uSecure supports 1,800 partners with few account managers by focusing on scalable systems, not headcount. This includes a product designed for automation, deep initial training for repeatable processes, and shifting from constant hand-holding to strategic quarterly check-ins supported by a robust knowledge base.
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To master the channel model without prior experience, uSecure's team attended MSP-focused educational sessions at industry events, rather than just working the vendor booth. This immersion, combined with monitoring online communities like Reddit, provided deep, firsthand insight into partner pain points and desired vendor behaviors.
While individually small, the collective business from your "long tail" of partners creates a huge compound effect, forming a significant part of your overall revenue. This justifies investing in scalable, simple programs and a two-tier distribution model to serve them. This long tail provides essential market reach and commercial proximity that larger partners cannot.
A common vendor mistake is attempting to apply a direct sales model to the channel. uSecure found success by truly adapting its business model, citing specific examples like moving from annualized to flexible monthly billing and eliminating minimum purchases. These concessions signal a genuine, partner-first commitment rather than just paying lip service.
uSecure initially underestimated how resource-constrained MSPs are. Their breakthrough came when they moved beyond simple PDF guides and built a white-labeled sales prospecting tool. This tool helped partners automatically build a data-driven business case for their own clients, proving uSecure understood their challenges and driving scale.
As ad costs rise and organic reach declines, B2B businesses should evolve their sales teams. Instead of focusing solely on cold outreach, empower them with the bandwidth and capability to build and manage a systemized network of referral partners. This creates a predictable and more profitable growth engine.
A system called AISOS was built to scale a small enablement team. It provides on-demand sales coaching, delivers just-in-time training content, and conducts pipeline analysis. This multi-function approach allows a small team to support a wide array of sales roles from BDRs to enterprise AEs.
Sales playbooks are common, but the same rigor should be applied to customer success. Create a dedicated playbook for account managers covering onboarding, user adoption, quarterly business reviews (QBRs), and proactive upsell/cross-sell techniques. This is a significant and often overlooked revenue opportunity.
To truly meet partners where they are, align your internal team structure with your partner segmentation strategy. Create dedicated internal groups specializing in different partner types, such as one team for advisory MSSPs and another for high-volume resellers. This ensures partners interact with managers who deeply understand their specific business model and needs.
Instead of letting a partner program evolve organically, start with a clear vision of the ideal channel based on board-level metrics. Actively build towards that future state, which includes strategically stopping activities that only service a legacy model.