Everything you need to know to become a Microsoft reseller
UPDATE: As of July 6th, 2023, Vendasta no longer offers Microsoft 365 as a reseller solution for purchase. This article has been updated to provide general tips and solutions for reselling Microsoft 365. As an alternative solution, Google Workspace is still available on the Vendasta marketplace to resell.
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Staying on top of client needs and continually rounding out your product offering to reach new markets and better serve your existing clients is essential. With new agencies and other service providers popping up all the time, you need to differentiate yourself by offering a variety of digital solutions. Have you considered becoming a Microsoft reseller?
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If you’re looking for reseller partner programs with broad appeal and usability, the Microsoft reseller program should be on your radar. We’ll go over everything you need to learn how to become a Microsoft reseller and about how to go about adding this essential productivity suite to your list of digital solutions.
What is Microsoft 365?
Microsoft 365 is a suite of cloud-based apps that fuel business productivity. It includes professional email hosting, the familiar suite of apps like Word and Excel, file management, collaboration tools, and more. It brings a variety of functions and tasks under a single umbrella, enabling clients to communicate, work, and access information from anywhere.
Along with Google Workspace reseller programs, it’s one of the most popular productivity suites to resell.
Can you become a Microsoft 365 reseller?
You can absolutely resell Microsoft products. Microsoft does have its own Microsoft reseller program through which you can create an account. If approved, you can place bulk orders and become a Microsoft license reseller. However, this option doesn’t make sense for most SaaS resellers looking to go to market quickly and make a good profit. Between having to create an account with a new vendor for a single reseller app and having to purchase licenses in bulk, reselling Microsoft products this way isn’t feasible.
There’s another, easier way to become a Microsoft reseller though.
You can become an authorized Microsoft reseller and resell Microsoft 365 by joining a software marketplace. This is a much better approach for most digital service providers because it solves the problem of having to wait for approval from Microsoft, having to jump through hoops throughout the application process, or having to purchase minimum volume quantities.
Why become a Microsoft reseller?
When it comes to choosing reseller programs to add to your offering, you want to make sure you’re choosing ones that deliver real value to your clients and, ultimately, to your business. It’s generally a good idea to be selective and strategic, rather than joining every single reseller program you can find. No matter who your client base is, becoming a Microsoft 365 reseller is a good choice – everyone needs a good productivity suite to do business. This makes Microsoft 365 is the perfect addtion to your product and solution bundles.
Here are a few reasons it shouldn’t be missing from your digital products.
Boost client stickiness
The more valuable the products you sell to your clients are, the less likely those clients are to churn out of your business.
Why?
Because it would be seriously disruptive to your client to have to interrupt their service of core products that are essential to their day-to-day operations. Microsoft 365 includes indispensable apps for email and file management, which your clients will rely on daily.
In other words, as a Microsoft 365 reseller, your clients are more likely to view you as a crucial partner in their business. When it comes to client retention, the Microsoft reseller program is one of the best reseller programs you can join.
Diversify your revenue streams
If you don’t currently resell any productivity solutions, becoming a Microsoft license reseller will enable you to represent a new niche and revenue stream for your business. It has very broad appeal since it can effectively be used by any business, regardless of size or industry.
When you become a Microsoft reseller, you’ll have a solution that you can sell to any client, opening up your business to new prospective clients and giving you a way to boost the value of existing customers.
Generate monthly recurring revenue
Revenue that you can rely on every month makes forecasting your cash flow much easier and serves as a reliable buffer against the effects of normal fluctuations in revenue. Since Microsoft 365 is a subscription-based product, each new client that you sign on will bring in monthly recurring revenue for as long as they remain subscribed through you.
Become a more valuable vendor
The more digital products you resell your clients, the more valuable of a partner you become in their business. With so many vendors out there, it’s normal for clients to experience some vendor clutter that they want to reduce. The more solutions they purchase through you, the less likely you are to be deemed “clutter.” Why not become a Microsoft license reseller and solve this problem for your clients?
Sure, having some unique offerings like an SEO reseller program, a PPC reseller program, or white-label software reseller program that help you distinguish yourself from the competition is a good idea. But it’s just as wise to offer the must-use core products like Microsoft 365 so that your clients don’t have to work with another vendor to get it. The more you can become a one-stop shop for your clients, the safer your partnership will be over the long term.
Associate your business with a trusted brand
Microsoft is one of the most respected, trusted, and recognized brands in the world. By becoming an authorized Microsoft reseller, you can enjoy some of the positive brand equity that is generated by having your brand associated with such a notable tech giant.
How to become a Microsoft reseller
We mentioned earlier that the best way to become an authorized Microsoft reseller is through a third-party marketplace, rather than directly through Microsoft. Here’s exactly how you can do just that.
- Join a software marketplace. By creating just one account, you can access hundreds of reseller programs that you can start offering through your business without needing to buy them in bulk or pay for them in advance before you secure a sale from your customer.
- Add Microsoft 365 to your product offering.
- Set your pricing. Through a reseller marketplace, you’ll get a discount on the retail price of Microsoft 365. Generally, it will make sense to match the retail price or offer a slight discount.
- Start selling! Since you don’t have to pay for any licensing upfront as a Microsoft 365 reseller, you’ll only be charged once you make a sale to your client. This means you don’t have to worry about being in the red before you start making sales.
How to position Microsoft 365
Depending on who your clients are, you may be surprised at just how many are still using clunky, dated productivity solutions. They may be using an out-of-date email service provider, fallible and insecure data management solutions, and not much in the way of collaboration tools.
In these cases, the cloud nature of Microsoft 365 can be a game changer for your clients. They can enjoy world-class security, fast speeds, and elegant UX, all while likely paying less than they were for their older solutions.
If your clients are already familiar with or even using Microsoft 365, your approach may be a little bit different. Rather than selling them on the many benefits of this cloud software, which they’re already familiar with, you might want to try creating unbeatable product bundles to entice them to switch over to you.
Start reselling Microsoft 365 today
Productivity tools are essential to business success today, and Microsoft 365 is one of the most powerful offerings in the space. Now that you know how to become a Microsoft reseller, you can start adding Microsoft 365 to your business offering to increase your monthly recurring revenue today.