Channel partner program
[chan-l pahrt-ner proh-gram]
Noun
A business initiative that drives revenue through established distribution partnerships rather than direct sales and marketing. Channel partnership programs are common in a wide variety of industries, including software-as-a-service (SaaS). Companies love channel partnership programs because they’re often a more efficient way to drive revenue than traditional sales and marketing tactics. Since partners are tasked with finding leads, referrals, and/or sales, company employees don’t have to generate these valuable business outcomes directly themselves. They simply have to enable partners to be successful.
Channel partnership programs have many benefits. In addition to being a more efficient source of growth, partnerships often help companies access new audiences through their partners. For example, a software company may have great traction finding new customers through paid search ads. But if they partner with an agency that has a roster of clients who are not as digitally savvy (and thus may not find the software company via Google), the company can access a new audience that they previously would not have been able to reach. What’s more, agencies often have built deeply trusting relationships with their clients, so a recommendation from the agency means prospective clients will be primed to trust the software company more.
Example: Rivka drove 45% Acme Corp’s FY2022 revenue through her channel partner program.
Is PRM Dead? The State of Ecosystems in 2023
Noun
[cir-ti-fi-kay-shun]
Certifications are acknowledgements granted to partners for achieving certain milestones. Usually, they acknowledge that a partner has completed product training and is now qualified to represent the company as a partner. They are most often earned as a part of the onboarding process, wherein the partner must learn about the vendor's product to a degree that allows them to comfortably sell/market/share it. Certifications are usually earned early on in the partner journey, but they can also be earned again after product updates or new releases that require subsequent training.
Example: Luke had received his initial product certification on behalf of his partner program shortly after joining Vento's referral program, but a significant update to the main product offering meant he'd be earning an updated certification to make sure he still knew his stuff.
Noun
[kon-tent kree-ayte-er]
A content creator is someone who makes material to be shared through any medium or digital channel. This content is often entertaining or educational, and the content is often published on social media channels, personal blogs, or websites. The content creator is responsible for the execution of the content, and may be solely or partly responsible for the ideation of the content.
Content creators are an important tool in affiliate marketing, most recognizably in B2C affiliate marketing (although they also play an important role in B2B efforts, too). Brands will pay content creators to make content about their products for their audience, often providing them with an affiliate link to drive business through.
Example: Joseph runs a YouTube channel where he reviews different cloud softwares. He often cuts down clips from his YouTube to post on TikTok, too. This makes Joseph a content creator.
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