What is SaaS Channel Management?  

SaaS Channel Management is a set of strategies used by SaaS companies to increase their growth by leveraging the networks and expertise of channel partners.  These partners can be: 

• Resellers 
• Distributors 
• Consultants 

Employing this approach relates to SaaS companies’ market entry and customer base dynamics.  

To achieve a company’s high-speed and sustainable growth, channel management should be put into consideration and practiced.  

This can facilitate a move from direct selling to concentrating on partner relationships and their respective customer knowledge.  

Structured channel partner management can affect the rate of growth and market expansion. 

The most common types of channel partners for a SaaS company are: 

• Value-Added Resellers (VARs), or Resellers: enhance the SaaS product with their own expertise and custom solutions. 
• Service Partners, or Referral Partners: provide implementation, integration and support services, while referral partners generate leads. 
• Technology Partners: integrate their technology with the SaaS product, enhancing its functionality. 

A SaaS Channel Manager is responsible for overseeing and enhancing the effectiveness of sales channels to increase market coverage.  

They recruit and onboard new channel partners, such as resellers and referral partners, to promote and sell the SaaS product.  

Partner performance is monitored, tools and resources are provided, and channel strategies are developed, all of which relate to revenue generation.  

Partner relationships and continued support can affect channel outcomes. 

In the case of a SaaS company, partners can be motivated with both financial and non-financial incentives, considering the partners’ interests and business goals when setting the incentives. 

This approach can affect product promotion effectiveness, sales, market coverage, and the relationship between the company and its partners.  

Put in place adequate structures for the onboarding of the partners, their support and their further monitoring, as well as metrics to assess the effectiveness of the incentive programs. 

A SaaS CMS is particularly crucial for companies that rely on a network of partners to distribute their products and services.

This network can include affiliates, value-added resellers (VARs), or other partners who have been authorized to sell the company’s offering.  

Managing this network effectively is crucial for: 

• maintaining control over brand identity 
• ensuring consistent marketing messages 
• maximizing revenue potential.  

A SaaS CMS includes tools for tasks like partner management, marketing and sales integration, and providing insights into channel performance.  

A SaaS CMS for managing a partner network can affect the level of control over branding and marketing activities. This includes the ability to set preferences for how partners use your logo and other assets, and to view and approve marketing materials before they are used.

To evaluate the effectiveness of a SaaS channel management, one should consider including and tracking relevant metrics.  These include: 

• miesięczny powtarzalny przychód (MRR) 
• roczny powtarzalny przychód (ARR) 
• wartość klienta w całym okresie jego życia (CLV) 
• Współczynnik utrzymania klientów 
• współczynniki konwersji 
• customer happiness scores 

These metrics provide valuable insights into revenue growth, which is largely due to the activity of the channel partners.