The lever is a simple device using a bar (long stick) and a pivot. It is one of the first tools used by man due to its simplicity. A bar 10 feet long can move a 200 pound rock if the pivot point is set 2.5 feet from the rock. The mechanical advantage would be 4:1 so the person only encounters the equivalent of 50 pounds of peak resistance.

Leverage is also a great tool for resellers. A reseller would be considered the bar and the vendor’s advertising vehicle the rock. In this scenario a marketing advantage ratio would be calculated instead of a mechanical ratio. A $5,000 a month advertising site with a 5:1 marketing ratio would cost the reseller $1,000 a month for site participation.

My personal experience in managing reseller programs has proven that pro-active resellers were generally at the top of the charts when year-end sales totals were posted. Take the initiative and ask your vendor(s) what marketing assistance is available to your company. There is no downside to asking, and your aggressive posture could put your company on the short list of partners targeted to participate in shared marketing programs.

Today’s cloud-driven environment is ideal for shared programs. Social media can be most effective in regional markets where local knowledge is critical. Vendors will look to their partners in these markets to provide the local market minutiae and guidance. Larger resellers can partner with vendors to target specific national market segments. For example, if a reseller is providing cloud-based solutions like hosted VoIP, hosted/managed fax, cloud hybrids or other application service provisioning solutions, the local market advantage is less of a factor. These solutions can generally be installed and managed remotely so geography is not really important.

TMC’s (News - Alert) Online Community platform is an excellent example of shared marketing venues for vendors and resellers. Each community has a sponsor, and many solicit partner participation. The partner gets some very visible exposure at a fraction of the full cost. The sponsor gets confirmation that the partner is committed to their product and is taking a pro-active selling posture. The marketing advantage ratio benefits both parties, so it is a true win-win situation.

Go to www.tmcnet.com and select communities from the top menu, then look for possible partners.