Battlecard: vs. VARs & Solution Providers¶

Sales-ready competitive positioning document

Competitor Category: Value-Added Resellers and Solution Providers Win Rate Against: Target 65%+ Last Updated: January 2026

30-Second Pitch¶

"VARs get paid by the vendors they recommend—that's not advice, that's sales. They earn commissions, rebates, and incentives on every product they sell you. We've never earned a dime from any vendor since 2010. When we recommend a solution, it's because it's right for you, not because it pays us."

Competitor Overview¶

What They Are: Technology resellers who add implementation services to product sales

Their Model: Primary revenue from product margins (15-40%) plus vendor rebates, SPIFs, and partner incentives

Primary Pitch: "We're vendor experts who can implement for you"

Target Market: Organizations buying technology who want implementation support

Our Advantages (With Evidence)¶

Advantage	Evidence
Zero vendor incentives	No rebates, SPIFs, commissions, or partner revenue since 2010
Evaluate ALL options	We compare all vendors, not just the ones who pay us
Transparent pricing	What you pay us is what we earn—no hidden vendor margins
Optimize existing investments	We maximize what you have before recommending new purchases
Strategic guidance	Long-term roadmap, not transaction-focused sales

Their Advantages (Honest Assessment)¶

Their Advantage	Our Counter
Vendor expertise	"Deep on specific vendors, blind to alternatives. We evaluate all options objectively."
Preferred pricing	"Those 'discounts' come from margins they're making elsewhere. We help you buy direct when it saves money."
Implementation speed	"Fast on standard deployments, but are you getting the right solution? Speed on wrong choice isn't value."
Vendor support escalation	"We have vendor relationships too—but we're not dependent on them for revenue."

Objection Handling Scripts¶

"They have deeper vendor expertise"¶

"They know their vendors well—but that's the problem. They only recommend what they sell. When's the last time a Cisco VAR recommended you consider Palo Alto? We evaluate all options and recommend what fits your needs, not what pays us."

"They can get us better pricing"¶

"Let me ask: better than what? They're making 15-40% margin on every product, plus rebates. Sometimes direct purchasing is cheaper. Sometimes another vendor is better value. You'll never know unless someone evaluates all options—which a VAR won't do."

"We've worked with them for years"¶

"Long relationships are valuable, but they can also mean you're not getting fresh perspective. When's the last time they recommended you spend less, or suggested a competitor to their main vendor? We're here to optimize your technology investments, even if that means fewer purchases."

"They handle everything end-to-end"¶

"End-to-end within their product portfolio. What about integration with your existing tools? What about solutions from vendors they don't sell? We provide the strategic view across all your technology, not just the products one reseller carries."

Trap Questions to Ask¶

Use these questions to expose VAR weaknesses:

"What percentage of your revenue comes from vendor incentives and rebates?"
Most VARs won't answer directly
Exposes hidden conflict of interest
"When's the last time you recommended a competitor to your primary vendor?"
Answer is almost always "never"
Reveals limitation of their advice
"Can you show me a comparison of ALL options, including vendors you don't sell?"
VARs only compare products they carry
Demonstrates our differentiation
"What would you recommend if you didn't earn commission on it?"
Forces acknowledgment of bias
Opens door for independent evaluation
"How do you evaluate whether existing tools should be kept vs. replaced?"
VARs incentivized to sell new, not optimize existing
We start with what you have

Proof Points¶

Vendor-Neutral Results¶

"Client saved $120K by keeping existing firewall instead of VAR-recommended replacement"
"Evaluation showed client's 'obsolete' tools had 3 more years of viable life"
"Competitive analysis revealed VAR-recommended solution was 40% more expensive than better alternative"

Optimization Wins¶

"Technology rationalization identified $85K in redundant tools across 3 VAR relationships"
"Renegotiated licensing directly with vendor, saving 25% vs. VAR-quoted 'best price'"
"Integrated existing investments to close security gap—$0 new purchases required"

Independence Value¶

"Zero vendor relationships, partnerships, or revenue since 2010"
"Recommendations documented with full comparison matrix across all vendors"
"Transparent pricing: advisory fee is total cost, no hidden margins"

Common VAR Tactics (Help Client Recognize)¶

Tactic	What It Looks Like	What It Means
"Best price" claims	"We got you the best deal"	Best of what? Only their vendors.
Urgency pressure	"This pricing expires Friday"	SPIF deadline, not real urgency
Bundle push	"You need the full suite"	Higher commission on bundles
FUD selling	"Without this you're at risk"	Fear sells products
Upgrade pressure	"Time to move to latest version"	New sales > renewals

Competitive Signals¶

Signals Client is Ready for SBK¶

Tool sprawl from multiple VAR relationships
Frustration with "always buying something new"
Compliance audit failure despite "having all the tools"
Question whether recommendations are objective
Major technology decision approaching

Signals We Might Lose¶

Committed budget for specific vendor
VAR offering "free" implementation with purchase
Deep personal relationship with VAR owner
Client wants vendor-backed financing
RFP written around specific vendor requirements

Discovery Questions¶

Ask these to uncover pain points:

"How do you currently validate that vendor recommendations are in your best interest?"
"When's the last time a vendor recommended you spend LESS money?"
"How confident are you that you're using all the capability of your current tools?"
"Have you ever compared your VAR's recommendation against alternatives they don't sell?"
"What would it mean if you discovered 30-40% of your technology spend was unnecessary?"

Positioning Statement¶

For organizations who want objective technology guidance, SBK Consulting is the vendor-neutral advisory firm That evaluates all options and optimizes existing investments. Unlike VARs who earn commissions and rebates from vendors, We have zero vendor relationships and recommend only what's right for you.