ReadSoft to push half its business through channel

Document automation vendor wants at least 50 per cent of sales to come via the channel by 2012

Document automation vendor ReadSoft wants 50 per cent of its sales to be transacted via the channel by 2012, and has rolled out a series of partner initiatives to help achieve its goal.

ReadSoft previously told ChannelWeb last year that it wanted 80 per cent of its business to come via the channel by 2012.

However, the company explained that this was an "aspirational" target, whereas the 50 per cent it is gunning for now is a "minimum sales goal".

In a statement, the vendor said: "ReadSoft held a global division meeting in January this year and set a minimum goal for all regions to deliver 50 per cent of sales through the partner channel.

"In the UK we have a more highly developed partner channel and the aim is to drive well beyond that mark by 2012," it continued.

The firm claims this figure is currently at 30 per cent in the UK. It plans to rectify this by the end of the year by launching a partner recruitment drive, while stepping up its sales and marketing efforts for its existing partners.

For instance, the company has been running sales campaigns with partners aimed at helping them drive adoption of Readsoft's products in the legal, charity, construction and local government markets.

Christine Whyte, UK partner manager at ReadSoft, told ChannelWeb the economic downturn has resulted in many of these markets having to introduce cost-cutting measures, which its technology can help them to achieve.

"We have also had a lot of success in the SMB market, where it is very important for them keep costs low," said Whyte.

"The whole automation piece is a valid answer to that and our resellers have done a very good job at driving that message in the market."

ReadSoft has also ramped up its lead-generation activities and is helping partners get to grips with social networking sites to drive sales.

"Partners may not have the capabilities in-house [to use social media effectively], so they can lean on us to help them with that," explained Adam Chapman, chief marketing officer at ReadSoft.

"We are also doing more events, offering white papers and extending the services of our own PR company to help partners, too."