How long does it take to recruit a partner?

How long does it take to identify and recruit a new reselling partner from your first contact? Can it be done in a month or two?

I often get this question from the companies I work with and the answer is: maybe…  Sometimes it is actually possible, if you get lucky! But it all depends. Generally speaking, it takes from 3 months up to a year to identify and recruit a self-sufficient, pro-active reselling partner.

It can seem like a long time, so why does it take so long?

Because companies have their own business to attend to as well as their own challenges and agenda to handle. They might be close to fiscal year end with all the processes and uncertainty that entails. They might be in the middle of a re-organization, they might be involved in a merger,  they are already working with a similar solution to yours, or they haven’t realized the need for what you can offer.

So the answer is: unfortunately, they are not waiting for you to call. If they were, they would have done so already.

There is another factor which can influence the time it takes and that is “timing” – are you approaching potential partners when there is a specific need for your offering? Is there a new regulatory rule being implemented which makes your offering indispensable? Is there a new trend in the market which your solution can support? Or can you create the need for your solution by delivering a compelling value proposition?

Then, suddenly the answer is: sure, they would love to hear from you, if they haven’t already called you…