Mutual Growth – Principle II

Ben Franklin once wrote, “Without continual growth and progress, such words as improvement, achievement, and success have no meaning.”

Growth within your channel community can come in a variety of different ways. Certainly revenue growth is important, but so are increases in technical certifications, expansion of the portfolio mix, shorter lead times, and other operational efficiencies. Each of your partners will have different capabilities, cover unique markets, and have their own needs. Your growth initiatives should be designed and customized for each of your channel partners.

There is, of course, a selfish element to driving channel growth. Simply put, it is in your best interest to support the growth of each your channels, because that is how you will meet and exceed your objectives.

Growth will also drive gains in your channel share of wallet, making you increasingly more important to that particular partner. Growth will create switching costs (think about the training investment required for technical certifications) making your position with the channel more indispensable.

Relationships rooted with this principle will thrive; those content with the status quo will become stale and eventually deteriorate.