Alliances May Open Doors, But Channels Close Deals

If there’s one thing that came across loud and clear at last week’s Partnership Leaders’ Catalyst conference in Denver, it’s the need to avoid confusing alliances and reseller channels. While the IT market is vast, many vendors — particularly independent software vendors (ISVs) — are looking at alliances and ecosystems as the next generation of going to market. They’re looking past the traditional reseller channel as being old and outdated. Alliances enable the creation of integrated solutions that have a value greater than the sum of their parts. However, alliances still need reseller channels to execute sales. The solution: clarity through perspective. Keeping the distinct functions of alliances and resellers clear is key to maximizing partnership productivity.