Business Case – Channel Marketing

Management Influenced Behaviors which Increased Sales

Target Audience
 Third-Party Partners

SITUATION
A major telecommunications company depended on its third-party partners for regular, timely sales of its products. But selling was slow, and volume was low. A jump-start was definitely needed to boost the new partners’ (and poor performing existing partners’) product knowledge, rate of sales, and sales revenue. Not just any spurt would do: This Telco challenge called for the Ultimate Solution!

CHALLENGE
The company needed to rapidly influence third-party partners’ behaviors in order to increase sales. Specifically, management needed to:

  • Gain mindshare of busy Partner Sales Reps, Channel Managers, and Sales Engineers.
  • Inspire new behaviors and utilization of new knowledge.
  • Keep motivation high during and after the program.

SOLUTION
Ultimate Solution was a multifaceted, four-month spurt that launched the company’s Partner Program and its online rewards and recognition platform. Participants that demonstrated desired behaviors earned e Points, redeemable online for a wide variety of merchandise and travel rewards.

EARNING CATEGORIES
The program included four earning categories: Knowledge, Proposals, Sales Skill Observation, and Fast Finish.

  1. Knowledge: You can’t sell what you don’t know. Quizzes that featured product benefits and company value propositions were taken and passed by Partner Sales Reps. (Channel Managers and Reps both earned when Reps passed.)
  2. Proposals: You can’t sell what you don’t offer. Proposals with featured products/solutions were submitted by Partner Sales Reps and approved by Channel Managers. (Channel Managers, Reps, and Engineers all earned for proposals.)
  3. Sales Skill Observation: Share your skills and help others! Partner Sales Reps and Sales Engineers earned for attending sales calls together (“ride-alongs”), during which the Sales Engineer observed the Rep and shared technical expertise.
  4. Fast Finish: At the close of the program, extra Point payouts were given for “ride-alongs” and proposals that closed as sales.

COMMUNICATIONS

  • Onsite launch events and announcement kits at each Partner location fueled excitement, buy-in, and early registrations.
  • Weekly calls with Channel Managers overviewed online reports that highlighted each week’s quiz results, proposals, “ride-alongs”, best practices, and areas needing more focus.
  • Executive Dashboard reports provided program information for management to act upon.

RESULTS

Results Chart
  • New Partners achieved 293% of their revenue objective in 4 months.
  • Poor performing existing Partners’ average monthly revenue increased from $4,300 pre-program to $8,300 during program.
  • 75% of Channel Managers had 100% of their Partner organizations participate in the proposal incentive.
  • Client exceeded Anderson Performance Improvement’s guaranteed Return on Investment of 200%.

Existing Partners’ average monthly revenue increased from $4,300 pre-program to $8,300 during program.