CV_Fall20_2

I have been on too many video calls since March. Some are the same boring, time-wasting webinars that were billed as webinars before Zoom soared into the lexicon like Kleenex. When people talk about Zoom fatigue, what they mean is that people have been on too many video calls that were a waste of time. In the same way that corporate meetings are a waste of time, we have now shifted that to the Zoom call. Presenters have forgotten the main points of getting attention. The first point is WIIFM – what’s in it for me? Time is the most precious commodity. If a partner is trading his time, make it worthwhile. Some marketing teams have gotten pretty creative in 2020. If you aren’t being creative, that’s your first problem. When we met in person, partners traded time for dinner and drinks. Now we rarely even get that benefit. Although I have seen compa - nies that have put on a Lunch N Learn with the vendor providing lunch via Door Dash or Uber Eats gift cards – or pizza delivery. Upside, you get a lot of info about the partner, and you have their attention while they eat! A few companies have introduced wine or bourbon tastings. At least one company has done celebrity chefs on Zoom giving a cooking class. That same company also did meditation and yoga via Zoom. I have not seen anyone try to capital- ize on Peloton or Mirror workouts. What a way to build collaboration in a weekly exercise class. (People used to jog together at conferences. This is a way to do that virtually.) VR glasses are entering the space. Companies are inviting partners to don the virtual reality goggles as they take them on a virtual tour. I have heard that interactions on this platform are better than on Zoom. Many companies have introduced Trivia Night or Family Feud or game night in order to bring fun to the world of Zoom. If the number of participants is controlled, this can be a great inter- active experience. One of the items I have not seen: interviews with successful partners. What a time to shine the light on partners who are closing deals in this environment. It is a poor reflection on the vendors that they still want to talk about their product and network map – and not on how businesses are utilizing that product. One headline that would work: “How our partner XYZ made six figures by asking one question.” It comes down to two things: either be interesting or be creative. And the second key is to be interested. How can you lift up your partners? How can you add value to them? Be helpful first is still the rule of sales, but too many companies are more concerned with the quarterly numbers than the long run. Hard to bring on partners with such a short-term view. Zoom fatigue is a real thing because there have been too many invites, not enough time and really just not enough value. Companies have forgotten that attention is a precious commodity. Today, on video calls, you have to be part entertainer, but you also have to remember that this isn’t a one-call close. The whole purpose of the webinar/Zoom/Webex/etc. is to garner interest in your services or company, enough that the partner will reach out for more info. It takes more than seven touches in sales. The appointment setter’s job is to set the appointment not close the sale. Know the role of the event – brand aware- ness, education, entertainment or partner development. Servers cannot be taken from the closet and stuffed in a data center and called “cloud.” In-person meetings cannot be done on a video conferenc- ing platform the same way either. If ever there was a time to collaborate with your partners on small events, now is the time. Be creative. Value their time. Be helpful. Be interested. o Peter Radizeski is president of RAD-INFO INC., a telecom strategy and marketing consulting agency. He is a sales trainer, writer, consultant and speaker. He is available to speak at your events on channel, marketing, strategy or sales. By Peter Radizeski CHANNEL MANAGEMENT How to Garner Attention from Channel Partners 48 CHANNEL VISION | September - October, 2020