Dead On

Reading over Arlin’s thoughts on VAR sales. If you’re a VAR, you need to read it.

This is where the title has a double meaning. Not only is he right, but the VARs and IT Solution Providers that don’t move will be.. well.. dead.

Last year we (OWN) toured the world and participated in a ton of different events. I saw the same people, over and over again, same problems, over and over again. There really is no magic at these roadshows folks, they are all about the connections you make and the learning that goes on way after the event. This year, we’re doing less than 10 shows and I don’t think I’ll even be at more than five. Why?

We built Shockey Monkey

We gave it away for free. It tells us who is serious and who is just playing: People that just sign up to “try it out” are as far as I’m concerned a lost cause. You don’t just try to manage your business – you make a decision to do it and you stick with it. Bugs and all. Time and training. Not to mention the policies around it.

We built a kickass integration around AT & CW. We’ve had it on the market for years – yet few folks use it (yes, I’m aware the CW email sync got broken in their last upgrade, fix should be out soon). Few people leverage it.

What I really want to say..

Arlin is being nice. Way too nice.

There is no massaging or excuse for being a “technical owner” of a company. Grow up – you run a business that other companies and families rely on to make a living, put the food on the table, grow and serve people. Just because your comfort zone is in staring at a bunch of blinking RMM lights or you get an ego boost that your clients consider you an expert or a guru or trusted advisor doesn’t undermine your actual job – running a business. And a business that isn’t built on sales, marketing and growth isn’t a business – it’s a hobby.

There is a channel full of people that are dying to work with you. But if you’re not on the same page, those vendors with deep pockets and sales people may just shift target and you might soon find yourself with a whole lot more competitors instead of vendor partners.

We are dedicated to the channel. But I won’t lie to you and tell you that not a day passes by that one large company after another doesn’t come knocking on our door asking for the ExchangeDefender IP license to make something similar to CloudBlock. If they are calling me, they are calling all of my competitors too – now is the time to get serious.