The impacts of the Covid19 pandemic are still reverberating across countries. Economies have shattered and companies have gone bankrupt. But one thing has accelerated during this time of gloom and doom – digital transformation.
Companies, and even governmental organizations, are rapidly digitalizing their processes. Many are switching to the cloud and modern technologies like AI and machine learning to drive business growth to greater heights.
In all of this, channel partnerships are playing a pivotal role. This article explains what channel partnerships are and the benefits your organization can expect to reap from them.
What are Channel Partnerships?
A channel partner is a company that works with another company to promote its services or products, along with its own services/products. Thus, they are independent organizations that join hands with other companies to offer value-added services and scale their operations.
Channel partnerships abound in all sectors, but they are multiplying rapidly in the IT industry. Let’s use an example to illustrate what channel partnerships look like.
Suppose Company X is a technology service provider offering cloud solutions to their clients. On the other hand, Company Y offers only mobile and web application development services. Both join hands to become channel partners.
If Company Y is approached for cloud solutions, it will refer the potential lead to Company X. In contrast, if Company X is approached for mobile application development it will direct the lead to Company Y. This is how to channel partnerships function. They offer win-win solutions to both partners, thereby contributing to each other’s growth.
Let’s delve a little deeper into the benefits of channel partnerships.
5 Benefits of Channel Partnerships
1. More Qualified Leads
All businesses function to increase their revenue and profits. Channel partnerships offer a unique advantage; they give you access to your partner’s client base. The leads provided by your partner are qualified leads, since both companies operate in the same industry, albeit with varying core competencies.
Thus, such partnerships bring in a greater number of leads and improve your lead acquisition.
2. Increased Conversion Rate
If generating leads were enough, it would all be roses. But the real test is to convert those leads into customers. Channel partnerships thrive based on trust. Your partner trusts you and vice versa. Similarly, your channel partner is approached by potential leads because of the trust factor.
Therefore, once you get a qualified lead from your partner, it is highly likely to convert. Not only that, but you can also expect more orders from the leads referred to by your channel partner.
3. Leverage the Power of Partner Marketing
Another key benefit of having a channel partner is that you can join hands to market your services and products to a greater number of people. For example, you may ask your partner to feature your services and products in their email marketing campaign.
4. Reduced Costs
Channel partnerships enable you to have greater customer outreach without requiring you to hire extra people. This translates into lower costs and greater brand awareness.
5. Access New Offshore/Nearshore Markets
If yours is a technology company operating in, let’s say India, you can partner up with a North American company and tap into that market. Moreover, it would equip you with knowledge of the customer profile of that region. You can subsequently target this new audience accordingly.
Conclusion
Channel partnerships are increasingly becoming the norm. Companies collaborate to increase their revenue, cut costs, and acquire new customers. This holds particularly true for technology companies, as channel partnerships enable rapid digital transformation.