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Marketing Strategies to Leverage Channel Partners

By Connie Hill

There is no doubt about it; direct marketing is on the rise. Companies selling direct are leveraging millions of data points, from customer activity to profiling, captured in CRM and POS applications and translating this data into one-to-one customer communications. If you’re selling your products through distribution channels it can be a challenge for both you and your partners to effectively market to customers.

Creating a one-to-one marketing experience when your partner holds the relationship with the customer

Some argue that the channel partner is the customer. Treating your partner as a customer is a good philosophy to enhance service and support levels. However, this still leaves the experience with your brand largely in the hands of your partners and they may lack the access to marketing tools and technology to support relevant campaigns.

A better approach is to help your channel partners become more effective marketers. Many companies are beginning to provide their partners the ability to co-brand collateral by offering web-based variable design applications that create high resolution PDF production, leaving partners to execute and manage print and mail programs on their own. Why not go one step further and leverage the buying power across all of your partners and vendor relationships, resulting in better pricing and consistent quality for you and your channel partners. Combine the resources channel partners bring, such as; customer lists, regional experience, and end user relationships with your design guidelines, brand standards and campaign creative. Now corporate messaging, creative and execution processes are integrated for an effective turnkey solution. TFC and other Marketing Service Providers offer a solution to initiate programs online, approved by corporate marketing and executed according to your standards in the field. Add dashboard metrics for visibility across marketing activity and the results will empower all channels to make better decisions that effect customer satisfaction and loyalty. Companies benefit from a 360 degree view of marketing programs that combine the messaging power in both corporate and channel marketing campaigns. Your distribution partners gain the tools they need to support their business and you connect with your customers.

Connie Hill is Founder & President of TFC, Inc a leading Marketing Service Provider