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Integrators: Which Manufacturers Share Leads With You?

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Brian Karas
Mar 03, 2016
IPVM

Curious about which manufacturers commonly share leads with their integrator partners and how they go about it.

I created a poll to rank the most common lead-sharing methods but please comment on any methods I may have missed.

For example, at VideoIQ we used partner capabilities within Salesforce to distribute leads to key partners and track/monitor their engagement with those leads. I've seen other manufacturers that do a monthly email with an Excel file listing new leads for the month.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Mar 04, 2016

Funny we are one of the largest partners for a particular manufacturer and we get a lead maybe once twice if we're lucky each month and most of the time it's for a customer we've been courting with their product already so we are the ones who generated it! I think they send the leads to the new vendors they are signing up to try to help them build business because they know that we will generate our own. It's actually quite frustrating.

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #2
Mar 04, 2016

I work for a very large manufacturer, and one to two leads a month is actually very good. While we do get a huge amount of leads compared to other companies I've worked for, there simply aren't as many leads coming in to each individual area as you would think, especially when compared to the amount of integration partners a manufacturer might have. Even if you had only 30 integrators selling your product in an area (which is incredibly low for most big manufacturers) you'd need to get 1 per day just to give each partner 1 lead each month. Additionally, most of the good leads already have various integrators in their faces, making it politically difficult (not to mention unwise or unethical) to send a lead to someone that's not already in there. From my experience, the integrators that are constantly communicating with our inside sales are the ones who get leads. Obviously there are various strategies used to disseminate leads, but being "top of mind" through constant communication is certainly a good start.

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Brian Karas
Mar 04, 2016
IPVM

From my experience, the integrators that are constantly communicating with our inside sales are the ones who get leads.

I'd tend to agree with this.

If you have an inside sales department they are likely the ones tasked with managing and tracking new leads. They're going to want to pass those leads on to an organization that they feel will have a good chance of closing it. An integrator who works with inside sales a lot with have some relationship built up and will be a "known good guy", even if they've never met in person.

JH
John Honovich
Mar 04, 2016
IPVM

"An integrator who works with inside sales a lot with have some relationship built up"

Why would an integrator work with inside sales a lot? I am just not familiar. I would think most integrators reach out to the RSM or local SE?

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #2
Mar 04, 2016

There are a lot of different reasons they'd work together: asking about part numbers or product selection, distribution questions, project requests or changes, etc... It definitely depends on how the manufacturer utilizes its inside sales team, but any effective strategy should involve having the inside guys act as an extension and teammate of the RSM. For example, if the RSM is in the field and unavailable by phone, the integrator calls the inside person and asks, "What mount goes with this camera," or "Which camera is better for this coverage area?" Anyway, those interactions build a relationship, and the inside person will then naturally think of those people when a lead pops up.

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JH
John Honovich
Mar 04, 2016
IPVM

2, very helpful, thanks!

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Brian Karas
Mar 04, 2016
IPVM

Lots of reasons. A few that I've personally seen:

  • No RSM/SE in their immediate area
  • Don't really like local team, or if they are 2nd tier integrator they may feel the RSM will try to move deal to other local integrator
  • Are fairly competent/do most of their own quotes and designs and then call inside sales for final order submission
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