Everything Channel's Institute for Partner Education & Development (IPED) Introduces Channel Affinity Index Reports, a Leading Indicator of Technology Channel Sales and Partner Engagement

Live, Interactive NetSeminar Will Feature IPED's Managing Director to Illustrate Value of the Channel Affinity Reports to Technology Vendors

PRNewswire-FirstCall
FRAMINGHAM, Mass.
Jan 28, 2009

Everything Channel's Institute for Partner Education & Development (IPED), a division of United Business Media, today announced that its Channel Affinity Index Reports will be available at the end of the month. The reports are a leading indicator of technology sales and partner engagement, which help technology vendors increase sales. The reports are also the first time any research firm has provided detailed analysis of the vendor-Channel, Channel-end customer and vendor-end customer relationship. IPED will also offer a free NetSeminar entitled "More Profit From Your Partners - The IPED Channel Affinity Advantage" on Wednesday, February 4 at 2:00 PM ET to provide technology vendors with insight on how well products are selling in the Channel and why. To register for the NetSeminar, go to: https://www.cmpnetseminars.com/ars/eventregistration.do?mode=eventreg&F=100135 6&K=CLNT1.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090128/NY63765LOGO )

In the soon to be released reports value added resellers (VARs) rated vendors of small and medium-sized business (SMB) products in 15 different weighted criteria, providing the most in-depth profile of what makes a vendor successful, or unsuccessful, in the Channel. Each report addresses a specific technology category as well as analysis of the vendors selling those products into the Channel. The reports also provide detailed information on the number of proposals written and deals closed for the product category as well as the reasons why partners choose a particular vendor and how well each vendor ranks against the criteria.

The 26 SMB reports focus on seven major areas of technology, including: Systems Management Software; Databases; Operating Systems; Portals and Content Management; Collaboration; Servers/Application Virtualization; Network Color Laser Printer; Network Security; External Storage; Network Attached Storage; Storage Management Software; Storage Virtualization; Desktops; Laptops; Servers (UNIX, Linux); Servers (x86 arch); Networking Infrastructure; Unified Communications; Internet Security Software; Monitors and Displays; Security Appliances; Multifunction Devices; Web Application Servers; Business Intelligence; Backup and Recovery Hardware; and Backup and Recovery Software.

IPED will release an additional six reports in five major areas of enterprise technology throughout the course of the year: Network Security; Network Attached Storage; Networking Hardware; Laptops; Databases; and Business Intelligence.

"Our Channel Affinity Index Reports provide insight and actionable data that can improve a technology vendor's partner sales and build partner loyalty," said Toni Clayton Hine, Vice President and Managing Director, Everything Channel's Institute for Partner Education & Development. "One of the key findings of the study is that even large, well-established vendors can risk losing market share if they don't focus on areas that are important to Solution Providers. In today's economy no one can afford to make a mistake. Our reports are the only place that shows which relationships are important and how the relationships are changing."

The Channel Affinity Reports are available through a subscription offering, which enables customers to trend results over time and make improvements to their programs. For additional information or to download a sample Channel Affinity Index Report, go to: http://www.iped.com/affinity/.

IPED NetSeminar Provides Technology Vendors with Insight on How to Get a True Picture of How Products are Selling in the Channel

IPED will host a free NetSeminar on Wednesday, February 4, 2009 at 2:00 PM ET entitled "More Profit From Your Partners - The IPED Channel Affinity Advantage" to provide technology vendors with insight on how they can get a true picture of how well products are selling in the channel and why.

Everything Channel's Clayton Hine and Stanley Elbaum, Practice Director for World Wide Channel Intelligence & Analysis, will discuss how IPED's Channel Affinity Index can help create more profitable partner programs, optimize the size and capacity of a partner's base, track and leverage the relationship between partners and their customers, deliver research and analysis that can make products more attractive to partners and how to impact Channel sales for the greatest return on investment. To sign up to participate in the NetSeminar, go to: https://www.cmpnetseminars.com/ars/eventregistration.do?mode=eventreg&F=100135 6&K=CLNT1.

For additional information on the Channel Affinity Index Reports, contact John Machado at 508.416.1126 or jmachado@everythingchannel.com.

Everything Channel (www.everythingchannel.com, www.channelweb.com)

Everything Channel is the one-stop shop for accessing, enabling, managing and accelerating technology sales channels. From branding and recruiting to marketing and sales, Everything Channel offers technology marketers the unmatched breadth and depth of global brands and market intelligence combined with unparalleled audience loyalty and credibility serving all technology sales channels through an extensive database. Everything Channel provides innovative sales and marketing solutions to arm the sellers of technology with the resources they need to achieve measurable and significant results.

About United Business Media Limited (www.unitedbusinessmedia.com)

United Business Media Limited (UBM) is a global media and marketing services company that informs markets and brings the world's buyers and sellers together at events, online, in print, and with the information they need to do business successfully. UBM serves professional and commercial communities, from IT professionals to doctors, from journalists to jewelry dealers, from farmers to pharmacists around the world. UBM employs more than 6,500 people in more than 30 countries. UBM's businesses operating in the US include CMPMedica, Commonwealth Business Media, Everything Channel, PR Newswire, RISI, TechInsights, TechWeb and Think Services. UBM is listed on the London Stock Exchange (UBM.L) and has a market capitalization of $1.6 billion.

  Contact
  Dan Neel
  Everything Channel
  (212) 600-3326
  dneel@everythingchannel.com

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact: franzman@beyondwords.com

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SOURCE: Everything Channel

CONTACT: Dan Neel of Everything Channel, +1-212-600-3326,
dneel@everythingchannel.com

Web Site: http://www.everythingchannel.com/