Channel Strategy & Management
1 min readThe Top 5 Lies Vendors Tell Themselves About Their Channel Strategy
Vendors often deceive themselves about their channel effectiveness. From assuming portals equal enablement to believing more partners mean more revenue, these common myths are sabotaging channel success.
It’s time for a reality check. Here are five of the most common lies vendors tell themselves — and why they’re dangerous:
"We have a portal, so we’re enabling partners." — A portal is a tool, not a strategy. If content is hard to find, outdated, or irrelevant, it won’t get used.
"We’ve provided content, so they’ll use it." — Without context, training, or support, even the best content goes unused.
"More partners = more revenue." — Quality always beats quantity. A smaller group of engaged, activated partners will outperform a massive, passive partner base.
"If they want help, they’ll ask." — Many won’t. They’ll disengage silently and stop promoting your brand.
"Our branding is flexible enough for co-marketing." — Not if it breaks every time a partner adds their logo or changes a CTA.
Takeaway: Get real. Validate your assumptions with real data, real partner feedback, and a regular channel audit. Your growth depends on it.
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