Marketing with and through Partners: Insights for Success
In discussions with partner marketing teams, we’ve seen a variety of approaches to both marketing with and through partners. To better understand how organizations use these strategies to drive success, Michael Latchford, VP of Strategic Alliances and Partner Marketing Services, spoke with executives from Red Hat, Cisco, and Intel: Helen Kim (Red Hat), Mark Murphy (Cisco), and Julie Malloy (Intel). Here are some key takeaways from their conversation.
Differentiating “Marketing With” and “Marketing Through” Partners
There are different strategies that companies use within their partner ecosystem to achieve business goals, but two of the most crucial are marketing with and marketing through partners. Both strategies require significant collaboration, but the level of involvement varies.
Marketing with Partners involves a collaborative approach where two or more organizations work together to execute promotional efforts. The tasks are typically shared, though the balance of responsibilities can differ depending on the partners.
Helen Kim from Red Hat describes their marketing with partners as a “co-sell, co-market” effort. This allows them to present a unified value proposition, solving customer problems together with the right go-to-market (GTM) strategies.
Julie Malloy from Intel calls it their “better together” story. Intel shares its plans with partners, and partners also contribute their own initiatives. The goal is to combine these messages to create something more valuable than what either company could achieve alone.
On the other hand, Marketing through Partners is a less collaborative approach. Here, one partner provides funding or resources to another, who is then expected to carry out the promotional activity independently.
Mark Murphy from Cisco explains that while Cisco takes a step back in the marketing process, they still need to ensure they’re providing the right tools and resources for their partners. It’s about enabling partners to drive the promotion and reach customers more effectively.
Tapping Into the Power of Partner Ecosystems
One of the biggest advantages of marketing with and through partners is the ability to scale your efforts. By working with different types of partners, organizations can extend their market reach, improve relevance, and increase their sales penetration through more trained selling resources.
Mark Murphy highlights that while Cisco has a large sales team, the number of partners in their ecosystem – around 70,000 – allows them to multiply their salesforce exponentially. Partners also have stronger relationships with customers, especially with the 99% of clients that aren’t direct enterprise customers.
Julie Malloy adds that partners often have more trust and influence with customers. She notes that in certain parts of the customer journey, the partner’s voice is more trusted than the vendor’s, making it crucial to lean on those partnerships to better understand and solve customer needs.
Adapting Strategies for Evolving Markets
As market dynamics shift, so too must partner marketing strategies. The executives all emphasize the need for flexibility and quick adaptation to changing customer preferences.
For Cisco, this means evolving their programs to accommodate new buying behaviors. Mark Murphy points out that today’s customers expect a seamless experience, whether they’re purchasing through an e-commerce platform or subscribing to a service. Cisco is focused on developing new routes to market that align with these changes.
Intel, on the other hand, is customizing its programs for different types of partners. Julie Malloy reflects on how, in the past, Intel’s approach was a “one-size-fits-all” model. Now, they’re tailoring programs to better align with specific partner needs, ensuring the investments and messaging resonate with each partner type.
For Red Hat, Helen Kim’s team is undergoing a transformation, prioritizing certain partners and shifting the company’s mindset toward embracing collaboration. She notes that this shift is integral to their long-term strategy, with partners now at the center of their focus for future success.
The Importance of Flexibility and Adaptability
While each partner program is unique, flexibility is key to continued success. As markets evolve, teams must be prepared to adjust their thinking, their approach, and their partnerships to meet new challenges and seize emerging opportunities.
Partner marketing is no longer just about distributing products or running campaigns – it’s about building deep, collaborative relationships that drive mutual success in an increasingly complex ecosystem.
