PLM Alliances Consulting Client Case Study A
Tags: Channel Development, Channel Strategy, Market Strategy, Partner Recruiting, Sales Enablement
The Client:
An established independent software provider (ISP) and PLM market segment leader of rapidly deployable best-in-class Configuration Management (CM) software solutions for industry-specific applications.
The Scenario:
Similar to many small or mid-size ISPs, the client’s management team struggled with finding time to search for and qualify prospective partners in the US and internationally. They also recognized the need for a fresh, outsider’s perspective to construct a different market value narrative, along with supporting collaterals, which would earn the attention of partners. Finding a few right-sized partners who shared the same market vision and customer focus was key, as they could not afford to invest in partners who just wanted to add another product logo to their website and see what happens.
Project Objectives:
- √ Formulate the channel partner business strategy and create the marketing collaterals needed to engage and support partner recruitment and development.
- √ Identify, qualify, and close relationships with one or more new resellers in the US and/or Europe.
- √ Participate in the on-boarding and training of new partners.
- √ Provide guidance to management to assess if a direct sales or indirect channel strategy is most effective in ROI, especially given limited time and resources to pursue both.
Reasons Cited for Selection:
- √ PLM Alliances immediately understood the competitive landscape of the PLM / CM market space,. including motivators and concerns of the channel partner community.
- √ Possessed deep knowledge and existing relationships with prospective partners.
- √ Professional responsiveness and ease of collaborating with as demonstrated in interactions before engagement contract.
Services Provided:
- √ Partner Strategy Development and Vetting
- √ Created Market Positioning, Messaging, and Value Propositions for the Partner Chain
- √ New Partner Identification, Engagement, Qualification, and Recruitment
- √ Produced Partner Sales Enablement Collaterals including Go-to-Market Playbooks
- √ Partner Performance Support
Results Delivered:
Identified and engaged over 20 prospective partners to find and close first new channel partner for the company in recent history. Created a portfolio of new collaterals using new market messaging, competitive positioning, and product differentiation. Authored white paper and created new presentations for partner sales enablement use. Coached and participated with client in their training to motivate and earn mindshare with partner reps.
Engagement Outcome:
The client was so satisfied with the results and progress being made that a consulting services agreement with PLM Alliances was renewed for a additional full year with expansion in the scope of work the company needed performed.
Client Comments:
“It was refreshing to meet a marketing specialist that didn’t start off the conversation by asking me what challenges my industry faced, what my message was, or how I’d like to get the word out. Rich immediately understood, then championed our market space opportunity as good as or even better than many of our own employees. It was enjoyable watching his mastery of positioning and presenting us to partners in a way that was not about us, but about the needs and motivations of the channel. He was relentless in his pursuit of candidate partners until a valuable one was found and closed.” Client’s President and CEO
“We were accustomed to leading with the product by telling and showing customers and partners alike all the features and capabilities of our products. Through PLM Alliances we learned that the most successful relationships were not built around a product, no matter how different or good it might be, but about a shared vision of a larger opportunity and the value that by collaborating together we can bring to industry users. We changed our approach to speak with credibility about the market opportunity first, which generated the interest and enthusiasm of the partner to care about the product.” Client’s Vice President of Customer Support
View another PLM Alliances consulting client reference at https://plmalliances.com/client-references/client-reference-b/.