By John Sekevitch
Dec. 1, 2011
Most consumer electronics (CE) manufacturers today understand the importance of a strong direct-to-consumer (D2C) online sales strategy to sustain their brand over the long term, but robust partnerships with retail, distribution and value-added reseller channel partners are equally important. Ironically, even as OEMs strive to minimize conflict between these two critical sales pipelines, many components of a D2C strategy can be repurposed or adapted to help drive channel sales.
For larger channel partners – such as U.S. retailing and distribution giants like Best Buy, Amazon, Wal-Mart, Target, Costco and Ingram Micro – consumer electronics manufacturers typically provide support through their direct sales organizations. When OEMs do participate directly in sales and marketing initiatives mounted by these major market players, they tend to play a supporting role.
For the small and medium enterprises (SME’s) selling consumer electronics products around the world, however, the scenario is quite different. In this case, CE manufacturers have a genuine opportunity to provide effective sales and marketing leadership. This can be accomplished by enabling SME channel partners to piggyback on the manufacturer’s established D2C infrastructure in an indirect manner.
Let’s consider a few examples of how that can be accomplished.
Leveraging Content Investments
Typically, CE manufacturers make a considerable investment in creating in-depth sales and marketing materials to support their direct-to-consumer initiatives. These core information assets can easily be shared with SME channel partners who need tools to engage and close customers but lack the staff, infrastructure and resources to develop these materials themselves.
The list goes far beyond brochures and data sheets to include interactive content such as YouTube videos that share customers’ product experiences, demonstrate products in action, or train salespeople. Social media assets like blogs and reviews as well as internal company product comparisons, discussion forums and white papers can also be leveraged to assist SME channel partners – all without reinventing the wheel.