IT buyers rely on search far more than the channel • IT buyers want white papers and thought leadership more than case studies and market evidence – the reverse is true for the channel • Industry analysts and their reports are far more important to the channel than to IT buyers How does this compare to direct?
- 15. Thanks Will Gardiner Head ofBusiness Technology CCgroup www.ccgrouppr.com will.gardiner@ccgrouppr.com 0203 818 7190