The Partner Channel Magazine Summer 2017

can resolve or opportunity you can help address, a brief highlight of the solution you offer and the benefits
clients stand to derive as a result, and the type of Partner with which you want to work. Spending time up
front thinking about all of that and being able to articulate it on the spot will make it easier for Partners to see
themselves involved with you.
»»
Develop a High-level Channel Strategy and Selling Model – Determining how a working relationship
with a Partner will function is essential to understanding with which types of Partners you will be most
successful. Understanding if you want to sell with a Partner or through a Partner will help target Partners with
a business model that fits what you are looking for. It will also help you find the right type of Partner for your
needs (i.e. managed service provider, systems integrator, independent software vendor, etc.)
Determining how a working relationship with a
Partner will function is essential to understanding with
which types of Partners you will be most successful.
»»
Determine the Precise Characteristics of an Ideal Partner – Now it is time to get down to the details
and get more precise about the characteristics of the ideal Partner. Consider what you need from a Partner
when it comes to:
• Geography (what parts of the world do they need to service?);
• Size, in terms of revenue and number of employees;
• Technology alignment;
• Industry focus;
• Alignment with existing Partners and strategy.
This is also a good place to check in on the image your company is projecting. If you are going to be
approaching Partners, they are going to do their own background checks. As such, it is worth taking the time
to ensure your website is up to date and references current partnerships and that company LinkedIn and
Twitter pages are actively promoting Partner success stories and Partner-based business opportunities.
»»
Create a Target List – With an understanding of what an ideal channel Partner looks like, a target list of
prospective channel Partners can be created. Generating this list can start from any number of sources. The
best bets include existing company knowledge and relationships. You can also widen the search and review
other lists. Redmond Channel Partner, for example, offers various lists of top Microsoft Partners (https://
rcpmag.com/articles/2016/06/01/top-us-microsoft-partners.aspx). Another option to explore is Microsoft
Pinpoint (https://partner.microsoft.com/en-US/Marketing/find-microsoft-partners).
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Play the Numbers Game – Recruiting Partners is a numbers game. The more Partners targeted at the top
of the pipeline, the better the chances of closing a few solid relationships. Do not limit yourself to starting out
by looking at only a few potential Partners.
In a recent interview, Kati Quigley, Microsoft’s senior director of Partner marketing and recruiting, said
there are approximately 400,000 Partners in the Microsoft ecosystem. Playing the Partner recruiting game
would start with that entire field of possibility. Narrow that down to between 300 and 500 Partners who are
a potential fit for your company. Then do another level of review to cut the list down to approximately 30
Partners who would be a strong fit and start your pursuit. (Access the interview at https://www.avepoint.com/
blog/strategy-blog/microsofts-kati-quigley-microsoft-partner-network/)
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Take a Reality Check – With your list of potential Partners in hand, it is now important to prioritize efforts
according to desirability, probability of engagement, and available resources. Be realistic and align resources to
where there is the best likelihood of success. It can take up to three months to work through the potential list of
Partners. If you are short on time, resources, or both, consider hiring a service to help you expedite recruitment.
As your company starts to actively reach out and engage with each of the channel Partners on the prioritized
list, you need to ensure that you and your team have all the required information at the ready. For example,
16 SUMMER 2017 | THEPARTNERCHANNEL.COM