In a channel sales model, manufacturers generate leads for their channel partners and distributors. Done right, these leads are first scored based on their priority and then passed to the appropriate channel partners for follow up. What’s happens next, might be less clear. Were the leads contacted? How fast? Was a quote offered? Did the […]
According to SiriusDecisions, as many as 78 percent of sales leads receive no follow-up. That’s a figure sure to keep CFO’s and VP of Sales awake at night. But that 78 percent number also represents a source of incredible opportunity. By simply creating a process to contact more leads — and therefore better understand why […]
Are your distributors receiving sales leads that are clearly ranked in terms of their sales potential? Treating all leads as equals is not only inefficient, but also inhibits revenue potential (spending time and resources on an unlikely buyer, while a higher-potential opportunity sits idle). This is why prioritizing sales activity — known as lead scoring […]
Not all sales leads are created equal. Some leads, because they match your buyer persona or because they have shown a strong interest in your product or service, have a higher probability of becoming conversions. Other leads, because they don’t fit that criteria, are less likely to convert and may actually end up costing you […]
If you depend on channel partners to take your products to market, you know how important it is to identify, recruit, and retain the best distributors. When it’s time to acquire new partners, or replace under-performing ones, approach the process as you would hiring a new employee. When hiring, you consider the experience, background, skills […]
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software has long been considered one of those must-have applications to help businesses sell to customers. After all, it’s a billion dollar industry that’s as ubiquitous in sales departments today as telephones and rolodexes were of yesteryear. Yet, CRM’s usefulness as a revenue optimization tool has its limitations. In particular, as […]
This is the second in a two-part series on how to build a successful ChannelTech Stack. In our first installment, we discussed the four key elements required to develop a results-driven channel partner technology stack. If you missed it, catch up here. Leveraging today’s technology to enable channel sales requires an approach that goes beyond […]
Are you throwing technology darts at a wall and hoping they land near the bulls-eye? We all know that technology can play a critical role in fixing challenging business processes. But technology — by itself — isn’t a magic pill. Anyone who has dealt with the data silos, underutilized technology, and integration headaches all caused […]
Strategies for better engagement, participation, and results Effective communication between colleagues and co-workers who all work under the same roof is tough enough. For companies that operate using an indirect sales model, the hurdles that stand in the way of effective communication can seem overwhelming. For all the obvious reasons, communication has long been […]
The ability to see a clear view of current and anticipated sales has long befuddled companies who sell through distributor or channel partners. And for good reason. The challenge Unlike traditional B2B or B2C sales models, companies that sell through distributors or channel partners often deal with a host of different systems, processes and even […]