Solutions
Building Block 1: App Portfolio Strategy
Challenge
Often, the first step in a provider’s cloud journey is building a meaningful portfolio of cloud services to include in its marketplace. It is also the very first step that providers get wrong.
Small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) don’t have time to waste on testing unknown apps, and they certainly don’t want to take any unnecessary risks.
SMBs seek out expert guidance to make the best possible software choices. That’s why it’s critical for providers to focus on building a curated portfolio of applications, one that reflects their own objectives, target market, and capabilities.
Successful Cloud Partners from IDC, shows that 84 percent of SMBs want an established relationship with a trusted vendor who can advise them on cloud services.
Strategy Tip
How does a provider actually execute on building a relevant cloud product portfolio? Some providers have taken a laser-focused approach with a "land and expand" mindset. This strategy includes:
![Applications Focusing on Initiatives]()
Select a few anchor applications
Choose applications that focus on sales, marketing, and customer support initiatives around these solutions that prove that success is possible.
![Customer Adoption Engagement]()
Driving customer adoption and engagement
Deliver value, establish trust, and hook customers into the platform.
![Expanding with Applications]()
Expanding with applications
By expanding with targeted verticals (e.g., retail or construction) or adjacent use cases (e.g., DocuSign for Office 365), you can create cross sell opportunities.
