The Effective Partner Planning online series is a six part self-paced e-learning course that guides the creation of partnership plans to focus limitaed resources on areas of highest business return to both parties.

More than a training course, Effective Partner Planning includes a set of tools and repeatable processes for lasting use in the field.

It has been said “if you plan to do everything – nothing gets done”. The Effective Partner Planning online series is specifically designed for channel and alliance professionals interested in focusing their limited resources on initiatives with the best return on investment.

EPP online is a step-by-step approach to productive partner plans in major partnerships. By understanding a partner’s key growth strategies and linking these to your strengths, programs and goals, partner account leaders create joint revenue objectives that are built on mutual growth opportunities and the partnerships combined value proposition.

Who should take this course?

EPP Online is designed for use by vendor channel sales people working by themselves or leading their extended partner account team. It is ideal for organizations that want to embed a consistent and effective planning process, and for existing EPP clients that have some new hires who missed out on the Effective Partner Planning instructor led workshops or Virtual instructor led series.

EPP Online Benefits

Upon completion of the series partner account team leaders will be better equipped to engage with partners; to improve sales productivity and company profitability by:

• Identifying joint revenue growth opportunities to drive channel revenue and improve ROI for both parties
• Qualifying partner capability and potential to target initiatives on areas of highest return and identify gaps in enablement and business fit
• Understanding how partner business decisions are made  in order to influence partners to focus and invest
• Creating specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and time-bound objectives and joint action plans that get executed in the field
• Identifying and securing critical resources and avoiding last-minute resource crises
• Clearly articulating the partnerships competitive advantage to end-user customers to create differentiation and improve partner sales effectiveness
• Organizing the partnership to run smoothly and efficiently
• Building trust and driving partner investment

EPP Online Series Content

There are six modules in the EPP online series. Module one is an introduction that explains the process and the planning resources available for download. Modules two to six guide partner account team leaders through each step of the Effective Partner Planning process.

The duration of the modules will vary depending on student experience and choice and each module contains a learning check test, and a ‘quick summary checklist” for returning users who want to refresh their knowledge before their next partner plan.

Key content includes:

• Understanding how effective partner planning will help you become more successful
• Selecting partners to plan with that will give you the best return on your invested time
• Gathering the information you need to produce a comprehensive partner profile
• Applying the partner profiling tools to capture, organize, and assess partner information in order to qualify your investment of time and resources
• Understanding how partners make decisions and how to influence the partner to focus and invest
• Determining an appropriate account strategy and goal within a broader portfolio of partners
• Identifying joint partnership revenue growth objectives
• Creating revenue and non-revenue objectives in critical focus areas
• Closing gaps in partner business fit and enablement
• Identifying critical resource requirements
• Writing SMART 90-day action plans
• Establishing a schedule of effective meetings, reviews  and communications to support partnering activities
• Ensuring that rules of engagement are clear, consistent and effective in building partner trust and investment
• Articulating how your combined solution brings value to end-user customers
• Partnership governance and metrics to keep the plan on track
• Gaining partner involvement and commitment
• Best practice plan quality check

Course Format and Media

EPP Online contains a set of downloadable guides, tools and templates that can be tailored to fit your needs. Course modules are self-paced highly interactive audio-visual e-learning that can be hosted on your standards compliant Learning Management Systems (LMS) or on the Channel Enablers LMS. Each module includes:

• A quiz assessment to measure learning progress
• A comprehensive glossary of channel terms
• Downloadable reference notes, tools and templates for lasting use in the field
• A quick summary planning checklist to refresh returning users

Channel Enablers e-learning conforms to SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, or AICC standards

System requirements

For best results participants need a broadband internet connection. PC’s must be equipped with Flash Player 6.0.79 or later (http://www.adobe.com/go/getflash) (Flash Player 7 or later recommended), and one of the following browsers:

• Windows: Internet Explorer 6, Internet Explorer 7, Firefox 1.x and later, Safari 3, Google Chrome, Opera 9.5
• Macintosh: Firefox 1.x and later, Safari 3
• Linux: Firefox 1.x

The e-learning package contains both audio and video content, so student PC’s must also be equipped with a sound card and suitable speakers or headphones.

Learning Management System (LMS) integration

Channel Enablers e-learning courses conform to SCORM 1.2, SCORM 2004, or AICC standards which mean they can be imported into standards compliant learning management systems enabling reporting on student completion and performance.

 

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