As the first month of 2022 comes to a close, AVANT is examining our goals for the year. This year, and every year, our highest priority is focusing on how we can further support our Trusted Advisors as they work to grow their business and keep up with the rapid pace of change that comes with our industry.
The beginning of the year is also a great time for you as Trusted Advisors! Take time to not only consider your 2022 goals, but also how AVANT can play a part in them. Have you pinned down your top goals? Now, think about execution, the return or result you’d like to see, and when you’d like to see it. Keep reading to explore how AVANT fits into your 2022 goals. Plus, learn how you can further utilize our extensive and industry-leading arsenal of tools and resources to achieve them.
Growing Your Knowledge
As a Trusted Advisor, one of the best things you can do for both your business and your customers is grow your knowledge of the constantly changing and evolving technology solutions. Perhaps it’s fielding questions from curious clients or working to get ahead of the trends you’ll see later in the year. What we know for sure is that a knowledgeable Trusted Advisor is invaluable to a client and their business.
How can AVANT help you do so? First, think about where you’re starting. If you’re coming in green, try diving into one of our many 6-12 Reports. These up-to-date reports come straight from our AVANT Analytics team! They offer an in-depth look at individual solutions and softwares to provide foundational knowledge. Plus, they provide suggestions and examples for communicating about each solution with your clients. Looking for more of a refresh? Check out our BattleBriefings, found within Pathfinder, that give an overview of each 6-12 report and explore the implications that they’ll have on your business. To become a true expert, head over to our Technology Insights podcast, which offers short episodes that dive into those implications on a deeper level.
Defining Your Brand
Whether you’re a seasoned Trusted Advisor or newer to the industry and ready to power forward, your brand will help determine much of your successes throughout the year. Do your clients see you as a go-to person for questions about their businesses or the softwares they’re considering? Growing and defining your brand is a great goal to set for yourself this year. However, it can feel intimidating and ambiguous.
So, how can AVANT help you define your brand as an indispensable resource? We suggest getting as familiar as you can with our premier Pathfinder platform, which is both a customer-facing tool and a resource to grow and evolve your brand. As a customer-facing tool, Pathfinder allows you to establish yourself to clients as a leading expert with pricing comparisons between providers and local solution options. For your own brand, you can head to the Trusted Advisor Academy and check out one of our many training and certification courses available, which have a number of different benefits. The first is the support they can provide in helping you grow your knowledge (see goal one!). Additionally, they provide actual certification badges to add to your email signature and LinkedIn profile. This allows you to immediately show your credentials to clients as a trusted resource.
Exploring Networking Opportunities
In the channel, siloing yourself is not an ideal route to success. Networking with fellow Trusted Advisors, industry experts, and vendor partners allows you to gain new perspectives on the issues your clients are facing, learn about important new trends that will impact your business, and connect with vendor partners who can provide insight and support for your clients and your own business.
How can AVANT help you explore and improve your networking efforts? Check out one of the many trainings and events we host throughout the year, both on a local and national level! No matter your location, there is likely an AVANT Bootcamp, PowerUp, or Insight nearby. These events provide opportunities to connect with a number of new partners that can help grow your business, including some of our own AVANT team members! We also join channel events throughout the year and host our very own annual Special Forces Summit. This is the premier industry event of the year, where networking opportunities are available at nearly every corner. Don’t forget to save the date for our 2022 Special Forces Summit, taking place September 19-21 in Austin, Texas!
No matter what your 2022 goals are, AVANT is here to help you achieve them. Our number one goal is to support you as you work to grow and evolve your business. That’s why we’ve worked so hard – and continue to do so – to create our arsenal of experienced experts, tools and resources. From channel sales and solution engineers to cutting-edge analytics to local and national training and networking events, we are here to power you forward in 2022!