Elements of An SMB Program

A Fanatical SMB Focus Everything the program does should directly address the small or midsize business. Ad copy should specifically target small-business owners, not enterprise IT managers. Similarly, ROI case studies should be geared toward smaller businesses, not installations with thousands of seats.

Ready-to-Run Marketing Campaigns Unless you have a captive ad agency, look for programs offering easily customizable promotional material.

SMB Definitions That Fit Yours A significant gap may exist between what you define as a midsize business and what your vendor considers a midsize business.

Solid Technical Support Although resellers tend to see vendor tech support as a strength, some may be tempted to pare back their help in lean times. Be careful.

A Discriminating Partner Look for vendors that take the time to qualify you, examine your core competencies, and cooperatively develop a business plan for implementing their technology. Dont expect much support from a vendor that signs up as many partners as possible.