Closing Argument: IT Vendors’ ‘Elevator Pitches’ For Channel Recruits
As part of the CRN Partner Program Guide evaluation, channel executives were asked to provide their “elevator pitch” to solution providers who are currently not part of their partner program. Here’s what 20 had to say.
What’s Your Point…?
Many IT vendors offer channel partners a broad range of incentives, assistance and resources in their channel programs, as can be seen in the CRN 2024 Partner Program Guide.
But all the details of what a partner program includes can be overwhelming for solution providers making the critical decision of which IT vendors to ally themselves with.
That’s why as part of the 2024 CRN Partner Program Guide we asked IT companies the question: What’s your “elevator pitch” to solution providers who are not part of your program right now?
In the following slides we provide the answers that 20 of the more than 280 IT vendors who submitted applications for this year’s Partner Program Guide provided to that question.
The CRN 2024 Partner Program Guide offers the information solution providers need to evaluate the channel programs operated by the IT vendors they work with or are considering partnering with. The guide is based on detailed applications submitted by vendors – more than 280 this year – outlining all aspects of their partner programs. Details of every vendor’s partner program can be found at CRN.com.
As part of the Partner Program Guide, CRN designates some programs as 5-Star Partner Programs because they provide the most comprehensive lineups of incentives, resources, training, services and benefits.
Slide shows in the 5-Star Partner Program Guide series include companies that provide products and services in cloud platforms and infrastructure, devices and peripherals, data storage and backup, networking and unified communications, security, software, and systems and data center, in addition to 5-Star partner programs operated by startups.
Amazon Web Services
Program Name: AWS Partner Network (APN) Program
Year Program Established: 2012
Channel Chief: Julia Chen, VP, AWS Partner Core
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=9
What’s your “elevator pitch” to solution providers who are not part of your program right now?
“Cloud infrastructure and platform services total market is projected to be $624 billion in 2027. This implies that the opportunity to help customers transform using the cloud is now. We are constantly simplifying, providing a cohesive experience across programs, AWS Marketplace, and AWS Partner Central to accelerate your profitability with AWS.”
Broadcom (Advantage Partner Program)
Program Name: Advantage Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2020
Channel Chief: Cynthia Loyd, VP, Global Partner, Enterprise and Commercial Sales
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=39
“An invitation-only program, the Advantage Partner Program is designed to build stronger relationships with our valued partners and provide them with the capabilities to grow their business through simplified pricing, better margins, and richer benefits. The intent of the program is to increase relevance and profitability for our existing ecosystem.”
Dell Technologies
Program Name: Dell Technologies Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2017
Channel Chief: Denise Millard, Chief Partner Officer
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=79
What’s your “elevator pitch” to solution providers who are not part of your program right now?
“With Dell Technologies, partners have access to an innovation leader and broad and deep market-leading portfolio; a trusted, reliable and secure global supply chain; and the power of our purpose-driven brand. Partners can leverage program incentives, maximize profit potential, and collaborate across our partner ecosystem and the Dell sales team.”
Eaton
Program Name: Eaton Power Advantage Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2009
Channel Chief: Herve Tardy, VP, Marketing & Strategy, Critical Power and Digital Infrastructure
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=87
What’s your “elevator pitch” to solution providers who are not part of your program right now?
“We see things from a unique perspective: yours. We help you keep your business running and connected with the right solutions. We've created a program that provides the elements you need, the support you want and the rewards you deserve.”
Extreme Networks
Program Name: Extreme Ignite Partner Program
Year Program Established: 1996
Channel Chief: Jennifer Orr, VP, Americas Channel Sales
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=96
What’s your “elevator pitch” to solution providers who are not part of your program right now?
“As a leading cloud networking vendor, growing and driving improved experiences and customer outcomes starts with Extreme. Our partner program supports partners by delivering advanced support, training, marketing, and differentiated programs by persona type. Plus, join one of the few programs that allows you to be profitable starting day one.”
Hewlett Packard Enterprise
Program Name: HPE Partner Ready Vantage
Year Program Established: 2022
Channel Chief: Simon Ewington, VP, Worldwide Channel and Partner Ecosystem
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=113
What’s your “elevator pitch” to solution providers who are not part of your program right now?
“HPE Partner Ready recognizes partners with ‘more for more’ - the more a partner invests and commits with HPE, the higher its benefits and rewards. At program entry, Ready partners earn project pricing and deal registration/protection. As a partner climbs the membership ladder, the benefits become greater.”
Hitachi Vantara
Program Name: Hitachi Vantara Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2018
Channel Chief: Kimberly King, SVP, Strategic Partners and Alliances
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=114
What’s your “elevator pitch” to solution providers who are not part of your program right now?
“Empower your business and drive profitable growth with the Hitachi Vantara Partner Program. Our proven program provides you with a strong foundation for accelerating your business with simplified selling tools, rich incentives, and a reliable portfolio of hybrid cloud infrastructure solutions.”
KnowBe4
Program Name: KnowBe4 Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2020
Channel Chief: Kirsten Esposito, VP, Global Channel Sales
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=138
What’s your “elevator pitch” to solution providers who are not part of your program right now?
“KnowBe4 is the provider of the world's largest security awareness and simulated phishing platform – an easy-to-use, affordable product that every organization needs. Help your customers reduce their risk and improve their security defense, while you benefit from a recurring revenue model and position yourself as a trusted security advisor.”
Lacework
Program Name: Lacework Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2022
Channel Chief: Brian Lanigan, VP, Worldwide Channels and Alliances
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=141
What’s your “elevator pitch” to solution providers who are not part of your program right now?
“Lacework helps our partners build successful and profitable cloud security practices. Our automated cloud security platform helps customers reach their strategic cloud initiatives, and peace of mind, by securing their workloads, containers and Kubernetes from vulnerabilities and misconfigurations.”
Logitech
Program Name: Logitech Partner Connect Program
Year Program Established: 2023
Channel Chief: Crystal Ferreira, Global Channel Chief, Head of Channel & Alliances Strategy
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=149
What’s your “elevator pitch” to solution providers who are not part of your program right now?
“Earning 25 percent is as easy as 1-2-3! 1: Register net-new prospect, qualify prospect and submit deal registration; 2: Co-sell w/LogicMonitor sales [and] demonstrate value to progress opportunity thru sales stages; 3: Win the deal! Process paperwork and close the sale.”
NetApp
Program Name: NetApp Partner Sphere
Year Program Established: 2023
Channel Chief: Jenni Flinders, SVP, Worldwide Partner Organization
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=163
What’s your “elevator pitch” to solution providers who are not part of your program right now?
“Partner Sphere uses a partner-first approach to digital transformation and delivering customer value through successful business outcomes. [The] program framework supports all business models; enables cloud-focused, services-oriented Partners to thrive; promotes their validated capabilities; and increases partner opportunity with certifications and capabilities and services.”
Nerdio
Program Name: Nerdio Partnerd Program
Year Program Established: 2021
Channel Chief: Joseph Landes, CRO
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=161
What’s your “elevator pitch” to solution providers who are not part of your program right now?
“Nerdio's Partner Program, Partnerd, is designed to help partners grow their Microsoft Cloud practices. We do this through trainings, volume discounts, MDF, and VIP access to our user conference, NerdioCon. Our goal is to partner with MSPs and accelerate product adoption by capitalizing on resources we provide to our Partnerds.”
Pure Storage
Program Name: Pure Storage Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2012
Channel Chief: Wendy Stusrud, VP, Global Partner Sales
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=190
What’s your “elevator pitch” to solution providers who are not part of your program right now?
“Pure is a 100 percent partner-centric company that puts partners first and enhances our program based on their feedback. We prioritize providing our partners with resources that make their lives easier and empower them so they can grow with Pure and exceed their goals and business expectations.”
Rubrik
Program Name: Rubrik Transform Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2023
Channel Chief: Ghazal Asif, VP, Global Channels, Alliances & Inside Sales
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=202
What’s your “elevator pitch” to solution providers who are not part of your program right now?
“Rubrik empowers our partner community to become trusted advisors by providing access to strategic resources and financial benefits designed to accelerate joint success and partner profitability. Rubrik is continually recognized as a leader in the backup and recovery market transacting 100 percent of business through the partner community.”
SAP
Program Name: SAP PartnerEdge
Year Program Established: 2005
Channel Chief: Nanette Lazina, Chief Partner Officer, North America
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=205
What’s your “elevator pitch” to solution providers who are not part of your program right now?
“Grow your business as a member of the vibrant SAP ecosystem as we build on the most relevant business trends driving business agility. Expand your opportunities with our world-class ERP and line-of-business cloud offerings and extensive partner benefits whether you sell, service, build or run cloud solutions.”
Secureworks
Program Name: Secureworks Global Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2020
Channel Chief: Suzanne Swanson, VP, Global Partner Management
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=215
What’s your “elevator pitch” to solution providers who are not part of your program right now?
“Secureworks is committed to helping partners drive pipeline and revenue growth with our market-leading cybersecurity solutions that easily integrate into any customer's ecosystem. As a partner-first company, all new opportunities are directed to our partner community. The Secureworks Partner advantage is high profitability and customer value.”
SentinelOne
Program Name: SentinelOne Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2013
Channel Chief: Ken Marks, VP, Global Channel Sales
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program -guide/ppg2024-details?c=219
What’s your “elevator pitch” to solution providers who are not part of your program right now?
“SentinelOne is a 100-percent ‘channel focused’ vendor who values its partner ecosystem by providing full solutions for customers. Together with partners, we solve our customers’ most critical security problems by pushing boundaries of autonomous technology – delivering innovation at scale and speed to protect enterprises (endpoints, cloud workloads, identities, data).”
SonicWall
Program Name: SonicWall SecureFirst Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2016
Channel Chief: Michelle Ragusa-McBain, Global Channel Chief
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=230
What’s your “elevator pitch” to solution providers who are not part of your program right now?
“Our partners are at the heart of every decision we make. Our primary goal is to empower our partners and help them thrive in their respective industries and business models. SonicWall's new partner program allows its partners to determine their level of engagement and it allows for competitive pricing.”
ThreatLocker
Program Name: ThreatLocker Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2021
Channel Chief: Antoine Jones, VP, MSP Sales
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=253
What’s your “elevator pitch” to solution providers who are not part of your program right now?
“ThreatLocker provides enterprise-level cybersecurity tools for the MSP industry to improve the security of servers and endpoints. ThreatLocker Application Control, Ringfencing, Storage Control, Elevation Control, and Network Control solutions are leading the cybersecurity market towards a more secure approach of blocking the exploits of unknown application vulnerabilities.”
Zscaler
Program Name: Zscaler Summit Partner Program
Year Program Established: 2021
Channel Chief: Karl Soderlund, SVP, Worldwide Partners and Alliances Sales
Partner Program Details: https://www.crn.com/partner-program-guide/ppg2024-details?c=283
What’s your “elevator pitch” to solution providers who are not part of your program right now?
“Join us to be a part of Zscaler's groundbreaking channel transformation. 2024 is set to be a monumental year for our partners and you'll gain access to unparalleled opportunities for growth, increased profitability, and a chance to shape the future of the industry alongside us.”