UNIFY EMBRACES CONTENT SYNDICATION IN CHANNEL-WIDE REBRAND. Webinar Brief SPONSORED BY SPECIAL GUEST

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1 UNIFY EMBRACES CONTENT SYNDICATION IN CHANNEL-WIDE REBRAND Webinar Brief SPONSORED BY SPECIAL GUEST

2 Unify Embraces Content Syndication In Channel-Wide Rebrand 2 Maintaining brand compliance, while simultaneously driving leads through a complex network of channel partners, is daunting for many vendors. Many partners are small and don t have the time, resources or manpower to keep pace with marketing trends, ensure content is up to date, and execute cutting-edge campaigns. Unify, formerly Siemens Enterprise Communications, was not only faced with the challenge of rebranding its channel, but also ensuring all partners had brand-consistent content at the moment the new company name was unveiled. The mission for a rebrand project is simple: to ensure everything is updated, on time and with minimal resources, while being communicated to the widest possible audience, said Robin Pilcher, Head of Global Channel Marketing at Unify, during a recent Channel Marketer Report webinar. One thing a global rebrand does is bring all complexities of managing your brand in the partner channel into sharp focus, all at once. To control and manage content more efficiently, especially during the rebranding process, Unify embraced content syndication solutions from TIE Kinetix. Pilcher added that many companies going through a channel-wide rebranding experience the same mix of emotions: Perplexity, pain, panic and a little bit of passion. Throughout the course of the relationship, a company and its partners continuously share a large amount of content, information and assets. Over time, content can become a monster, Pilcher noted. So how do you ensure every single partner in your channel, regardless of geography and language, has access to accurate, up-to-date information about your solutions? The mission for a rebrand project is simple: to ensure everything is updated, on time and with minimal resources, while being communicated to the widest possible audience. One thing a global rebrand does is bring all complexities of managing your brand in the partner channel into sharp focus, all at once. What s your expereince with Content Syndication for Channel Marketing? 22% 34% I ve heard about it 44% None, this is the first time I m hearing about it - Robin Pilcher, Unify I m currently using Content Syndication

3 Unify Embraces Content Syndication In Channel-Wide Rebrand 3 TIE Kinetix helped Unify ensure brand compliance during the most crucial time of the company s existence: the time of launch. Unify also can make certain that all partners are abiding by brand guidelines, using content effectively and leveraging language and messaging that is consistent with the overall brand. Many of our partners are quite small resellers with little or no marketing resource or web expertise, Pilcher said. He explained further that many small businesses simply provide a link to a vendor web site so that they don t need to be concerned about brand infringements. It also removes the burden of maintaining their web content about your products and solutions. However, simply copying and pasting a link to a vendor web site is the worst possible thing they can do, Pilcher said. This strategy removes a potential prospect from the partner s web site to find the information they re looking for and they may never come back. It doesn t make sense for indirect channel partners. Doing The Heavy Lifting On Channel Marketing Content Syndication solutions are an elegant way to manage web content, and can empower vendors to do the heavy lifting for partners, according to Pilcher. By gathering all relevant content at once and automatically displaying it on partner web sites, Unify had a smooth and seamless rebrand launch for partners across 49 countries worldwide. Engaging and immersing partners in this project, while ensuring no business downtime, was fundamental to ensuring complete success of the rebrand, Pilcher said. Think about how inspirational it was for our partners to see the new, unified branded content, at the same time our CEO officially launched our new brand at our global online event. If partners are happy, everyone in the supply chain the whole channel is happy. - Patrick van Boom, TIE Kinetix

4 Unify Embraces Content Syndication In Channel-Wide Rebrand 4 Overall, Content Syndication has played a vital role in our rebrand, and it will continue to grow, Pilcher said. But just like a rebrand, Content Syndication is not a oneoff activity; it s about enabling your partners on an ongoing basis to grow their business. Vendors using Content Syndication also can add, edit and delete content with a single click, Pilcher noted, and display refreshed content on the web sites of hundreds or even thousands of partners instantly. Patrick van Boom, CMO of TIE Kinetix, added that Content Syndication empowers vendors to close the loop at the partner level, helping to serve several pain points: Demos; Videos; Product selectors; White papers; Spec sheets; and Brochures. Social media posts also can be syndicated, as partners can have pre-build tweets delivered to their communities across Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Partners need to enroll to receive automatic updates across digital channels. What is your biggest channel marketing challenge? Generating leads; Distributing valuable content; Boosting conversions; and Ensuring brand compliance and control. More revenue also can be generated from content, as keeping content up-to-date and distributed effectively can help create a great end user experience and in turn, increase the bottom line. Content that can be syndicated includes: 56% 56% 38% 25% 19% Generating leads for partners Updating and distributing content Brand control issues Lack of resources Poor end-user experience

5 Unify Embraces Content Syndication In Channel-Wide Rebrand 5 The more time you ask from your partners, the less successful your program will be, van Boom said. We focus completely on making it as easy as possible for partners because they have little time and resources so let s not put work in their hands. If partners are happy, everyone in the supply chain the whole channel is happy. Built-in reporting tracks content consumption and reaction, helping partners better understand the behaviors, interests and needs of customers and prospects, van Boom reported. These insights then feed into the sales model to improve targeting and the overall effectiveness of follow-up activities.

6 Unify Embraces Content Syndication In Channel-Wide Rebrand 6 About Channel Marketer Report Channel Marketer Report is an online publishing network for channel marketers and executives, with content focused on the latest solutions, trends and strategies to help vendors, resellers and distributors optimize marketing, both to and through partner networks. Tapping into the power of the Web 2.0 environment, the Channel Marketer Report network is made up of a monthly e-newsletter, podcasts and video interviews, special reports, web seminars, and a content-rich web site at State Route 17 South Suite 410 Hasbrouck Heights, NJ P: F: [email protected] About TIE Kinetix TIE Kinetix transforms the digital supply chain by providing total integrated E-Commerce solutions. These integrated E-Commerce solutions maximize revenue opportunities by minimizing the energy needed to market, sell, analyze and deliver online. Customers and partners utilizing TIE Kinetix consistently benefit from innovative, field tested technology and are able to remain focused on their core business. TIE Kinetix develops cloud and license based solutions, and is backed with over 25 years of proven technology and awards. TIE Kinetix is a publically traded company on the NYSE Euronext, and has offices in the United States, The Netherlands, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, United Kingdom and Australia.