the complete channel fairytale

The Channel Fairytale

Join us and our cast of channel characters as we journey through the channel nightmare with a fairytale ending.

Long ago in a land far, far away, companies that sold through the channel had only

three things to worry about –

Product quality Availability Distribution

Their channel partners did the rest.

For many, the channel fairy tale has turned into a nightmare, with complexity that makes measuring

and managing channel partner performance far harder.

To make channel partnerships a success story, you need to understand the characters you are working

with – and the value they bring to your business.

Some will be heroes; others may not be all they seem on the surface.

To help you identify your most profitable channel partnerships, consider these personas for the most common partner types. Read on to discover whether you’re working with a profitable

Golden Goose or a more troublesome Troll.

Meet the full cast…

Who are they?Large, top tier partners who are slow to embrace change.

How can you spot them?Infrequent buyers who focus on selling the same products they’ve always sold rather than creating ongoing demand.

How do you waken the Sleeping Giant?From training to technology, identify the areas where they are most drowsy, and use benefits and incentives/rewards to influence change and drive engagement.

www.iclployalty.com/find-your-fairytale-channel-partner/

he Sleeping Giant

he Golden GooseWho are they?

Smaller, innovative partners who are full of enthusiasm and ideas.

How can you spot them?Strategically aligned with your vision, creating innovative

solutions and engaging with you regularly.

How do you protect a Golden Goose?Prevent competitors from luring them away with

unpublished VIP tracks that “surprise and delight” and drive loyalty and advocacy.


Who are they?Small to mid-sized vertical/niche specialists who aren’t always transacting themselves.

How can you spot them?Influencers known to analysts and agencies who are interacting with your top partners and appearing in industry news.

How can you release the Frog Prince from his spell?Build influencer-led communications programmes and focus on recognising, supporting and rewarding their efforts to educate the market on your behalf.


he Frog Prince

Who are they?Smart, technology-focused partners whose

transactions are difficult to predict.

How can you spot them?Regularly engaging with your emails,

events and partner portal.

How can you stay one step ahead of the Cunning Fox?

Align incentives and benefits with their irregular buying behaviours, and support their growth by

arming them with the right tools.


he Cunning Fox

Who are they?Box movers buying and selling in volume but failing to invest in longer term strategies.

How can you spot them?Posting large sales numbers but purchasing legacy products and failing to grow their business with you.

How can you tame a Troll?Build a strategic relationship with joint growth goals and business building rewards benefits that encourage them to move away from cash rebates.


he Troll

Who are they?High-selling, early adopters that are experts in their sector.

How can you spot them?Advocates for your brand who deliver fast sales growth

and introduce you to new verticals and technologies.

How can you hold onto a hero?Celebrate these partners with a formalised relationship

that offers them unique rewards, 1:1 support and the opportunity to grow their prestige through events,

content and case studies.


Shining Armourhe Knight in

Ready to start your Fairytale journey?

Find out more about each of our fairytale channel partner personas, and delve

deeper into what makes them tick and the actions you can take to unlock the full

potential of your channel partnerships.


The Partner Loyalty Cube is a unique creation by ICLP, the worldwide leaders in loyalty strategy and solutions for over 25 years. From our

experience running the global loyalty programme for one of the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturers on the planet, we know there is a

better way to generate higher revenue and profit from the channel.

ICLP builds loyalty and creates devotion for both B2C and B2B companies with complex sales channels.

We give customers and channel partners compelling reasons to engage, spend more and become loyal advocates –while delivering

commercial results.

To find out more about how we can help you improve your channel performance, please get in touch.

[email protected] www.iclployalty.com/channel-loyalty/

the complete channel fairytale

Marketing