What is Channel Management

Channel Management

• Marketing channel management involves selecting, managing, and motivating individual channel members and evaluating their performance over time.

Selecting Channel Members

• Evaluate years in business.
• Consider other product lines carried.
• Assess the location of the channel.
• Review growth and profit records.
• Analyze overlap with competitors.
• Determine cooperativeness.
• Check the reputation.

Managing and Motivating Channel Members

• Not only sell through channels but also sell with them.
• See channel members as first-line customers and partners.
• Practice strong partner relationship management.
• Channel Power: The ability to alter channel members' behavior to take actions they wouldn't otherwise.

Evaluating Channel Members

• Regularly check performance against standards like sales quotas, inventory levels, delivery time, handling of damaged goods, cooperation in promotions and training, and customer service quality.
• Recognize and reward intermediaries.
• Be sensitive to the needs of channel partners.