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Having a top-tier channel sales strategy is critical, but sometimes, your profit margins can plateau even with the perfect strategy. If this is happening to you, we have two pieces of advice:  

1. Don’t panic. This happens to a lot of businesses, and it can be fixed  
2. Keep reading this blog post.  

We will present five tips that will help kick your channel sales strategy back into high gear and help you achieve even greater success.  

5 Simple Tips to Increase the Performance of Your Channel Sales Strategy  

While these five tips are helpful no matter what industry you’re in or what you’re selling, it’s important to remember that a profitable channel sales strategy doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Ensure your sales and marketing teams know your market well and regularly analyze your channel sales performance. This will help you apply these tips at the right time and in the right way. Without further ado, here they are:

Tip 1: Keep Your Collateral Available and Up to Date   

Your channel partners are only as good as the collateral (and training) you give them. Make sure they can quickly and easily access all the materials they need to sell your products effectively, and make sure these products are updated every year—after all, outdated material is just as bad as no material. These materials usually fall into two categories: sales and marketing collateral.  

Marketing Collateral. These materials help your channel partners attract leads by helping them build product awareness and make their messaging consistent. Some of these materials can include:  

• Graphics and copy for print, digital, and social media ads promoting your products  

• Pre-written blog posts and articles to educate and engage your partner’s audience  
• Pre-designed email templates for drip campaigns  
• Event materials like banners, flyers, and handouts for tradeshows or conferences  

Sales Collateral. Once marketing reels them in, these materials help your partners seal the deal by giving them relevant information to answer customers’ questions. Some examples include:  

• Product brochures and guides about how your product benefits customers  
• Training materials to help partners understand your product inside and out  
• Sales presentations for delivering the best pitch  
• Support documents like FAQs, troubleshooting guides, and escalation lists  

Having these kinds of materials that are up-to-date, accessible, and easily rebrand-able will go a long way toward boosting your partner’s effectiveness and, in turn, your profits.  

TIP 2: Make Sure Your Reward and Incentive Programs are Clearly Outlined  

You probably already have a reward or incentive program in place. And that’s great! It’s a wonderful way to motivate your partners to sell more. However, not all incentive programs are created equal. In fact, many of them lack clear goals and expectations and eventually become ineffective.  

Take stock of your current reward program by asking the following questions:  

• Do partners understand what they need to do to be rewarded?  
• Are the targets realistic based on your partners’ capabilities and market conditions?  
• Are you using specific metrics to track success?  
• Do the incentives support your overall business goals?  
• Is the reward process transparent and fair?  
• Are partners happy with the program and motivated to participate?  
• Do your partners have the tools and support they need to succeed?  

If the answer to any of these is “no,” we’d suggest revamping the reward program. Using solid research, make sure you know what each channel is capable of and what you want them to achieve, whether it’s a certain number of prospective clients, the size of those clients, or revenue potential. Communicate those expectations clearly and often.   

And don’t forget about logistics – make sure your partners know how the program works and how they can track their progress each quarter. 

TIP 3: Make Sure Your Partners Can Communicate with You and Each Other  

As your channels grow, so does the number of people involved in the channel sales process. Signals can easily get crossed, leading to misunderstandings and missed opportunities. After all, each partner and stakeholder have their own priorities, timelines, and needs. Without clear communication, it all becomes quite chaotic and out of tune, like an orchestra without a conductor.  

So, be sure you have clear lines of communication within your channel partner network. That means making sure everyone knows who they should be talking to for what.   

• Which team member oversees marketing support?  
• Who handles technical questions?   
• Who’s the go-to person for new product information?   

You should also make sure these contacts are available and responsive. There’s nothing more frustrating for a partner than radio silence when they reach out for help or information. Be sure to set expectations around response times and availability so partners know when they can reach you.  

Don’t be afraid to encourage partner-to-partner communication. While each of your partners has its own individual goals, there’s often a lot of overlap when it comes to target customers and verticals. By allowing different partners to communicate and collaborate, you can encourage their mutual success and see a healthy return on investment yourself. 

TIP 4: Promote Your Channel Partners Yourself  

Speaking of mutual success, when was the last time you promoted your channel partners on your social media channels? If the answer’s “a while” or “never,” now’s the time to change that. After all, their success contributes directly to yours, so it’s essential that you help each other thrive through cross-promotion and networking.   

• Cross-Promotion: Promoting each other’s products or services to your customer bases allows you to tap into new markets quickly and easily. It could be as simple as sharing each other’s social media content or featuring their offerings in your email newsletter. The idea is to use each of your current networks to generate more leads and drive sales.  
• Networking: Connect with your partners on LinkedIn and attend industry events together – you can even host them in your booth if you’d like! By building relationships and sharing insightful experiences with your channel partners, you can strengthen your partnership and stay informed about new opportunities and trends.  

If a partner’s products and services are beneficial to your customers, consider joint marketing initiatives! This could include co-hosted webinars, collaborative articles, or a short-form video series. When done right, these initiatives will help you create a strong network where everyone benefits, leading to more sales and success for all.

TIP 5: Prioritize Partner Quality Over Partner Quantity  

When it comes to boosting your channel partner sales, your first instinct might be to bring in as many new partners as possible. After all, more partners mean more sales, right? Well, not necessarily. While expanding your network is important, nurturing and developing the one you already have is just as critical.   

Focus on quality over quantity. Invest time and resources in improving your current partners’ sales skills, providing better support, or offering additional incentives. This approach not only strengthens your existing partnerships but also makes sure they’re as profitable as possible.   

Here are a few ways you can increase your current partners’ sales volume:  

• Understand their strengths, weaknesses, and current market position.  
• Tailor your support staff – and materials – to address their specific needs  
• Offer ongoing training and education to keep them updated on your products  
• Establish feedback mechanisms so you can keep improving your program  
• Look for more ways for them to upsell and cross-sell within your existing network  

Remember that building solid and profitable partnerships doesn’t happen overnight. Be patient and keep working at it. By establishing quality relationships, you’ll see more reliable long-term growth than if you chased quick-and-easy profits.

Looking to Join a Top-Tier Channel Partner Program? Check Out FirstComm  

At FirstComm, we aim to go above and beyond for our community of partners. With us, you’ll receive access to all kinds of sales and marketing collateral, robust white-label solutions, co-marketing opportunities, hefty commissions, and 24/7 support from our dedicated experts. And that’s just scratching the surface. Want to learn more? Check out our website or reach out to our team today, and we’d be happy to provide you with details.