From Cold Calling to Partner Training Outreach: A Descriptive Case Study of B2B Prospecting and Channel Partner Engagement in a Healthcare Technology Vendor

Author

Rohit Sanjay Wagh

Abstract

 Purpose. This paper examines how business-to-business (B2B) outreach progressed in two channels of a healthcare-technology vendor: direct customer prospecting by telephone and outreach to channel partners for webinars and training. Design. An exploratory, descriptive, cross-sectional case study drew on a self-maintained activity log of 70 documented interactions (48 customer cold calls; 22 partner contacts) recorded during a 25 May–25 August 2026 internship. The log itself was not available for audit; figures are taken from the author’s internship report. Data were analysed with frequencies and percentages and interpreted with relationship-marketing, consultative-selling and channel-partner-training literature. Findings. Of 48 calls, 34 reached a relevant contact, 19 produced interest or a scheduled follow-up, and 9 produced a meeting or demonstration. In the partner channel, stage counts declined from 22 initial contacts to 18 invitations, 12 confirmed attendances and 11 expressions of training interest. Several reported measures were internally inconsistent and are excluded. Implications. The patterns are consistent with relationship-stage and partner-disengagement perspectives, but no causal or effectiveness claims are supported. Proposals on funnel definitions, follow-up tracking and CRM documentation are offered as untested. Contribution and limitations. The paper offers a transparent, conservative account of early-stage B2B outreach and a data-quality template. Limitations include a small, purposive, single-researcher sample and unverified records.

Keywords

B2B sales, cold calling, channel partner engagement, partner training, relationship marketing, consultative selling, healthcare technology

Full Text:

Download Paper PDF

References

[1] F. R. Dwyer, P. H. Schurr, and S. Oh, “Developing buyer–seller relationships,” Journal of Marketing, vol. 51, no. 2, pp. 11–27, 1987. [DOI to be added]

[2] R. M. Morgan and S. D. Hunt, “The commitment–trust theory of relationship marketing,” Journal of Marketing, vol. 58, no. 3, pp. 20–38, 1994. [Details cited from memory; verify before submission]

[3] S. D. Hunt, D. B. Arnett, and S. Madhavaram, “The explanatory foundations of relationship marketing theory,” Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, vol. 21, no. 2, pp. 72–87, 2006, doi: 10.1108/10610420610651296.

[4] W. C. Moncrief and G. W. Marshall, “The evolution of the seven steps of selling,” Industrial Marketing Management, vol. 34, no. 1, pp. 13–22, 2005. [DOI to be added]

[5] D. I. Keeling, D. Cox, and K. de Ruyter, “Deliberate learning as a strategic mechanism in enabling channel partner sales performance,” Industrial Marketing Management, vol. 90, pp. 113–123, 2020. [DOI to be added]

[6] C. B. Satornino, J. Pelser, M. Wetzels, K. de Ruyter, and D. Grewal, “You’ve lost that learning feeling: Drivers and drawbacks of channel partner disengagement with sales training,” Industrial Marketing Management, vol. 113, pp. 258–276, 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.indmarman.2023.06.006.

[7] J.-H. Lim and M.-J. Park, “The authenticity of business to business salespersons on consultative selling competence: The role of customer orientation,” Asia-Pacific Journal of Business, vol. 14, no. 4, pp. 1–21, 2023. [DOI to be added if available]

[8] D. I. Keeling, K. de Ruyter, S. Mousavi, and A. Laing, “Technology push without a patient pull: Examining digital unengagement (DU) with online health services,” European Journal of Marketing, vol. 53, no. 9, pp. 1701–1732, 2019, doi: 10.1108/EJM-10-2017-0692.

Share your valuable work from Social Media Buttons