The Channel Partner Recruitment Playbook

With twenty years spent pioneering the MSP model with partners and vendors, I appreciate the value and challenge of channel partner recruitment.

You may need to broaden your partner ecosystems by using MSPs to drive revenue, tap into diverse markets, and deliver strategic services. However, attracting MSPs can feel like an uphill battle.

Gaining MSP Channel Partner Mindshare

Success in recruiting MSPs hinges on simply showing how you can boost their sales and convey long-term growth opportunities.

To attract MSPs, show how your product’s features and benefits align with their unique processes and business goals. This involves demonstrating how your offering can help increase their revenue and profit.

Compelling Channel Program Attributes for MSPs

Key features appealing to MSPs include reducing labor and licensing costs and the potential for high resale markup or margin. Above all, opportunities for recurring revenue, improved service delivery efficiency, and ease of sales and delivery are also significant.

Have all of that and still need help landing MSP partners? Here are 10 proven strategies for overcoming channel partner recruitment challenges:

10 Proven Channel Partner Recruitment Strategies

1. Build Out a Targeted Channel Partner Recruitment Plan:
   A valuable partnership with MSPs should build a thorough understanding of their unique business model, pains, and needs. Your recruitment plan should identify the right partners, engage with them effectively, and integrate them seamlessly into your business vision.
2. Offer Attractive Incentives:
   Incentivize your partners by providing competitive margins, performance-based rewards, and other valuable benefits that will set you apart.
3. Empower Partners with Robust Training and Enablement:
   In short, MSPs must be well-versed in your products and services, so invest in comprehensive product information, tools, and hands-on training programs. This will empower partners to market your products and services effectively.
4. Mobilize Support Infrastructure:
   Establish dedicated support teams and infrastructure to provide timely, personalized assistance to your partners. This will strengthen the relationship and demonstrate your commitment to their success.
5. Maintain Transparent Communication:
   Unclear expectations can fog a partnership, so maintain open lines of communication with your MSP partners. Clearly outline business expectations, goals, and metrics to help build a healthy and productive relationship.
6. Leverage Technology to Support Your MSP Partners:
   Leverage PRM platforms to optimize partner support and enablement processes, enhance collaboration, and enable data-informed decisions.
7. Track Achievements and Measure Success: Regularly monitor and measure the performance of your MSP partners against established KPIs. Consequently, this strategy will help you recognize and reward high performers while identifying areas needing additional support.
8. Promote and Support Networking and Collaboration:
   Creating forums for your MSP partners to share insights and opportunities fosters community and boosts loyalty to your brand.
9. Adapt to Market Shifts:
   Keep abreast of industry changes and incorporate new strategies and tactics into your channel sales and marketing efforts. This will help you maintain a competitive advantage and create adaptability within your partner ecosystem.
10. Cultivate Long-Term Relationships:
    Build long-lasting relationships with your MSP partners. Invest in their success and continue to offer resources and support even as markets shift and new challenges arise. This ongoing effort will pay off as partners remain loyal and contribute to your channel growth.

Overcoming the challenge of recruiting the ideal MSP channel partners for your products and services starts with defining a comprehensive channel partner recruitment plan that incorporates a deep understanding of their unique business challenges and needs.

The plan next proceeds through a series of measures to build strong relationships and offer competitive incentives. Certainly, while it takes time and investment, leveraging the strategies above is integral to growing and scaling your business.

At Channel Mastered, we specialize in overcoming the unique challenges of channel partner recruitment and building successful MSP channel programs, recruiting and enabling MSP channel partners, and driving growth and revenue for our clients.