Find the right piece of the puzzle

The majority of vendors provide websites and partner programs as well as comprehensive training. They also have staff available for resellers to contact with any queries.

Greg Wallis, national print manager, Samsung Electronics
“Having a relationship with distributors is only the start. Samsung’s focus is on real business development, and working with resellers and related business-to-business groups to encourage sell through.

To support our resellers, we have several programs and promotions in place such as our Target Accelerator program and the StarCash card, as well a web portal – partnersamsung.com – that provides useful product information and sales guides for use in the field.

“Samsung invests in its resellers and works with them directly to encourage their business’ overall development. We feel that when resellers work with vendors who have a vested interest in their business goals, it makes for a really good partnership. To make the most of their marketing efforts, we encourage our resellers to talk to our business development managers as they too are channel-focused.

“Other tips we recommend include make use of tools available such as the partnersamsung.com web portal, and utilise sales materials that make your outlet an informative and engaging place that your customers come back to time and time again.”

Mike Pleasants, director of marketing communications, Epson
“Small resellers have two big advantages they may not be aware of or playing strongly to: they are aggressive on price compared with the large chains, and they have more detailed and generally better product knowledge and experience.

They need to build on these advantages through their marketing and through the direct relationships they have with customers. For customers who are small to mid-sized businesses and are time-poor, these are big selling advantages.

“It is basic Sales 101 to develop a relationship with a customer, learn about their business needs and sell into that space. If resellers are not already doing this in a structured and organised way then they need to review their basic business knowledge.

And again small resellers have an advantage here because its the same people meeting the customer every time so a relationship develops naturally. If you visit a large reseller you may see a different salesperson every time, and there is no real sense of loyalty. Resellers should build on this competitive advantage.”