The cloud is an increasingly important resource for small- or medium-sized businesses. To take advantage of this demand, remember that there are channel partners that are successful when selling the cloud and those who fall short.

Techaisle says coming out on the successful side is not left to chance. Here are some recommended methods to sell the cloud to SMBs and to encourage channel partners and vendor suppliers to make successful SMB cloud businesses. They relate to business priorities, technology, and sales and marketing efforts.

One key to cloud success is “partner-to-partner relationships.” Techaisle’s study also recommends having a “distinctive approach” to allocating budgets and resources. It is important to have an economical, scalable method for lead generation. Data integration linking cloud and on-premises is important, as well. Remember, too, that branded solutions and industry expertise are important for channel cloud success, Techaisle said. And cloud portfolios should include verticals not just Software as a Service or Infrastructure as a Service. 

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In addition, Techaisle has come up with a prediction that hybrid clouds represent the future, not private clouds.

“As SMBs continue to adopt cloud computing aggressively, they will continue to move away from capital budgets,” Techaisle reported in another study released last December. “Revenue will become the focus rather than tight cost control. The buyer will move toward the department that is responsible for delivering business results and thereby revenue … SMBs are now priming themselves for growth, and the Cloud is firmly established as an important tool to build the business.”

When looking at the future of partnerships and channel opportunities in cloud computing, there have been some concerns. For instance, some relate to the system of direct sales.

“Concerns about account control, revenue sharing and long-term profitability are causing channel conflicts, which must be resolved in order to continue to expand the Cloud Computing market,” according to one prediction.