An economist will tell you that no exchange can take place unless both parties benefit. A minister will tell you to give, and it shall be given unto you. And the guy in the next cubicle will tell you that all good business is a two-way street.
For channel suppliers, it boils down to this simple fact: Partnering with a major IT supplier should be a true partnership. And “partner,” says the dictionary, comes from a much older word that meant “one who shares.”

So are you and your IT supplier truly sharing? To help make your partnership a beneficial two-way street — and not just a dead end — here are some best practices for both giving and getting the most from your channel suppliers:

I) What to give:

Help your account manager: Get to know them, and help them get to know you. Explain your needs, typical customers (and their needs), business and technical background and anything else that can help your supplier serve you better.

Take the time: Being a channel partner still requires a certain amount of paperwork, meetings and other activities that admittedly take you away from your core business. Consider it an investment, and time well spent.

Walk the talk: You’re selling cloud solutions, but does your company actually use the cloud? (Same for mobile, social, whatever.) If not, then this is something you should consider. By also becoming a user, you’ll help your staff gain a first-hand familiarity and comfort with the very same technology products they’re pitching and installing for your customers.

II) To get:

Brand power: The big IT suppliers spend literally millions of dollars every year on marketing and advertising campaigns that put their names and products before potential customers. When no one’s heard of Your Company Inc., that’s more than helpful.

Referrals and leads: Good partners pass along appropriate names and contacts. They don’t compete.

Support and service: A good supplier partner has engineers, technicians, even help-desk personnel who can help resolve your customers’ thorniest technical issues. Letting potential clients know you have this kind of assistance on tap could help you close that next big deal.

Training: You know how fast IT is changing. Social, mobile, big data, the cloud, networking and more — that’s a lot for one person, or even 10, to know everything about. IT suppliers understand this: they’re ready to provide you the training you’ll need to sell their stuff.

Channel-ready solutions: Smart suppliers configure their products so that they’re ready to be installed, saving you time and headaches.

Many large IT companies have established partner programs with a wealth of information available online for free, making it easy for you to do your research on the benefits you’ll get. So before setting out with a new supplier, make sure you’re both on partnering’s two-way street.