Channel Marketing Glossary

Agents
Independent sales representatives who connect customers with the telecom services they need. Agents may deal directly with a service provider or serve as a sub-agent of a master agent.

Average Deal Size (ACV)
A metric represents the average amount of money customers spend on a solution.

Channel Account Manager (CAM)
A CAM is responsible for developing and supporting channel partner relationships by enabling them with co-marketing content, distribution, and analytics.

Channel Management
The implementation of a channel strategy, with an emphasis on recruiting partners, increasing partner adoption, and ultimately improving profitability.

Channel Marketing
The marketing process by which a vendor, in partnership with a reseller, drives sales revenue growth.

Channel Partner
A channel partner is a company that partners with another organization (supplier) to market or sell their telecom services, products, or technologies. The channel partner is part of a vendor's indirect sales force.

Channel Sales
Indirect sales by a manufacturer or supplier to an end customer. Manufacturers will use the channel as a method of distribution in order to reach and sell to their market via channel partners.

Channel Strategy
A marketing plan that establishes a partner sales network. A channel strategy is designed to maximize sales and profits for the vendor.

Content Marketing
Publishing information to drive interest through various communications channels. For example, blog posts, social media, slide presentations, white papers, etc.

Co-branded Marketing
Multiple brand names function together on a product, web page, or event in an effort to reduce costs and increase marketing exposure.

Commission
A fee is paid to an agent for performing a service or transacting business. The commission can be a percentage of the total transaction, or it can be the sole compensation. For example, a channel partner may receive a 6% commission on everything they sell.

Communications Services Provider (CSPs)
A company that offers telephony and data services over landline or wireless networks.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Software that allows companies to manage all aspects of a business relationship with potential and current customers.

Dealer / Distributor
A person or company that has authorization to distribute products or services on behalf of a manufacturer or supplier.

Demand Generation
A strategy of marketing that creates interest and drives sales, including inbound as well as outbound marketing programs.

Embedded Access Apps
A suite of integrated vendor and partner tools, embedded in one interface to facilitate collaboration.

Hardware Vendors
A company that sell products and services to communication service providers such as fixed or mobile operators and enterprise customers.

Hosting Provider
A company that sells a cloud-based platform, infrastructure, application, or storage services.

Incentive Management
Planning and execution of partner incentive strategies.

Lead Distribution
Evaluation, distribution and monitoring of leads to accelerate sales and optimize profits by matching leads with partners.

Lead Generation
Initiation of consumer interest or enquiry into products or services of a business. A lead is the contact information of a prospect who is interested in a specific product or service.

Lead Nurturing
Driving a lead from initial interest through the sales pipeline to a closed deal.

Lead Scoring
The process of assigning a "score" to a lead based on their user behavior. For example, assigning points to someone for visiting a specific company web page.

Managed Service Provider (MSP)
MSP's offer additional services on top of a vendor's product in exchange for a recurring fee.

Marketing Automation Platform (MAP)
A platform or technology that automates intelligence, activities and workflows, for distribution via multiple online channels (i.e., email, social media, website, etc.).

Market Development Funds (MDF)
Funds or credits given to dealers, distributors, VAR's and other channel partners to encourage their marketing activities and increase channel sales.

Master Agent
A master agent works as a middleman between telecom service providers and customers to deliver cost-effective, personalized telecom service.

Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM)
A technology provider that distributes a product produced by another company under its own brand name.

Partner Adoption
Initiatives designed to generate enthusiasm, drive registration and increase engagement with your channel partners.

Partner Enablement
Tools, content, training, MDFs, and other activities a vendor provides to accelerate sales and add value to the vendor-partner relationship.

Partner Business Manager (PBM)
The vendor representative is responsible for channel business planning, partner relationships, and through-channel marketing and sales.

Partner Portal
A secure password-protected section of a vendor's website that is designed for partner use.

Partner Relationship Management (PRM)
An application-based process that allows organizations to manage channel partner relationships.

Recurring Commission
Sales commissions that are paid to an agent or partner on a regular basis, for example, monthly or quarterly.

Sales Force Automation (SFA)
Provides information, real-time tracking, lead distribution, and sorting of contact lists by various criteria to nurture, drive, and close sales leads.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
The process of improving the quality and quantity of website traffic to a website from search engines. SEO targets organic, unpaid traffic rather than direct or paid traffic.

System Integrators
Specialists who combine business processes into integrated and more efficient solutions.

Shared Analytics
Vendor /partner sharing of analytics related to marketing activities and results.

Supplier
A business that provides a product or service to another entity. The role of a supplier is to provide high-quality products to a channel partner, distributor, retailer, or end customer.

Telecom Carriers / Operators
Companies that own the infrastructure of their internet and network offerings. They are full-service providers that care for a company's telecom needs.

Through-Partner Marketing
Co-branded programs to the increasing share of vendor sales through channel networks. A collaborative model of channel marketing.

Value Added Reseller (VAR)
A VAR is an entity that enhances the value of a product that it resells as part of a package by adding complimentary features or services.