1. How Special are
Specializations?
Does the Value Warrant
the Investment?
Webinar
October 19, 2011
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2. Panelists
Jamie Mendez Laurie Evans
Director, IBM Director, Global
PartnerWorld Partner Programs
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3. Respondents’ Profiles
Solution Providers N- 391 Vendors N-34
 Annual revenues <$5m (44%):  Large organizations: 40%
25% over $50m >$5b and 33% >$1-5 b
 50% are regionally focused  More heavily software
focused - 55% infrastructure
 VAR and SI are two leading
software & 33% applications
business models (58%)
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4. Polling Question
What is your biggest challenge in managing
your specialization program today?
1. Building & maintaining content
2. Getting the right partners to invest
3. Fostering strong field teaming and engagement
4. Providing adequate marketing support
5. Demonstrating overall ROI
5. Don’t know – don’t have a program today
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5. Definitions
FOCUS:
Apply skills
Specializations
(verticals,  Build customer
solutions or satisfaction &
functions) references
 Focus vertically
Certification &
Accreditation
(products) FOCUS:
Build skills
Core Product Apply horizontally
Training
(sales & technical)
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6. The IBM PartnerWorld Program recognizes and rewards Business
Partners for their market success
 Business Partners are Proven marketplace
recognized for their
success
achievements with
consistent criteria across
the program Premier
Demonstrating IBM
 PartnerWorld rewards skills Specialties
Business Partners for  Specialized skills
 Unique benefits
building high value skills Advanced
 Business Partners earn Introduction to the IBM
incremental benefits portfolio
including a unique mark
Member
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7. What Are VMware Specializations?
Competencies (Based on Solutions)
IV DV BC ?
• Delivers unique sales, marketing and product benefits
specific to VMware solutions
• Required to achieve partner membership levels
Specializations (Based on Market Segments)
U.S.
Academic
Federal Healthcare ?
• Delivers unique sales, marketing benefits to focused markets
• Required to gain access to restricted SKUs in certain markets
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8. Discussion
When are specializations an important
element in a channel strategy or program?
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9. When Are Specializations Important?
Trigger Result
1. Portfolio grows very broad Partners can choose their focus
2. Channel conflict grows Partner need better differentiation and
ways to establish customer value
3. Vendor needs to expand Use specialized partner skills to foster
marketshare or enter new partner-led selling
markets/verticals
4. Vendor needs to foster field Partners establish credibility and
sales teaming with direct sales mindshare with vendor sales teams
5. Vendor needs to scale services Partner gets enablement and IP from
delivery vendor services teams, either pre or
post-sale
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10. Vendors Seek End-user Value then Partner
Differentiation
% of partners
specialized Response
<10% 46%
11-20% 25%
21 – 35% 11%
36 – 50% 4%
>50% 14%
“You just can't do
everything, or be all to
everyone. You have to be
picky and strategic.”
Solution provider respondent
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11. Vendors Want Competency: Partners Profitability
Other Solution
Provider Objectives
More marketing support
& visibility – 30%
More channel program
benefits - 23%
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12. Discussion
How do you measure value to the
end-user, partner and vendor with a
specialization program?
Who’s most important?
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13. Time and Expense are Barriers for All:
Staffing a Bigger Issue for Larger Partners
“Usually, the
barrier is, that it
doesn’t mean
anything to the
client”
“We’re too small to
have dedicated
person for every
single product”
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14. Partners Want Incremental Revenue & Profit –
In the First Year
ROI Metrics Time to ROI
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15. Discussion
How do you get partners to invest?
Is specializations only for the large
solution provider?
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16. Technology Solutions Skills Most Important
Waning focus on customer segments or verticals
(small, mid-market, enterp.)
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17. Many Vertical Specializations: Limited SP Interest
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18. Discussion
What kind of skills are we trying to
cultivate most?
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19. Top Three Benefits Remain Consistent
Current Benefits Future Benefits
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20. Misaligned Program Expectations
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21. Discussion
How are the programs best
structured to drive value for both
vendor and solution provider?
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22. Discussion
What are the pitfalls of launching and
managing a specialization program?
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23. Vendor Call to Action
Assess Your Need for Specialization
Why would you create specializations?
Are you experiencing growing pains or partner conflict?
Define an Effective Program
Do specializations scale your services delivery?
Are industry specializations significant in your business?
Determine the Real Value Proposition
Will it increase the partners’ profitability?
Is the value chain (end-user, partner, vendor) clearly defined?
Evaluate Your Partners’ Specializations
Do you have enough partners specialized? Too many?
What is the capacity for specialization?
Drive Internal Alignment & Resourcing
Are you aligned with product marketing and the field?
Will field behavior match corporate focus?
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24. Join Us Next Month:
Managing Specializations
Through Automation
Thursday, November 17, 2011
9:00 am PST
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