In the course of working with our channel partners across the country, I’ve learned that most business communications and IT channel partners don’t have a serious focus on marketing, not to mention a budget and a dedicated “marketing guy" like me. There are many reasons for this: it's hard to quantify results, there's no time/personnel to dedicate to it, they don’t know where to start, etc.
However, as I often tell our channel partners, you don’t have to have a “marketing guy" (although it sure doesn’t hurt!) or a big budget to implement the three basic elements of successful channel partner marketing, or what I call the "CAR Methodology:" Continuous contact, Alignment with sales and a Results focus.
In this first article, I’ll explore why you need to have a successful continuous contact strategy and how to implement it with a minimal investment. I'll also provide some real-life examples of the benefits it can deliver. This article focuses on email, which is the foundation of any successful continuous contact strategy. Social media and live events are two other tactics we will explore in later articles.
A continuous contact strategy is just what it sounds like: a detailed plan, with timelines and specific action items to ensure you keep in regular touch with your customers, prospects and partners. “Contact" can come in many different forms and what works well can vary substantially from market to market.
Why is implementing a continuous contact strategy vital? It’s a bit cliché, but true nonetheless: If your company is top of mind with customers and prospects, they will be more receptive when you reach out to them or they will be more likely to knock at your door when the time is right. Showcasing your company’s capabilities and subject matter expertise month after month is also an easy, inexpensive and incredibly effective way to boost your reputation as an industry leader with your target audience.
Before we move on to the specifics, let me share a truism worth repeating: “You will only get what you focus on." This quote, from ETA President Craig Marowitz, simply put, reminds you that if you do not focus and dedicate yourself to your continuous contact campaign, it’s doomed to fail from day one.
Now, let’s explore the foundation of a successful continuous contact campaign: email. Contrary to popular belief in a world seemingly dominated by social media, email is not dead. Far from it, in fact. Recent statistics back this up. Here are just a few:
- The number of worldwide email accounts is projected to increase from more than 2.9 billion in 2010 to more than 3.8 billion by 2014, according to an April 2010 study from Radicati Group Inc.
- Ninety-four percent of all online adults use email, according to a December 2010 report from The Pew Internet Project, an initiative of the Pew Research Center.
- More than four times as many survey respondents preferred to receive promotions via email rather than via social media, according to a June 2010 survey from CrossView, a retail technology specialist.
- An analysis of what people in the United States do on the mobile Internet showed email occupying more than 38 percent of their time, nearly 300 percent more time than any other single category of activity, according to a September 2010 study by Nielsen.
