This document summarizes the findings of a survey on how to better support mid-tier channel partners. It found that partners value benefits like business development support the most but receive them the least. They want easier programs with simple rewards like flights and hotels. Distributors strongly influence partners' vendor choices. The presentation recommends improving entertainment rewards for partners and considering distributors' strategies. More analysis of the survey will be published in a whitepaper.

1. How To Drive Increased
Revenues from your
Mid-tier Channel Partners
October 13th 2011
James Gaubert
Business Development Director

2. Why Are We Here Today?
Today we will show you:
• What benefits mid-tier partners currently receive, what they
want and value
• Do mid-tier partners think they are getting value from their
vendor programs?
• The influence of distributors over partners’ vendor and
product choice
• The type of incentives/rewards received vs. desired
Whilst recognising the importance of maintaining strong relationships
with top tier channel partners, we believe significant opportunities
are being missed to drive and grow overall channel revenues by
targeting, nurturing and supporting mid-tier partners.

3. Who are ICLP?
ICLP are a leading specialist loyalty marketing agency with a
25 year track record in the successful delivery of:
• Global consumer channel loyalty and partnership marketing
• Full service client focused agency
Global capability:
• 900+ employees
• 50 nationalities
• 16 wholly-owned offices
combining global loyalty
best practice with local
market insight &
execution

4. Survey Respondents
New research commissioned by ICLP in conjunction with
CRN and UBM Channel Research to determine if vendor
partner programs are meeting mid-tier partner needs
Company type – 3 main company types reflecting wider
longtail channel structure :
• VARs (29%)
• Consultants (20%)
• Service providers (13%)
Responsibility – the survey results are validated by
senior ‘title’ respondents:
• MD/Partner/Chairman/President/SVP (49%)
• Further strong spread of decision making responsibility with
large numbers of director-level job titles

5. Selection of Partner Programs Represented

6. Ease of Taking Part
55%
Key insight
• Easy joining ranked highest at 55%
• An ‘easy and simple’ theme followed by:
• 37% - Easy rules, 35% - Easy rewards, 34% - Simple claims procedure
• Only 18% want consistency indicating a desire for a more dynamic approach

7. Value of Benefits Received
Business Winning
Benefits
117%/65%
• Pre-sales support
• Post-sales support
• Education/enablement 97%/62%
Key insight
They value benefits
offered the least!
134%/75%

8. Distributors Matter
52%
35%
15%
Key insight
• 52% of partners’ are likely to be influenced by Distributor recommendations for vendor
and product choice

9. Rewards Offered vs. Preferred
The Right Rewards
• There is a desire for more
flights, hotels and dining
63%/40%
• People are cutting
personal spend on
luxuries, could be a driver
78%/39%
Key insight
Improve the 72%/32%
entertainment

10. Personal vs. Corporate Rewards
Personal vs.
Corporate Rewards
• In the main people are
wanting to shift from
corporate to personal
rewards
• Could the vendors gain
greater buy-in and a shift in
behavior by changing the 49%/30%
49% / 30%
types of rewards on offer?
53%/82%
53% / 82%
Key insight
Personal rewards work
best!

11. Summary
Make it easy: What they value:
• Clearly defined rules • High value on leads, better
• Easy to understood communication through early access to
• Hassle-free way to claim the rewards product data and increased field/phone
support
• Consistent rewards and structure
What they want that isn’t currently
Distributors matter: offered:
• Resellers are likely’ to have their choice • Partners want more help in sourcing and
of vendor influenced by their key winning new business
distributors
• Consider distribution strategy in this Improve the entertainment rewards:
area very carefully
• Desire for more flights, hotels and
dining
What benefits do mid-tier partners • Tough economic climate
currently get:
• Overall, they would like to receive more
• Winning business and making sure that personal rewards compared to corporate
business is delivered properly with pre- options
sales support, post-sales support and
education/enablement being the 3 main
benefits listed

12. Next Steps
• Today we have just touched on some of the initial
indicators available from the survey that has been
carried out
• ICLP is looking to dive deeper into the survey results
and provide more detailed insight based on:
• Size and type of reseller
• Roles within reseller
• Geographical focus of reseller
• This analysis will be published in the form of a
whitepaper that will be available at the Baptie Channel
Focus Western Europe conference in November