In the inaugural version of the Channel Insights series, Scott Gillum, SVP of Channel Marketing discusses how industry leaders are recognizing the opportunity to create a sustainable competitive advantage by evolving to the new collaborative partner-marketing model.

In nearly every industry, business partners play an important role in a company’s distribution and go-to-market strategy; and no industry relies on partnership channels more than hi-tech. Third party sales channels – from independent agents to independent software vendors (ISV) – are essential for reaching key market segments like small and medium businesses (SMB) and for developing new innovative solutions.

Traditionally, the hi-tech industry has had a love-hate relationship with partners. They are recognized as an important channel to key customers on one day, and then a needy, never satisfied problem child the next. And the partners themselves often have a conflicted perspective that may be fueled by confusion and frustration from inconsistent in-channel marketing programs, sales compensation policies, and territory or customer ownership issues.

Recent economic conditions, coupled with new technology trends – for example, cloud computing – and shifts in customer buying behavior have pushed partner channel relationships at the forefront of corporate strategy.

As a result, companies are taking a fresh and honest look at the state of their relationships with partners. Industry leaders are intent on improving partner relationships by building a more open and collaborative environment of common objectives, reward system alignment, and real time information sharing.

The Channel Marketing practice has created a new educational series, including white papers and webcasts to provide greater insight into the changing role of channel marketing and how best-in-class companies are responding to this change, adopting new practices, and putting forth a new attitude that enables partner success.

For a copy of the Channel Insight white paper, please register for the live webcast by June 15th 2010 at www.gyrohsr.com/channelforum. The webcast is scheduled for 12 PM EST on June 16th 2010 and will include a presentation and discussion of channel marketing in the technology industry. The event will be co-hosted by Scott Gillum, SVP and Channel Marketing Practice Leader and Bob Ray, President of the San Francisco office.