{"id":9159,"date":"2021-09-14T09:30:00","date_gmt":"2021-09-14T04:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kylas.io\/?p=9159"},"modified":"2023-08-09T18:56:25","modified_gmt":"2023-08-09T13:26:25","slug":"channel-sales-strategy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kylas.io\/en\/sales-strategy\/channel-sales-strategy","title":{"rendered":"How is Channel Sales a Fitting Sales Strategy for Your Business?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<style>\n@media only screen and (max-width: 700px){\n.img-full-mob{\nwidth:100% !important;\nheight:100% !important;\n}\n}\n<\/style>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">If you\u2019re looking to take your product to market, you\u2019ve probably already done this one simple act. Strategized and brainstormed about all the possible channels that would be cost-effective and profitable for you to launch your product, bring in maximum revenue, and run a cost-effective <a href=\"https:\/\/kylas.io\/sales-effectiveness\/small-business-sales-strategy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><u>sales strategy<\/u><\/a>. As per the statistics, channel sales represent <a href=\"https:\/\/www.salesforce.com\/resources\/articles\/channel-sales-guide\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">75% of the world\u2019s commerce<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Whether you realize it or not, you\u2019re no stranger to the world of channel sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-ht-block-toc  is-style-outline htoc htoc--position-wide toc-list-style-plain\" data-htoc-state=\"expanded\"><span class=\"htoc__title\"><span class=\"ht_toc_title\">Table of Contents<\/span><span class=\"htoc__toggle\"><svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"16\" height=\"16\"><g fill=\"#444\"><path d=\"M15 7H1c-.6 0-1 .4-1 1s.4 1 1 1h14c.6 0 1-.4 1-1s-.4-1-1-1z\"><\/path><path d=\"M15 1H1c-.6 0-1 .4-1 1s.4 1 1 1h14c.6 0 1-.4 1-1s-.4-1-1-1zM15 13H1c-.6 0-1 .4-1 1s.4 1 1 1h14c.6 0 1-.4 1-1s-.4-1-1-1z\"><\/path><\/g><\/svg><\/span><\/span><div class=\"htoc__itemswrap\"><ul class=\"ht_toc_list\"><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-what-is-channel-sales\">What are Channel Sales?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-channel-vs-direct-sales\">Channel Vs Direct Sales<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-types-of-channels-for-a-channel-sales-strategy\">Types of Channels for A Sales Channel Strategy<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-the-benefits-of-channel-sales\">The Benefits of Channel Sales<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-getting-started-with-channel-sales\">Getting Started with Channel Sales<\/a><\/li><li class=\"\"><a href=\"#htoc-conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-what-is-channel-sales\">What are Channel Sales?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Channel sales are how you take your product to the market \u2013 the different 3rd party channels that you employ to help launch, market, sell and service your product to maximize your revenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>The keyword here is \u20183rd party\u2019<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">One of the biggest sales streams to consider is \u2018direct sales\u2019 or \u2018direct to consumer\u2019 as it\u2019s called \u2013 while this may be an effective sales strategy for you, it might only be part of the bigger picture. Direct sales don\u2019t come under the umbrella of channel sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-channel-vs-direct-sales\">Channel Vs Direct Sales<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img data-src=\"https:\/\/kylas.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/3.png\" alt=\"Infographic showing Channel Sales Vs Direct Sales with pros and cons of each. \" class=\"img-full-mob lazy\" width=\"768\" height=\"356\" title=\"Channel Sales Vs Direct Sales \"><figcaption>Channel Sales Vs Direct Sales <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">As we mentioned above, the keyword when it comes to channel sales is \u2018<strong>3rd party<\/strong>\u2019. Channel sales involve using 3rd party partnerships to get your product to the market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The main benefit of using channel sales is that you can cast a wider net, and reach a larger number of prospective customers than you would be able to by yourself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The other main benefit is that partnering with a 3rd party allows you to outsource much of the operations and effort of sales &#8211; depending on the channel you choose. This means everything from finding new prospects to after-sales services will be taken care of by the partner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-medium-font-size\" id=\"htoc-what-are-direct-sales\"><mark style=\"background-color:rgba(0, 0, 0, 0)\" class=\"has-inline-color has-vivid-cyan-blue-color\">What are Direct Sales?<\/mark><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">In <strong>direct sales,<\/strong> you\u2019re selling directly to the consumer \u2013 usually either via brick-and-mortar stores or via the internet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">In this case, the entire process of sales is handled by your company. The benefit of this is that the control is kept with you: prospects move right from marketing to sales to after-sales and loyal customers based on strategic decisions you make. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The disadvantage is usually too growing businesses and growing companies that don\u2019t have the kind of cross-departmental capabilities to scale this level of operation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">There are a number of companies, however, that use a mix of channel sales and direct sales. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">For example, you might think of technology companies that sell their software using both channel sales and direct sales. Microsoft Office, for example, bundles its office software with multiple laptop companies, sells it via channel partners to consumers, and also sells it directly to consumers. The same can be said of many manufacturing companies as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-background\" style=\"background-color:#e7f5fe\"><thead><tr><th>Direct Sales<\/th><th>Channel Sales<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>You have full control of the sales process<\/td><td>Scaling potential is effective<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>A higher cost is involved with building a team for direct sales<\/td><td>Lower cost for expansion into new markets<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>No Revenue Share<\/td><td>Industry Support<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Difference between Direct Sales and Channel Sales<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-types-of-channels-for-a-channel-sales-strategy\">Types of Channels for A Sales Channel Strategy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img data-src=\"https:\/\/kylas.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/2.png\" alt=\"Infographic showcasing the type of channels for a channel sales strategy.\" class=\"img-full-mob lazy\" width=\"768\" height=\"356\" title=\"Channel Types For A Sales Strategy\"><figcaption>Channel Types For A Sales Strategy<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">There are a number of channels you can employ as a sales strategy, that allow you to diversify where you bring in revenue. Let\u2019s look at a few of them:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-1-distributors\" style=\"font-size:22px\">1. Distributors<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">This is a form of channel sales you\u2019re probably most familiar with, having bought electronics and cars from distributors before. Distributors are 3rd parties that sell your product directly to the end consumers, and most distributors have made\/are looking to make their own brand as a distributor of a particular type(s) of product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The distributor may conduct sales via a brick-and-mortar store, or it may simply be an e-commerce business. The main idea is that the distributor handles products of a specific kind and offers yours \u2013 among others \u2013 to his\/her customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-2-partners-affiliates\" style=\"font-size:22px\"> 2. Partners\/Affiliates<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Affiliates are sellers of your product that work on commission. The form of affiliate sales you\u2019ll be most familiar with is influencer marketing, and the same concept largely applies: Affiliates are in charge of marketing and drawing in customers to your product through their marketing\/sales channel, and for every customer that they bring in, they receive a commission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Because of the nature of the operation, the success of affiliate partnerships depends largely on the popularity and goodwill of the affiliate \u2013 the more widely trusted the affiliate within your target audience, the more customers they\u2019re likely to get you. This means the biggest success factor for your affiliate partnerships is the affiliates that you choose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-3-wholesalers\" style=\"font-size:22px\">3. Wholesalers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Wholesalers need no introduction \u2013 they are the traditional middlemen that take your product to the retailers, who in turn sell it directly to consumers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">They are typically used by larger volume producers, who need to move a huge amount of stock regularly and hence cannot deal with retailers on an individual basis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Usually, wholesalers are a type of channel sales that deals in the physical supply of goods \u2013 they tend to supply products to retailers with brick-and-mortar stores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Some wholesalers also run their own stores where they buy from the producer and sell directly to the consumer, passing on the benefit of cutting out middlemen (retailers) in the form of discounts to customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-4-individual-retailers\" style=\"font-size:22px\">4. Individual Retailers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Individual retailers don\u2019t operate as large-scale distributors but run small independent outfit that sells particular types of products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Again, this could be via a brick-and-mortar store, a website, etc. They curate a number of products that they believe will be popular among their clientele and typically have smaller order numbers than distributors and wholesalers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">That said, individual retailers are not to be underestimated: choose the right retailers and they could turn out to be a highly successful sales channel for the trust they hold among their patrons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-5-selling-agent\" style=\"font-size:22px\">5. Selling Agent<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A selling agent acts as an extended arm of your company \u2013 an outsourced sales representative, if you will, that works independently as a consultant for themselves. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">A selling agent represents the interests of your company rather than the interests of the consumer, but in some cases represents both. The biggest industry that operates with agents as part of the channel sales strategy is the real estate industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Because real estate works at a geographically localized level, selling agents, or \u2018brokers\u2019 as we call them are a popular form of channel sales. Agents are usually paid by commissions, and incentivized by perks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-6-value-added-reseller\">6. Value-Added Reseller<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">As we mentioned earlier, one of the forms of channel sales is companies that buy your product and package it with their own \u2013 or others\u2019 &#8211; to sell it to the end consumer. These are called value-added resellers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Microsoft Office is one example of this &#8211; a software product that is sold via retailers and also sold by companies such as Dell with their own laptops (who then become the Value Added Resellers).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Value-Added Resellers are a great way to diversify the method by which your product reaches your consumers, especially those consumers who may not reach out and buy it directly from other sales channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-the-benefits-of-channel-sales\">The Benefits of Channel Sales<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img data-src=\"https:\/\/kylas.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/1.png\" alt=\"Infographic representing Channel Sales Benefits. This include: Being time effective, cost effectives, with quicker turnaround time, scaling quickly and brand trust.\" class=\"img-full-mob lazy\" width=\"768\" height=\"356\" title=\"Benefits of Channel Sales\"><figcaption>Benefits of Channel Sales<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Now that we\u2019ve understood what channel sales are, how it stands apart from directly selling to consumers, and had a glance at the various types of channel sales, it\u2019s time to look at things objectively: Is channel sales really worth the effort? Or does it add on more than you want to take on as a growing business?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-1-channel-sales-save-you-time-amp-effort\" style=\"font-size:22px\">1. Channel Sales Save You Time &amp; Effort<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">For a growing business, hiring a sales team, setting up sales processes, <a href=\"https:\/\/kylas.io\/sales-effectiveness\/sales-funnel-small-businesses\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">sales funnels<\/span><\/a>, and all the associated tasks of running a sales operation, aren\u2019t always feasible or cost-effective. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">It takes an enormous amount of manpower and effort to run a sales operation, so starting out with channel sales can save you a lot of time and effort (and resource cost).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-2-it-is-more-cost-effective\" style=\"font-size:22px\"> 2. It is More Cost-Effective<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Channel sales cost a fraction of what it would take you to take the entire operation in-house, and a partner\/affiliate\/retailer will bring in a much higher volume of sales than a single salesperson. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Plus, when you bring on one channel of sales, you can set processes that can be extrapolated to every consequent channel \u2013 bringing in increased efficiency and saving you costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-3-it-offers-quicker-turnaround-time\" style=\"font-size:22px\">3. Channel Sales Offers Quicker Turnaround Time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">For growing businesses, salespersons selling the products can take a while to turn around \u2013 prospective customers aren\u2019t immediately going to trust your product or your company, and will take their time to compare you with competitors, check out reviews, etc. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">When you sell via a partner\/retailer\/affiliate; however, the barrier to purchase is broken down significantly by the trust and goodwill they carry among their customers and network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-4-it-allows-you-to-scale-quickly\" style=\"font-size:22px\">4. It Allows You To Scale Quickly<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">As we mentioned earlier, once you have your processes in place, you can quickly onboard more of the same channel sales mediums. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">This is especially effective if you\u2019re keeping a keen eye on your channel sales strategy and measuring the effectiveness of one against the other. That way, you can discontinue channels that don\u2019t offer the same returns and bring on more successful channels. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">The only barrier to your scaling, then, depends on your production capacity, marketing, and popularity of the product.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-5-you-don-t-need-to-spend-time-establishing-brand-trust\" style=\"font-size:22px\">5. You Don\u2019t Need to Spend Time Establishing Brand Trust<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">This is a benefit as well as a downside \u2013 because channel sales involve selling through agents\/retailers\/channel partners, etc. that have their own network of consumers that trust them, your newly-established brand as a growing business doesn\u2019t create a barrier to purchase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">You don\u2019t have to take the extra effort and time to sell prospective customers to your brand. The downside, however, is that your <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kylas.io\/leadership-growth\/small-business-marketing-building-a-brand\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">brand voice and identity<\/a><\/span> can get diluted and lost because you\u2019re selling through a channel that usually represents many other brands &amp; products like yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:40px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-getting-started-with-channel-sales\">Getting Started with Channel Sales<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">As a growing business, before you get started with a channel sales strategy, you need to have some basics in place first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-1-know-your-audience\" style=\"font-size:22px\">1. Know Your Audience<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"> You need to have a detailed understanding of who your ideal customer is. For every brand, this is not a set demographic \u2013 you&#8217;re looking at various sub-types of customers, segmented via different criteria including their industry, buying processes, pain points, demographic markers, and so on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Understanding these details and creating cohorts of customers is important to be able to employ channel sales in a way that reaches all prospective customers effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-2-plan-the-ideal-sales-channels\" style=\"font-size:22px\">2. Plan The Ideal Sales Channels<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Based on your audience, their buying patterns, and purchase habits, choose the right channels for your channel sales strategy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Each channel you choose must serve to increase your revenue and share of the market in some way from the right prospective customers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">It\u2019s also a good idea to go with a mix \u2013 diversify how your brand and product get in front of your relevant audience, in different ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-3-bring-your-sales-processes-in-order\" style=\"font-size:22px\">3. Bring your Sales Processes in Order <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">You\u2019ll have a certain set of internal sales processes &#8211; in terms of the resources, paperwork, and evaluation metrics, for example &#8211; required to run a channel sales strategy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">You\u2019ll also have individual processes required for the onboarding, sales, and transactional processes with each channel. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">How do you onboard a new retailer, how do you track affiliate partner transactions, and how does your supply chain operates for wholesalers? You should aim to get your processes in order for each channel so you can simply replicate and refine with each channel sales medium\/partner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-4-create-all-the-collaterals-and-knowledge-resources-needed\" style=\"font-size:22px\">4. Create All the Collaterals and Knowledge Resources Needed<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">With a channel sales strategy, you\u2019re entrusting your product to someone else to sell \u2013 this is a huge deal for your brand. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">It means putting in extra effort for brand quality control. You\u2019ll need to share all the required collaterals, think about their point-of-sales requirements and what you\u2019ll need to supply, create fact sheets and troubleshooting guidelines, and so on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Each of the mediums you use as part of your channel sales strategy should be appropriately equipped to represent your brand, almost (though not realistically) as well as they would be if they worked directly for your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-5-set-up-your-evaluation-criteria\" style=\"font-size:22px\">5. Set Up Your Evaluation Criteria<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">You\u2019ve decided to go with a channel strategy today, but you may not be certain about which channels will work best for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Considering the mode of operation is quite different for each channel, you need to consider how you will evaluate successes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Will it be a point-to-point revenue comparison? It\u2019s possible, however, that one channel that brings in higher revenues in a month also required higher investment from your side in terms of marketing\u2026whereas another channel where you barely put in any effort\/investment brought you comparably great returns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">You also need to evaluate which channels are managing to upsell more, bring in referrals, and so on. Data is your friend in evaluating success and making insight-led decisions for your sales strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"htoc-conclusion\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:30px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">With that information in hand, we hope you\u2019re convinced and ready to jump into a sales channel strategy! If you have any questions or are wondering whether channel sales is really the right step for you right now, feel free to reach out: our sales experts will be happy to weigh in. Just drop a line in the comments section below!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If you\u2019re looking to take your product to market, you\u2019ve probably already done this one simple act. Strategized and brainstormed about all the possible channels that would be cost-effective and profitable for you to launch your product, bring in maximum revenue, and run a cost-effective sales strategy. As per the statistics, channel sales represent 75% &hellip; <\/p>\n<p class=\"link-more\"><a href=\"https:\/\/kylas.io\/en\/sales-strategy\/channel-sales-strategy\" class=\"more-link\">Continue reading<span class=\"screen-reader-text\"> &#8220;How is Channel Sales a Fitting Sales Strategy for Your Business?&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23,"featured_media":14646,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"ub_ctt_via":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[34,36],"tags":[5,19,22],"acf":[],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/kylas.io\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/PB-Banner-Guide-Images-ONLY-1-2.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Shagun Sharma","author_link":"https:\/\/kylas.io\/en\/author\/shagun"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Channel Sales Strategy - A Comprehensive Guide | Kylas<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Channel sales strategy involves 3rd parties to get a wider reach for the product. 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