How you can stand out in the growing SMB market
This Future Ready piece explores the best way you can target the growing SMB market.
The small and mid-sized business (SMB) segment represents one of the biggest untapped opportunities in today's economy. Businesses with fewer than 250 employees account for around half of GDP and over 90% of employment worldwide With millions of SMBs still running on outdated systems while facing growing cybersecurity threats and digital transformation pressures, the timing couldn't be better for channel partners to capture this market.
But here's the challenge: everyone's talking about the SMB opportunity, yet many partners struggle to differentiate themselves in this crowded space. The secret isn't just recognising the potential – it's understanding how to deliver value that SMBs actually need.
The SMB reality check
Let's be clear about what we're dealing with. SMBs aren't just smaller versions of enterprise customers – they're fundamentally different. Consider that only half of all SMBs (and just 25% of all small businesses) employ full-time, dedicated IT staff. These lean operations mean SMBs need solutions that work immediately, require minimal management, and deliver clear value from day one.
This presents a huge opportunity for partners to act as a trusted resource for those customers. Larger SMBs (more than 25 people) tend to take a more comprehensive view of value. They are approximately four times more likely than other SMBs to factor in the quality of support and technical specs when they make tech-buying decisions rather than simply price.
Standardisation is your competitive advantage
The most successful partners in the SMB space have learnt one crucial lesson: standardisation wins over customisation every time.
Think of it like a pizza menu. SMBs don't want a personalised calzone – they want to choose from proven toppings that they know will work. Partners need to avoid offering bespoke solutions for every customer, as this adds significant complexity to fulfilment - unless the customer represents a substantial portion of your business.
This approach lets you:
- Deliver consistent quality across all customer deployments
- Reduce implementation time and costs
- Create predictable revenue streams through repeatable processes
- Scale your business without increasing complexity.
Standardised offerings also give you a great platform for upselling. Once customers see value from your core solution, they're more likely to invest in additional services and capabilities.
Focus on adoption, not just deployment
Here's where some partners miss the mark: they sell the solution and walk away. The winners understand SMBs need ongoing support to maximise their investment.
These partners add value by ensuring customers actually use what they've purchased. This might include:
- Adoption workshops to optimise system usage
- Monthly management meetings to review performance
- Regular health checks to prevent issues before they impact business
- Usage audits to ensure customers aren't paying for unused features
This approach improves customer satisfaction and creates sticky relationships that generate recurring revenue.
Differentiation is key
Here's the reality: tons of partners sell the same products. The differentiator isn't what you sell – it's how you sell it and what else you bring to the table.
The product stays the same across partners, but your approach to implementation, support, and ongoing relationship management is where you create competitive advantage. Consider:
- Pre-sales consultancy to understand their specific needs
- Implementation methodology that minimises disruption
- Training programmes that ensure user adoption
- Ongoing support models that provide peace of mind
- Business reviews that demonstrate ROI and identify growth opportunities
Looking ahead
The SMB digital wave is gaining pace. As risks increase and AI tools become essential, more SMBs will need to upgrade their technology foundations.
Most SMBs today start as cloud-native businesses. They're born in the cloud and expect solutions to work seamlessly. This presents both an opportunity and a challenge.
The opportunity: these businesses understand the value of cloud-based solutions and are willing to invest in them. The challenge: they have high expectations for ease of use, integration, and immediate value delivery.
The partners who’ll succeed are those who treat SMBs not as a challenge, but as a high-speed path to sustainable growth.
