Leads are not the only way vendors can keep SPs happy. Incentives can provide less tangible, but equally appreciated, forms of compensation. When it comes to an incentive's gratification quotient, it's not the thought, but the value and longevity, that matter most. "One promotion put our top performers in a leased auto for a year," Padua says. "That really got them excited."
Sometimes the relationship between a vendor and an SP may lead to the appearance of impropriety and prevent awarding incentives, as is often the case at InterWorld, whose partners include the Big Five consulting firms.
"It's difficult to find acceptable incentives to offer our partners that don't run afoul of the law," InterWorld's Linn says. "Consequently, our incentives include perks such as free training and enhanced sales support. For example, we will help [partners] build proof-of-concept demos in their competency centers."
Time and again, it's the harmonious sharing of ideas and leads plus a sense of trust, that signifies a successful and profitable relationship.
"The toughest challenge a partnership faces is making the value proposition a two-way street," Stellcom's Lane says. "I want to sing the same song as the vendor and provide a harmony counterpart to it."
Introduction
Part 2: Software Synergy
Part 3: Warning Flags Flying
Part 4: Leaning Towards Leads
