Storage manufacturer Overland Data has unveiled a gold partner
programme which it expects to triple its network of 20 resellers
and increase sales by 50 per cent within the first year.
At the same time, the vendor expects the initiative to prepare
resellers for the complex technical sell of a SAN or NAS system.
The initiative will be implemented in conjunction with
specialist storage distributors Ideal Hardware and Hammer, revealed
Howard Rippiner, marketing manager for Emea at Overland Data.
He said in order to join the scheme, resellers must be
accredited or certified on a software package with one of
Overland’s software partners to “offer a complete system”. On top
of that, a reseller would need a $100,000 (£72,000) annual turnover
with a distributor and have a minimum of two Overland-dedicated
sales staff and one technical employee.
The two distribution partners will receive a three per cent
discount on any product that is going to market via a gold partner
reseller and are free to pass on as much of that discount to the
dealer as they deem necessary.
On top of that advantage, Rippiner argued resellers would
receive lead generation, access to marketing funds and a pass to
enter the gold partner-only Web site, which enables the dealer to
print and download mail shots.
He claimed that as well as the obvious increases in business,
the scheme would galvanise its relationship with channel partners,
enabling them to provide a more tailored package for user
requirements.