Changing Channels

Bill Cate, vice president of marketing and channels at Zebra Technologies, joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss the role of non-transacting partners in go-to-market strategy.

Partners come in various models and sizes. The common trait is that they sell and support technology products produced by vendors. At least that’s what conventional channel wisdom says. But the channel is replete with non-transacting partners – companies and professionals that influence end customer product consideration and purchasing decisions. Non-transacting partners range from IT resellers that see a sales opportunity but don’t have a relationship with the vendor to technology enthusiasts that recommend products to colleagues. Influencers and their cousins, referrers, are an increasingly important part of the go-to-market equation, as they help guide the customer through their purchasing journeys long before they engage a vendor or reseller. A company that’s plying the emerging influencer channel is Zebra Technologies, which is supporting and enabling non-transactional partners such as independent hardware vendors, consultants, technology partners, and systems integrators through its Alliance Partners track. Zebra recognized that gaining benefit from influencers requires an up-front investment – a risky proposition for a vendor that’s used to offering back-end incentives to motivate partners. In this episode of Changing Channels, Bill Cate, Zebra’s vice president of marketing and channels, talks about the role of customers in bringing influencers to the forefront, using alliance relationships to form and achieve common goals, and how to gauge the results of an influencer strategy.

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Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Follow @Channelnomics to stay current on the latest #research, #bestpractices, and #resources. At @Channelnomics – the voice of thought leadership – we define #channel trends, chart new #GTM strategies, and #partner with industry leaders to champion #diversity in the channel.

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Bill Cate: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billcate/

Credits

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Laurie Mitchell, vice president of partner and international marketing at Wasabi Technologies, joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss how a midstage technology start-up expands into the international channel.  

Wading into international waters is a tricky proposition for many technology companies. The complexities of localization, the individualities of different markets, the unique needs of customers in various parts of the world, and the expenses involved in developing a multinational presence are all challenges to any organization trying to build an international channel. Despite the intricacies, though, emerging U.S. cloud storage company Wasabi Technologies has rapidly expanded its international footprint. Only a year after launching its cloud storage service in 2017, Wasabi announced the construction of its first overseas data center in Amsterdam, and this summer it began its move into Asia with the announcement of a new data center in Tokyo. Much of Wasabi’s overseas success is credited to European and Asian channel partners that have spurred the storage company’s expansion. In this episode of Changing Channels, Laurie Mitchell, Wasabi’s vice president of partner and international marketing, discusses how the storage start-up ventured into the international market with the assistance of its partners.  

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Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/  

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli  

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics  

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production  

Follow the new @Channelnomics to stay current on the latest #research, #bestpractices, and #resources. At @Channelnomics – the voice of thought leadership – we define #channel trends, chart new #GTM strategies, and #partner with industry leaders to champion #diversity in the channel.  

Episode Resources  

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa  

Guest Laurie Mitchell: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lcoppola/ 

Credits  

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.  

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa  

Voice-Over: Denise Quan  

PODCAST LINK/EMBED CODE:  

YOUTUBE LINK: https://youtu.be/PajNCbX1TKY 

CN POST: https://channelnomics.com/2021/08/wasabis-laurie-mitchell-on-expanding-into-the-international-market 

Andy Martin, vice president of global partner sales at Pure Storage, joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss the challenges and rewards of transitioning to a subscription-based sales model.

The subscription model, under which technology is sold based on access and use rather than as a one-off transaction, is changing the way businesses acquire and consume said technology. It’s also giving customers greater flexibility to plan, utilize, and budget for their technology needs and providing economic benefits to vendors, partners, and customers as they pare down their capital expenses. Among hardware companies, Pure Storage – a leader in flash array products – was an early entry into the use of subscription models. Pure introduced its Evergreen storage service in 2015, allowing customers to purchase – or downgrade – capacity based on operating needs. In this episode of Changing Channels, Andy Martin, vice president of global partner sales at Pure, shares insights into the transition process from transactional to subscription sales, the need to engage with the channel under the subscription model, and opportunities that subscription models open for partners.

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Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Follow the new @Channelnomics to stay current on the latest #research, #bestpractices, and #resources. At @Channelnomics – the voice of thought leadership – we define #channel trends, chart new #GTM strategies, and #partner with industry leaders to champion #diversity in the channel.

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Andy Martin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andy-martin-6aab205

Credits:

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Heather K. Margolis, the founder of Channel Maven and Spark My Channel, joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss how marketing to and through channel partners is changing and what most technology companies get wrong.

If you want sales, you need to start with marketing. It’s a well-worn refrain in the channel that partners are subpar at marketing. According to Channelnomics research, between 60% and 80% of partners have no marketing plans, and the majority lack marketing capabilities. Such shortcomings necessitate that vendors pick up the load for producing materials and messaging to promote products and services. Yet partners frequently say the availability and quality of the marketing support they get from vendors is insufficient or ineffective. The evolving use of digital tools to convey messages, identify and cultivate customers, and reinforce value messages challenges vendors and partners to up their marketing game. Successful vendors produce more diverse marketing content, leveraging tools such as through-channel marketing automation (TCMA) and training partners in marketing techniques to produce more fruitful results. In this episode of Changing Channels, Margolis and Walsh revive their long-running Sibling Rivalry chats to discuss what vendors and partners need to do better channel marketing.

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Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Follow the new @Channelnomics to stay current on the latest #research, #bestpractices, and #resources. At @Channelnomics – the voice of thought leadership – we define #channel trends, chart new #GTM strategies, and #partner with industry leaders to champion #diversity in the channel.

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Guest Heather K. Margolis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heatherkmargolis/

Credits:

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host: Larry Walsh https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Alyssa Fitzpatrick joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss Microsoft’s innovative co-sell program in which it’s become the driver of independent software vendor products that complement the Azure cloud.

Cloud computing ushered in whole new ways of selling, delivering, and consuming technology. Through cloud platforms, vendors earn recurring revenue while customers get access to robust, resilient resources at a more palatable expense. Driving cloud adoption and expanded consumption requires applications. The more applications a customer runs in a cloud, the more revenue it generates for the service provider. Channels have a limited number of selling motions, such as sell-with or co-selling, in which the vendor and partner approach customers together. Microsoft, looking to feed its Azure Cloud platform, flipped the script on co-selling by creating a program in which its sells products that complement its cloud services. The result is a multi-billion-dollar business that provides lift to independent software vendors, commissions to Microsoft salespeople, and accelerated growth for Microsoft. Other cloud vendors have similar co-sell programs, but most are following in the footsteps of Microsoft’s innovative program that aims to create wins for Microsoft, partners, and customers. Alyssa Fitzpatrick, general manager of worldwide partner sales at Microsoft, joins Changing Channels to discuss the Microsoft co-sell program and its ongoing evolution.

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Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Follow the new @Channelnomics to stay current on the latest #research, #bestpractices, and #resources. At @Channelnomics – the voice of thought leadership – we define #channel trends, chart new #GTM strategies, and #partner with industry leaders to champion #diversity in the channel.

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Larry’s Blog: https://bit.ly/3r66LlU

Guest Alyssa Fitzpatrick: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alysfitz/

2112 B2B Influencer Success Factors: Get detailed insights on how to leverage influencers in driving channel and marketplace sales: https://bit.ly/36uxuiR

Credits:

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host: Larry Walsh https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Renee Bergeron joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to discuss how innovative marketplace models are providing new avenues to market for technology vendors and partners.

Marketplaces and online digital sales are increasing quickly. More than $6 trillion in B2B goods and reserves sales transact through marketplaces annually – nearly three times the volume of B2C activity. And a significant and increasing portion of that volume is technology products and services. Marketplace sales were on the ascent prior to the pandemic. Lockdown conditions made online buying a necessity for many businesses and provided vendors and resellers with a much-needed medium for selling under social distancing conditions. Marketplaces are on the minds of nearly every vendor. They see online selling as a means for increasing revenue, meeting customers where they want to transact (particularly younger buyers and influencers), and scaling limited resources. The concern is how marketplaces impact traditional channels and partners. Vendors want to tap the power of marketplaces, but they also want to control the negative side effects on the partners that got them where they are today. AppSmart, a division of AppDirect and leading online technology sales platform, provides an example of how a marketplace can provide vendors with the digital sales capabilities they seek while simultaneously enabling partners to transact online. Renee Bergeron, vice president and general manager of AppSmart, joins Changing Channels to share how AppSmart is plying this new online selling model to the benefit of vendors and partners alike.

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Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Follow the new @Channelnomics to stay current on the latest #research, #bestpractices, and #resources. At @Channelnomics – the voice of thought leadership – we define #channel trends, chart new #GTM strategies, and #partner with industry leaders to champion #diversity in the channel.

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Larry’s Blog: https://tinyurl.com/789uecks

Channelnomics Marketplace Guide: https://tinyurl.com/2k76tc9v

Guest Renee Bergeron: https://www.linkedin.com/in/reneebergeron/

2021 Channel Forecast and 2021 Channel Chief Outlook: Discover what your channel peers and partners are doing in 2021 and beyond. Get your copy of both reports for insights that inform your strategy development, guide your decision-making, and help you benchmark performance: https://channelnomics.com/library/.

Credits:

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host: Larry Walsh https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Frank Cespedes joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to talk about effective sales and channel strategies in the post-pandemic economy.

The COVID-19 pandemic left an indelible mark on the market – particularly when it comes to sales strategy and management. The emergence of digital collaboration and dominance of online marketplaces has many sales leaders and strategists looking for the next selling methodology to replace existing sales techniques and channels. But as much as things change, they stay the same. In his new book, “Sales Management That Works: How to Sell in a World That Never Stops Changing,” Harvard Business School senior lecturer Frank Cespedes outlines how many of the common fundamentals will continue to work even as the market transforms. The challenge, he points out, is in the execution. The customer will remain king (or queen) in the go-to-market equation. Data is important to driving sales activities, but businesses need defined sales processes. Value must remain linked to price or else profitability is at risk. And despite persistent questions about their value contributions, partners and the channel will remain a critical part of market coverage and revenue generation. In this wide-ranging conversation with Changing Channels’ Larry Walsh, Frank Cespedes shares his thought-provoking perspective on how everything is changing yet remaining vaguely familiar in sales and channels.

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Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Follow the new @Channelnomics to stay current on the latest #research, #bestpractices, and #resources. At @Channelnomics – the voice of thought leadership – we define #channel trends, chart new #GTM strategies, and #partner with industry leaders to champion #diversity in the channel.

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Larry’s Blog: http://bit.ly/3rZ1WtT

Guest Frank Cespedes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frankcespedes/

Buy Frank’s Book: https://tinyurl.com/scuv2dwj

Credits:

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host: Larry Walsh, https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Lori Cornmesser joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to talk about what it’s like for a channel chief to start over in a new role and find success in driving indirect sales.

The average channel chief spends between 18 and 36 months in their role. From there, they often move on to a similar position in a different company. Review the resumes of some of the industry stalwarts and you’ll see a succession of channel leadership jobs, each requiring the same entry process of discovery, planning, and assimilation. Starting over as a channel chief isn’t easy. The start-up process is replete with back-to-back executive and team meetings, bottomless data analysis, deep dives into product training, detailed reviews of organizational capacities, team recruitment, and – of course – partner introductions. Starting up as a channel chief requires forethought, time, and selling a company’s vision and value. It’s the bifurcated nature of the channel chief’s role that presents the challenge. A channel chief must satisfy internal stakeholders – namely, their management – and external constituents, or partners. It’s a careful balancing act that can make or break a newly minted channel leader. Someone who’s performed this balancing act several times is Lori Cornmesser. She’s built and managed global partner programs at Juniper Networks and has been a channel chief at both Ixia and Infoblox. She recently started over as the vice president of worldwide channel sales at security specialist CyCognito. Cornmesser joins Changing Channels to discuss what it takes to restart and find success as a multi-time channel chief.

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Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Follow the new @Channelnomics to stay current on the latest #research, #bestpractices, and #resources. At @Channelnomics – the voice of thought leadership – we define #channel trends, chart new #GTM strategies, and #partner with industry leaders to champion #diversity in the channel.

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Larry’s Blog: http://bit.ly/3rZ1WtT

Guest Lori Cornmesser: https://www.linkedin.com/in/loricornmesser/

2021 Channel Forecast and 2021 Channel Chief Outlook: Discover what your channel peers and partners are doing in 2021 and beyond. Get your copy of both reports for insights that inform your strategy development, guide your decision-making, and help you benchmark performance: https://channelnomics.com/library/.

Credits:

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host: Larry Walsh https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Channelnomics’ Larry Walsh responds to the perception that distribution is declining in value to vendors’ go-to-market equation and channel programs.

A recent poll found that channel chiefs see distribution’s contribution to channels declining as the market shifts to service-based models and cloud delivery mechanisms. This perception is nothing new. The value that distribution brings to vendors’ go-to-market equation is always in question, as vendors are always on the lookout for ways to cut complexity and costs from their channel programs. Yet despite the recurring value question, the distribution segment persists. The reason distribution exists in the first place is because its absence makes it more expensive for vendors to get their products to partners and customers. Without distribution support, vendors would have a significantly harder time operating in emerging markets, managing logistics and support, and enabling partners – particularly in the long tail. In this episode of Changing Channels, Channelnomics’ Larry Walsh breaks down the reasons why vendors persistently question the value of distribution, what many get wrong about distribution capabilities and contributions, and what vendors need to think about before considering discarding distribution relationships.

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Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Follow the new @Channelnomics to stay current on the latest #research, #bestpractices, and #resources. At @Channelnomics – the voice of thought leadership – we define #channel trends, chart new #GTM strategies, and #partner with industry leaders to champion #diversity in the channel.

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Larry’s Blog: http://bit.ly/3rZ1WtT

2021 Channel Forecast and 2021 Channel Chief Outlook: Discover what your channel peers and partners are doing in 2021 and beyond. Get your copy of both reports for insights that inform your strategy development, guide your decision-making, and help you benchmark performance: https://channelnomics.com/library/.

Credits:

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host: Larry Walsh https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan

Joe Sykora joins Channelnomics’ Changing Channels host Larry Walsh to talk about strategies and tactics for instilling in partners the imperative of selling persistently and consistently.

The IT channel is, by definition, a route to market for selling and delivering technology goods and services to end customers. Partners are the conduit through which products flow. They influence and direct customer brand consideration and product purchasing decisions. And partners play a major role in the customer experience through their deployment, professional services, and managed services. Selling is an essential part of the channel, but partners aren’t consistent in their sales capacity or competency. According to Channelnomics’ research, vendor channel leaders report as much as half of partners don’t originate most of their sales. Channelnomics reports that as many as six out of 10 channel partners don’t have sales plans or goals. And when it comes to services that drive recurring revenue, partners are losing one account for every two they gain – a retention rate of less than 70%, when the market says 90% should be the minimum. Vendors need high-performing and consistently selling partners to drive their growth, contribute revenue and profitability, and maintain a reliable forecast. Getting partners to focus on sales as much as they do technology is the challenge nearly all channel executives face. Joe Sykora, senior vice president of worldwide channel and partner sales at security vendor Proofpoint, has made channel sales excellence a hallmark of his storied career. He joins Changing Channels to discuss his approach to building and maintaining a sales culture that permeates the channel ecosystem, from internal teams to partners.

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Channelnomics: https://channelnomics.com/

LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/2NC6Vli

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Channelnomics

Changing Channels Is a Channelnomics Production

Follow the new @Channelnomics to stay current on the latest #research, #bestpractices, and #resources. At @Channelnomics – the voice of thought leadership – we define #channel trends, chart new #GTM strategies, and #partner with industry leaders to champion #diversity in the channel.

Episode Resources:

Host Larry Walsh: https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Larry’s Blog: http://bit.ly/3rZ1WtT

Guest Joe Sykora: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joesykora/

2021 Channel Forecast and 2021 Channel Chief Outlook: Discover what your channel peers and partners are doing in 2021 and beyond. Get your copy of both reports for insights that inform your strategy development, guide your decision-making, and help you benchmark performance: https://channelnomics.com/library/.

Credits:

Production: Changing Channels is produced by Modern Podcasting. For virtual content capture and video-first podcasts, check out http://www.modpodstudio.com.

Host: Larry Walsh https://bit.ly/3beZfOa

Voice-Over: Denise Quan