Web 2.0 and social media skills are components to all of those basic business efforts. But if a VAR doesn’t understand (or doesn’t take the time to practice) basic sales and marketing development, how can that VAR master Web 2.0 sales and marketing skills?

On the channel side this accelerates as partners not only need to explore their responsibilities in the social web but also their collaboration pattern with vendors. While some vendors including Cisco try hard to introduce the concept or peer-to-peer networking and embrace networked thinking. The execution however is different: Too many vendors still try to dominate their partner channels, own the channel, make partners “life in their portals” instead of demonstrating leadership by networked thinking and recognize that even the biggest vendors can only thrive if they appreciate the dynamics of networking and step back from “world domination” to be “just” a node. The ones who understand that will remain leading their industry without monopolizing their business.

All this comes at a price: time and effort. As pointed out above, it really is necessary to stay current, be on everyday, and to be, above all else, relevant to the community.

There’s nothing worse than reading a Twitter entry from someone who’s enjoying a pepperoni pizza (especially when you’re hungry!).

On the other side, there are people out there who feel they’re making earth-shattering statements several times a day on Twitter,and then there are those who seem to have a book of quotations open in front of them.

All those are worthless, and I don’t waste my time on them…

Social networking is definitely re-defining the sales and marketing process, and those who know what they’re doing seem to profit nicely…. it’s become a large part of Logicomm’s marketing plan for 2009….

Jim Van
Logicomm, Inc.
http://www.logicomm-inc.com

Traditional social networking has changed a lot (replaced by hyperactive and automated Social Media), which means the sales process has changed. The largest and most progressive companies (Cisco, Microsoft, Oracle, Dell) are exploring this change and leading their partners and their customers to a new way of doing business. Still, no one has all the answers yet. Like, “What do you put in place to manage a sales pipleine when the traditional sales funnel has been blasted to smithereens by on-line community sales referencing?”

Still, a few vendors (Cisco, Dell come to mind) certainly understand social media. And they’re engaging their customers and partners through those tools. A prime example: Direct2Dell.com.

Best
-jp

We are currently in a project working with 10,000 solution providers in North America and their issues are much deeper.
They know that the world has changed – they can read it in their P+L. But they need strategic help.

It starts with social media engagement plans, understanding what to do where, content contribution from vendors. It goes on with the endless battle that vendors try to dominate their business. One VAR said “The big vendors dream about peer to peer collaboration and networked thinking – but at the same time try to dominate our business ignoring that we deal with 30 other vendors”

The large guys need to get social first. They need to understand what it means for a VAR to open up to the new ways of selling and marketing.” In my humble opinion, the days of the big pitches and speeches on mega events are history. Like all our customers, also our partners need more than lip services. Just my 2 cents