Symantec Channel Business Tips for 2010

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2010 will be all about a fresh start and a time for solutions providers to assess what is working for their business and what is not. This New Year is the perfect time to make the necessary changes to your business in order to grow and prosper.  Partners are in a unique position right now to increase revenue and maintain relevance with their customers.  Symantec has outlined the top five business tips for partners to consider throughout 2010 to stay ahead of the game.

Stay Relevant with Your Customers

Maintaining relevance with customers should be top of mind for partners in 2010.  In today’s highly competitive technology market, customers are looking for partners who look beyond point products to solve current business challenges and also prepare them for what’s ahead.  By combining products and services to build solutions that address both current and anticipated needs, solutions providers will provide a greater return on investment and increase their relevance with customers.

Be Ready to Tackle Your Customers’ Biggest Challenges

To drive greater results, invest in education and specialization to make your business more competitive while establishing a stronger ROI. It is essential for partners to educate themselves and their customers on the products they sell.  Solutions providers become indispensible trusted advisors when they truly understand customers’ biggest pain points and build solutions that directly address them.  By staying up to date on products and, most importantly, what your customers want and need, you will stay ahead of your competition.

Focus on Revenue-Generating Programs

Solutions providers can increase revenue by knowing exactly what their customers need and want.  By leveraging financing options, incentives and vendor programs, providers will achieve effective cash flow and drive growth. It is important for solutions providers to seek out vendors committed to providing partners with focused resources and programs that complement the reinvestment process.

Collaborate with Vendors and Other Solutions Providers

In the New Year, partners should broaden their approach to business by collaborating with their fellow partners to create the best solutions for their customers.  Partners will see that sharing best practices and positive experiences with their peers will lead to new ideas and sales opportunities.  It can be beneficial to see your daily sales tactics in a different light – and this is something that collaborating with other partners can provide.

Enhance Your Reputation with Social Media

In 2010, social mediums like Twitter and Facebook will continue to grow in prominence as key communications tools.  Partners can enhance their reputations by becoming even more involved with social media to stay in touch with existing customers and connect with new ones.  Engaging with customers through these mediums provides both solutions providers and vendors with another avenue to solicit feedback, keep up with the latest trends and engage in an effective dialogue with customers.