ChannelLife New Zealand - Industry insider news for technology resellers
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Reinventing partnership - Iomega
Fri, 1st Dec 2006
FYI, this story is more than a year old

Storage specialist Iomega originally launched its points-based loyalty program four years ago but has now unveiled its revamped partner program to offer greater support to resellers. Scott Dillon, ANZ country manager, discusses some of the new features partners can take advantage of.

Why the program has been enhanced?The Iomega ioclub Partner Program replaces the Iomega Partner Resource Centre. It has been developed to simplify the channel partners’ relationships with Iomega by providing all the tools they need to keep themselves informed, communicate, train and get support on Iomega products and solutions. The program also allows for Iomega to communicate directly to resellers who choose to receive material such as special offers and promotions.Launching this new program underpins Iomega’s strong focus on the SMB market. The ioclub equips resellers to tap the potential of this market with a variety of new tools and services for marketing, training and event planning, as well as giving direct access to all Iomega’s product lines and related information.Exclusive promotions, sales and certification tools and technical support are all available via ioclub  to help drive Iomega sales for channel partners.

What unique features does it offer?* Direct Access to Iomega ProductsIomega products are one of the key pillars of its channel relationships. The new ioclub web site gives channel partners direct access to each product line, and the related information you need. * Powerful Marketing ToolsMany resellers don’t have enough time or resources to design marketing campaigns. The ioclub web site provides a custom marketing tool that enables the development of personalised marketing materials with reseller branding. All resellers need to do is upload their company logo to their profile, enter contact details and promotional text, check the layout and then download the customised material. Web banners, e-blast campaigns, product sell-sheets or flash demos are all available for efficient communication with customers to drive sales.  * Online TrainingOnline courses help partners to discover the key features and selling points of each Iomega product. Each course can be downloaded to study off-line and better prepare for the final test. * Event CalendarIomega staff take every opportunity to meet resellers during events organised by distributors or at trade shows. All details regarding the eventsare available on the new website.  Resellers can also register to receive e-mail alerts each time a new event is posted.    How has it been localised to suit the ANZ region?ioclub has been operating in Europe and USA for some time but this refreshed version has now been modified for the Asia Pacific region with specific products and partner details.

What can resellers do to ensure they get the most value out of the program?Resellers should take a couple of minutes and register to join the ioclub partner program. After this, taking advantage of the Custom Marketing tool would be a great start as this is a powerful way to help resellers communicate more efficiently with their customers. The ioclub site is also a perfect way for resellers to become familiar with Iomega’s comprehensive offerings including:* Desktop HDD’s* Portable HDD’s* Network HDD’s including Wireless 1TB* Network Attached Storage (NAS up to 2TB capacity)* Apple Macintosh specific products* Rev and Rev AutomationHow much of an investment is required from partners?This is a resource provided by Iomega for resellers to use free of charge. There is no obligation, fee or required level of involvement to use the tool. Resellers can spend as little or as much time as desired.

What other benefits does it offer?* Custom Marketing: online customisation of banners, e-blast templates, postcards, sell-sheets, etc.* Essential marketing materials and tools to help resellers tap the SMB market* Case Studies and White Papers * Certificates of Conformity * Direct Access to the Global Branding Centre * Online Training * Events Calendar * Direct access to the end-user product catalogue