What’s the mark of a successful channel marketing relationship? If you’re thinking budget, it’s a good start – but there’s much more to it than numbers. In reality, it’s about building an Alliance of Equals, where both vendors and partners move forward as collaborators, not just transactional associates. Today, channel partnerships hinge on mutual value and shared direction, particularly as partners hold more sway in the market than ever before
According to Forrester, 64% of partners now manage three or more vendor relationships, with 17% juggling more than five. In short, they have options, and that means they’re selective. For tech vendors, it’s no longer about throwing dollars at the channel and hoping for loyalty; it’s about finding ways to add real, sustained value.
Rethinking Partner Dynamics
The partner landscape has transformed. In a typical B2B tech vendor's channel network, up to 75% of revenue may flow through the channel, but only a fraction of partners are driving those results. Studies show that 80% of revenue can come from just 20% of partners, which makes many partnerships either highly effective or practically dormant. Yet for partners, a strong relationship doesn’t just mean revenue – it means a clear reason to engage and trust.
Consider this: Aberdeen Group research found that fully enabled channel partners have a 28% higher lead acceptance rate and a 10% boost in quota attainment. Why? Because enablement, autonomy, and clear alignment of goals help partners to feel invested. So, how can you make sure your partners are engaged?
Building a Stronger Alliance: Three Essential Steps
Enable with Precision
Your partners need tools to succeed – and not just marketing assets, but tailored enablement. This is where vendor-provided resources, like campaign toolkits and real-time marketing support, come into play. Partners often operate with limited resources, so making it easy for them to customise and use your campaigns helps them succeed. And when they win, so do you.
Go beyond providing marketing materials. Invest in training and support that gives partners confidence in your products, addressing technical questions, pain points, and providing a clear view of ROI. This enables them to be advocates, not just resellers.
Align on Realistic, Mutual Goals
Every partner has distinct goals, so a one-size-fits-all incentive approach can backfire. The most effective partnerships are built on shared success metrics. Vendors and partners need to agree on what success looks like – not only in terms of revenue but also in market growth, customer engagement, and strategic positionin
Partners who feel strategically aligned with vendors are more likely to prioritise those relationships. SiriusDecisions reports that partners incentivised on performance metrics that reflect their own goals are 40% more likely to stay engaged with that vendor. Make sure KPIs match both your goals and those of your partners, from new customer acquisition to deeper account penetration.
Provide Autonomy with Support
Empowerment is about enabling flexibility. Giving partners a degree of autonomy to design and run their own campaigns – with your support behind them – means they can work to their strengths. A “menu of options” approach provides assets and resources that partners can deploy as they see fit, allowing them to tailor strategies to their audience without feeling locked into a rigid process.
This freedom helps partners stay relevant to their market. For example, offering pre-packaged campaigns that they can adapt (e.g., modular content for social media, banner ads, or customised landing pages) lets partners engage effectively without reinventing the wheel.
Moving Forward with a Collaborative Mindset
The future of channel marketing is here, and it’s grounded in partnership, not patronage. As the partner landscape evolves, those who adopt the Alliance of Equals framework will see higher engagement, stronger loyalty, and a better ROI on their channel marketing spend. Fully engaged, empowered partnerships create results that resonate across the board – and it’s an approach that separates thriving channel strategies from those that simply keep the lights on.
Ready to explore this Alliance of Equals approach in greater detail? Download our latest ebook, Helping Partners Navigate the Buyer Journey, for practical insights and proven strategies to enhance your channel partnerships. It’s packed with actionable advice to help you and your partners achieve long-term success in today’s competitive landscape.
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