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MICROSOFT
BUSINESS & IT MARKETING
CHANNEL PRESS ADVERTISING |
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CREATE STRONGER RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE RESELLER CHANNEL TO CREATE STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE END-CUSTOMER
NO MAYBES
For Microsoft, a major blockage to converting endcustomer MAYBEs to YESes was the cynical reseller distribution channel. Creating greater awareness of the benefits and accessibility of the business development resources, marketing tools and software training
programmes available to the channel would build a stronger relationship. Encouraging the channel to say YES meant more customer YESes.
INCITEMENT
We incited the reseller channel emotionally by playing back their prejudices about Microsoft being poor partners and by identifying the hard, rational,commercial benefits of a stronger partnership with Microsoft. The objective was to stir re-sellers to
visit the Microsoft Channel web portal where all technological and product knowledge resided.
In order to communicate the message that Microsoft understood all the issues of the channel, we created a press campaign exclusively for the reseller trade press.
PROFITABLE EXPERIENCES
Resellers, pleasantly surprised by the candid approach and renewed contact, reassessed their opinion of Microsoft as a valued business partner.
This enabled Microsoft software solutions to be more persuasively sold to businesses and individuals at one of the most critical turning points to or from a brand - the channel.
EFFECT RESULTS
Web site hits increased by 320% to 140,000 after
the first 2 months. Page views increased by 250%.
And the portal achieved a monthly run rate of
150,000.
1,300 guides were requested in the first 5 months,
and then levelled out at 50 per week.
A 50% increase in awareness amongst Resellers of Microsoft as a strong business partner.
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