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Redefining the Higher Ed Handshake

By: Glen McCandless

8/1/2008

How to forge win-win channel partnerships with higher education institutions

Early in my career when I joined Apple's higher education sales team, a seasoned sales rep introduced me to the "higher ed handshake." Playing the role of the university, he extended his right arm, palm up, as if to say, "Nice to meet you. What kind of handout can you give me?"

I soon learned that the many salespeople who called on colleges and universities and gave merchandise away for so-called partnerships had set the stage for relationships that were out of balance, not delivering fully for either party. Donating product with hopes of a purchase order didn't sound like a good idea to me, even in those days when the computers I sold had profit margins that would seem obscene by today's standards.

I had to get creative to have meaningful handshakes with academia decision makers that would lead to a firm grip on sales. I am convinced, after six years in higher education sales and marketing at Apple and many consulting projects since then, that it is possible to have fruitful partnerships with college and university constituencies that afford tremendous leverage and also drive sales in an efficient, effective way.

Best Practices

A higher-ed channel partnership is an agreement between a college or university constituency (the central administration, a single college, an academic department, or an individual employee) and a commercial supplier in which each party agrees to furnish resources and receives value in return. The operative word here is value. These partnerships should not be a ruse for the higher-ed entity to ask for a donation or a vehicle for either party to ask for resources with no strings attached.

The only limit to opportunities for channel partnerships is your imagination. Begin by understanding your customer's decision-making process and then align appropriate channel resources to it. Here are just a few examples of channel parternships that work-- best practices that defray channel costs and add powerful leverage to your go-to-market strategy.

Customers as a marketing channel: Higher education customers can work with the university PR department to help promote beneficial uses of your products through press releases, advertisements, newsletters, even for your company web site. Customers can deliver presentations at educational conferences to showcase how your product enabled their academic pursuits. Instructional materials created around or with your products are golden in these kind of forums. The educators gain valuable recognition; you get effective product endorsements. Defraying their costs with a partial stipend or honorarium is a small investment that can yield significant returns.