IT channel sales and marketing strategy for the digital era

Introduction

We've entered into a new era where IT channel firms must have a strong, and digital, sales and marketing strategy in place if they hope to grow, if not survive, in the industry. Customers, increasingly Web-savvy, prefer to conduct their own research to find partners, putting greater importance on the image and message you convey about your company through your website, collateral and social media platforms. For channel executives coming from mostly technical backgrounds, crafting a sales and marketing strategy can seem like a daunting responsibility -- but, if there's one thing we're trying hammer in throughout this guide, you can't afford to avoid it.

With the importance of sales and marketing in mind, we've organized a comprehensive series of articles to modernize your approach. You'll find an overview of the steps you'll need to take to develop a solid sales and marketing strategy for your company, as well as the tools and techniques for generating leads. And importantly, throughout the series, you'll find a multitude of valuable tips to help you execute your plan.

1Channel partner marketing-

Cutting through the noise

Where do you start? How do you pay for it? What different marketing routes could you take? In this section, you'll get the bulk of what you need to know about sales and marketing in the digital era. These pieces provide a high-level perspective of the sales and marketing battleground for partners, as well as detailed reports on how to stand out.

2Brand strategy-

Know thyself: Tips for establishing your brand

Your company brand, while an important concept that runs through the pieces featured above, warrants closer inspection. In this section, Jennifer Anaya, vice president of North American marketing at Ingram Micro, zeros in on several aspects of branding (and rebranding) your firm. Read through these tips to learn how to create a concise and compelling branding strategy that best reflects your company identity.

3MSP sales management-

Organizing your sales staff

If you're selling managed and/or cloud services, it's your responsibility to ensure your sales talent understands the nuances of recurring revenue deals. Read through these pieces for advice on how to set your sales staff up for success.

4Glossary-

Sales and marketing terms

Get au fait with the language and speak like a true sales and marketing strategist.