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If you’re brand new to the channel world, how can you quickly get up to speed on what partnering is all about? That’s exactly what today’s guests had to figure out. In the podcast episode, I’m speaking with Vandan Jain and Mani Bansal, the authors of a new book titled “Maximizing the Impact of the Channel.” They interviewed 15 partner professionals and summarized their channel experience and wisdom into 3 powerful chapters on partnering. We talk about the key lessons in their book and dive into their journey, the purpose behind writing the book, and key insights they’ve gained along the way.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Here are the top 10 things I learned about Vandan and Mani’s new book:
- Purpose of the Book: The book was written to explore and educate on the evolution and best practices of channel partnerships, emphasizing real-world insights from industry experts.
- Foundation in Relationships: Successful partnerships rely heavily on strong, long-term relationships rather than just transactional incentives.
- Niche Focus: Both vendors and partners should focus on niche areas to provide specialized value and avoid becoming generalized, which can dilute their offerings.
- Consultative Selling: Partners need to adopt a consultative approach, becoming trusted advisors who understand and solve clients’ problems comprehensively.
- Technological Trends: Key trends highlighted include the rise of marketplaces, solution-based partnering, increased outsourcing, and incorporating emerging technologies like AI and cybersecurity.
- Importance of Agility: For service partners, being agile and adaptable is crucial in the fast-paced tech ecosystem to continually deliver value to customers.
- Vendor Engagement: Effective vendor-partner relationships are built on consistent, intentional engagement and mutual trust, not just incentive programs.
- Partner Mindshare: Just as vendors seek mindshare from their partners, partners also strive to gain greater engagement and commitment from their vendors.
- Efficient Use of Content: Partners should focus on high-impact activities and efficiently repurpose content across multiple platforms instead of spreading themselves too thin.
- Ongoing Learning and Adaptation: The authors and their interviewees stress continuous learning and staying updated with industry changes to remain relevant and effective in channel partnerships.
LINKS & RESOURCES
- Be one of the first 25 people to ask Vandan via LinkedIn for a free copy of the book
- Connect with Mani on LinkedIn
- Purchase a copy of Maximizing the Impact of the Channel
- Read Jay McBain’s list of The top 55 channel ecosystem books for vendor and distributor partner leaders
- Try Impartner Partner Management
