S.W.O.T.
","verticalAlignment":"top"},"metaData":{"position":{"left":-230,"top":90},"size":{"width":461,"height":58}}},{"type":"freeText","id":"id1579618368002","elementProperties":{"tagName":"H3","behaviours":null,"isLocked":false,"name":"Text 20","baseName":null,"templateID":"template1417958511183","templateName":null,"order":35,"customStates":null,"isElementWasEditedInMode":false,"showHoverEffects":true,"skinInformation":{},"isSupportsMobile":false,"isVisibleInMode":true,"isFixed":false,"topZIndex":0,"elementOpacity":1,"staticMargin":{"horizontalMargin":0,"verticalMargin":0},"sizeAndPosition":{"width":354,"height":100,"left":-174,"top":118},"lastResizingSize":{"width":354,"height":100,"left":-174,"top":118},"isVisibleInLastSection":true,"isVisibleInLastDataItem":true,"attributes":null,"metaProps":null,"metaItemType":null,"metaTitle":null,"styleBindingId":null,"styleBindingFields":null,"shadow":{"top":0,"left":0,"spread":0,"blur":0,"color":"black"},"glow":{"spread":0,"blur":0,"color":"black"},"isParallaxBackground":false,"parallaxBackgroundSpeed":0.5,"isParallaxElement":{"isActive":false,"speed":1,"delay":0},"effectsOptions":{"isParallax":false,"oneTimeAnimation":false,"duration":1200,"startDistance":200,"startVisibility":0.8,"distance":300,"measureDistanceType":3,"delay":0,"distanceDelay":0,"runInLoop":false,"flyDirection":2,"direction":"horizontal","movementDistanceHorizontally":200,"movementDistanceVertically":0,"autoStartDistanceSettings":true,"autoDistanceSettings":true},"effects":null,"binding":null,"innerGlow":{"spread":0,"blur":0,"color":"black"},"innerShadow":{"top":0,"left":0,"spread":0,"blur":0,"color":"black"},"display":"fixed","cellItem":null,"cellHorizontalAlignment":"none","basicUserCanEdit":true,"backgroundColor":"transparent","imageUrl":"","imageLayout":"stretchedToFill","imagePosition":{"vertical":"center","horizontal":"center"},"origImage":"","imageOpacity":1,"backgroundOverlay":"transparent","isVisible":true,"verticalLayout":"normal","horizontalLayout":"normal","fillLayout":{"fillVertical":false,"fillHorizontal":false},"margin":{"top":0,"left":0,"bottom":0,"right":0},"borderWidth":{"top":0,"left":0,"bottom":0,"right":0},"roundness":{"topLeft":0,"bottomLeft":0,"topRight":0,"bottomRight":0},"borderColor":{"top":"Black","left":"Black","bottom":"Black","right":"Black"},"borderStyle":{"top":"solid","left":"solid","bottom":"solid","right":"solid"},"padding":{"top":0,"left":0,"bottom":0,"right":0},"rotationAngle":0,"verticalAlign":"center","horizontalAlign":"center","horizontalContentAlign":"center","startSelected":false,"urlAddress":null,"openInNewTab":false,"openInTopWindow":false,"shouldUnderlineChildren":false,"namedTextStyle":"headingS","fontColor":null,"textShadow":[],"lineHeight":{"percentages":120,"unit":"percentages"},"letterSpacing":0,"fontSize":null,"font":null,"contentTextTransform":"none","isBold":false,"isItalic":false,"isUnderline":false,"textStyle":{"bold":false,"underline":false,"italic":false},"textDirection":2,"dataBinding":null,"formattedText":"I have been in and observing the SAP SME channel in US in the past and I welcome the current SAP focus on lead gen that is partner led. I see that the top partners have the skills and manpower to execute that. The many smaller partners could do more; also grow and contribute to SAP market penetration in their many local areas.
I've seen first-hand that many passive marketing programs that rely on 3rd parties have been very wasteful. I would like to turn partners into very proactive organizations, from lead gen to sales, to recurring revenue - all contributing to their growth.
Julian Lee had a similar observation:
\"When it comes to channel partners, most vendors have some variation of the “80/20 rule”. This conventional thinking convinced many software vendors to pour most of their marketing funds and incentives into the top 20% of their partner base. Eventually, this lopsided investment strengthened the position of their top 20%. No judgement here, but just see what happens next naturally… Eventually, they slide further towards a more polarized “90/10 rule” as some of the top players outplay each other. Does that mean, you are left with 10% best business partners, while the others are left to fend for themselves? It’s obvious that the more you invest in one group of partners, the more that group will flourish. While many of these are solid partners, your high level of marketing investment is probably one of the biggest drivers of their success. This practice is also riskier for vendors, as they become dependent on fewer partners. What if there was a better way to grow your top partner base from 20% to 30% or more? What if the solution had nothing to do with your partner programs, incentives or margins?\"
The Engagement
As an advisor to the owners, I believe in starting my engagement by conducting a SWOT analysis with participation of the entire management team. An honest assessment of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, will produce clarity for moving forward. It is advisable to periodically revisit the SWOT and adjust chosen strategies.
The \"Partner Coach\" would initially go onsite to the selected partner location for period of time (i.e., 2 days) and start intensive business process improvement \"re-engineering\" project. In general, it would consist of the following elements:
- Ownership commitment including financial in engaging a coach
- SWOT analysis with partner's team
- Evaluation of \"recurring revenue\" strategy (cloud vs on-premise)
- Evaluation of local market for vertical strategy
- Selection of a vertical and establishing a partnership with certified partners for solution focus
- Lead gen strategy, including inbound, outbound and digital marketing
- Lead qualification process review
- Sales process review and hands-on participation in the field with partner in a sales process (including lead qualification criteria)
The process will continue with ongoing remote consultations and periodic onsite reviews.
I am dedicated to working with partners on the above. The engagement will lead to making better decisions, getting better results and becoming a better leader. I know that I would be accepted in that role by the partner community as someone \"who has done it\".
Barry Lederman