Play: Your first 90 days
The first 90 days play
How do you start as a new channel manager?
The short answer
Learn the program rules first: tiers, margin, deal registration and MDF. Rank your partners by revenue and by potential, because the two lists differ. Meet the top partners early, ask what they need from you, and get one real deal moving inside your first 90 days.
The steps
How to run it
Learn the rules
Learn tier requirements, margin and incentives, deal registration terms and the MDF process. Partners will ask about all four in week one.
Done when You can answer the common program questions without checking.
Rank the partners twice
Rank once by current revenue and once by potential. Where the two lists disagree is where your attention goes.
Done when You have both lists and a short note on the gaps.
Meet the top partners
Ask what works, what does not, and what they need from you. Write it down.
Done when You have met your top partners and captured what each one asked for.
Move one deal
Nothing builds credibility with partners or your own leadership like a deal that moves because you showed up.
Done when One opportunity advanced because of something you did.
Write the plans
By day 90, write a plan for each top partner with targets, owners and review dates.
Done when Each top partner has a plan and a review date on the calendar.
Watch for
Where this play goes wrong
- Spending the first month in internal meetings instead of with partners.
- Inheriting the previous manager's partner ranking without checking it.
- Promising changes before you understand the program rules.
Where PartnerBOT.ai helps
- Ask the questions you would rather not ask out loud in week one, in plain language.
- Rank partners consistently with the tier framework and scorecard.
- Generate a first partner business plan to bring to your top partners.
Questions
What channel managers ask about this play
What does a channel manager actually do?
Recruits and develops partners, runs business plans and quarterly reviews, handles deal registration and conflict, manages MDF, and carries a revenue number through partners rather than direct sales.
What should I learn first?
The program rules. Tiers, margin, deal registration and MDF drive most of the questions partners ask.
How is channel sales different from direct sales?
You sell through people who do not work for you. Influence, enablement and program design replace direct control of the deal.
Cross references
Use with this play
Next play: Partner recruitment
Try it on your next partner call
Ask the question you would normally chase down. Pull the template. Build the QBR outline.
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