ISVs that truly understand what this means are more successful than those who don’t. It’s not difficult to train someone on how to go through the motion of selling something, but it’s almost impossible to make an outside group as passionate about selling it as your core team. You are the passionate product experts. Your main focus is on the health and well-being of your company.
As a Dynamics ISV you have three options: sell through a partner channel; sell directly to end-users; or a combined approach of direct and indirect selling. In working with, and speaking to many different ISVs, those that use the combined sales approach are much more successful than those who don’t. What does their success tell me? It’s important to establish relationships with partners, but it shouldn’t monopolize your entire sales and marketing strategy.
Most ISVs understand the benefits, both real and theoretical of utilizing a sales channel. But the reality that many ISVs run into is that partners are not concerned about helping ISVs grow their business, and therefore, should not be solely responsible for doing so. ISVs also note that when they are mainly selling through partners it creates a longer sales cycle. After all, partners are selling something larger than your solution, so closing your sale is often only a small piece of their deal.
I don’t point these things out to criticize partners. But the reality is that selling your product is not your partners’ main focus; selling and implementing Dynamics is their focus. And when you focus all your energy on enticing partners, your sales success is dissociated from your passion for the product. So if you are not already doing it, then consider balancing your partner marketing with a direct sales and marketing strategy that puts your team’s passion in front of end users.
