That’s a fantastic focus. Better communication is the backbone of successful reseller relationships. It leads to better alignment, more motivated partners, and ultimately, higher sales.
Here are the best practices for achieving Better Communication With Resellers, broken down into three key areas:
1. Prioritize Clarity and Relevance
Resellers are often overwhelmed with information from multiple vendors. Your communication needs to be a valuable signal, not just more noise.
- Tailor Your Message: Not all resellers are the same. Segment your partners (by size, specialty, market, or role like sales rep vs. manager) and customize the content. A general announcement to all of them will be less effective than a specific, “what’s-in-it-for-me” message for a particular group.
- Be Concise and Actionable: Keep your communications short, sweet, and to the point. Every message should answer the question: “What does this mean for my reseller, and what action do they need to take?” Use bullet points and clear headings to make information easily digestible.
- Establish a Single Source of Truth: Centralize all essential resources like product guides, price lists, brand assets, and training materials in one easy-to-access location, such as a Partner Portal. This prevents partners from searching through old emails and ensures everyone uses the latest, correct information.
2. Make Communication a Two-Way Street
True partnership requires dialogue, not just dictation. Actively soliciting and acting on feedback builds trust and loyalty.
- Ask for and Act on Feedback: Don’t just send information; ask for their perspective. Resellers are on the front lines and have invaluable insight into customer needs, competitor activity, and product pain points.
- Use short, qualitative surveys (not just NPS).
- Conduct regular one-on-one check-ins with partner managers.
- Show that you’re listening by communicating how their feedback led to a product change, a process improvement, or a new resource.
- Provide Ongoing Support & Training: Your partners need to be as knowledgeable as your internal team.
- Offer comprehensive onboarding for new partners.
- Provide continuous training (webinars, short videos, in-person sessions) on product updates, sales techniques, and market trends.
- Make support easy via dedicated channels (email, chat, or a specific contact person).
- Establish Clear Communication Channels and Cadence: Define how and when you communicate, so partners know what to expect.
- Regular Updates: A consistent weekly or bi-weekly digital bulletin for non-urgent news.
- Urgent Alerts: A clearly defined channel (like an urgent subject line or a specific Slack/Teams channel) for critical, time-sensitive issues.
- Collaborative Meetings: Regular, scheduled calls (monthly/quarterly) for strategic discussions, goal alignment, and performance reviews.
3. Build a Relationship of Mutual Value
Communication should be designed to encourage engagement by demonstrating the value of the partnership.
- Communicate the “Why”: Explain how your updates, changes, or new programs will directly help them close more deals or increase their profitability. Focus on their success first.
- Involve Them in Planning: When appropriate, include key partners in strategic discussions or pilot programs. This fosters a sense of ownership, ensures a smoother rollout, and makes them feel like a valued collaborator rather than just a distribution arm.
- Recognize and Incentivize: Use communication to celebrate partner achievements. Publicly recognize top performers and clearly communicate how your incentive programs (commissions, bonuses, exclusive tiers, co-op marketing funds) are structured. Motivation is a powerful form of communication.
By being clear, consistent, and collaborative, you can transform your communication from a necessary chore into a powerful driver of your reseller channel’s performance.
What part of your reseller communication do you feel needs the most immediate improvement right now?