Welcome to Partnerships NOW: Volume 7! In this edition, we delve deep into the dynamic world of partner activation, a critical cornerstone in the ever-evolving landscape of indirect sales, channel programs, and partner management.

We recognize that the heartbeat of successful partnerships lies in the active engagement and unwavering motivation of our valued partners. These allies, who drive traffic, submit leads, and seal deals, are integral to business growth and customer support across many industries.

In this month's newsletter, we cover the most effective strategies, emerging trends, and best practices for activating partners within partner programs or portals.

Read on to hear trusted insights and real-life strategies from partnership thought-leaders.

How do you recommend that channel and partner teams measure partner activation and engagement? Please specify metrics that should be looked at and how routinely. 

"Measuring partner activation and engagement is critical to the success of channel and partner programs. These metrics when assessed frequently help companies understand the efficiency of their partner audience. For the metrics to be impactful the data must be program and partner motion specific, and focused on the things that align with partner success. Here are some key metric considerations and a guideline for how to measure them regularly:

Onboarding Completion Rate, Opportunity/Lead/Referral Rate, Revenue Attainment, Marketing Participation, Training & Certification Completion, Product Expansion, Co-Selling and joint Sales Activities, Content Engagement, Support Ticket Activity, and/or Services Attachment.

Weekly: monitor the opportunity registration rates, support ticket activity, training completion, and content interactions.

Monthly: review onboarding completion, revenue targets, co-selling activities, services attachment, and overall deal flow.

Quarterly: evaluate the alignment of completion expectations with actuals and adjust the program elements as needed to align with the story the data has provided. Hold QBRs with key partners to ensure alignment and assess feedback." - Raegan Wilson, MBA , Spur Reply

"It's time for the vendor to get beyond the traditional revenue-based metrics used to date to measure partner performance. Our EdisonAI product looks at 30-35 critical attributes of a partner relationship that can be measured regularly to guide activation and engagement. It's essential to use the largest amount of data that any channel has at its heart - once understood and a regular cadence is established it becomes way easier to know where to invest for best engagement and activation - and this is likely to be with existing partners." - Tom Perry , Sherpa

What are the emerging trends or strategies you have seen work well in onboarding new partners and ensuring their early engagement and success?

"Personalized onboarding experiences, coupled with the support of partner success teams and AI-driven onboarding platforms, are emerging trends that have redefined partner engagement and success strategies. Personalization is at the forefront of effective partner onboarding. By tailoring the onboarding journey to each partner's unique needs and objectives, organizations can create a more meaningful and engaging experience. Data analytics can play a pivotal role here, as they provide insights into partner preferences and pain points. This data allows businesses to adapt their onboarding processes in real-time, ensuring partners receive the most relevant training and resources.

Many of our clients are finding that Partner Success/Partner Experience teams are instrumental in this approach. These dedicated teams offer personalized support and guidance, helping partners navigate challenges and capitalize on opportunities. They serve as a direct line of communication, fostering trust and loyalty.

AI-driven onboarding platforms further enhance the onboarding process. These platforms leverage machine learning and data analytics to provide partners with intelligent, self-paced training modules. They can answer queries, recommend resources, and track progress, making onboarding more efficient and interactive. This not only accelerates partner proficiency but also allows organizations to identify areas requiring additional attention. These platforms are few and far between but companies like Superglue are leading the way." - Kristine Stewart , Spur Reply

"The hottest trend right now is the future of partner management. It’s energizing, directing, and gaining confidence with a personalized partner journey. Orienting the partner management team with role-based enablement will separate the leaders from the fast followers." - Meredith Caram , JSG

"In our recent study on the partner experience through the journey , the solution providers indicated the initial technical training and developing a solution around the technology are the most challenging aspects of onboarding with a vendor. Often, vendors have unrealistic expectations of how much technical training is warranted. It’s difficult for solution providers to carve out training time for technical resources as the goal is to have their staff fully booked.

You can enhance the partner experience and thus drive more engagement and success by defining partner enablement in smaller step-by-step actions. Offer a little sales training aligned with a little tech training and a little marketing enablement with a little execution. Minimize the investment a partner must make before they can start being profitable with your solution. Then embark on round two: a little more sales training, a little more technical training, a little more marketing, and a little more doing." - Diane Krakora , PartnerPath

What are common challenges partner and channel teams face when trying to drive repetitive partner engagement and desired partner performance outcomes?

"A) Partners don’t sell what they don’t understand just as confused prospects don’t buy. Vendors should prioritize what partners need to know to be successful, not what they want them to know.

B) Vendors need to understand that high wattage partners focus on building their own brand, not the vendor’s brand." - Meredith Caram , JSG

Can you share examples of effective strategies or initiatives that have worked to spur partner reengagement? 

"The demands and expectations placed on partners and vendors continue to evolve. I’ve found it extremely helpful when vendors provide their channel management team a 'conversation' guide that is crafted from launch to continuous growth ensuring partnerships prosper at every stage." - Meredith Caram , JSG

What role does technology play in enhancing partner engagement and streamlining partner management processes?

"Technology plays a critical role in driving better outcomes in partnerships using modern technology. A few technology areas that can make a difference include:

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) including Partner Relationship Management (PRM): CRMs that include PRM are essential for managing effective partner relationships. They host crucial partner information, track interactions, and provide a centralized platform for managing leads, contacts, and joint Co-Sell opportunities. CRM/PRM systems can also automate routine tasks, such as lead nurturing and follow-ups.

Communication and Collaboration Tools: Tools including email, video conferencing, instant messaging, and project management software, enable partners to communicate effectively, share information, and collaborate on projects, regardless of their time zone alignment.

Data Analytics and Reporting: Partnerships can track and analyze partner performance, sales data, and market trends via advanced analytics and reporting tools. A data-driven approach enables informed decisions, optimizing partner programs, and identifying areas for improvement. Technology in partnerships can enable efficient communication, data-driven decision-making, automation of routine tasks, and the creation of secure, collaborative environments that foster successful partnerships." - Brian Galicia , Microsoft

"We like the phrase Partner Relationship Fostering (PRF) when we talk about the technology that supports partnering. Automating everything that can be automated allows people to concentrate on strategic planning and collaborative growth initiatives, rather than getting bogged down by administrative chores that create obstacles.

Here are some examples of how technology can help support the partnering efforts:

Faster time to results: Automated, role-based workflows combined with orchestrated communication tools help to reduce the time it takes to onboard partners, get people up to speed on new program information or help them leverage new products more quickly into their sales and services.

Efficient Information Access: Self-service portals and AI-powered search provide partners instant access to key resources without needing channel manager intervention.

Streamlined Process Execution: Integrated platforms combined with tools like Bots simplify tasks, reducing the need for switching between systems and reserving human interaction for complex issues.

Insightful Business Conversations: Real-time analytics dashboards and customizable reports offer partners insights into performance metrics and business opportunities enabling more meaningful business conversations.

Orchestrated Collaboration Across Organizations: A unified system showcasing joint deals between technology and channel partners fosters enhanced transparency, collaborative planning, and promotes seamless information exchange and teamwork.

Technology is one of the cornerstones to successful partnering." - Gina Batali-Brooks , Is Inspired