Chanimal.com Introduces Industry's First Certified Channel Manager Program

AUSTIN, Texas - May 7, 2013 - PRLog -- Austin, Texas [May 7, 2013] - Chanimal.com, a well-known industry resource with over 17 years of software, hardware, and SaaS channel marketing content, has introduced the first Certified Channel Manager program specific to high-tech channel managers.

"And why not," says Ted Finch, CEO of Chanimal.com, "It seems like every other discipline, from IT, engineering, accounting, sales and product management can get trained, tested and certified on industry best practices--but channel management has been completely neglected."

One of the reasons is that there is no central channel management association for high-tech. Different consultants, publications and technology counsels have provided news and help with execution over the years, but nobody has compiled the industry best practices into one place, and then shown Channel Managers how to use it, or tested their competency.  

As a result, it's difficult to hire a channel manager, since they are inconsistent and their skills are all over the map--some know retail, others SaaS, some know enterprise sales, but many don't know how to recruit, most have never setup a reseller program, some don't even know the channel terms: MDF, Co-op, Deal Registration, or the difference between points and margin, NFR, or critical elements in a reseller agreement. Others have never sold anything or managed anyone--let alone 1,000 reseller partners.

The Chanimal Certified Channel Manager program covers the channel program (MDF, Deal Reg, NFR, agreements, policies and setup), recruiting a channel (what works best), enablement (orientation, market and product knowledge), ongoing channel management (motivation, field and model calls), optimizing your channel (partner councils, plan of actions, short and long-term loyalty), channel operations (budgets, PRMs, CRMs, ratios, resources), plus channels sales (prospecting, persuasive demos & presentation skills, objections, closing techniques and sales management). Complete details of the program are at certified.chanimal.com.

The first live Channel Workshop that includes certification as part of the coursework is on May 23rd, at SaaS University in Seattle, WA. Discounts are available before May 17th. At the same time, the self-paced e-learning module will go live on Chanimal.com allowing for 24/7 registration, training, testing and certificates.  

Seasoned channel managers can test their knowledge with a free pre-test and can shore up their weak areas, or test out by passing the final exam--obtaining the same certificate based on existing knowledge. Channel managers can use their certifications to validate their expertise and differentiate themselves within this highly competitive economy--and every company benefits by having a channel manager that knows how to do his job.

The Certified Channel Manager requirements were gathered from working the channel for the last 24 years while launching over 400 products and helping build the channels for over 250 vendors (Microsoft, Citrix, Adobe, Ingram Micro, Apple, Sony, Intel, IBM, WordPerfect, Lotus, Ashton Tate, Novell, plus startups and over 50 SaaS vendors), from six years of channel manager training workshops around the globe (from Korea, France, to Dallas, Chicago and Seattle), from requesting feedback from over 20 online Linked In groups where channel professionals hang out, polling the registered Chanimal users (representing some of the world's top channel managers from Microsoft, Oracle, Apple, Citrix, Creative Labs, IBM, Adobe, Autodesk, Symantec and more) and from educating thousands of channel managers via workshops, webinars, videos, blogs, chat rooms and online content at Chanimal.com.

"Ted Finch is one of high-techs most knowledgeable and effective channel specialist," says Rick Chapman, Managing Editor of SoftLetter and author of The Product Marketing Managers Handbook for Software. "I can't think of anyone more qualified for setting up and executing a Certified Channel Manager program."

"Ted is one of the most talented channel executives I know in the high-tech industry," says Linda Kazaras, co-author for the US Channel Sales & Marketing Guidebook, published originally by the Software Publishing Association. "His knowledge is broad and deep."

About Chanimal.com

Chanimal is a souped-up high-tech version of “Guerilla Marketing” focusing on the special needs of software, hardware, SaaS and two-tier distribution.  The Chanimal website contains street-smart software marketing information gathered through 17 years of contributions from industry marketing professionals and from the founder, Ted Finch who has participated in over 400 channel product roll-outs from over 250 companies including: Corel, AOL, Adobe, Lotus, MacroMedia, Ashton Tate, Intel, WordPerfect, Autodesk, Canon, IBM, Disney, Ingram Micro, Creative Labs, Digital Research, ATI, Xerox, Western Digital, Sony, Creative Labs, DCA, Delrina, HP, Netscape and more.