Marketing 101 (
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Solution providers often face the vexing task of integrating marketing into business plans, but help is out there.It's a conundrum that stymies even the most seasoned solution providers: To keep the business successful, you need strong, well-executed marketing plans to generate more sales. Unfortunately, marketing efforts take time away from actually making the sale, so figuring out when to do it all requires a delicate balancing act.
As a result, marketing activities often get short shrift. But that is a mistake, since marketing draws new customers and helps keep current customers happy, say channel experts.
"Marketing needs to be integrated into the entire business plan," said Brian Okun, regional sales director at Prevalent Networks, in Merrick, N.Y. "Marketing is the systematic planning, implementation and control intended to bring together buyers and sellers. If it is done properly, it will create brand awareness—getting your message out to customers and continually reinforcing that message."
With that in mind, marketing activities ideally would become second nature to the running of the business. To get there, solution providers should put marketing plans together, execute them and review them on the back end to determine what works and what needs improvement. But that is easier said than done.
"One of the biggest business problems that solution providers have is how to go to market and having time to market their services," said Katie Dumala, vice president of marketing services at Tech Data, in Clearwater, Fla. "Often, these skills are something not inherent in the VARs because many came up through technology and not marketing."
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Vendors and distributors understand their partners' marketing challenges, so they have programs to help solution providers. In December, for example, Cisco Systems will host its first marketing forum in Miami for 200 partners, said Luanne Tierney, senior director of U.S. and Canada channel marketing at Cisco Systems, in San Jose, Calif. The forum will include seminars on public relations and how to use marketing, interactive media and mobile messaging to grow a business, she said. Partners that cannot attend will have access to a virtual market summit.
Cisco's forum is just one example of a variety of programs from vendors and distributors that provide access to marketing experts; provide cohosting for Webinars and seminars; collaborate in the creation of mailings, case studies and other marketing materials; provide market development funds; and help create a splash at a trade show or other event.
Plan and plan early
To be effective at marketing, solution providers need to create a plan that fits seamlessly into the organization's overall business strategy. It's important to think about what kind of customer you want to reach and figure out the customer's major pain points to create messages that speak to those issues, say experts.
"Everything should start with the solution provider's wish list of what market they want to target," said Tierney. "It's about creating buzz and excitement and getting them to take action."
Prevalent Networks used security vendor Symantec's PartnerNet site to create a yearlong marketing strategy. Using online tools, Okun planned a fiscal year's worth of marketing events, including user events, call blitzes and seminars, and got Symantec's promise of help.
"These tools let us effectively use cooperative dollars and help Symantec allocate appropriate resources to us," Okun said.
Another vendor option is Cisco's MAP (Marketing Acceleration Planner), an interactive portal launched last spring that helps partners build long-term marketing plans and learn about resources available to them. "One thing our partners asked for was a marketing plan template and information on what should be in a marketing plan," Tierney said.
Next Page: Taking advantage of available tools
