With all the talk around the modern partner ecosystem, we may mistakenly neglect an entire segment of the channel traditionally known as the Direct National Resellers, or DMRs. These national sales giants, like CDW, SHI, and Insight, have transformed their business models to look much more like sophisticated solution providers than box resellers. And now they prefer to be known as National Solution Providers, or NSPs. 
In this episode, channel professional Dwayne Owens shares what he’s learned through years of experience driving channel success through National Solution Providers. Learn why they should be an integral component of your SaaS channel strategy and how to achieve success.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Here are 10 things you should now about the NSPs and how to be successful with these partners:

The services play within the NSP community is at an all time high, and not with just simple solutions. Through acquisitions and organic growth, NSPs are implementing complex solutions.
NSPs have huge national customer bases and are often the prefered provider for organizations looking to purchase all of the parts of an overall solution from a single source. 
You have to go into the NSP with respect. Treating an NSP as a partner not capable selling your solution or not being able to do the services work around your offering will be a self-fullfiling prophecy. 
Even if an NSP doesn’t have the skills to do all the services work, they can resell your services and/or partner with your services partners who have the skills needed for customer success. 
Success with an NSP takes Simplicity, Profitability, and Scalability. Make it simple to work with you and to sell your solution. Have a sales message that’s easy to understand. As Dwayne says, have the Easy Button. Provide a strong value proposition with sales margins and services opportunities. And provide the sales and services enablement, along with technical support, for the NSP to scale your business.
Make your sales training easy to digest. Insted of one big 4 hour certification course, break it down into five or six 45 minute digestible modules.
Supporting an NSP requires a team approach, with folks on your team who can support sales, others who can support the SEs, and don’t forget someone to support marketing and product management. Be ready to interact and support product managers in different business segments and verticals. 
Don’t just pay to play. Invest to win by having set business goals and an ROI target for your investments. Connect your marketing strategy to the NSPs marketing strategy. 
Don’t put your B Team to cover the NSPs unless you want B Team results. Have an A Team with an A Team leader drive all the success that’s possible with NSPs. 
With all of their relationships in companies ranging from SMEs to large enterprises, including state, local, and federal government agencies, and economies of scale, neglecting the NSPs is a huge mistake.  






LINKS & RESOURCES






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The post Dwayne Owens: Driving Success Through NSPs first appeared on Channel Journeys.

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