The Hunt for a Master Agent

By Peter Radizeski, President of RAD-INFO

In a follow-up to the Where to Start? post, let me begin with some thoughts on master agents.

There is certainly a lot of choice when it comes to master agents, which makes it challenging to find the right one, especially for a newbie agent. Luckily, PHONE+ has an article titled, "What to Look for in a Master Agent," which is a good starting point.

Then you can surf over to this article about a session at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo in Vegas: Roundtable Session Addresses Master Agent's Changing Role.

In the article, Brad Miehl, CEO of MicroCorp Inc., said, "Being a master agent is not about carrier agreements anymore ─ it is about enabling. At MicroCorp, we have spent a lot of time and resources enabling our agents, VARs, carriers and end users so that they can be more productive."

Master agents like Telarus also are bringing more tools to the agent, which makes the process more efficient, saving people time and money.

Ultimately, the master agent should be paired with you on objectives. If you are going to be selling SaaS and SIP, then look for an agency with experience and breadth in those areas.

The key today is niche marketing and developing a sales plan. What do you want to sell and to whom? And what is your unique sales proposition? Figure those things out and speak with the master agents in Boston next week at the Channel Partners Conference & Expo.

Another reason to attend Boston is to speak with other agents, so you can hear what others are doing successfully.

Asides:

• VERIZON TEAMING IS BACK. That's right, FULL compensation for teaming is back for Verizon Business sales.
• This QWEST ad seems to be poking agents:

Peter Radizeski is president of RAD-INFO. He is a member of the PHONE+/Channel Partners Conference & Expo Advisory Board.