New Strategies for Channel Partner Lead Generation that Work

For channel partners, effective lead generation can mean the difference between thriving and struggling.

Effective leads can be elusive, and partners struggle with how to get them and pay for them. There are so many organizations looking to sell lists to partners and provide lead generation, creating confusion. And buying lists from third parties doesn’t guarantee success.

So how can partners beef up their lead generation?

During his Channel Partners Conference and Expo session, “New Strategies for Lead Generation,” May 2, speakers will share the findings of partners who have experimented with lead generation and figured out what works for them. They will provide fresh ideas for growing your business.

Panelists include:

• Amy Bailey, owner of Unusually Unusual Consulting
• Jerry Goldman, president and CEO of Select Communications
• Christopher Jones, AT&T‘s associate vice president of channel sales
• Ruben Pina Jr., president and director of A1 BizCom
• Tony Cheng, president and CEO of Netstar

In a Q&A, Bailey and Pina give a sneak peek of what they’ll share with attendees.

Channel Futures: Are there lead-generation techniques that used to work, but don’t any longer?

Unusually Unusual’s Amy Bailey

Amy Bailey: The old spray and pray has died. Shooting mass emails to people you have no relationship with is spam and quickly leads to unsubscribes.

Ruben Pina Jr.: At one point there was a website called BuyerZone where they would send you warm leads for people that were looking for a phone system.

CF: What are the ingredients of an effective lead-generation strategy?

AB: Planning, planning and planning. After that, a successful lead-generation strategy needs defined goals. Just like whether you are making cookies or lasagna depends on the ingredients you buy at the store, an effective lead-generation strategy depends on what kind of lead generation you are doing. If you are hiring an outside firm to make calls, you need to set them up for success with a script, an offer to send a white paper or other valuable asset, and the ability to set appointments for follow-up. Alternately, if you are working with a carrier or TSB for target lists, you need to have a defined plan of how you will use those. This is a dual commitment between both parties.

A1 BizCom’s Ruben Pina Jr.

RP: Consistency. It takes time for any plan to come to fruition, so it takes dedicated time consistently in order for results to come from it.

CF: What are the pitfalls of ineffective lead generation?

AB: Ineffective lead generation wastes time and money. I have seen people buy lists of names, pay to send them a drip email campaign, wait six months and then say it didn’t work. Well, of course it didn’t. Can you tell me the last time you bought something because someone emailed you out of the blue?

RP: Thinking that just because there aren’t immediate results that there won’t be long-term results from it.

CF: What are some things partners can do quickly and easily to improve their lead generation?

AB: Determine what you can handle. Is it making phone calls, a LinkedIn campaign or developing valuable content you can offer these prospects? There is no part of lead generation that is easy. If there were, everyone would be doing it.

RP: Start to build an online presence. Right now it’s more important than ever to make sure people know that you exist and are around to help solve their problems. Position yourself as an advocate and not a salesperson.

CF: What do you hope attendees can learn and make use of from your session?

AB: Think outside the box. There are ways to get leads and grow your business, but they take time and effort. Take a page from the partners on the panel and try to come up with a version that works for you.

RP: I hope that they can find real-life ways where they can make incremental changes that results in additional business.