One of the most common issues suppliers have with their distributors and other indirect sales channel partners? Trying to keep their partners’ attention focused on their marketing and selling their offerings.
Getting the attention — at least initially — seems easier. But often, the partner’s interest seems to wander. Promised new product launch dates slip, sales targets are missed, new partner headcount never materialize, and other promises fall by the wayside.
A key part of the solution? A carefully-constructed onboarding process. Onboarding is the structured process of engaging your distributors, establishing expectations, and providing them with a carefully scripted blueprint for sustained success.
Good onboarding is far more than product training and a “meet and greet.”
Effective onboarding does require time and resources to create and implement. But the benefits are enormous – so large that your organization cannot afford NOT to make the investment if you’re serious about getting great channel sales results.
Here are our top reasons to create and deploy a good partner onboarding program:
- Decreases your distributors’ need for ad hoc support, freeing up your time and resources throughout the relationship
- Enables your partners to sell your products/services better and faster, armed with all the tools and information they need
- Establishes a cadence of expectations, communication, and accountability
- Maximizes engagement from the outset; once lost, partner focus takes a lot of work to get back
- Increases the likelihood of a longer and more successful relationship, minimizing the need to invest in partner termination and finding new partners
- Provides consistent, timely, and shareable training, getting new hires and all key team members efficiently up to speed
Join our free upcoming webinar “Onboarding: The Foundation for Getting and Keeping Your Distributors/Channel Partners Focused on Your Offerings” to learn more about why good onboarding is so important, and learn tips on how to structure your program.
Leave a Reply