We all know building a stronger channel network is an important part of securing growth opportunities. But are you doing it the most effective way?
Most businesses tend to create one-off, piecemeal promotions that engage their partners once. Then they close it out and start on the next. Wouldn’t it be easier if there was a streamlined process where your partners could earn rewards with ongoing promotions, and you could engage them with timely communication and reward them for achieving goals all in the one place?
The answer to this is an engagement program. Building a stronger channel needs consistent partner engagement to keep them focused on what matters: Sales.
An engagement program makes your job easier
Streamline Registrations
Creating an engagement program portal means all you have to do is have your partners opt into your program once giving them access to all your updates and promotions in the one place. When partners join the program, they accept general terms and conditions. So, they’ll receive promotional communications whenever they pop up. There is no need to register for each new promotion, saving you a lot of time promoting campaign awareness.
It is a centralised place to reward and retain existing partners, attract new ones and manage your overall channel activity more efficiently, with a branded, recognisable portal.
Promotional Branding
Speaking of brand, creating a branded portal creates an opportunity to develop a sub-brand for your product. It’s a great way to become recognisable through a creative platform to engage with your partners.
Give yourself permission to branch out of the corporate structure with a creative flair. Inspire your partners and help them recognise the engaging incentives associated with your products. It can be a single place to nurture partners with timely and tailored communications, keeping them always connected to your brand. This will cut out the time spent creating new promotional ideas. Everything can be associated with the one brand, providing consistency and familiarity around your product.
Once you have an opted in audience in a unified platform, this can be leveraged into an a more efficient investment. The stronger the channel, the stronger the growth opportunities.
It’s more engaging for your channel partners
One-stop-shop
An engagement program is significantly more engaging for your channel partners than one off promotional tactics.
Targeting partners with communications through the portal means they are encouraged to keep logging in and staying active and engaged with your branded portal. They can participate in program activities, watch webinars, take quizzes, and bid in auctions all in the one place. It creates a one-stop-shop for them to track their activities and their rewards to keep them motivated and engaged long term.
Long term benefits.
Engagement portals are great for your short-term goals with long term benefits.
If you want your partners to reach a certain sales threshold before earning rewards, show them their progress with a KPI tracker on their dashboard. If you require them to hit certain targets throughout the quarter/year, visually inspire their motivation by celebrating their achievements when they do so. Allow them to see their rewards grow as they sell more throughout the quarter. Cut out the clutter and keep your partners engaged. Keeping them focused on their sales growth and rewards results in achieving long term sales goals for your business.
Creating a strong channel network requires a streamlined and consistent approach. An engagement portal provides just that, building on your brand with a single one-stop-shop destination to help your partners stay focused and reach sales goals.
It’s an opportunity to take away the burden of creating new promotions from the ground up while providing a home for all your promotional needs. And it’s the key to building the strong channel network we are all striving for.
Talk to us today if you are interested in learning more about engagement platforms and how others have found success through them.
