Definition
A channel-first model is a go-to-market approach where partners are the main route a vendor uses to reach and sell to customers. Some channel-first vendors sell only through partners and have no direct sales to end customers. Others keep a small direct team for a few large accounts.
In this model, partner needs shape pricing, packaging, support and sales compensation from the start. The vendor's own sellers usually support partners on deals instead of competing with them.
A channel-first model needs clear rules of engagement, margins that work for partners and steady commitment from leaders. If leaders push deals back to direct sales when a quarter is slow, partners notice and often shift their effort to other vendors.
In practice
A security vendor sells only through MSPs, so its sales team is paid on partner results and its pricing is built for monthly billing through those partners.