Westcoast entices VARs to the gym

Distributor launches web-based marketing initiative dubbed The Gym to help resellers keep their business in shape

Feeling the burn: Westcoast is keen to help resellers keep their businesses fit and healthy

Westcoast is hoping to feel the burn as it launches special reseller Gyms in association with Microsoft and HP.

The Gyms offer resellers creative campaigns, professional looking designs and tools covering a range of different products, vendors and vertical markets.

Once a reseller has joined a Gym, it will have access to a number of different workouts, including direct mailers, e-shots, web banners and a range of centrally hosted sales tools.

The sites also provide a ‘fun’ section – offering visitors healthy food recipes and a chance to swap recipes. There is also the chance to take part in a range of events from 5K runs to a Snowdonia marathon to help raise money for Westcoast’s chosen charity Kick4Life.

One of the newest editions to the Gym are the Smart Sites – these are micro-sites tailored to each reseller and hosted on their own web site. Westcoast pledges to update the micro-sites automatically with the latest vendor promotions and messages. Each micro-site will cost £250.

Phil Bell, marketing manager at Westcoast, said: “Westcoast specialises in servicing the SMB resellers. In the last two years many of them have cut their internal marketing resource with many even cutting their external marketing spends.

“We are dedicated and passionate about growing our customers’ businesses and we have always been looking for innovative and different ways to help them do this. HP and Microsoft have been instrumental in making these programmes happen, and have invested a lot of time and effort in getting this offering right for our SMB partners.