SMAs - Vendor Criteria

Below are the criteria for the vendor categories. Please do read each one carefully before submitting an entry

Below are the VENDOR categories for the CRN Sales and Marketing Awards. Please note that vendors must enter UK initiatives only and must have an active channel strategy to qualify.

Best Partner Programme

Criteria

Who can enter? Any firm that is defined as a vendor and operates a UK channel strategy. These can be vendors of hardware, networking and software in all vertical markets, but the business must have a significant channel presence in the UK to qualify and obviously a channel programme that has been in place for more than a year. This can be a single or two-tier channel programme. The period covered for the awards is Jan 2016 to Jan 2017 so bear in mind when talking about additions/changes to programmes and the entry MUST be UK centric.

• Briefly describe your partner programme - ie length of time in operation, how it works, size of partner base, how rebates work, how partners get involved, what it offers partners?
• Do you have a partner portal? If so can you give some details of the benefits it provides partners?
• How user friendly is it? Why do partners want to work with you?
• How much time/money do you invest in your partner programme each year? Why does it stand out from the competition?
• How does it help your UK partners? Do they enjoy working with you? Why?
• Please provide UK partner testimonials, this is key to a strong entry

Written entries must be no more than 1,000 words and try to think about the judges when writing them. Use plenty of spacing, bullet points and paragraphs to construct your entry to make them easier on the eye. Avoid marketing speak and make the entry UK centric, using facts, figures and testimonials relevant to the UK market ONLY. PDF and even video entries are actively encouraged and remember to inject personality into your entry.

Best Partner Event

Criteria

Who can enter? Any firm that is defined as a vendor and operates a UK channel strategy. These can be vendors of hardware, networking and software in all vertical markets, but the business must have a significant channel presence in the UK to qualify. The event mentioned can be a brand new event launched in the past year, or an existing regular annual event. It MUST be a CHANNEL focussed event and not one aimed at end users. It can be a UK based event or one abroad that you took UK partners to. But bear in mind the awards cover the period Jan 2016 to Jan 2017 when talking about events. Partner testimonials are welcome for submission as are pictures/videos of events.

• Please describe the event inclusive of duration and size and why you are entering it for this award
• Please reference any outstanding results in terms of attendance
• What benefits did it offer your reseller/distribution partners?
• What fun/social elements did the event have? Was it tweeted about? What sort of buzz did it create?
• Why did partners attend?
• What do they take away with them after the event? Have there been any significant business wins as a result?
• What do you get out of it as the organiser?
• Include testimonials from partners attending the event

Written entries must be no more than 1,000 words and try to think about the judges when writing them. Use plenty of spacing, bullet points and paragraphs to construct your entry to make them easier on the eye. Avoid marketing speak and make the entry UK channel relevant, using facts, figures and testimonials. PDF and video entries are encouraged, and remember to inject personality into your entry.

Best Vendor Account Management Team

Criteria

Who can enter? Any firm that is defined as a vendor and operates a UK channel strategy. These can be vendors of hardware, networking and software in all vertical markets, but the business must have a significant channel presence in the UK to qualify. This award is aimed at a partner facing account management team that has gone above and beyond the call of duty to help partners generate business/keep their businesses ticking over. The nominees must be a UK-based channel account management team. Again bear in mind the awards cover the period Jan 2016 to Jan 2017. Partner and colleague testimonials are welcome for submission.

• What makes this team stand out from the competition?
• What have they done that is of particular note to be nominated for this award? Do they go above and beyond of what is expected of them? Have they achieved outstanding results? Describe how and why.
• Describe the team and the personalities in it, and what makes them popular among your channel partners?
• Why do they deserve this award above everyone else?
• How do they go that extra mile? And do they socialise/have fun with partners to keep the relationship going?
• Testimonials from partners about dealing with the team and why they enjoy doing so.

Written entries must be no more than 1,000 words and try to think about the judges when writing them. Use plenty of spacing, bullet points and paragraphs to construct your entry to make them easier on the eye. Avoid marketing speak and make the entry UK specific, using facts, figures and testimonials. PDF and multimedia entries are encouraged, and remember to inject personality into your entry.

Best Vendor Marketing Team

Criteria

Who can enter? Any firm that is defined as a vendor and operates a UK channel strategy. These can be vendors of hardware, networking and software in all vertical markets, but the business must have a significant channel presence in the UK to qualify. This award is aimed at a partner facing marketing team that has gone above and beyond the call of duty to help partners generate business through innovative campaigns. Again bear in mind the awards cover the period Jan 2016 to Jan 2017. Partner and colleague testimonials are welcome for submission.

• Provide a description of the team and the personalities/skills within it
• What have they done that is of particular note to be nominated for this award?
• Describe a channel campaign that they have run that makes them stand out from the crowd
• How do they go the extra mile? What fun do they have with partners/campaigns?
• Why do they deserve this award?
• How is the team viewed by the partners - testimonials welcomed.

Written entries must be no more than 1,000 words and try to think about the judges when writing them. Use plenty of spacing, bullet points and paragraphs to construct your entry to make them easier on the eye. Avoid corporate speak and make the entry UK specific, using facts, figures and testimonials. PDF and multimedia entries are encouraged, and remember to inject personality into your entry.

Best Partner Website

Criteria

Who can enter? Any firm that is defined as a vendor and operates a UK channel strategy. These can be vendors of hardware, networking and software in all vertical markets, but the business must have a significant channel presence in the UK to qualify and a partner website that has been in operation for more than a year. Investment in the website must have taken place between Jan 2016 and Jan 2017 to qualify for entry.

• Briefly describe the website and what its main functionalities are (pictures can be provided)
• Why are you entering your website? Why do you think it should win this award?
• How easy is it to navigate and for partners to find what they want? Have you listened to partner feedback on your website? If so, what?
• What are the best features of the website from a partner perspective?
• How does using your website help resellers with their business?
• How much have you invested in the website and can you prove demonstrable ROI on that investment?
• UK Reseller testimonials
• What do you think makes your website stand out from the competition?

Written entries must be no more than 1,000 words and try to think about the judges when writing them. Use plenty of spacing, bullet points and paragraphs to construct your entry to make them easier on the eye. Avoid marketing speak and make the entry as tailored to the UK as you can, using facts, figures and testimonials. PDF entries are encouraged, and remember to inject personality into your entry.

Technology Innovation Award

Criteria

Who can enter? Any firm that is defined as a vendor and operates a UK channel strategy. These can be vendors of hardware, networking and software in all vertical markets, but the business must have a significant channel presence in the UK to qualify. This award is aimed at a particular technology or technology set that has revolutionised business for channel partners and their respective customers over the past 12 months.

PLEASE NOTE: This is not an opportunity to market or sell a particular product or descend into techie speak, the award is aimed at describing how a product has actually helped make YOUR CHANNEL PARTNERS money. Bear in mind the awards cover the period Jan 2016 to Jan 2017. Partner testimonials are welcome for submission.

• Briefly describe the product you are entering and why it is being entered for this award. Why do you consider it to be innovative?
• How does it differ/standout from the other similar products that are on the market in terms of innovation - again keep it brief and focus on the business benefits, not the complexity of the technology.
• What benefits has this product or product set you are entering provided for your channel partners in the past year - facts and figures are a must.
• Demonstrate how sales of this product have increased through the channel in the past year and why (facts and figures needed)
• Why does this particular technology innovation deserve this award? ie because it has made a huge difference to partners' business, customer take up has been phenomenal etc etc
• Back up your claims with testimonials from actual channel partners and how this technology has helped their business in the past year. Get them to explain why they think this particular technology should win.

Written entries must be no more than 1,000 words and try to think about the judges when writing them. Use plenty of spacing, bullet points and paragraphs to construct your entry to make them easier on the eye. Avoid technical jargon and make the entry as tailored and personal to your UK channel as you can, using facts, figures and testimonials. PDF and video entries are encouraged, and remember to inject personality into your entry.

Best Social Media Presence (NEW)

Criteria

Who can enter? Any firm that is defined as a vendor and operates a UK channel strategy. These can be vendors of hardware, networking and software in all vertical markets, but the business must have a significant channel presence in the UK to qualify. Also you must have contributed to a functioning Twitter/Facebook/Linkedin account between Jan 2016 and Jan 2017 to qualify.

• Briefly describe your corporate social media strategy
• How important is social media to your business? Why?
• Outline the team who keeps your social media presence running on a day to day basis - do they respond to every comment on social media?
• Why are you entering this award? What has your social media presence achieved that makes you stand out from the crowd?
• How quickly have you grown your social media presence (figures a must here - grown from x to y in terms of followers/connections for example)
• Have you got any fun annecdotes about a particular campaign or tweet/post to share? Did any go viral? If so, please do elaborate.

Entries must be no more than 1,000 words and try to think about the judges when writing them. Use plenty of spacing, bullet points and paragraphs to construct your entry to make them easier on the eye. Avoid corporate speak and make the entry UK relevant, using facts, figures and testimonials. PDF and multimedia entries are encouraged, and remember to inject personality into your entry.