The Channel Whisperer

Preface 7
Introduction 11

1. Developing a channel strategy 18
Vision 20
Mission 21
Company and business 22
Market 22
Marketing strategy 24
Competition 31
SWOT analysis 31
Organization 31
Operational plan 32
Financial plan 33

2. Hiring and improving your sales staff 34
The quest for Clark Kent 35
You don’t need crocodiles 36
Looking for Mr & Mrs FINE 37
Money talks 39

3. Recruiting your distributors 42
Capability (can they?) 45
Compliance (will they?) 47
Commitment (want they?) 49
Finding Nemo 50
Signing stronger distributor agreements 52

4. Managing your distributors 64
Why customers (don’t) buy from you 65
What is sales? 66
Customers buy based on perception 69
The buying decision – when perceived value exceeds cost 71
How companies influence perception 71
Who are your “customers”? 74
The basics of value based selling 75
Managing objections 99
Distributor pricing and margin 103
Negotiating prices with distributors 107
The fight for share of mind 118
Managing channel conflicts 126

5. Developing your distributors 132
Distributors as an extension 133
Satisfying your distributors 144
Changing your distribution channels 148

6. Your twenty takeaways 154