What is the channel strategy? what marketers

Be honest. Do you know what your non-marketing colleagues are doing all day?

Of course, you might have a general idea of ​​what your colleagues in Sales, Finance, and HR are doing, at least categorically. But it seems a lot of us - myself included - have those days, weeks, and months where we're so stuck in our own daily turmoil that we become a little oblivious to what everyone around us is working on. . After all, that's probably why the phrase "put on your blinders" exists.

But if the work of a colleague may seem different from ours, there are actually quite a few us, as a specialists of marketing, can learn from them. One of those things is channel strategy.

This is why I recently spoke to my colleague, Adrianne Ober , chain consultant at. After talking with her about what she does every day - and the most important knowledge she gained in this role - I realized that there are many lessons in channel strategy that marketers can apply to their own work.

So what have we learned? Read on to find out - or listen to our interview with Adrianne by pressing "play " below.

What is chain strategy?

A chain strategy, according to TechTarget , "is a supplier 's plan to move a product or service down the chain from commerce to the end customer."

In many environments, this type of channel strategy takes the form of a resale program - here at, we work with Marketing Partner Agencies who not only grow with the software, but also teach their clients how they too can succeed more effectively.

This is where channel consultants like Ober come in. "My role is a combination of an account manager and an implementation specialist," says Ober, but his day-to-day work encompasses much more than that. "Our goal is to work with our new agencies partners, integrate them into the program and support their resale and delivery efforts. ”

Resale programs aren't exactly uncommon, especially within tech companies, but what makes Ober's work different from his true partnership nature. "We really invest a lot more. than other companies in theirpartnership, ”she says,“ to make sure they get the most out of it to help grow their businesses. ”

What Can Marketers Learn From A Channel Consultant?

Build your own channel strategy

Not all marketers work for agencies, but many of us are responsible for positioning our respective products and services as solutions for our target audiences. For example, marketing software provides automation solutions for marketers. What solutions does your organization offer?

In a way, channel strategy can be described as a formal approach to word of mouth marketing. How can you provide your customers with solutions that they in turn can share and deliver to their own networks? Ober challenges and encourages marketers to ask chis question, to find the best answer and to make it a reality.

There is a "relationship building aspect to every marketer's job," she explains, even for those who don't. t work directly with clients. Chances are, you're still responsible for crafting the messages and content that will reach customers, and ultimately it's a way for brands to build a relationship with a target audience - establishing itself as a reliable and shareable resource for problem solving. and meet the needs.

But where can Marketers start? “Product knowledge is… imperative,” says Ober. Start by becoming an expert on the solutions provided by your organization - not just the products and services you offer, but also the industry as a whole. "We must be comfortable with the use and the training", expliwhat does it do, in order to build that trust with current and potential customers.

The Biggest Problems of a Marketer

The Problem The agency's partner program - a program that even I am guilty of forgetting - is that its channel consultants work with marketers day in and day out. This means that people in Ober's position hear about the most common struggles marketers face on a daily basis and are responsible for proactively proposing solutions.

So not only can marketers benefit from implementing their own strategies, but also speaking with it turns out people like Ober can help us take a step back, looking at our main problems and figuring out how to solve them effectively.

"The biggest issues I hear about are pricing, process,at scale, hiring and time management, ”she explains. In other words: growing pains. "For agencies to scale their businesses, they need to develop a repeatable process, which means they need to be on top of their team's time management and recruit the right people at the right time. "

Does this sound familiar to you? Maybe that's why growth marketing is such a hot topic right now - regardless of the size of the company they work for, it seems like it's a pain for some. number of marketers. Those who work in SMEs are often charged with many of the responsibilities Ober mentioned to help their employers grow. And those who work for larger organizations, while not necessarily tasked with growing the business, are often tasked with creating, running and developing.lopper new campaigns and initiatives.

That 's why it ' s so important, says Ober, to take time for the learning process, regardless of what trend the 'underwater' marketers feel faced with. deadlines and other pressing priorities.

"Our top performing partners take the time to build their process, invest in the training we provide to their team and take the time to assess their appropriate services," she said. "Marketers can and should take the time to stay on top of the pulse of the industry [in which they work], connect with their peers, and learn about trends. "

A similar skill set

Finally, I asked Ober, "What can marketers learn from a channel consultant?" To answer this, she pointed out many skills requiredof his work that overlap with those that are most crucial to the success of a marketer.

"This role requires us to confidently assess a marketing strategy with respect to the whole," she says, "whether for the marketing of a partner agency or for the one of his clients.

And no matter what industry they are in, it seems like the skill is very valuable to all marketers. able to objectively measure their own strategies and determine what is not working (not).

And “more,” says Ober, is the common and necessary ability of marketers and consultants to recommend the right tools and the right approach to support strategy.

But it does require a high level of communication skills, whether you are making these recommendations to clients, your colleagues, or your boss. "We have to be able [to identify] not alonement where these gaps may be ”, emphasizes Ober, but also to align them with the objectives. Developing in these areas, she says, can ultimately help marketers accurately assess the feasibility of a situation, whether it's a marketing strategy or a business. a budget - or being able to predict how (and if) your brand will resonate with a given audience.

Looking to the future

With INBOUND on the horizon, Ober says she's looking forward to discussing channel strategy and exchanging knowledge with industry professionals.

"I love seeing my partners in person," she says. "I'm excited to talk with them about some products that were teased last year and are now in beta. "

But maybe even more than that, it 's is how excited she is to hear ideas from other marketers.

"INBOUND is a place wherethe peers hook up, and [all of us] walk away from the event with a ton of ideas, ”she said, digging. »

Did you use chain strategy or advice? Let us know in the comments.