The 2026 Partner Learning Agenda

What Every Partner Needs to Learn Next Year to Drive Net New Sales

As we are acutely aware and reminded of at every industry conference and SKO: the selling environment for channel partners is continually shifting.

The root causes for this are myriad, but one contemporary reason leads all others: prospects with a desire or requirement to acquire new or upgraded technology are educating themselves about their desired technological solutions long before they ever contact a salesperson (regardless of whether that seller is from a vendor or partner).

What has accelerated this process during the past year or so is that tools like ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemini are making it easier for prospects to get self-educated (admittedly with a healthy level of skepticism when it comes to relying solely on data being presented in AI search engines).

What this leads to is that potential buyers of technology develop a firm view of what they think they want long before they speak with their trusted channel 'experts' (let's please stop calling them salespeople; buyers do not want to talk to coin-operated salespeople, hence the term 'experts').

Given that buyers have a predisposed view prior to engaging in conversations with trusted channel 'experts', this creates a new imperative which calls for being able to discuss solution narratives instead of features. 

In order to keep pace with the shift described in this article, partners need to invest in upgrading their 'experts' capabilities to match the new normal for tech procurement and ensure they adopt the following key learning pillars to secure ongoing success and avoid falling behind:

Key Learning Pillars for 2026

1. Digital Selling & Channel Discovery

   Partners must learn how their buyers search and evaluate in today’s digital world.

   
   

   Buyers are over 57% through their decision before engaging sales, which means you better have strong self-learning options on your website, LinkedIn page and Reddit, just to list a few digital watering holes.

   https://www.cgsinc.com/sites/default/files/media/resources/pdf/CGS_ChannelsInfographic_V1.pdf

   
   

2. Value‑Driven Positioning

   Partners need to train themselves to acquire new skills and tools, not the least of which is how to use ChatGPT and Reddit to get more customers.

   
   

   This is not product training; this is sales and digital marketing engagement training. And it works: organizations investing in partner training see sales boost of 20‑30%.

   https://www.paradisosolutions.com/blog/partner-training-boosts-revenue-growth-and-business-success/

   
   

3. Story‑Driven Marketing

   Partners must generate their own leads and tell stories that connect emotional value with outcomes.  The key here is the term outcomes!

   
   

   Only by telling a story about the outcomes you provided to customers can you win in this new environment. So, rethink how you educate and make it about the stories that can help you teach and win.

   
   

4. Co‑Selling & GTM Execution

   Vendors and partners must align messaging, shared pipelines, and execution.

   
   

   This is the Achilles heel of the channel; vendors think they have good training, partners think they do not.  So have the tough talk with your top vendors and explain to them how to share messaging, pipelines and execution, and train your team on how to work through the process.

   
   

5. Automation & Measurement

   Amazingly, well-trained partners sell 143% more than poorly or un-trained ones.

   
   

   And yet too few vendors create good training that actually helps partners and too few partners actually take advantage of the vendor training that is provided to grow.

   https://netexam.com/how-to-measure-the-impact-of-training-for-channel-partners-and-the-roi-of-your-channel-partner-training-investment/

Learning Delivery Best Practices

Now you may be reading this article thinking "I cannot afford to spend that much time training".

This is where our new digital, always connected, short-attention-span-world can benefit you, the partner. The best learning programs are now based on short, micro‑learning modules https://netexam.com/how-to-increase-sales-through-channel-partner-education/

So, look for short modules, check Youtube, check vendor portals, check industry sites and curate the education your team needs as opposed to the education vendors are providing. There are great resources out there that can really help you grow. Once you find them you can work on a plan to get your people trained on what they really need to know to win. 

Takeaway

The tech landscape demands a deep understanding of why and how buyers look for information about the solutions they seek. Vendors and partners must treat Learning as a core growth lever.

If you’re a partner and you don’t commit to learning in 2026, you’re handing your future to chance. Channel growth happens when partners are trained as sellers/experts, marketers and business builders, not just 'resellers' or 'iron-workers'.

If you'd like to have a chat about how to put the above into practice for your business, please feel free to call or text me at 908-566-7241 or email royschijns@jsgnow.com