It’s not always easy to get on the same page with your distribution partners, or third party resellers. They have their own companies’ business challenges and sales and marketing goals to worry about. When you peer in to see how your brand is reflected in their eyes… the sight may be frightening. Here are a few common reasons you and your third party resellers may not see eye-to-eye:

• You’re not speaking the same language.

  As markets globalize and U.S. industries and marketplaces become more diverse, it’s more likely that your third party resellers are influenced by a completely different worldview than you. Maybe they come from a different background and don’t view business or partnerships the same way you do. Maybe English isn’t their first language, or even commonly spoken in their workplace! Learn the cultural perspectives at play and make them part of your partnership strategy.

• You’re lacking customer data.

  You need to be able to market to a specific customer base with specific needs. In order to find out what those needs are, you need customer data. Point-of-sale data, purchase history, invoices and other sales documentation will give you a complete picture of your customer, which gives you more insight on how to meet their needs.

• They aren’t the right third party reseller for you.

  Sometimes, the moon and stars just don’t align. The conflicts of interest between you and your distributor or reseller may just be too great to overcome. If that’s the case, neither of you will benefit from continuing the partnership, so it’s best to seek out a better fit.

• You’re not engaging them.

  A great third party reseller could easily slip through your fingers if you aren’t keeping them engaged. Solicit their feedback, offer them incentive rewards for selling your product or submitting purchase information, give them your market insights and, most importantly, show them your value as a channel partner!