One of the most common mistakes I see in both channel sales and direct sales is assuming that the person you’re dealing with is influencing the outcome. Sometimes they are. Many times, they’re not. As organisations grow, decision-making becomes more complex. The person with the problem isn’t always the person who controls the budget. The … Continued
For decades, Market Development Funds (MDF) have been one of the primary ways technology vendors invest in their channel partners. Yet despite the billions of dollars spent each year, many vendors struggle to demonstrate a clear return on that investment. In this thought-provoking article, Jay McBain challenges some long-held assumptions about MDF and explores why … Continued
One of the themes I’ll be exploring at ARN EDGE next month is how dramatically the buying journey has changed. Customers now have access to more information than ever before. They can research products, compare vendors, read reviews, watch demonstrations, and increasingly use AI tools to help them evaluate options – often long before they … Continued
If we’re connected on LinkedIn, you’ve probably noticed my feed has looked a little different over the last month. Less about channels, and more about selling. To me, those two things have always been deeply connected. One of the things I’ve realised after decades working with vendors, distributors, MSPs, integrators, and channel leaders, is that … Continued
The launch of Everything I Know About Selling… was one of those evenings that somehow managed to feel relaxed, energetic, and genuinely special all at the same time. A room full of clients, vendors, distributors, partners, friends, and colleagues from across the industry – many of whom I’ve known for years – coming together to … Continued
Before publishing my book, I asked a number of people from across the industry to read the manuscript and give me honest feedback. That group included sales leaders, channel executives, business owners, vendor leaders, distributors, and people at very different stages of their careers. What I appreciated most wasn’t just their feedback on the content … Continued
I promised myself I wouldn’t write another Trump article. The first one – Ten Lessons From Trump For Channel Managers – was meant to be a one-off. Then came Six Lessons from the Trump-Harris Debate for PAMs. Surely that was enough. But the past few months have provided such a steady stream of examples of … Continued
I recently wrote a LinkedIn post on the role of men in promoting gender equality, after noticing how few men attended the recent GTIA Community Meetup celebrating International Women’s Day. Conversations about improving diversity in the technology industry often focus on what organisations should do, or what women themselves should do, to navigate the system. … Continued
Artificial intelligence has been dominating headlines for the past couple of years, but much of the discussion still revolves around tools and technology rather than outcomes. In this recent McKinsey article, the focus shifts to something more practical: how organisations are beginning to deploy AI agents that actively participate in business processes rather than simply … Continued
The beginning of every year is usually accompanied by predictions from analysts, research firms, and the press. New technologies. New models. Big shifts that are just around the corner. But whenever I read these predictions, I am often reminded of something Bill Gates once said: “We always overestimate the change that will occur in the … Continued
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