Partner Marketing Strategy: How to Take Your Program to the Next Level
Executing partner marketing well can yield immense benefits, but it’s not as easy as it may seem—especially if you’re new to the game! So, how can you improve your strategy, continue innovating, and elevate your program so that partners are eager to work with you? That’s exactly what a recent Partner Marketing Visionaries discussion explored.
Michael Latchford, VP of Strategic Alliances and Partner Marketing Services, joined a panel of marketing and business experts: Susanna Parry-Hoey from SoftwareONE, Kimberly Payton from Infosys Finacle, Andy Sayare from NetApp, and Jeff Wood from Lenovo. Here’s a breakdown of the key takeaways from their conversation.
Building a Better Partner Marketing Strategy
Effective partner marketing begins with strong strategic thinking. Successful teams are continuously experimenting—hypothesizing, testing, and refining ideas before fully rolling them out. This approach helps ensure that new initiatives are aligned with market needs.
Kimberly Payton from Infosys Finacle emphasizes the importance of regularly stepping back to assess the competitive landscape. “What’s the story you need to tell? Who is gaining traction, and where? And how do you stand out from the competition?” she says. For example, when Unix was prevalent, a campaign encouraging a switch to Linux aligned perfectly with the needs of software companies and OEMs. The key was identifying a market gap and positioning the product in a way that made it irresistible.
Susanna Parry-Hoey of SoftwareONE builds on this idea, noting that successful strategies connect directly with broader business objectives. She highlights SoftwareONE’s growth strategy, which focuses on five key areas, including cloud optimization, application modernization, and global expansion. By aligning partner marketing efforts with these growth streams, they’re able to create a more cohesive and impactful partner ecosystem.
Fostering Innovation in Partnerships
One of the most powerful aspects of partner marketing is the ability to innovate collaboratively. As Susanna Parry-Hoey explains, the best strategies help scale the business and encourage continuous improvement. Building a culture of innovation with both partners and internal teams is crucial for long-term success.
Andy Sayare from NetApp sums up the value of collaboration well: “By partnering to build solutions, we can create more value for the customer. For example, combining storage with compute infrastructure and switching technologies enables customers to run a complete solution, all tested and optimized to work together.” This kind of integration not only benefits customers but also drives innovation within the partner ecosystem.
Jeff Wood from Lenovo shares a specific example of how innovation can fuel growth. He recalls a partnership with AMD to develop a high-end workstation for industries like automotive design and media. By addressing a bottleneck in existing technology, they were able to provide a unique solution that helped them grow in those markets.
Aligning Marketing Efforts with Different Partners
As partnerships evolve, so too must the marketing strategies that support them. Today, partner ecosystems are more dynamic, with new types of partners emerging. This presents opportunities for creative innovation, but also requires careful alignment of marketing efforts across all stakeholders.
Andy Sayare discusses how NetApp has had to expand its partner network to include AI-focused companies. “It’s critical to understand who is speaking to customers at the right time,” he says. “By aligning with the right partners, we can ensure our ecosystem is ready to address AI opportunities as they arise.”
Parry-Hoey from SoftwareONE also shares how they balance leadership and collaboration with their partners. “We need to lead in offering high-value advisory services while also being a reliable channel for our partners,” she says. This dual approach helps create a robust ecosystem where all players can thrive.
Moving Your Partner Marketing Forward
While the ideal mix of strategy, innovation, and marketing will vary for each partner program, focusing on these areas will undoubtedly drive success. By continuously refining your strategy, nurturing innovation, and aligning your efforts with the right partners, your program can grow stronger and more impactful over time.
For more insights on partner marketing, keep an eye out for future webinars and discussions from Marketing Vogue. And if you need support with your partner marketing efforts, don’t hesitate to reach out for guidance.
