8 channel partner training and enablement components that get overlooked

By: Tim Gass

What you need to know

Channel incentive programs that reward channel partner training and enablement (as well as sales) get stronger long-term results.
Training incentives motivate middle performers to learn more about a brand’s products and services, ultimately leading to higher sales.
Engaging, cross-media training content that’s relevant and doesn’t overwhelm busy channel partners has the best results.

channel partner participating in training

Launching or assessing an active channel incentive program includes many considerations, from evaluating different earning structure concepts to mapping out an effective communication strategy to deciding on the right mix of motivational awards. One essential component that often gets overlooked is partner training and enablement.

I frequently see programs entirely focused on end results (e.g., annual sales targets) that only reward top performers on that metric. While these programs show initial results, they fizzle in the long run. The same top performers dominate year after year, leaving other partners disengaged.

If this sounds like your program, then it’s time for a change. A successful channel partner program isn’t just about incentives; it’s about equipping your partners with the tools, knowledge and support they need to succeed.

By integrating comprehensive training and enablement strategies into your program, you can create deeper engagement, empower all partners to perform better and drive sustained growth.

1. Evaluate channel partner training needs

To get a thorough picture of what your partners need and determine what type of training would best enable them, use regular surveys to identify frequently encountered problems.

Some partners, such as sales representatives and distributors, may need more hands-on product training (e.g., how to use the product’s different features). Resellers or franchisees, however, might need general training in marketing your products.

2. Motivate your untapped potential: Middle performers

Reconsider your ideal partner. What motivates them and how can you get more from them? These considerations pave the way to assessing how to inspire the middle-of-the-pack to rise to top-performing levels. A key reason top performers succeed is their knowledge and experience. They know your brand, your product and/or services, and the benefits of having a strong relationship with your business.

When looking at the variety of ways you can adjust a program to achieve better performance out of your middle (and low) performers, don’t just look at modifying your earning structures and tiered approaches to be solely focused on the end results.

Look for what your channel partners at all levels need to truly be successful and find ways to integrate that into your channel program and incentives.

Related: Learn why channel programs need to identify, communicate and enable activities that help partners win business and extend customer lifecycles.

3. Align partner enablement goals with KPIs

Clear expectations, a sense of reward and feeling like part of the business culture are all important for keeping partners motivated.

Aligning your channel partner training to KPIs and making the goals of the training program explicit and easy to understand will help you get the most out of training. For example, if one of your KPIs for the year is to increase customer retention by 25%, make sure this is clear in your communications and align your training to customer retention strategies. (Track to see if those two data points are working together to increase that rate!).

Once you identify your training goals, break them down into milestones that partners can achieve during the program. This introduces opportunities to boost motivation by recognizing your partners’ work, while also making training more manageable.

You may offer certificates or other incentives for completing sections of training, such as product knowledge certification. These incentives can be tracked on leaderboards to encourage friendly competition.

Aligning your channel training with your KPIs will also help you measure the ROI of your partner training program because you can track performance improvement after training against your goals.

4. Provide channel partners with the tools for success

Give your partners ways to improve their effectiveness and reward them for those efforts.

The best approach to add a learning component can vary widely depending on your situation, but here are few high-level considerations.

Assess your audience
Develop personas to guide strategy
Review how messages are sent out
Review how content is developed
Seek feedback and iterate

Often you’re dealing with audiences located all across the country (perhaps the world), so budgeting, schedules and resources can limit opportunities for live touchpoints.

Unfortunately, in these cases, we usually see audiences only receiving spec sheets or one-pagers attached to program-related emails, or we see resources made available for download through an online resource.

This is fine as a supplement to your training strategy or as a quick reference following a training session. But be careful to not solely rely on this approach. The key is developing your content strategically and providing it through options.

5. Make your information engaging

People prefer learning and receiving information in a variety of ways. If you’re not relaying what you want them to know through a cross-media approach, partners might start tuning out your content. Or, if you’re not consistently reinforcing that information, you could easily have a retention issue you’re not addressing. Your audience, especially younger generations, is hungry for training, and it could be a key differentiator for you. Look for ways to bring excitement to your information—make it relevant, memorable and flexible so it provide options for learning.

Webinars or workshops are a great way to do this. These offer partners a chance to absorb information directly from a knowledgeable representative, and questions and considerations can be addressed on-the-spot. It also offers a chance to strengthen relationships and better position the benefits you provide compared to the competition.

Offering relevance in your training opportunities and communications adds an extra layer of “ease of doing business” with your channel. If you repeatedly blast the same training messages to everyone, you’ll be tuned out. Segment and create relevance by using messages and incentives that match training progress to:

Role type (marketing, sales, implementation, technicians, drivers, agents, etc.)
Partner re-sell or service type (What are they doing? Reselling? Integrating? Servicing?)
Customers they sell to (Does this training change based on industry vertical or customer size?)

Through the webinar approach, you can end up with a cost-effective video that captures the walk-through of a well-structured deck and an engaging discussion.

What’s more, it’s simple to record and make available for anyone on-demand so it works for their schedule.

Video is another strong option to refresh your information. Investing in video content that’s developed specifically for your audience can be an effective way to make sure your information is retained. Attention spans are short, and your audience likely already feels busy enough. If you overload them with content, it’s easy for your audience to get intimidated and not even take the first step. Smaller, bite-size videos are a great way for your audience to learn when best suits their schedule.

This applies to static messaging as well. Incorporating visuals like infographics, related imagery and color is not only another great way to break up content, but the pairing of visuals with your information has a big effect on retention.

Whether the delivery method is through video, content pages on your site, emails or some other format, consider how you can break the info up into smaller, more easily absorbed portions. Focus on making it relevant to the people consuming it.

6. Get and use feedback from top performers

An important consideration to your training component is where your information comes from. Audiences want information that relates to them as closely as possible from people they trust. Unfortunately, training often feels like a top-down approach. You tell your audience what they need to know, and they go out and execute.

To combat disinterest in training, look for ways to include information that’s pulled directly from your audience.

Whether its relaying best practices compiled directly from first-hand experience, including testimonials from your top performers, or just positioning the information from their perspective, it’s an effective way to get your message across. You can also look for opportunities where a top performer or strong advocate could directly lead or support training sessions.

7. Involve partners in the training development process

Your partners should play an active role in the online training process from day one. This includes the design, development and testing of your online training materials. Before you launch your extended online training initiatives, invite your partners to test the online training and provide feedback. You can also conduct surveys, interviews and focus groups to identify their needs and preferences. Their input not only helps you improve your online training strategy but lets them know that their opinion matters and that your organization cares about the feelings and expectations of its partners. As a result, your extended sales channels will go above and beyond to uphold company standards.

8. Improve engagement with a better-informed audience

A lot of factors go into what best fits your situation. But the goal and key concept are the same. A better-informed audience opens the door to more engagement in your program and more advocacy on your behalf and, ultimately, leads right back to your main goal: better performance across the board.

Providing training and instructional opportunities, and rewarding your audience for their completion and retention, is a core component of a successful incentive program.

The most common approach to skills development is training current partners to acquire the knowledge they need to do the necessary skills. Discover ways you can ensure your skills development programs include effective upskilling, cross-skilling and reskilling.