Hear Jay McBain (Canalys), Michelle Thomas (Microsoft) & Gemma Telford (Founder SheHer) discuss the 'perfect storm' of channel marketing, the friction of co-partner marketing and the importance of a customer-focused approach to channel.
Highlights:
Jay set the scene talking about the 'perfect storm' of five different things happening right now that are increasing the important of partners working together.
- New Buyer Demographics: Millennial's, who prefer digital-first and subscription models, are now the majority buyers in the tech industry.
- Platform Economy: Buyers now prefer integrated solutions, often involving multiple vendors. This has shifted the value from single-brand solutions to multi-partner ecosystems.
- Economics of Partnering: The shift from point-of-sale margins to recognizing various partner contributions throughout the customer journey.
- End of Cookies: Transitioning from third-party data to first-party data, which emphasizes partnership data. (*based on recent news this now seems obsolete!)
- Generative AI: Transforming the industry with new capabilities and economic opportunities.
After which the panel went on to discuss some of the challenges and opportunities of working with partners:
- Orchestrating Multiple Partnerships: Difficulty in managing multiple partners simultaneously and ensuring their integration adds value to the end customer.
- Importance of Joint Value Proposition: Critical to define the combined value that partnerships bring to customers, focusing on their needs and challenges.
- Role of Integrations: Ensuring that different technology solutions work seamlessly together is crucial for customer satisfaction and retention.
Overall the discussion emphasized the need for collaborative efforts in channel, focusing on integrated solutions and customer-centric approaches to drive growth through partnerships.
