The future is now. We are dead smack in the middle of the digital age. And if you have not noticed by now, there are big benefits to operating your business remotely. Especially for your sales channels. For one, it lowers costs and increases flexibility. Second, it opens the door to new target markets and audiences and expands your sales channel’s reach across the globe. Third, it builds confidence in your customer and gives them peace of mind that you are pulling out all the stops by implementing the best strategies to enhance their experience – and keep their business. Here, we’ll give you the ins and outs of the best and most practical remote channel sales strategies.
With the pandemic putting a damper on face-to-face interactions, companies need to get ahead of the curve to create new channel sales strategies to engage consumers. Many companies are adopting new technology or adapting current systems to support a stay-at-home market with virtual selling channels and sales enablement tools.
In this post, we will share common practices and strategies to enhance your remote channel sales strategies. Keep in mind that these strategies apply to organizations that sell through a channel structure, however, these methods can also be used by companies with internal sales teams.
Your Technological Infrastructure Matters
Going remote entails more than just downloading Zoom to your computer. It requires a systematic approach. At a minimum, your partners should have tools equipped with POS data reporting, algorithm capabilities, analytics, and a CRM. There is a wealth of digital sales tools on the market, so you will need to analyze what works for your team and what doesn’t. If you are having trouble identifying where to start, conduct a SWOT analysis on your current tools with your channel partners.
Enhance Your Communication
Gone are the days of popping into your channel partner’s office for watercooler talk. Or more importantly, to get their input on your latest strategies. You must implement internal and external tools to keep your channel partners connected. Implement a cloud-based project management tool, such as Trello or Slack, to provide a portal for your channel partners to communicate and collaborate.
And Then Over-Communicate.
With virtual communication, you must ensure that your messages don’t get lost in translation. You basically have to over-communicate, because let’s face it, without context, your email may possibly be misunderstood. In addition to implementing a web-based tool like the ones described above, you should also create an ongoing process with your channel partners to share and receive feedback. This is truly the best method to improve your process because there are no guarantees that everyone on your team will automatically know how to optimize your digital tools.
Revisit Your Sales Enablement Strategy
Your sales enablement strategy is vital to your channel sales partners. When implemented correctly, it can streamline and improve your sales cycle. If you do not already have a strategy in place, you are long overdue to implement a plan. Empower your channel partners with new or improved methods to receive content, training, and coaching.