By Chris Miles 1

Imagine having a small army trumpeting your technology to a national market. Imagine being recognized as an influential and visionary technology innovator. Imagine directing a new component of technological advancement—and motivating experts in your market to evangelize your expertise.

Now, imagine maintaining a successful partner program.

Partner programs expand your business opportunities by empowering your expertise, bridging the gap between your technology and your technology’s market acceptance and saturation. Developing a partner program strategy is a serious commitment to your technology platform—and your industry. You must give your partners every tool and strategy for success with training materials and 24/7 accessibility and support. 

What should an effective partner program look like—and offer to its channel?

To view your enterprise as a strategic technology innovator, worthy of a partner program strategy, here are eight great examples of effective partner programs that embody the value-based, results-focused goals of market leaders. Visualize your technologies, expertise and branding in place of these strong examples—and consider what a partner program could mean for your business.

So, what’s stopping you from taking the next step and developing a partner program strategy to promote your technological innovation? If you take the time to research and explore the potential of a partner program strategy, your business will gain:

Market Awareness: Establishing a partner program for your technologies and services elevates market awareness of the benefits your expertise delivers. With a partner program established, your technology will expand throughout your market thanks to the sales channels and industry connections of your devoted partners. Your partners will support your technology—and in doing so better support their customers.

Network Expansion: Partners have a complete grasp of the benefits of your technology and they convey these benefits to their customers. With the expert training and ongoing support you provide to your partners, your technology will reach the masses in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible thanks to the established sales channels and industry connections of your partner community. Your technology will be elevated to new heights—and all thanks to the dedication you gave to establishing a comprehensive partner program strategy.

With 2015 on the horizon, evaluate the merits of a partner program—and determine if it’s the right step for your enterprise’s marketing and growth strategy. If you determine a partner program may not be right for your business, investigate ways to become a strategic partner and leverage the technologies of market innovators to better serve and support your customers.